With MR. PENUMBRA’S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE and SOURDOUGH, Robin Sloan has penned works that defy categorization. Now, with MOONBOUND, he continues to expand his fictional “Penumbraverse” with a novel set in the post-apocalyptic far future but containing adventure and fantasy tropes that will remind readers of some of the classics of those genres.

As he did in SOURDOUGH, Sloan employs a most unusual narrator here --- a fungus-based artificial intelligence that has been in suspended animation for 11,000 years following the demise of its host in a cosmic battle against the genetically engineered “dragons” that humans had once designed for space exploration but that turned against them.

"MOONBOUND is a totally unexpected blend of science fiction, fantasy and adventure revolving around an epic quest across memorable landscapes."

The narrator is awakened by a young boy, Ariel, and proceeds to leap over to Ariel’s consciousness. Ariel is loosely cognizant that there’s a new awareness in his mind, so the two of them engage in dialogue from time to time, even as they share a body. The result is a somewhat unusual narration. The artificial intelligence makes observations on what, to them, seems to be an alien world, even as this is the only world that Ariel, the host, has ever known.

Ariel inhabits a tiny corner of a post-apocalyptic Earth that bears a great deal of resemblance to medieval Europe (with the addition of talking animals), complete with knights, squires and a sword in a stone. If you’re thinking that Ariel sounds a lot like a young King Arthur, you might be right. But the castle’s wizard, Malory, becomes enraged when Ariel pulls the wrong sword, thereby changing what should have been his destiny. Ariel sets off on a perilous journey to escape the wizard’s wrath.

Along the way, Ariel encounters a variety of memorable and surprising characters, including humanoid beavers and friendly robots. He also hatches a scheme to activate an ancient “Plan Z” to free humanity from captivity. But things are rarely as simple as they seem.

MOONBOUND is a totally unexpected blend of science fiction, fantasy and adventure revolving around an epic quest across memorable landscapes. At times, it feels like a video game universe; at others, it’s a reminder of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, C.S. Lewis or T.H. White. Like those novels, this one will appeal to a broad cross-section of readers, including older children and teens who love fantasies.

Those who enjoy being immersed in this fantastical universe will be pleased to know that Sloan envisions MOONBOUND to be the start of a series that will continue to expand his “Penumbraverse” and surprise readers at every turn.