So, I really liked this. But also, I saw online that this started out as a short story and was turned into a novel, and I thought, Yeah. That sounds exactly right. I really enjoyed it as a novel, but at the same time, it just seems like it was meant to be a short story. Luckily the novel is fairly short and well-paced, so it doesn't feel stretched out. 
 In any case, if you're interested in fantasy geekery, people-who-work-at-Google kind of geekery, or just hanging-out-at-bookstores geekery, you will probably love this book. In fact, even if you are disappointed with the outcome, I think you'll enjoy the journey. This is just a really fun book to read.