Things are looking very dicey for Bob Howard (aka, The Eater of Souls) and the super-secret British agency The Laundry which fights occult threats. A televangelist is now the pawn of a Lovecraftean Elder God called The Sleeper. But The Sleeper is waking up and all hell is breaking loose in the U.S. and now England. Part of the problem is The Laundry is being “replaced” by a private security firm run by The Sleeper’s minions. After all the bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, Charles Stross delivers 100-page epic battle. If you’re fan of spy fiction and the occult, this mashup will satisfy you. GRADE: B+
THE LAUNDRY SERIES:
The Atrocity Archives (2004, ISBN 1-930846-25-8) Also contains the extra story “The Concrete Jungle,” Best Novella winner, 2005 Hugo Awards
The Jennifer Morgue (2006, ISBN 1-930846-45-2 – set around three years after “The Concrete Jungle”) Also contains the extra story “Pimpf”
“Down on the Farm” (2008 novelette – set about two years after “Pimpf”) available online
The Fuller Memorandum (2010, ISBN 1-84149-770-3 – set about eight years after The Atrocity Archives)
“Overtime” (2009 novelette – set about five months after The Fuller Memorandum) available online
The Apocalypse Codex (2012 – set about nine months after The Fuller Memorandum)
“Equoid” (2013 novelette – Takes place after the events of Down on the Farm, before the events of The Fuller Memorandum) available online
The Rhesus Chart, (2014, ISBN 978-0-425-25686-2)
The Annihilation Score (2015, ISBN 978-0-356-50531-2)
The Nightmare Stacks (2016, ISBN 978-0-425-28119-2)
The Delirium Brief (2017, ISBN 978-0765394668)
The Labyrinth Index (probably 2019?)
I enjoyed the first couple but haven’t read any farther although I have several. I didn’t like his other fantasy series and have had trouble with his Sf. I should probably read another of these.
Steve, I worked in a very bureaucratic organization for over 35 years so I can relate to The Laundry. You’re right about the early books being better.
I know what Rick is going to say about this one.
Jeff, you’re becoming a psychic!
Plot sounds depressingly like our current political situation. I’ll pass on the book–sadly, it’s not possible to pass on the political situation.
Deb, our political situation continues to decline. Can we take four years of this chaos??? And alien parasites taking over the leaders of governments would explain the wacky situation in the White House and Brexit!
I wanted to like this series but couldn’t get through the first book. I’ve tried some of Stross’ other work, and he and I just don’t mesh.
Bill, I feel the same about this series and Stross in general. I’ve tried, but he’s not for me.
Jeff, I agree with you and Bill. Charles Stross seems to be an acquired taste.
Bill, I struggled through Stross’s first few novels, but once I got the hang of what he was doing, I’ve been a fan of his work ever since.
Meh.
That was for Jeff. 😀
Though I’m glad you liked this, and other Lovecraftian novels and stories, they just aren’t my cup of tea. There are, no doubt, things I read that you much care for, such as, perhaps,the M. C. Beaton mysteries I’ve been reading.
Rick, I have a large stack of M.C. Beaton mysteries that I’ve picked up over the years. But, I have yet to read one.
I read the agatha raisin series by Beaton, and still enjoy them. Didn’t get into the Hamish MacBeth series
That’s “DON’T much care for”…..
I don’t care for spies or the occult! Include me out!