The Nightmare Stacks: A Laundry Files novel

Great book, one of Charles Stross's better ones in the Laundry files saga. I did think it ended way too quickly but we know Stross likes to create cliffhanger's for the next books in the series so I was ok with that.

I enjoy Charles Stross' genre merging series. This one took a new bend with a new protagonist. But was superior to the last (didn't much care for the supernatural super hero kitsch). Let's see where this goes from here.

Stross takes a slightly different approach to the Laundry Files in The NIghtmare Stacks, moving away from Bob's (and more recently Mo's) POV and taking up with brand new vampire/government employee Alex.

It works. In some ways this feels like a return to the Laundry's roots, as both Bob and MO are walking mass effect weapons, whereas Alex might have superpowers but he's still a nerdy, nervous twenty four year old mathematician. A mathematician who is about to become a keystone of the effort to stop a very odd alien invasion.

The story is no less Lovecraftian for the alien invasion bent it takes, there are still plenty of dead gods and foul magic, but it doesn't feel as grim as Bob's story.

Stross has never lacked for finding both the nerdy and the mundane in magic, and he uses it to great effect in this book. His magical systems (and universe) are some of the best in the business and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone. It might not be the best place to start in the Laundryverse, but it's an excellent addition to the canon.

One of my favourite Laundry books so far. Strong demonstration of Stross not churning out the same thing according to a proven formula but instead inventing new concepts in the Laundry universe as he goes.

Charles Stross continues his downward spiral in the Laundry Files series. The first five books are a lot of fun, particularly as they are pastiches of other thriller writers combined with a overarcing good story line. The sixth book, The Annihilation Score, takes one of the more interesting and sympathetic characters in the series and turns her into a vindictive, brain dead bimbo instead of the strong, resourceful woman she was in the previous books. I was horrified. With the seventh book I began to suspect that Stross is using a ghost writer or is recycling material that he couldn't sell earlier in his career, because it's just crap.

Mr. Stross has created a thoroughly enjoyable and delightfully entertaining series combining humor and the supernatural. The way he introduces new characters keeps the Laundry series fresh and compelling.

Another welcomed addition to the secret history of our world as told by the civil servants of Her Majesty's government. It's a nice shift of protagonists, as much as I like Mr. Howard, he is getting a little too senior to tell us the unvarnished truth as it would probably melt our skulls. Alex sees the world with fresh albeit luminous eyes (although the fact that he too is a staggering nerd does suggest that Mr. Stress is a write-what-you-know sort of author). No spoilers here but it's a rare and wonderful book that combines military theory, transdimensional conflict and the plight of love-challenged non-humans.

Plus it sent me to the internet to look up pictures of obscure military vehicles; how cool is that?

Highly recommended like everything Mr. Stress writes. If he put out the phone book with his byline it would be worth a read.

Now that phone books barely exist anymore I'll have to come up with another descriptor of a talented author but people of a certain age get it.

This is well up to scratch except for the hilarious scene where Alex takes Cassie back to meet the parents. And sister's boyfriend/girlfriend who is transsexual. It's very funny, but slightly spoiled by the politically correct assumptions.

I quite see that a bloke who thinks he's a chick has problems, and I take it for granted that we should be kind to him. Goes without saying. But it isn't at all clear that joining in his delusion is doing him a kindness. These poor devils have a 40% suicide rate, and it's at least a colourable hypothesis that this comes about because reality eventually catches up, and the poor guy comes to realise that he isn't a woman and can't ever become one. And all those friends who went along with the pretence were not helping him come to terms with reality.

But apart from toeing the politically correct line in a rather unthinking manner, it's the usual fun and games. So forgive my irritation and read the book.

Kind of amazing how Mr. Stross writes comedy - even romantic comedy with likeable characters - in the same story as terrifying modern/magical warfare and tragic disaster occur in the prelude to eldritch apocalypse.

Omit some of the battle description and it would be a fine book. The change of protagonist is fine and the plot and style is still Stross mad computer science Slashdot fiend humour but the book does drags on at time like an over zealous D&D DM.

I'll be honest, after the disappointment that was The Annihilation Score, I was hesitant to see us following someone beside Bob, in this case, Alex Schwartz, a PHANG originally introduced two books ago.

On the whole, The Nightmare Stacks does a well-done look at fleshing out the universe of the Laundry series as well as showing CASE NIGHTMARE GREEN is not the only "end of the world as we know it" scenario that we have to worry about. I'll avoid spoilers, but I kept thinking this bares resemblance to "Occult Casablanca". It could be a decent introduction to the series for new readers as it doesn't directly reference many of the events or characters from earlier novels (as Alex wasn't there), though long time readers will see many references to events going all the way back to the first book.

I would highly recommend this to any occult novel lover, but be warned; its long and you might not be able to put it down until you finish it some 10 hours later.

I love Charles Stross’s “Laundry Files” urban fantasy novels. They’re one quarter H. P. Lovecraft, one quarter James Bond, and one half Dilbert, with the Dilbert part being the scariest: the denizens of the secret British government department that calls itself the Laundry (because that’s what its headquarters building originally housed) have to battle tentacled horrors from beyond space-time while also filling out forms in triplicate and dealing with the worst of corporate/civil-service/military hierarchy and acronymic codespeak, and you can guess which is usually harder. The result manages to be both funny and frightening, a good trick.

Unfortunately, this book is the weakest in the series so far, in my opinion. The main problem, I think, is that the protagonist, Alex, though a nice enough young nerd, is not nearly as interesting as the previous books’ main characters, Bob Howard and his wife, Mo (with her killer violin)—even if he is a former banker and a newly minted vampire (contrary to what you might think, he was not both at once). The emotional developments in his life and that of his new girlfriend can be seen coming from miles away. The Nazi-like (though not quite human) villains are pretty predictable, too. The action doesn’t really pick up steam until almost halfway through, and though the civilian collateral damage from the bad guys’ eventual attack is much higher than usual, I didn’t find that the suspense matched.

Even so, the book is worth reading for the writing, which is as good as ever. For instance, this is the description of the Laundry’s temporary offices in Leeds: “Take an early 1970s British copy of an early 1960s American shopping mall—small, dingy, and with parking spaces sized for 1950s runabouts. Cycle it through four or five recessions and a couple of renovations—a real American mall would have been bulldozed and rebuilt three times already by now—then, as the most recent recession bites, turn the old stock rooms into cramped offices aimed at neckbeard-wearing, flat-white-swilling hipster wannabes who can’t cut it in London but oh so desperately want to be cool. Allow the offices to fester for three or four years while the hipster startups go bust, then rent them out as payday loan call centers and, finally, as overflow offices for the surviving rump of Her Majesty’s Civil Service—the bits that can’t be outsourced, and desperately need short-term lets.” In short, I don’t recommend this as the book to start with if you’re new to the Laundry series, but if you’re already a fan, you will still find plenty of lines to enjoy.

I have been reading Stross since Singularity Sky, and read it his other series. He was, in my view then, a very good and important author. However, this installment in the Laundry Files is superbly plotted and written. I look forward to the next book in the series, as the ongoing development is about as good as it gets.

I have been reading Stross since Singularity Sky, and read it his other series. He was, in my view then, a very good and important author. However, this installment in the Laundry Files is superbly plotted and written. I look forward to the next book in the series, as the ongoing development is about as good as it gets.

I've loved The Laundry series since I was introduced to The Jennifer Morgue. Honestly, it's a premise that either works for you or doesn't, so seek out a sample or two, give it a go, and after a chapter you'll know.

Good book, good continuation of the Laundry Files universe. Suffers from the same "problem" I have with Stephen King's "Under the Dome" - it was going great guns, exciting, awesome, then *BAM*! Runs into a wall and is over. Out of nowhere. *shrugs*

One more fun romp with Charles Stross. A new Laundry character to get to know and of course the world is coming apart at the seams. A tall tale told by a Master with his usual page turning skill. Get ready. Get set. Fasten your lap belt. The U.K. is in dire straits and it's up to the new guy at the Laundry to bail them out. Buy this book and find out how he does it.

Even without Bob and his wife and her instrument of despair this installment of the Laundry is quite possibly the best of the entire series. Mr. Stross seems to be able to take elves, vampires and reaper drones and make it all work if not sensibly, then logically in the end. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a read you cannot put down.