Charles Stross has been on quite the roll with the last two 'Laundry File' installments, and 'The Labyrinth Index' picks up the ball and runs with it in exhilarating style. Stross has become annoyed with the way in which events in the actual world had ended up seeming much more unbelievable that those in his imagined world, and so has thrown caution to the winds. It works uproariously well.
With the UK government in the reliable but non-human hands of PM Fabian Everyman, our heroes of the 'Laundry' must attend to an pressing external threat, inklings of which were apparent in the closing stages of 'The Delirium Brief'. It would appear that the great United States has forgotten that it had an Executive Office. Dark deeds are afoot in the land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Enter the Vampires then, to save the world with the very best of British luck then. Mhari Murphy (a vampire), accompanied by Officer Friendly (a superhero) and a motley crew of irregulars are tasked with saving the day. Yes, there is a cunning plan in play to rescue the President. Concordes, skyhooks and elvish mages are mere bagatelles in this rich and meaty stew.
Stross manages to balance wry humour with existential horror in just the right proportions to make this a satisfying morsel.
With the UK government in the reliable but non-human hands of PM Fabian Everyman, our heroes of the 'Laundry' must attend to an pressing external threat, inklings of which were apparent in the closing stages of 'The Delirium Brief'. It would appear that the great United States has forgotten that it had an Executive Office. Dark deeds are afoot in the land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Enter the Vampires then, to save the world with the very best of British luck then. Mhari Murphy (a vampire), accompanied by Officer Friendly (a superhero) and a motley crew of irregulars are tasked with saving the day. Yes, there is a cunning plan in play to rescue the President. Concordes, skyhooks and elvish mages are mere bagatelles in this rich and meaty stew.
Stross manages to balance wry humour with existential horror in just the right proportions to make this a satisfying morsel.