Books – The Fuller Memorandum

[a_cubed]

The third Bob Howard Laundry Files novel is just the novel, but two shorts are available on Tor.Com (Down on the Farmand Overtime) and both of those are worth reading before tackling this. I’m not cognisant of the spy novels that form that structure of this one (by Anthony Price) but it’s a brilliant piece even without knowing that. Given Stross’ attention to detail I’m sure it’s a pretty good take on that style. In addition to lacking a finial short, this takes a darker turn again after the exuberence of the Jennifer Morgue. The Stars are “Coming Right” and Bob’s world is getting darker. Rather than contrast the horrors of real life and those of the Mythos, in this book they’re intertwined in what Stross himself describes as the scariest thing he’s ever written. It’s very dark, though the leavening of human prevents it from being unbearably so (I like my horror with a good leavening of black humour). A nice British variant on the Hellboy concept is thrown in for good measure, while Bob finds out more about the past, present and future of the Laundry, himself and the world (maybe even the universe).  Great stuff. I’m looking forward to The Apocalypse Codex (next but one book from Stross, IIRC) and hoping for at least one Laundry short in the meantime given his current resolution to write more short fiction this year.

Oh, and if you’re waiting for Stross to take on LeCarre, you’ll have an interminable wait. Not only does he thinkg it doesn’t fit with the Laundryverse, it’s also been done (Tim Power’s Declare, which I read last year on Stross’ recommendation).

Still not caught up on the book reviews, I’m afraid, despite today’s ist of entries. Intercontintental business trips mean I read but don’t write up. I’m catching up a bit, though, with four outstanding just now though of course I’m reading new stuff as well so that may go up again if I don’t get round to writing them up for a few days again, particularly as I’ll be off on another ICBT next week.

Current Mood:  calm

Current Music: Dr Who Season 6 Soundtrack

Comments

[clarehooper.livejournal.com]

I admire the amount of reading you do! D'ya use ebooks, or are you down with good old-fashioned paper-based artefacts?

[a-cubed.livejournal.com]

For books, I'm on paper generally (including non-fiction books for work). It's a bit of a pain while travelling as I read quickly enough to need to carry a lot of books with me. I may move to ebooks if/when I get a tablet (probably within a few months) though that still leaves the take-off and landing section of flights as a problem - maybe a single standard paperback short story collection would be good for covering those situations. Books don't run out of power and in-seat power is quite variable in its availability.
For papers I moved to on-screen reading in 2007 when I had limited access to a printer. I read papers very differently to even non-fiction books.

[clarehooper.livejournal.com]

Mm, I prefer to read off-screen in general -- though I've found my Kindle (a birthday gift last October) invaluable when in airport queues -- light, one-handed reading can be most useful!