The Nightmare Stacks

Laundry Files, Book 7

By: Charles Stross

Narrated by: Gideon Emery

The Laundry Files' "fast-paced blend of espionage thrills, mundane office comedy and Lovecraftian horror" (SFX) continues as Hugo Award-winning author Charles Stross assigns a day trader to a permanent position on the night shift....

After stumbling upon the algorithm that turned him and his fellow merchant bankers into vampires, Alex Schwartz was drafted by The Laundry, Britain's secret counter-occult agency that's humanity's first line of defense against the forces of darkness. Dependent on his new employers for his continued existence - as Alex has no stomach for predatory bloodsucking - he has little choice but to accept his new role as an operative in training.

Dispatched to Leeds, Alex's first assignment is to help assess the costs of renovating a 1950s Cold War bunker into The Laundry's new headquarters. Unfortunately Leeds is Alex's hometown, and the thought of breaking the news to his parents that he's left banking for civil service, while hiding his undead condition, is causing more anxiety than learning how to live as a vampire secret agent preparing to confront multiple apocalypses.

Alex's only saving grace is Cassie Brewer, a drama student appearing in the local Goth Festival who is inexplicably attracted to him despite his awkward personality and massive amounts of sunblock.

But Cassie has secrets of her own - secrets that make Alex's nightlife behaviors seem positively normal....

©2016 Charles Stross (P)2016 Recorded Books

fun and exciting, a great read to the last

wonderful new heroes to add to the series, highly looking forward to what ever comes next.

Returning to form

Alex, or Bob 2.0, is a far more intriguing and empathetic character here. The supporting cast of characters and entertaining and earn their places in the narrative. As ever lots of humour, references and some top action. Definite entertainment value for multiple listens.

I feel like we got back on the track with this book

I almost gave up on the last book which showed us just how bad of a person Dominique really is plus the the bad story line in the even worse narrator this book was a glad return back to the original storyline better narration and a better story it makes me want to finish the rest of the series

Brilliant

Fun, funny and action packed. Mr stress outdid himself in the nightmare stacks and as ever brilliantly narrated my Gordon Emery

another solid entry in the laundry files series

I really like the reader, and the story itself is Stross in fine form. it's great to get a new perspective on the laundry files universe as well.

Note to Newcomers to Laundry Files Series

Loved the book and the other reviews tell you what you need to know. Except note to newcomers: this is not the book to start with. At least go back to book 5: Rhesus Chart or you will be lost. Better to go back to book 1, Atrocity Archives, because it really is a fun ride to go with the series - many hours of entertainment.

My quibble is this: Scene changes need some signal to readers! Please! Often got whiplash when the scene changed and took a couple of minutes to decipher which characters we had switched to. All audiobooks have this problem to some extent and I wish they would come up with a solution. In books you have white space, usually, at least, to convey scene change. Come on Audible, fix it.

Another foray into occult officialdom

I had my doubts that the Laundry Files could maintain it's quality and momentum with out the character of Bob Howard (a doubt fed by the just okay previous novel in the series).
I was wrong. The sly humor is still there. The grand otherworldly threats still threaten. Entertaining.
Wonderfully narrated by Mr. Emery.

POV of a talented and lethal junior

Whew that was rough. No messing. As quantum threads begin to crossover and the walls of reality grow thin, a crisis cannot be hidden.

Alex and Cassie are amazing. Off you go the next novel in the series. I hope to bump into them again.

Glorious!

Entertaining and interesting. Good to see the author stresstesting his setting, especially with this and the previous installment to the series.

I miss Bob and Moe, but still a great series

What did you love best about The Nightmare Stacks?

This is an unassuming series of Lovecraftian homage, but with great wit, lots of geeky inside jokes, self-referential jokes that don't require you've read the series in order, but definitely reward the behavior. Topped off with one of Audible's greatest readers - whose voice is just perfect for the series.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Nightmare Stacks?

Only one mention of Angleton, but every time Gideon Emery pronounces that name it makes me smile.

Have you listened to any of Gideon Emery’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

All in this series, and he is the perfect voice for The Laundry Files. He nails that sardonic tone perfectly.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Ran it in 2 days! A page turner. Or, uh, on button tweaker. Or whatever.