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The Nightmare Stacks
- Laundry Files, Book 7
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Series: The Laundry Files, Book 7
- Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Horror
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The Annihilation Score
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Elle Newlands
- Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins
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Overall
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Mo's latest assignment is assisting the police in containing an unusual outbreak: ordinary citizens suddenly imbued with extraordinary abilities of the superpowered kind. Unfortunately these people prefer playing superpranks instead of superheroics. The mayor of London being levitated by a dumpy man in Trafalgar Square would normally be a source of shared amusement for Mo and Bob, but they're currently separated because something's come between them - something evil.
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I liked getting to know Mo
- By Michelle Nicholson on 2021-05-12
Written by: Charles Stross
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The Delirium Brief
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- Length: 13 hrs and 47 mins
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Bob Howard's career in the Laundry, the secret British government agency dedicated to protecting the world from unspeakable horrors from beyond spacetime, has entailed high combat, brilliant hacking, ancient magic, and combat with indescribably repellent creatures of pure evil. It has also involved a wearying amount of paperwork and office politics, and his expense reports are still a mess. Now, following the invasion of Yorkshire by the Host of Air and Darkness, the Laundry's existence has become public.
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The Labyrinth Index
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The arrival of vast, alien, inhuman intelligences reshaped the landscape for human affairs across the world, and the United Kingdom is no exception. Things have changed in Britain since the dread elder god Nyarlathotep ascended to the rank of prime minister. In America, a thousand-mile-wide storm system has blanketed the Midwest, and the president is nowhere to be found. The government has been infiltrated by the shadowy Black Chamber, and the Pentagon and NASA have been refocused on the problem of summoning Cthulhu.
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just not as engaging
- By Geoff on 2019-06-19
Written by: Charles Stross
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Dead Lies Dreaming
- Laundry Files, Book 10
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As Wendy hunts down Imp - the cyberpunk head of a band calling themselves The Lost Boys - she is dragged into the schemes of louche billionaire Rupert de Montfort Bigge. Rupert has discovered that the sole surviving copy of the long-lost concordance to the one true Necronomicon is up for underground auction in London. He hires Imp's sister, Eve, to procure it by any means necessary, and in the process, he encounters Wendy Deere.
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The Rhesus Chart
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
As a newly appointed junior manager within the Laundry - the clandestine organization responsible for protecting Britain against supernatural threats - Bob Howard is expected to show some initiative to help the agency battle the forces of darkness. But shining a light on things best left in the shadows is the last thing Bob wants to do - especially when those shadows hide an occult parasite spreading a deadly virus. Traders employed by a merchant bank in London are showing signs of infection.
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The Apocalypse Codex
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
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Performance
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The winner of multiple Hugo Awards, Charles Stross is one of the most highly regarded science fiction writers of his time. In The Apocalypse Codex, occasionally hapless British agent Bob Howard tackles a case involving an American televangelist and a supernatural threat of global proportions.
Written by: Charles Stross
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The Annihilation Score
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Elle Newlands
- Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Mo's latest assignment is assisting the police in containing an unusual outbreak: ordinary citizens suddenly imbued with extraordinary abilities of the superpowered kind. Unfortunately these people prefer playing superpranks instead of superheroics. The mayor of London being levitated by a dumpy man in Trafalgar Square would normally be a source of shared amusement for Mo and Bob, but they're currently separated because something's come between them - something evil.
-
-
I liked getting to know Mo
- By Michelle Nicholson on 2021-05-12
Written by: Charles Stross
-
The Delirium Brief
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Length: 13 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bob Howard's career in the Laundry, the secret British government agency dedicated to protecting the world from unspeakable horrors from beyond spacetime, has entailed high combat, brilliant hacking, ancient magic, and combat with indescribably repellent creatures of pure evil. It has also involved a wearying amount of paperwork and office politics, and his expense reports are still a mess. Now, following the invasion of Yorkshire by the Host of Air and Darkness, the Laundry's existence has become public.
Written by: Charles Stross
-
The Labyrinth Index
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Bianca Amato
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The arrival of vast, alien, inhuman intelligences reshaped the landscape for human affairs across the world, and the United Kingdom is no exception. Things have changed in Britain since the dread elder god Nyarlathotep ascended to the rank of prime minister. In America, a thousand-mile-wide storm system has blanketed the Midwest, and the president is nowhere to be found. The government has been infiltrated by the shadowy Black Chamber, and the Pentagon and NASA have been refocused on the problem of summoning Cthulhu.
-
-
just not as engaging
- By Geoff on 2019-06-19
Written by: Charles Stross
-
Dead Lies Dreaming
- Laundry Files, Book 10
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As Wendy hunts down Imp - the cyberpunk head of a band calling themselves The Lost Boys - she is dragged into the schemes of louche billionaire Rupert de Montfort Bigge. Rupert has discovered that the sole surviving copy of the long-lost concordance to the one true Necronomicon is up for underground auction in London. He hires Imp's sister, Eve, to procure it by any means necessary, and in the process, he encounters Wendy Deere.
Written by: Charles Stross
-
The Rhesus Chart
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a newly appointed junior manager within the Laundry - the clandestine organization responsible for protecting Britain against supernatural threats - Bob Howard is expected to show some initiative to help the agency battle the forces of darkness. But shining a light on things best left in the shadows is the last thing Bob wants to do - especially when those shadows hide an occult parasite spreading a deadly virus. Traders employed by a merchant bank in London are showing signs of infection.
Written by: Charles Stross
-
The Apocalypse Codex
- Written by: Charles Stross
- Narrated by: Gideon Emery
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The winner of multiple Hugo Awards, Charles Stross is one of the most highly regarded science fiction writers of his time. In The Apocalypse Codex, occasionally hapless British agent Bob Howard tackles a case involving an American televangelist and a supernatural threat of global proportions.
Written by: Charles Stross
Publisher's Summary
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....
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What listeners say about The Nightmare Stacks
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Heather
- 2018-10-11
Thrilling and completely engrossing!
I think this is the best book in the series thus far, and that is saying something because every entry in the epic series is exceptional.
The performance is quite simply, brilliant.
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- Nancy Torrance
- 2018-09-13
Your worst nightmare come true
It’s what we’ve always feared would happen in the Laundry series, and it’s very, very scary. Sadly, it was a logical progression in the series, and only worse news must lie ahead. No Bob Howard in this one, but still elegantly plotted and performed. #Audible1
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- Michael
- 2016-06-30
Back on Track!
If you could sum up The Nightmare Stacks in three words, what would they be?
Action-packed, hilarious, and just plain fun. After the (not unenjoyable, just different) detour that was The Annihilation Score, Stross has come back to what makes this series so enjoyable. Alex really comes into his own in this novel after the introduction he had in The Rhesus Chart, and though you might think coming into this that you will be lamenting Bob's absence in this and the previous book, that is not the case at all.
What other book might you compare The Nightmare Stacks to and why?
This is a tough question, as I know there are several candidates floating around my head, I just can't put a name to them right now save for books I've read recently. Certain books of the Dresden series come to mind, because of how the endgame of the novel plays out. In that regard this book is also similar to the first entry in Stephen Moss' Fear saga.
Have you listened to any of Gideon Emery’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Emery has narrated most of the books in the series, with the exception of The Annihilation Score which has Mo as the viewpoint character. He's back to do Alex, and does an outstanding job. Like there was ever any doubt.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Stross has a penchant for expertly blending geek humour and sardonic irony with this series, and that's back in full force as Alex is basically a younger version of Bob in this novel (and the inherent stereotypes of his character are exploited mercilessly with hilarious results on more than one occasion). I should also mention that, as with the previous entry, the CASE NIGHTMARE scenario takes center stage (with a twist) which Stross unravels marvelously.
Any additional comments?
I hesitate to call this a return to form, as there was nothing really wrong with the previous novel, it just wasn't what I was expecting. For all intents and purposes, this book mirrors the earlier entries in the series, and is a joy to experience.
5 people found this helpful
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- Larry
- 2016-07-03
Most action packed Laundry File yet
I have to admit from the git-go that The Laundry Files series by Mr Stross is one of my top 5 series I have been following the past 5 yrs. I relisten to various books in the series often and am always amused at the absurdness of the bureaucracy that our intrepid hero, Bob Howard, has to deal with. In short, I am a big fan of Bob. Having said that, Bob is barely even mentioned in The Nightmare Stacks, the 7th novel of the series so I was inclined to dislike The Nightmare Stacks before I had downloaded it. But the series is so unique and the author so skilled at his craft that I still pre-ordered it.
The Nightmare Stacks’ protagonist is Alex Schwartz, a likable character we first meet in book 5 of the series, The Rhesus Chart. He is a “victim” of PHANG syndrome and still trying to wrap his morals around being a PHANG (not PC to use the “V” word) and struggling with how to break the news to his parents that he left his high paying job as an analyst at a bank for a civil service job. Meanwhile, series-wise, events have been rushing to bring Case Nightmare Green ever closer (as evidenced in book 6 of the series, The Annihilation Score). Well, in this book, Alex, a newbie to the magical world, is smack dab in the middle of another Case Nightmare scenario coming to a head before a shocked Britain. And that’s all for the synopsis because any more involves spoilers…
So, did I enjoy the book without Bob? Surprisingly, YES! This was a much better book than book 6 because the characters were more likable (to me, at least). We do not get to deal with the Dilbert-esque bureaucracy hell that gets so many chuckles from me usually, but Mr Stross makes up for it with action and mayhem. I do have some criticisms of the book:
1. The ending was wwwaaayyy too abrupt. Should have had a 10min epilogue to tie things up…
2. No Bob at all. He was mentioned in the second half of the book to be in Japan. That’s it.
3. No Mahogany Row action. As the series has progressed, we have been allowed to peek behind the curtains more and more to see the invisible hands guiding the Laundry. That is lacking here, even though we have a situation that drastically alters Britain, if not the world…
4. No “superpowered” players. As introduced in book 6, “superpowered” are now in the public eye. However, in this situation, not even one makes an appearance.
These criticisms are from a huge fan of the series. If you have read/listened to the series and are not an avid fan of the Laundry, then the above points may not be an issue for you.
Gideon Emery’s performance as narrator was stellar as always. If you need a British narrator/performer of your projected-to-be NYTimes bestseller, Mr Emery is your man: distinct male/female voices, nuanced performances portraying emotion and feelings combined with a master’s sense of timing and cadence, and skill at delivering that unique British sense of humor that I, as an American, will always love but never quite understand.
If you are a fan of the Laundry Files, you will enjoy The Nightmare Stacks. Action and tension are the hallmarks of this latest installment and it further advances the Case Nightmare plotline dramatically. Just don’t be expecting Bob to be making an appearance.
Story (plot) :4
Performance. :5
Production Quality :3
Attention Holding. :4
4 people found this helpful
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- CheezIsGood
- 2016-07-02
Masterful
This is an excellent addition to the Laundry Files. I was bummed at first that Bob wasn't back in the picture yet, but Stross transformed a character I wasn't too fond of, into a hero. Bravo.
2 people found this helpful
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- Dr. WyoPaul
- 2016-07-01
A Laundry Story without Bob and Mo? Still Great
Over the Laundry series I have become a big fan of Bob and Mo. They are not in this book. I almost did not buy it. But it turns out that Alex socially inept Phang geek is a compelling character, and pulled, nay pushed, the story along at high speed. Watch for other fun characters to play a big role.
2 people found this helpful
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- Jeremiah Mccoy
- 2017-04-18
Good return to form for the series
This is a fun story with the deeply geeky references throughout. This has Tom Clancy like elements mixed in to things, much like previous books that had Bond elements or other spy/thriller send ups. Good times.
1 person found this helpful
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- Jamie H. Aven
- 2017-02-26
Fun Read!
More monsters and mayhem from Charles Stross. The ending was a bit abrupt, so maybe the story will continue in the next volume?
1 person found this helpful
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- Barbara
- 2017-02-02
Wow!
Stross books build gradually, but watch out! You'll have to tear yourself away from it try and convince yourself to sleep some each night before you're even halfway through!
1 person found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 2016-09-29
Most Excellent
Charles Stross continues to be one of my favourite authors with a great new Laundry Files entry.
1 person found this helpful
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- Ragnorak5215
- 2016-09-19
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.
1 person found this helpful
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- Eugene Ngumi
- 2016-08-31
Brilliant
Fun, funny and action packed. Mr stress outdid himself in the nightmare stacks and as ever brilliantly narrated my Gordon Emery
1 person found this helpful