The Fuller Memorandum is the third book in the Laundry or Bob Howard series by Charles Stross. The series combines hard science-fiction, spy thriller, and Lovecraftian horror. The first two books are The Atrocity Archives and The Jennifer Morgue.

The book starts very strong, with a prologue titled “Losing My Religion” by Bob Howard, the main protagonist in the series. In this he writes that he started out as an atheist, and wished he could go back to the comforting certainties of atheism, but the nature of his work for the Laundry, Her Majesty’s occult secret service, as a computational demonologist have made him a believer of the One True Religion.

The Truth is that my God is coming back.
When he arrives I’ll be waiting for him with a shotgun.
And I’m keeping the last shell for myself.

The story in this book takes place a couple years after The Jennifer Morgue, the second book in the series. Bob Howard is now the manager of the Laundry’s IT-department and married to Dominique “Mo” O’Brien. Like with any hard working couple work occasionally follows them home, but when work includes zombie assassins and minions of a mad god’s cult things are rapidly spinning out of control. On top of that his boss Angleton disappears and a top-secret dossier, the Fuller Memorandum, goes missing. What’s the connection and who or what is the Eater of Souls?

Rating:

I have some mixed feelings about this book. It’s still very good, but it’s not the same genre anymore as the first book in the series. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me, the second book was already different from the first, but the differences weren’t as pronounced.
The first novel, The Atrocity Archives, is fast-paced, geeky, hard science-fiction with Lovecraftian horror and some elements from the archetypal British spy novel mixed with sarcasm, humor and satire. The third book, The Fuller Memorandum, is a Lovecraftian spy thriller. I don’t know if it can still be called science-fiction. A lot — but mind you not all — of the geekyness, wittiness, humor, satire and sarcasm have gone too. The characters have gained in depth and the storytelling has improved, but I liked the first novel of the series a lot more.

See my reviews on the The Atrocity Archives and The Jennifer Morgue.

The Jennifer Morgue is the second book in the Laundry or Bob Howard series by Charles Stross. This review contains some minor spoilers.

Did you ever experience the feeling of being turned into a zombie while watching a PowerPoint presentation? Well, here it is for real, a PowerPoint presentation is used to turn people into zombies. After barely surviving this ordeal, Bob Howard, computer übergeek and demonology hacker extraordinaire in his Majesty’s occult secret service, must stop software billionaire Ellis Billington. Billington has managed to get his hand on a Soviet Cold War device that permits communication with the dead. He plans to use it to raise an eldritch horror, codenamed Jennifer Morgue, from the Stygian depths, in order to rule the world.

The Jennifer Morgue

The entire operation has been put under a specific geas by Ellis Billington, meaning that if the good guys want to win they have to play it by the rules of the archetypal British spy novel. So you have a huge yacht in the Caribbean, a very rich evil mastermind with a white cat, casinos, martinis (shaken, not stirred), and you also need a British secret agent. Don’t tell Bob, he’s not supposed to know.
And you’ve got to have girls — Bond girls. There is the gorgeous looking (at least glamor level 3) Ramona Random from the Black Chamber, who planted a demon on her in order to control her — not just any demon but a succubus. Every man she has ever slept with died horribly less than 24 hours later. Can she be trusted?  Is she even human? What will Bob’s girlfriend Dominique “Mo” O’Brien do? Lie back and think of England? Yeah right, when hell freezes over.
What is the role of the Laundry, Britain’s occult secret service? The Laundry wouldn’t be the Laundry if they played by the rules, at least to other people’s rules.

Rating:

Charles Stross did it again. This is the second book in the Laundry or Bob Howard series, where hard science fiction is mixed with the British spy novel and Lovecraftian horror, and spiced with humor, sarcasm and satire. Not as geeky, fast-paced and witty as the first novel in the series, The Atrocity Archives, but still very good.
Click here for my review of the first novel.

What do you get when you mix hard science fiction, a spy thriller, a loathing for bureaucracy, a computer hacker as main protagonist, Lovecraftian horror, a wicked sense of humor and set it all in an alternate history? Answer: The Bob Howard or Laundry series by Charles Stross.

This is a review of the first novel of the series: The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross.

The grinning sallow face of Fred from Accounting looms out of the darkness in front of me and I recoil before I realise that it’s all right — Fred’s been dead for more than a year, which is why he’s on the night shift.

The premise for the series is that certain mathematical computations, the Turing-Lovecraft Theorem, can be used to open gates to other dimensions and universes or summon demons and even worse things that, as Terry Pratchett puts it, even the dark is afraid of. Or you could use some candles, a human sacrifice, and some other stuff, but that’s old school.

The many-angled ones, as they say, live at the bottom of the Mandelbrot set, except when a suitable incantation in the platonic realm of mathematics — computerised or otherwise — draws them forth. (And you thought running that fractal screensaver was good for your computer?)

The main protagonist is Bob Howard, a computer geek now working as a low-level techie for the Laundry, Britain’s super-secret, occult, government agency. As a student they caught him messing with stuff he shouldn’t have and offered him the choice to either work for the Laundry or … Well, it wasn’t much of choice anyway.

I thought I was just generating weird new fractals; they knew I was dangerously close to landscaping Wolverhampton with alien nightmares.

The Atrocity Archives

After a while he gets bored and volunteers for active duty on Her Majesty’s Secret Occult Service, which is something he will regret several times during the novel when fighting zombies, Nazis, nameless horrors, and his line-manager.

Rating:

This is a special kind of fast-paced geeky science fiction that I had never encountered before. Take William Gibson’s cyberpunk, Terry Pratchett’s sarcasm and humor, Lovecraft’s horror, and Ian Fleming’s James Bond and this will give you most of the ingredients. I am not really a fan of Lovecraft, but in the mix served up by Charles Stross it is simply irresistible.
This is not going to be everyones cup of tea. You will either like it very much or not at all. Be prepared to read sentences like “Most of it boils down to the application of Kaluza-Klein theory in a Linde universe constrained by an information conservation rule. ” If this doesn’t put you off, you could be in for a treat.

Why write a review for a mediocre fantasy duology? Because the story reminded me of a much better fantasy trilogy I once read.

KingMaker, Kingbreaker

The titles of the 2 novels in this duology are:

1. The Innocent Mage
2. The Awakened Mage.

The second novel is sometimes referred to as Innocence Lost.

From the cover of the first novel The Innocent Mage:

Enter the kingdom of Lur, where to use magic unlawfully means death. The Doranen have ruled Lur with magic since arriving as refugees centuries ago. Theirs was a desperate flight to escape a powerful mage who started a bitter war in their homeland. To keep Lur safe, the native Olken inhabitants agreed to abandon their own magic. Magic is now forbidden them, and any who break this law are executed. Asher left his coastal village to make his fortune. Employed in the royal stables, he soon finds himself befriended by Prince Gar and given more money and power than he’d ever dreamed possible. But the Olken have a secret; a prophecy. The Innocent Mage will save Lur from destruction and members of The Circle have dedicated themselves to preserving Olken magic until this day arrives. Unbeknownst to Asher, he has been watched closely. As the Final Days approach, his life takes a new and unexpected turn …

From the cover of the second novel The Awakened Mage:

“The evil foretold has risen … and we are all that stands between it and the end.”
Asher has come a long way for a fisherman’s son. Together with his friend Prince Gar, he has defended their kingdom against its bitterest enemy, but at great cost.
Now, the evil mage Morg is preparing for his most deadly assault. Desperate, trapped in a broken body, Morg has little time and fewer scruples. And he has a plan.
As Gar and Asher unwittingly fall into a dangerous deception, Morg gets ever closer to his goal. And this victory would be particularly sweet, for who better to destroy the kingdom than the two who would give anything to save it?

Review

The Innocent Mage

Rating: 6/10 or
I would put these books in the category fast-food. Fast-food books are an entertaining read for a couple of hours (per book) or an evening or two. Don’t expect the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything, though-provoking issues, sarcasm, witty remarks, or life-changing insights. I just wanted to spend some quiet evenings reading, nothing more and nothing less. These 2 books have served their purpose. After all, a bad book is still better than a good movie or TV series.
Karen Miller could use some help with her characters. Asher, the main protagonist is impatient, rude, bad-tempered and full of self-pity (what have I done to deserve this, why is everyone always picking on me). Not once did I feel any sympathy for him. Not once.

Why spend time writing a review for a mediocre fantasy duology? While reading these novels I got this feeling that I had read something similar before, but better. I kept hoping that it would come back to me, but it was only after I finished the second novel that I made the connection with a fantasy trilogy that I had read some years before.

The plot:

• 2 types of magic, one used by the nobility, the other used by outcasts who are hunted down and killed
• main protagonist swears absolute loyalty to his master, a prince and future king
• main protagonist discovers that he has magic too and uses it to help his master at great personal risk
• main protagonist makes few friends and lots of enemies
• main protagonist discovers that he has both kinds of magic
• main protagonist’s powers are discovered, he is hunted down, beaten, tortured, found guilty and (nearly) executed
• main protagonist is saved from death by a small group of loyal friends
• main protagonist saves the kingdom

The Awakened Mage

Where have I read this before? I am so glad that it came back to me and I immediately wanted to return to the library to get The Farseers Trilogy by Robin Hobb and reread it … again:

1. Assassin’s Apprentice
2. Royal Assassin
3. Assassin’s Quest

Robin Hobb is a far better writer than Karen Miller when it comes to storytelling, giving the characters depth, describing the landscape, …
Also by Robin Hobb in the same universe and with some of the same characters: The Liveship Traders Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, Soldier Son Trilogy and The Rain Wild Chronicles.

PS: I have read the books in Dutch: De Onschuldige Magiër and De Magiër Ontwaakt. A story can be affected by the translation, but in this case I doubt I would have to make any changes to my review.

This is the first book of the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. This series is about a young girl who wants to become a witch and is part of the discworld series.

The Wee Free Men

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Tiffany Aching, a young girl on the Chalk decides that she wants to become a witch. She gets the opportunity to prove herself when another world makes contact with hers. A dark, cold and parasitic world, and it’s ruler, the Queen of the Elves, kidnaps her little brother.
With a weapon (her mother’s frying pan), her granny’s magic book (Diseases of the Sheep) and the help of the Nac Mac Feegle (aka the Wee Free Men) the fighting’, thieving’, tiny blue-skinned pictsies who were thrown out of Fairyland for being drunk and disorderly, she is going to get steal her brother back.
What could possibly go wrong?
Guest appearances: Miss Tick, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg.

Review:

Rating: 10/10 or
This is Terry Pratchett at his best. Witty, entertaining, hilarious and the book contains lots of references to contemporary society and other stories. Terry Pratchett is probably the only author that can make me laugh out loud while reading. The Scottish dialect of the Nac Mac Feegle slows down the pace of reading a bit, but even as a non-native English speaker I find it understandable and very funny.
In this book Terry Pratchett defines what separates witches from the common folk. Witches have First Sight, the ability to see what is really there, and Second Thoughts, the thoughts you think about the way you think. This could as well be the definition of a skeptic.

With over 30 discworld novels it is sometimes difficult to know where to get started. The first discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, is an obvious good choice, there are some more or less stand-alone novels like Pyramids and Small Gods, and there is the Tiffany Aching series. You don’t need any prior knowledge of the discworld series to enjoy this novel.  The Wee Free Men is the first in a series and is followed by A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith. A forth Tiffany Aching novel is in the making: I shall Wear Midnight.
This series is intended for young adults and teens which makes it more accessible than his other work. His books are so full of wisdom, sarcasm, and references to contemporary society, classic stories, movies, … that I sometimes have the impression that I am missing something. It is what makes rereading his books so much fun; each time I discover new references and puns.

It was called in as a robbery. So you can imagine Sergeant Sue Smith’s mood as she watches the video footage of the heist being carried out by a band of Orcs and a Dragon, and realizes that the robbery from an online game company is actually a robbery in an online game. Things aren’t to get any better for Sergeant Sue Smith as the consequences of this robbery start affecting the real world outside and bodies start showing up.

Review

Halting State

This is the second time I read this novel, but the first time I gave up after a couple of chapters. After I had read some other novels by Charles Stross from the Bob Howard – Laundry series and the Merchant Princes series, I decided to give Halting State another try. At first it is a bit confusing, because each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the 3 main protagonists, and there are lots of other characters as well. The story takes some time getting into, but it gets better and better as you continue reading. For example, halfway through the book, I decided to rate it 3 stars or 6/10, but I kept reevaluating my rating and by the end of the book I felt it earned an 8/10 or 4 stars.
The attractiveness of this novel lies in the near future setting and the near future technologies:

• the independent Republic of Scotland
• the European Union of 30 with Russia as potential member
• the 3 major powers in the world China, India and the EU; the USA needed a time out
• accessing the web via your glasses and virtual keyboards
• quantum computing
• …

Have you ever considered what could happen when your remotely controlled cab gets hacked? Charles Stross has.

Apparently some people dislike the Scottish accent that crops up in conversations, but I think it is, pardon my French, just couleur locale. Even as a non-native English speaker I had no trouble understanding it.

As this novel and those from the Bob Howard – Laundry series are fast-paced and contain lots of computer jargon (networking, cryptography, video games, virtual worlds, hacking, security, cyberwar, …) they may appeal more to geeks than to the average science-fiction enthusiast.

Conclusion

Rating: 8/10 or . This is science-fiction for geeks.

I have been a discworld fan since I read my first one some 15 years ago. Terry Pratchett is one of the maybe a handful of writers of which I keep on rereading the books, some even for the 5th time. I keep on discovering new jokes and references. For those not familiar with Terry Pratchett’s work, his books contain lots of references to contemporary society, economy, politics, computer networks, Shakespeare, the press, religion, movies, TV-series, Taoism, … While rereading his work, you sometimes discover new references.

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

Unseen Academicals

Football has come to the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork — not the old fashioned, grubby pushing and shoving, but the new, fast football with pointy hats for goalposts and balls that go gloing when you drop them. And now, the wizards of Unseen University must win a football match, without using magic, so they’re in the mood for trying everything else.

The prospect of a Big Match draws in a street urchin with a wonderful talent for kicking a tin can, a maker of jolly good pies, a dim but beautiful young woman, who might just turn out to be the greatest fashion model there has ever been, and the mysterious Mr Nutt, who no one knows much about. As the match approaches, four lives are entangled and changed forever.

Because the thing about football – the important thing about football – is that it is not just about football. (Text was taken from the cover)

Review

How does Unseen Academicals compare to the other discworld novels? Well, for a discworld novel it’s below average. I would rate most discworld novels 9 or 10 on a scale of 10 and this one only deserves an 8/10 or 4 stars. However, a book with a 4 star rating is still a very good book.

The quality of the book is uneven. The first half is wittier and better worked out than the second half, which feels a bit like a rush job. There are several plots that go nowhere. The second half is also darker than the first half.
It’s a typical Pratchett book in the way he takes on issues in contemporary society (self-worth, xenophobia, power games, football, idolization). He is still a master of sarcasm and parody, and one of the funniest and wittiest authors around, but this book sparkles a bit less. Some people think that Alzheimer’s disease is starting to affect his writings, but I don’t want to go there. This book still shows his genius, but especially the second half could have used some more fine-tuning and editing.
I also expected a greater role for Rincewind, but he might have well been no part of this story at all. There are 3 well-known discworld protagonists that gain a lot of depth in this novel, but that will only appeal to and be noticed by experienced discworld readers.

Conclusion

Rating: 8/10 or
Has this book worth? Yes, it sure does.
Is it a good book to start reading the discworld series? No, The Colour of Magic, Small Gods, Pyramids, The Wee Free Men, Going Postal … are better suited for this.

I am looking forward to the next discworld novels Raising Taxes and I shall Wear Midnight.