The Labyrinth Index (Laundry Files, #9)

by Charles Stross

"The arrival of vast, alien, inhuman intelligences reshaped the landscape fo 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. Mhari Murphy, recently elevated to the House of Lords and head of the Lords Select Committee on Sanguinary Affairs (think vampires), finds herself in direct consultation with the creeping chaos, who directs her to lead a team of disgraced Laundry personnel into the dark heart of America. It seems the Creeping Chaos is concerned about foreign relations. A thousand-mile-wild storm system has blanketed the midwest, and the President is nowhere to be found. In fact, for reasons unknown the people of America are forgetting that the executive branch ever existed. The government has been infiltrated by the shadowy Black Chamber, and the Pentagon and NASA have been refocused on the problem of summoning Cthulhu. Somewhere, the Secret Service battle to stay awake, to remind the President who he is, and to stay one step ahead of the vampiric dragnet that's searching for him" --

• ISBN10: 1250196086
• ISBN13: 9781250196088
• Publish Date: 30 October 2018
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 12 July 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Labyrinth Index is the 9th book in the Laundry Files series by Charles Stross. Released 30th Oct 2018 by Tor, it's 384 pages and available in hardback, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a Lovecraftian horror SF wrapped in biting social commentary on our current political dystopia. Stross is at his most acerbically sarcastic and if there's an author with more raw talent at fusing political satire with fantasy, I am not familiar with them. In a lot of ways, these books remind me of Joseph Heller (Catch-22) and there are some interesting parallels: farcical tragedy, theodicy (in fact, the Old Gods in charge are only marginally the lesser of the evils), as well as a subtle sense of impending doom no matter what the characters do or what their motivations. The dichotomy of real and creeping horror combined with literally laugh out loud humour is brilliant and kept me enthralled.

This book works well as a standalone, though it would take some effort to come up to speed with what's going on, it's not an insurmountable hurdle. I felt like I needed an illustrated guide even though I've read from the first book forwards. The main protagonist in this entry is Mhari (Bob from the first book's ex-girlfriend). There is a fair bit of sexism, treated humorously, as well as broadsides against nationalism, patriotism, universal government incompetence and malfeasance, gender relations, and humanoid society as a whole.

The language is rough, the violence graphic, the humour (mostly) bitingly sarcastic. I winced every time Mhari referred to her 'strictly physical' sexual partner (superhero/DCS Jim Grey) as f*ckboy. It just doesn't scan well to me and yanked me out of my suspension of disbelief every time. Stross is -so- talented with nicknames and sarcastic characterizations that I'm absolutely sure he -meant- to call him that for some reason, but it was a poke in the eyeball every one of the 28 times it happened. I believe it was precisely because it was objectifying and distancing that Stross wrote it that way (to show that Mhari, despite being a soulless creature of the night, etc etc, really cared much more than she wanted to admit). I also love all the acronyms; one of my fave bits of the series.

Four stars, well worth a read, even as a standalone.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.