The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1)

by Charles Stross, Lucius Shepard

English language

Published April 10, 2006

ISBN:: 9780441013654

(35 reviews)

Bob Howard is a computer-hacker desk jockey, who has more than enough trouble keeping up with the endless paperwork he has to do on a daily basis. He should never be called on to do anything remotely heroic. But for some reason, he is.

5 editions

SI CLARKE reviewed The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1) by Charles Stross

Review of 'The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1)' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Bob is a civil servant, working in IT support. He has a horrible boss who's a stickler for timesheets, rules, protocols. Because this is London, Bob has three housemates: a pair he calls Pinky and the Brain and a horrible woman who sometimes sleeps with him out of spite. But the government agency Bob works for is a secret one. The Laundry deals in – not magic, exactly, but not not magic either. Like super high-tech magic. Then Bob gets sucked into (not literally, but with the Laundry that could happen) field work.

I read this years ago and I didn't really enjoy it the first time through. Which is ridiculous, because this is very, very good. Engaging, funny, interesting.

Blind_Mapmaker reviewed The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1) by Charles Stross

Review of 'The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1)' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

3.25 This is actually a rather shortish novel and a longish novella in the same omnibus. The eponymous novel paints an interesting Cthulhu meets civil service meets computer nerds, but I am getting really bored with every every secret magic setting having Nazi occultists as a major antagonist. It's made worse by the fact that the other antagonists are evil Middle Easterners (no Islamists though). Especially uncomfortable is that the Holocaust (hinted at in the title) was an in-world attempt to summon eldritch forces. Yes, it was still done by evil humans, but that sort of thing does leave a bad taste in my mouth. Also it would have been nice for the damsel-in-distress to be a little less helpless (although she's at least damn smart). The end is rather abrupt too and could have used one more twist. 2.75 for that one.

The novella called 'The Concrete Jungle' is …

Wetdryvac reviewed The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross

Review of 'The Atrocity Archives' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Very well executed.

writh reviewed The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1) by Charles Stross

Review of 'The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A fun series that takes the world of H.P. Lovecraft, and adds some British government bureaucracy. It is seriously funny.

unsquare reviewed The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1) by Charles Stross

Review of 'The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, #1)' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This book is actually two related novellas about a British civil servant/operative who works at a secret government agency doing their best to keep Nameless Horrors from overrunning the earth. A good combination of comedy, horror, and spy thriller. I think Stross and Tim Powers are the best new author discoveries of the year - I've read a few books by both so far this year, and they haven't disappointed.