The Jennifer Morgue

I've tried to read Stross in the past, and this is the first one I've finished. Others I've started and then gotten distracted from, and after completing this book, I really feel I should go back and give them another chance. This is fun book that blends modern day techo-geekery, espionage and the Cthulu mythos. On top of that it has fun poking some fun at the James Bond archetype, and there is a rather interesting little essay about the Bond in the back of the book. The essay isn't groundbreaking, but it's an interesting read.

The story itself is enormous fun. It's not a life-changing book by any means, but it merits the fourth star for the entertainment value alone and the fun of having the hero be computer geek wielding bootable Linux on a USB key. The Bond angle is a fun bit of play, with more than a little joking at that titan of pop culture's expense although it isn't really a full deconstruction of the Bond mythos, so if you're looking for profound statements in that regard you will be looking in the wrong place.

I did have one complaint and that was that the Stross takes an obvious short cut in the narrative. Most of the book is told in the first person, with the exception of the prologue, which takes place in the past. The prologue bit, I'm fine with. But there is a moment midway through the book where it shifts to third-person in order to show two other events, one in the past and one in the present. The worst part is that the author steps in as a new narrator speaking directly to the reader (for the only time in the book) and basically says, "Let's go look at these other things for a moment and come back." It's really irritating and takes you out of the story, and it felt like Stross was feeling lazy and couldn't think of another way of getting the related plot points into play. It's only a brief interruption though and things quickly get back on track.

Final conclusion: an enjoyable book, a quick read, and worth your time.