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Preview
  • The Nightmare Stacks

  • A Laundry Files Novel
  • By: Charles Stross
  • Narrated by: Jack Hawkins
  • Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (225 ratings)

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The Nightmare Stacks

By: Charles Stross
Narrated by: Jack Hawkins
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Summary

Alex Schwartz had a great job and a promising future - until he caught an unfortunate bout of vampirism and agreed (on pain of death) to join the Laundry, Britain's only counter-occult secret intelligence agency. His first assignment is in Leeds - his old hometown. But the thought of telling his parents he's lost his job, let alone their discovering his 'condition', is causing Alex almost as much anxiety as his new lifestyle of supernatural espionage. His only saving grace is Cassie Brewer, a student from the local Goth Festival who flirts with him despite his fear of sunlight (and girls). But Cassie has secrets of her own - secrets that make Alex's nightlife seem positively normal.

©2016 Charles Stross (P)2017 Little Brown Book Group
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What listeners say about The Nightmare Stacks

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

Just works from start to finish, well narrated and well written, with some decent insights

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Some thrilling action and some slightly flat characters

Well, this is a huge improvement on the last book, even if Jack Hawkins also has some issues with various accents, and Cassie has a rather flat personality.
I like the fact that the storyline starts off with scientific analysis bleeding into Magic, instead of just announcing that superheroes are a thing and assembling the Justice League.
Being honest though, I am missing the first person irony of Bob, hopefully the next one brings him back and we get to hear about all those adventures that are being mentioned in the background.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Magnificent

This was my favourite story so far in the series. The ending was a little abrupt, but I can't wait to hear the next one!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely wonderful stuff

Best series of books that I have ever listened to. Witty and creative plot, love the whole "life as a civil service magic specialist" thing.

Wonderful

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another good listen

I'm a great Laundry File fan and have all the audio books. This is another brilliant story but I thought it finished to abruptly.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My favorite in the series so far.

I found the description of human society from an outsider's point of view intriguing . I also thought that to bring to the for front what have been minor characters is a way of refreshing the world this series is based in.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Charles Stross continues to engage and amaze.

Whatever you expect he confounds and surprises you, all a good book should be and more. The fine detail of pointless civil service form filling edged with sharp sarcasm is so funny in a background of zombies, elven war parties and a nerd vampire. Love it

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My favourite book this year

OK, so it's not fair. This is a book that's about Leeds, where I've lived for most of my adult life, and also mentions the town I grew up in. So it's got a big advantage on that front. However I don't think I've enjoyed another book this year. Also, I'm not sure there's a better Laundry Files book. This seems like what all the others have been building to, so far, and I don't think Delirium Brief quite matches it.

Without spoiling things, at least for those who haven't been near the books: This is the first book that directly includes a Case Nightmare Rainbow scenario. Seeing how the Laundry deals with that is exciting, filled with tension, full of bureaucratic mishaps and brave efforts against the darkness.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome story and performance once again

Loved the continuation of a great story series, great ideas in story direction.

However, I did find the main character switch a little hard to appreciate and would have preferred a more balanced approach.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another fantastic installment of the Laundry saga

A different protagonist this time, Alex, a survivor of the group of PHANGs originally encountered in The Rhesus Chart. Excellent story, well narrated!

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