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The Atrocity Archives Audiobook
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(4.00) - 5,127 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A Hugo Award winner and best-selling author, Charles Stross combines the best elements of science fiction and fantasy. In The Atrocity Archives, a lowly computer geek working for a secret British intelligence agency gets promoted to field service after accidentally saving lives in a disaster. Now he's faced with saving the universe using only his smarts and a disembodied hand that renders him invisible. Stross' award-winning novella, The Concrete Jungle, is also included.
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"Finally a writer who mashes up science fiction/fantasy with the tropes of the spy novel who makes it work. Admittedly, this is what publishers used to call a "fix-up". Multiple short stories by the author usually connected by a character or characters. In this case the character is Bob Howard drafted into Britain's The Laundry. You see Alan Turing's mathematics not only helped break Nazi codes during WWII they also breached the space between dimensions. By the early 21st century computers are used for summonings, and former IT Help Desk, and hacker, Bob has been drafted into The Laundry, the spook show that handles spooks (and the unnameable). Stross goes for the humor, poking fun at the civil service, civil servants, and the endless forms and paperwork they generate. At the same time we are treated to Bob who is very much the every man who manages to find within himself the resources to save the day. Unlike Simon R. Green's Eddie Drood Stross doesn't feel the need for exposition dumps or to throw the kitchen sink at the reader. And, very much unlike David Devereux's Jack Bob remains competent without having to be a bastard. Stross has two novels in this series and my biggest question is whether or not the short stories can transfer well to the longer form without becoming repetitious with the scenarios and escapes."
— Alan (4 out of 5 stars)
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“It’s science fiction’s most pleasant surprise of the year.”
— San Francisco’s Chronicle -
“With often hilarious results, the author mixes the occult and the mundane, the truly weird, and the petty…Wonderful fun.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Highlights Stross’ storytelling expertise and vivid imagination.”
— Library Journal
The Atrocity Archives Listener Reviews
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Michael Sprague, 8/7/2024
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" This is my first entry into the quirky mind of Charles Stross, and I loved every step of the way. The book has very good plot, and I look forward to many hours in the company of Bob Howard, in the continued series. The book is excellently narrated by Gideon Emery, who has a very pleasant voice - not to mention individual accents for the different characters we meet along the way, which makes the plot much easier to follow. I recommend this book "
— Christian, 12/13/2017 -
" Like chocolate and peanut butter, except insert Nazi-killin' for chocolate and Lovecraft for peanut butter. Sprinkle a generous dose of mathematical magic in and I don't know why I'm not re-reading it now... "
— Ryan, 2/14/2014 -
" Another books which has the ability to creep you out! Spies, magic, computers. "
— Trish, 2/12/2014 -
" The unexpected hero, the functionary par excellence. "
— Friedrich, 2/6/2014 -
" This read is like Starbucks coffee. It's an acquired taste. And guess what? Starbucks and I are not friends. No amount of sugar or creamer could make me swallow this bland mix. Not for me~ "
— Nikki, 1/27/2014 -
" Delta Green meets the Vogons from Hitchhiker's Guide. "
— William, 1/6/2014 -
" A fun book about a dysfunctional agency safeguarding reality from Lovecraftian horrors. Funny and interesting. "
— Andre, 12/2/2013 -
" (John LeCarre + Wargames (aka l33t hax3rz))H.P. Lovecraft = A blisteringly solid and fun read. "
— Scott, 11/27/2013 -
" Good fun, even if the latter part of the first book descends into near incomprehensibility. As someone who's never picked up a Lovecraft or a Deighton, it kind of made me think of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but set in the British Civil Service. Which, now I think about it, is a great idea.. "
— Patrick, 11/21/2013 -
" It was a good story but not for everyone. Add a star if you're a fan of HP Lovecraft. "
— Bill, 11/11/2013 -
" The Dresden Files meets Dilbert. "
— Sarah, 11/9/2013 -
" This is a fun concept. Spy meets Horror meets Cyberpunk. Will definitely have to be picking up the rest of this series. "
— Chip, 1/24/2013 -
" Fun read, though prone to mythological-theoretical physics digressions of the fictitious variety. The afterward was interesting too. Not sure if I'll pick up the next in the series, but will give the author another go with one of his other books. "
— Adam, 10/22/2012 -
" A fast paced action/horror/comedy which kept me reading too late every evening. Five stars for being entertaining, not necessarily for being great litterature... "
— Stefan, 9/24/2012 -
" Bethke's Headcrash and Stephenson's Snow Crash meet Lovecraftian horrors. Not something to take at all seriously, but a fun techno-thriller and horror novel. "
— William, 4/19/2012 -
" Not too bad, although probably not something I'll re-read in the future. I'll probably follow up on the rest of the series. The mix of magic and technology (via mathematics) was interesting. "
— Benjamin, 10/29/2011 -
" Cthulhu mythos mixed with espionage/adventure, the day to day with the occult, humor and lots of "geek speak" - it was enjoyable and different. "
— Jenn, 6/14/2011 -
" I wanted some new sci-fi and got bit by a bad book.<br/><br/>Bleh. Felt like I was reading a suped up (bad) version of Hitchiker's Guide for cubby hole office nerds. No character, B movie horror plot. "
— Dennis, 6/8/2011 -
" Good read, if you like modern-day conspiracies with a helping of Cthulhoid influence in a British civil service organisation. "
— Herman, 4/24/2011 -
" I've never read much Lovecraft, and I'm not big into math, but this was still a pretty fracking good book. Onward to the next book! "
— Matthew, 4/22/2011 -
" It was a good story but not for everyone. Add a star if you're a fan of HP Lovecraft. "
— Bill, 4/19/2011 -
" First book of the "Laundry Series", and I plan to read more. Imaginative, horrorific, funny and very readable. "
— Stanley, 4/12/2011 -
" Even when the main character is done saving the world, he still has to fill out his timecard and travel paperwork correctly and on time....bureaucracy at its finest. I loved this book!!! "
— Vickie, 4/11/2011 -
" An enjoyable (really 2) books that kept me entertained throughout. Definitely recommended if you like geeky and quirky scifi/horror fiction. "
— Christopher, 4/10/2011 -
" After reading The Fuller Memorandum, I decided to go back and start at the beginning of the series. Still not sure this was it, but at least it shows where Harry and Mo meet. Interesting. Creepy. The atrocities are just that -- atrocious. "
— T.W., 4/5/2011 -
" Loved this book. A treat to see a riff on Cthulhu Mythos so well done - just downloaded the follow-up in the series. "
— Alison, 4/5/2011
About Charles Stross
Charles Stross is the author of the bestselling Merchant Princes series, the Laundry series, and several stand-alone novels, including Glasshouse, Accelerando, and Saturn’s Children. Born in Leeds, England, in 1964, Stross studied in London and Bradford, earning degrees in pharmacy and computer science. Over the next decade and a half he worked as a pharmacist, a technical writer, a software engineer, and eventually as a prolific journalist covering the IT industry. His short fiction began attracting wide attention in the late 1990s; his first novel, Singularity Sky, appeared in 2003. He has subsequently won the Hugo Award twice. He lives with his wife in Edinburgh, Scotland, in a flat that is slightly older than the state of Texas.
About Gideon Emery
Gideon Emery was raised in England and South Africa, where he won the National Vita Award for Comedy and a Gold Craft Award for Voice-over. Now based in Los Angeles, he has appeared on such television series as 24, Burn Notice, Eleventh Hour, CSI:NY, and Moonlight. His film credits include Primeval, Train, and Takers. He is also an in-demand voice for video games.