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laurntiu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
davidsandilands's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
archaeolaird's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
timinbc's review
4.0
It might be simpler to say what's NOT in this book. No dwarves or dragons, maybe one sword. But there's magic, and time travel, and fairies, and machine guns, and more.
The first half is a bit slow, and I didn't find the transhumans at all interesting. And as it went along there were clearly too many teams in play. Except that Stross did that to give us an over-the-top and entertaining final showdown that made it all worthwhile.
I like the idea of Eve becoming less evil as the book went on.
John Darling and Wendy Deere, and a little hint of shadows as they leave the fairy shortcut. Heh.
The first half is a bit slow, and I didn't find the transhumans at all interesting. And as it went along there were clearly too many teams in play. Except that Stross did that to give us an over-the-top and entertaining final showdown that made it all worthwhile.
I like the idea of Eve becoming less evil as the book went on.
John Darling and Wendy Deere, and a little hint of shadows as they leave the fairy shortcut. Heh.
lurpasskatt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
nigellicus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
5.0
Life under the New Management, an eldritch metaphor for Brexit and evrything that follows with it if ever there was one, ain't easy, even if you've got what the public mistakenly identify as 'superpowers.' A rag-tag bunch of shoplifters, an executive assistant to an evil mega-rich cultist and an ex-cop gone private, all get caught up in complicated scheme to get hold of a magical book that kills everyone eho touches it. With the usual Laundry Files eye for the mundanities of life, whether it be tangling with HR, social welfare or double entry book-keeping, plus every character having a superpower, plus powerful people being very evil, plus a family history tied up with the rise and fall and rise of magic, there's loads going on, it moves fast and gets all tied up nicely, notwithstanding that it's the first in a... trilogy? I think?