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mdelkins's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
carlacbarroso's review
4.0
Interesting story and it really scared me. Specially the bit with Lovecraft's story. Really, I was scared to go out in the night, from my room to the kitchen to have a sip of water... I guess I would appreciate it even more had I known or been familiar with Lovecraft's work but the premisse of an government office investigating supernatural and alien stuff, like a British Men In Black kind of thing, was intriguing.
abookabookabook's review
4.0
HP LOVECRAFT's essence but about unicorns and cultish magic. Creepy, gross, I liked it.
johnayliff's review
3.0
This was the first 'Laundry' work I'd read, and it holds up well without any prior knowledge of the series. It does seem to require a good knowledge of the genre, though - especially H. P. Lovecraft, but also monster fiction in general. A story for geeks, based on geeky in-jokes, not that there's anything wrong with that. Overall I found it solidly fun but not brilliant or memorable.
There were long sections of what were supposedly extracts from H. P. Lovecraft's letters, written in an imitation of his style. The narrator points out the flaws of Lovecraft's overwritten prose, and in particular how long it can take to get to the point, but that doesn't excuse the letters themselves exhibiting the same flaws and taking just as long to get to the point. I think the Lovecraft connection could perhaps have been dropped, and the monster presented as Lovecraftian without Lovecraft himself being involved.
There were long sections of what were supposedly extracts from H. P. Lovecraft's letters, written in an imitation of his style. The narrator points out the flaws of Lovecraft's overwritten prose, and in particular how long it can take to get to the point, but that doesn't excuse the letters themselves exhibiting the same flaws and taking just as long to get to the point. I think the Lovecraft connection could perhaps have been dropped, and the monster presented as Lovecraftian without Lovecraft himself being involved.
arachnichemist's review
4.0
I found this on the TOR website and have not read any other works by Stross. This was amazing! A nice mix of creepy, wtf, horror and humor. This was a great romp through lovecraft material in the 21st century. I will be picking up more of the laundry files later on.
jmkemp's review
5.0
My daughter has just brought home a sparkly unicorn, and I am very afraid...
This is a Laundry files short story featuring Bob Howard. In this outing Bob has to deal with a report from a well qualified DEFRA vet who harbours suspicions of a potential outbreak of Equoids. The file Bob is given as briefing contains the letters of one HP Lovecraft that tell of HPL's own experience of contact with an Equoid outbreak.
This is a highly entertaining story that provides a twist on unicorns and gives them an interesting life cycle which is truly horrific. It also has some laugh out loud points too.
This is a Laundry files short story featuring Bob Howard. In this outing Bob has to deal with a report from a well qualified DEFRA vet who harbours suspicions of a potential outbreak of Equoids. The file Bob is given as briefing contains the letters of one HP Lovecraft that tell of HPL's own experience of contact with an Equoid outbreak.
This is a highly entertaining story that provides a twist on unicorns and gives them an interesting life cycle which is truly horrific. It also has some laugh out loud points too.
species10026's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Gun violence
misterjay's review
5.0
Any day with a new Laundry story is a good day; this time around we find Bob Howard chasing down an odd report of a unicorn infestation armed only with a florid, overwrought letter from one H. P. Lovecraft. This is a really fun one.
benthewriter's review
I dipped out on this one because I found the prose annoying. Judging by some of the reviews here, I didn't even get to the worst part.
Also, why does a Hugo winner have a typo? IMO it would be best to go ahead and fix those.
Also, why does a Hugo winner have a typo? IMO it would be best to go ahead and fix those.