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There Is No Antimemetics Division
An antimeme is an idea with self-censoring properties; an idea which, by its intrinsic nature, discourages or prevents people from spreading it. Antimemes are real. Think of any piece of information which you wouldn't share with anybody, like passwords, taboos and dirty secrets. Or any piece of information which would be difficult to share even if you tried complex equations, very boring passages of text, large blocks of random numbers, and dreams... But anomalous antimemes are another matter entirely. How do you contain something you can't record or remember? How do you fight a war against an enemy with effortless, perfect camouflage, when you can never even know that you're at war? Welcome to the Antimemetics Division. No, this is not your first day.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
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February 21, 2026What did I just read? Why was it so terrifying but also so terrifyingly good? You will be asking these questions after diving into There Is No Antimemetics Division, along with other good questions like, What is reality? Can I trust my own mind? and How the heck did this author pack so many wild ideas into one book? It's an absolutely fascinating and riveting work of speculative fiction.
The basic premise, if anything can be called 'basic' about the novel: A secret Organization has been set up to study and contain anomalies in reality -- call them memes, monsters, aliens, artifacts, intellectual viruses -- thousands of which are all around us but imperceptible to most humans. These memes can be gigantic dinosaurs, skyscraper-sized monoliths, hallucinatory vampires that eat your existence, or dangerous ideas that overwrite human reason. Memes are carefully shielded by a sort of anti-perception camouflage. If you look at one, you think "What is that??" and then look away and immediately forget what you saw. If you try to take notes, the notes vanish. Try to record the phenomenon, and the footage is instantly erased. Some memes are murderous, some apocalyptic, some merely curious, like an ancient entity trapped in a stone who claims to be an aboriginal god of forgetting to learn how to ride a bicycle. (That chapter is worth the price of admission all by itself).
As we get into the novel and meet the intrepid agents of the Antimemetics Division, we quickly realize how dangerous their work is. One mistake, and you could be erased from reality. No one will even remember you existed. Take too many mnestic drugs to let you see the dangerous memes, and best case scenario, you'll get pancreatic cancer. Worst case scenario, your brain will turn to sludge. It's a tough job on any given day. Unfortunately, the division is beginning to realize that they've been fighting a war with a mega-dangerous meme that threatens to turn all of human civilization into a living nightmare, and this war has been going on for decades, perhaps centuries. The meme is so dangerous that it will kill and erase anyone who becomes aware of it. This means the division has to work in specially shielded labs to even discuss the problem, erasing their memories every time they leave, so they are not even aware of the problem or the war most of the time. And as they work, the meme is slowly hollowing out the organization and the world. Like I said, terrifying.
The novel was written in installments for periodic publication, which is why each chapter is so tightly crafted and elegantly handled -- each a self-contained mini-mystery / dark adventure that adds to the overall story. I flew through the whole book in a few sittings and still can't stop thinking about all the implications. If you like big mind-blowing ideas told in a compelling, page-turning story that will make you rethink the nature of sanity, a la The Twilight Zone, this will delight you.
The basic premise, if anything can be called 'basic' about the novel: A secret Organization has been set up to study and contain anomalies in reality -- call them memes, monsters, aliens, artifacts, intellectual viruses -- thousands of which are all around us but imperceptible to most humans. These memes can be gigantic dinosaurs, skyscraper-sized monoliths, hallucinatory vampires that eat your existence, or dangerous ideas that overwrite human reason. Memes are carefully shielded by a sort of anti-perception camouflage. If you look at one, you think "What is that??" and then look away and immediately forget what you saw. If you try to take notes, the notes vanish. Try to record the phenomenon, and the footage is instantly erased. Some memes are murderous, some apocalyptic, some merely curious, like an ancient entity trapped in a stone who claims to be an aboriginal god of forgetting to learn how to ride a bicycle. (That chapter is worth the price of admission all by itself).
As we get into the novel and meet the intrepid agents of the Antimemetics Division, we quickly realize how dangerous their work is. One mistake, and you could be erased from reality. No one will even remember you existed. Take too many mnestic drugs to let you see the dangerous memes, and best case scenario, you'll get pancreatic cancer. Worst case scenario, your brain will turn to sludge. It's a tough job on any given day. Unfortunately, the division is beginning to realize that they've been fighting a war with a mega-dangerous meme that threatens to turn all of human civilization into a living nightmare, and this war has been going on for decades, perhaps centuries. The meme is so dangerous that it will kill and erase anyone who becomes aware of it. This means the division has to work in specially shielded labs to even discuss the problem, erasing their memories every time they leave, so they are not even aware of the problem or the war most of the time. And as they work, the meme is slowly hollowing out the organization and the world. Like I said, terrifying.
The novel was written in installments for periodic publication, which is why each chapter is so tightly crafted and elegantly handled -- each a self-contained mini-mystery / dark adventure that adds to the overall story. I flew through the whole book in a few sittings and still can't stop thinking about all the implications. If you like big mind-blowing ideas told in a compelling, page-turning story that will make you rethink the nature of sanity, a la The Twilight Zone, this will delight you.
January 1, 2021
As a premise, fantastic. Full of interesting ideas and some great storytelling, especially when focusing on human interactions. However, in broad sweep a disappointing book. If you start from an interesting logical premise, then add a shaky idea on top, then continue stacking shaky ideas one after the other, then eventually you get to a point where anything is true, and any statement you make about the storyline can possibly be true as well - but you have no way of knowing.
A great idea, pushed too far.
A great idea, pushed too far.
July 15, 2020
I'm resisting the urge to write any sort of in-universe or knowing wink of a review, and you should too. It would be like whipping out your recorder and tooting along to a symphony orchestra.
This is a fantastic exploration of a particular SF/horror subgenre by the master himself. There are precursors and adjacent fiction - Langford's BLIT, the concept of "infohazards", The Laundry Files - but this is just on a different level.
Partly thanks to its origins on the web via the SCP Foundation project, the story is told in a series of vignettes, requiring the reader to deduce and piece together the whole story in their mind (until they can dimly perceive the vast outlines of...)
The text is philosophically interesting and narratively engaging. The horror will hit you in the guts, but also eat away slowly at your mind as you puzzle away at the implications (Thomas Ligotti retire binch!)
To say this is just typical of a qntm production is only to point out that he's consistently excellent.
It's only 200-odd pages long and a couple of quid on Google Play. In terms of various ratios (enjoyment/page, enjoyment/price, mindblows/page) this is probably the best book I've read this year. Go buy it!
This is a fantastic exploration of a particular SF/horror subgenre by the master himself. There are precursors and adjacent fiction - Langford's BLIT, the concept of "infohazards", The Laundry Files - but this is just on a different level.
Partly thanks to its origins on the web via the SCP Foundation project, the story is told in a series of vignettes, requiring the reader to deduce and piece together the whole story in their mind (until they can dimly perceive the vast outlines of...)
The text is philosophically interesting and narratively engaging. The horror will hit you in the guts, but also eat away slowly at your mind as you puzzle away at the implications (Thomas Ligotti retire binch!)
To say this is just typical of a qntm production is only to point out that he's consistently excellent.
It's only 200-odd pages long and a couple of quid on Google Play. In terms of various ratios (enjoyment/page, enjoyment/price, mindblows/page) this is probably the best book I've read this year. Go buy it!
November 27, 2025
My book of the year.
Utterly unputdownable.
There Is No Antimemetics Division is a sci-fi horror thriller. It's a story about ▇▇ and ▇▇▇ with a lot of ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇.
If you're a fan of ▇▇▇▇ then ▇▇ should probably ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
Honestly, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
5.0/5.0
Utterly unputdownable.
There Is No Antimemetics Division is a sci-fi horror thriller. It's a story about ▇▇ and ▇▇▇ with a lot of ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇.
If you're a fan of ▇▇▇▇ then ▇▇ should probably ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
Honestly, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
5.0/5.0
February 10, 2026
Call it fresh air or a wake-up slap—up to you. This work only grazes the surface of a beautiful concept. Hope this grows in time, because science fiction could definitely use more of it.
June 29, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ so fascinating in the first half i was sure it would be five stars, but the second half REALLY didn't work for me. not everything has to be a cosmically important quest to determine the fate of the whole human race! some stories are better, in fact, for not being that!
November 12, 2020
These stories scared the crap out of me. I think the idea of memes that are self-camouflaging, that eliminate their own traces, reflects a deep existential unease and questions about epistemological uncertainty, in a moment when 40% of Americans are lost in conspiracy theories, compounded by the near certainty of a future in which we will be able to manipulate perception and memory in a far more profound way. How do we fight an enemy that denies its own existence?
May 21, 2021
The idea was indeed brilliant but because of it's scattered structure and intentional plot holes I had trouble immersing in it. Each time things started to line up and make sense, author jumped elsewhere in time/memory space therefore it was exploited too far up to a point where unfortunately I didn't care too much about the characters or the plot.
May 6, 2026
HOLY SH*T THIS WAS AMAZING!!!
Cosmic horror done on a scale that genuinely unnerved and surprised me. I already want to reread it- definitely believe the hype!!!
Cosmic horror done on a scale that genuinely unnerved and surprised me. I already want to reread it- definitely believe the hype!!!
April 12, 2026
I understood everything and nothing about this book at the same time. It was, without a doubt, the greatest love story where the end is a bittersweet reminder that humanity will forget everything that they need to forget, even sacrifices.
Honestly, I'm at a loss for what to tell you about this book because the best way to experience it is to go in as blind as possible and immerse yourself in the gradual descent into madness. The timeline in this story is all over the place, with no specific dates provided for each scene. You will find yourself constantly questioning when each event took place, whether it's before or after, whether the character involved is still alive or has already died, and whether we are reading about memories of the deceased or something else entirely. These questions will surely plague your mind as you read.
The way the horror element intensifies as you learn more about the so-called 'entities' that exist within this universe is something I will never forget. As the characters uncover more about the danger, your reaction will inevitably be one of dread (please, don't remember, don't discover it again) yet, paradoxically, the tragedy repeats itself over and over, darker each time. You'll definitely feel like you're slowly losing your grip on your own mind, with memories becoming so tangled and distorted that you'll struggle to understand what's really happening.
This is a sci-fi horror story that explores the terrifying question: what happens when the monster you must fight is invisible, and you're required to forget it entirely? The story offers a stark and clear answer to this unsettling dilemma.
In conclusion, I love Marion and I love Adam, and that's all I need to say. I’m giving it six stars because it was that good.
Honestly, I'm at a loss for what to tell you about this book because the best way to experience it is to go in as blind as possible and immerse yourself in the gradual descent into madness. The timeline in this story is all over the place, with no specific dates provided for each scene. You will find yourself constantly questioning when each event took place, whether it's before or after, whether the character involved is still alive or has already died, and whether we are reading about memories of the deceased or something else entirely. These questions will surely plague your mind as you read.
The way the horror element intensifies as you learn more about the so-called 'entities' that exist within this universe is something I will never forget. As the characters uncover more about the danger, your reaction will inevitably be one of dread (please, don't remember, don't discover it again) yet, paradoxically, the tragedy repeats itself over and over, darker each time. You'll definitely feel like you're slowly losing your grip on your own mind, with memories becoming so tangled and distorted that you'll struggle to understand what's really happening.
This is a sci-fi horror story that explores the terrifying question: what happens when the monster you must fight is invisible, and you're required to forget it entirely? The story offers a stark and clear answer to this unsettling dilemma.
In conclusion, I love Marion and I love Adam, and that's all I need to say. I’m giving it six stars because it was that good.
November 2, 2022
Goodreads says I have read this book, but j have no recollection of doing so. In fact, I have it on good authoritythere is no such book.
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January 26, 2026Well this did my head in, in a thoroughly involving and quite terrifying way. Deeply strange SF/cosmic horror with an organisation, the Antimemetics Division (yes there is one) (no there isn't) tasked with tracking down terrifying entities that can't be remembered, which is obviously a problem. It's deeply baffling and existentially scary at points, even tragic, but has enough light touches to keep the reader fully involved and make you care for the characters. Thoroughly compelling stuff: I couldn't stop reading. Strong recommend.
April 5, 2026
RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 5⭐️
Themes: 3⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4.25⭐️
I was gripped from start to finish. Everything worked here: characters, plot, and setting...original but straightforward. The author trusts the reader to hang with the twists and turns and all the ambiguity. It felt self-assured and showed sophisticated restraint. Really impressive.
The only drawback for me here is the themes, and not because they aren't interesting. More so, they're not super relatable. What I love best about speculative fiction is how potent and relevant the themes can be, given a bizarre scenario. The question here is, how far would a person be willing to go to protect someone they love, when neither of them will remember that they even did it? And then, is trauma more permanent than the memories associated with the pain and damage? Interesting questions, but predicated on theoreticals too far removed from my experience for me to grapple with as much as I'd like.
Even so, every other aspect was so enjoyable and excellent, I feel super good about the book in general! Will definitely be recommending!
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 5⭐️
Themes: 3⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4.25⭐️
I was gripped from start to finish. Everything worked here: characters, plot, and setting...original but straightforward. The author trusts the reader to hang with the twists and turns and all the ambiguity. It felt self-assured and showed sophisticated restraint. Really impressive.
The only drawback for me here is the themes, and not because they aren't interesting. More so, they're not super relatable. What I love best about speculative fiction is how potent and relevant the themes can be, given a bizarre scenario. The question here is, how far would a person be willing to go to protect someone they love, when neither of them will remember that they even did it? And then, is trauma more permanent than the memories associated with the pain and damage? Interesting questions, but predicated on theoreticals too far removed from my experience for me to grapple with as much as I'd like.
Even so, every other aspect was so enjoyable and excellent, I feel super good about the book in general! Will definitely be recommending!
August 3, 2026
3.5
This was a WILD RIDE. A fever dream that felt so visceral and horrific - I wanted to slam the book shut and never look at it again at parts... but obviously felt so hooked at the same time, so could not stop reading 😂
The concept of having these unidentifiable entities that can attack your thoughts, memories, perception of reality without you even knowing they are there is just... brain-breaking. My anxiety was through the roof, and there were so many moments in this book that felt like your actual worst nightmare (in the best way).
I thought the dive into the whole "how to kill an idea" thing was so fascinating to think about. And the thought of these ideas having so much potential to spread so quickly and become so harmful is definitely something that we can parallel to certain aspects of our real life. Your ideologies can be controlled by external forces that you aren't even aware of.
Unfortunately, while the first half of this book was INCREDIBLE. I feel like it lost me along the way. Perhaps it became too abstract for me by the end, but it almost felt like when you're watching a horror movie and are so pulled in... but once the monster shows up, it's not scary anymore - the suspense is just gone. I feel like maybe we stretched it just a bit too far for me to accept in my own brain, so just got a bit muddled and lost in the sauce.
What an incredible idea for a book though. Felt very Blake Crouch-esque, and I enjoyed a lot of elements!
This was a WILD RIDE. A fever dream that felt so visceral and horrific - I wanted to slam the book shut and never look at it again at parts... but obviously felt so hooked at the same time, so could not stop reading 😂
The concept of having these unidentifiable entities that can attack your thoughts, memories, perception of reality without you even knowing they are there is just... brain-breaking. My anxiety was through the roof, and there were so many moments in this book that felt like your actual worst nightmare (in the best way).
I thought the dive into the whole "how to kill an idea" thing was so fascinating to think about. And the thought of these ideas having so much potential to spread so quickly and become so harmful is definitely something that we can parallel to certain aspects of our real life. Your ideologies can be controlled by external forces that you aren't even aware of.
Unfortunately, while the first half of this book was INCREDIBLE. I feel like it lost me along the way. Perhaps it became too abstract for me by the end, but it almost felt like when you're watching a horror movie and are so pulled in... but once the monster shows up, it's not scary anymore - the suspense is just gone. I feel like maybe we stretched it just a bit too far for me to accept in my own brain, so just got a bit muddled and lost in the sauce.
What an incredible idea for a book though. Felt very Blake Crouch-esque, and I enjoyed a lot of elements!
March 20, 2024
This was a constant challenge to wrap my head around conceptually, as well as follow the disjointed narrative structure. The concepts here are mind bending to the point of making my head hurt, akin to falling into the rabbit hole of a deep time travel paradox. The loosely stitched narrative, with frequent time jumps and memory gaps, feels like a trail of breadcrumbs that's been scattered by the wind, both compelling and confounding in turn. With effort at piecing the bits together, eventually a picture emerges of an epically bizarre struggle against apocalytpic, Lovecraftian horrors that threaten to usurp our reality by means of devouring human memory and identity. The challenge seems insurmountable. How do you combat enemies that actively eradicate all knowledge of themselves? Places and things that defy perception, manifesting as gaps in reality. The thrills and chills reflect a deep existential unease.
Lying somewhere in the hinterland between sci-fi and cosmic horror, this is far from a perfect novel, despite my five star rating. It is patchy and fragmented. Perhaps intentionally so, in fitting with the theme. Info dumps abound, and character development is scant. Nothing is spoon fed to the reader. It exacts a price, and is most certainly not for everyone. Yet the payoff is rewarding, as far as I can recall...
Lying somewhere in the hinterland between sci-fi and cosmic horror, this is far from a perfect novel, despite my five star rating. It is patchy and fragmented. Perhaps intentionally so, in fitting with the theme. Info dumps abound, and character development is scant. Nothing is spoon fed to the reader. It exacts a price, and is most certainly not for everyone. Yet the payoff is rewarding, as far as I can recall...
June 23, 2025
It kills me to give this book three stars because it had such a strong start. Just a several chapters in, I was convinced that this book would easily become one of my top sci-fi reads. Even though it was consistently a little campy overall, the absurdity was a nice contrast to serious and complex premise.
However, at around the 2/3 mark, the carefully crafted plot began to fall apart. The author tried to tie it all back together in the final chapter, but by that point the grip the book had on me from the beginning was lost.
In terms of what I liked, as I mentioned above, the core idea was just so unique and well executed (at the beginning). The central theory of an anti-meme, the “classified” entries on different unknowns, and the continuing question of whose memories are actually reliable - all amazing.
The characters were a little flat, but I was originally able to look past that due to the positives I mentioned above. When it became clear that the ending wouldn’t be as strong as the beginning, it started to affect my overall opinion of the book. Especially considering there were threads of plots that were briefly picked up and then completely forgotten.
Despite the negatives, I would still recommend this book to others, especially those who love sci-fi. My personal take is that the ending was so radically different in terms of tone and execution, that even though it was an objectively fine ending, I was left feeling a bit let down. However, the book itself still has such a solid premise that one could easily look past any faults I found and find it an engaging read.
** Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley but all reviews are my own **
However, at around the 2/3 mark, the carefully crafted plot began to fall apart. The author tried to tie it all back together in the final chapter, but by that point the grip the book had on me from the beginning was lost.
In terms of what I liked, as I mentioned above, the core idea was just so unique and well executed (at the beginning). The central theory of an anti-meme, the “classified” entries on different unknowns, and the continuing question of whose memories are actually reliable - all amazing.
The characters were a little flat, but I was originally able to look past that due to the positives I mentioned above. When it became clear that the ending wouldn’t be as strong as the beginning, it started to affect my overall opinion of the book. Especially considering there were threads of plots that were briefly picked up and then completely forgotten.
Despite the negatives, I would still recommend this book to others, especially those who love sci-fi. My personal take is that the ending was so radically different in terms of tone and execution, that even though it was an objectively fine ending, I was left feeling a bit let down. However, the book itself still has such a solid premise that one could easily look past any faults I found and find it an engaging read.
** Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley but all reviews are my own **
February 11, 2021
This book reads like the Laundry Files weird older sibling.
Time jumps and memory gaps are used effectively to convey the struggle against inhuman threats to memory and identity.
The plot spirals inward, sprinkling clues like breadcrumbs for you to piece together. If you like that kind of thing (as I do) it's great. But if you are looking for a fast-paced read with spoon-fed information, then this is not the tale you are looking for.
Time jumps and memory gaps are used effectively to convey the struggle against inhuman threats to memory and identity.
The plot spirals inward, sprinkling clues like breadcrumbs for you to piece together. If you like that kind of thing (as I do) it's great. But if you are looking for a fast-paced read with spoon-fed information, then this is not the tale you are looking for.
May 3, 2021
The idea is absolutely brilliant. Its implication on the story are refreshing and very amusing. The story gets mind-bending and the twists are pure pleasure. Honestly "The is no ..." is the most refreshing SF story I've read in a long time. At least the initial 50-60%. The final part gets very abstract - it's not a real world with a crazy twist anymore - the implications of the changes introduced by author are so deep and far-going that it pretty much loses the connection with the reality we can and that makes the book even more abstract. In my case it made me lose my interest.
Nevertheless, I recommend this one wholeheartedly:
* it's short, pure meat
* it's cheap
* it's unique
* it's brilliant
Very good stuff.
4.2 stars.
Nevertheless, I recommend this one wholeheartedly:
* it's short, pure meat
* it's cheap
* it's unique
* it's brilliant
Very good stuff.
4.2 stars.
March 4, 2025
So, out of the freaking blue, I just read one of my top books of all time.
I think I heard somewhere, something about the SCP and thought the idea was cool but then I never put the effort into checking out the website. My bad. And then I kept hearing rumors about this book being insanely good and that it ought to be at the top of anyone's reading list if they like seriously smart SF/Horror, and YEARS LATER, I went ahead and bought a copy.
It's only a little more than 220 pages, and yet, from the very start to the very end, I was sitting on the edge of my seat, my mind rolling and rolling around its ideas, the implications, while I followed all the tiny breadcrumbs laid out for me.
It 100% engaged every single one of my brain cells.
Suffice to say, I think I found a brand new favorite classic SF, even if it isn't very old.
It's amazing on every single level.
Yes, yes, but what is it ABOUT? Well? Take all the very best early fears and existential horrors from Stross's Laundry Files, make it sharper, minimalistic, non-linear, a vast puzzle that never goes in a straight line--for good reasons--and slam us against a true Case Nightmare Green that outdoes just about any Cthulhu story I've ever read. While being hard SF, competence-porn, a fanatically intricate mystery, and so damn sharp I'm STILL cutting myself.
Yeah, I'm giving this all the stars for everything. Readability, originality, characters, pure story, worldbuilding, and most of all, QUALITY. I'll be re-reading this again, with great enjoyment.
My synesthesia doesn't want to feel a tearduct slug, but alas, this is what I feel.
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to requests. Just direct message me in goodreads or email me on my site. I'd love to get some eyes on my novels.
Arctunn.com
I think I heard somewhere, something about the SCP and thought the idea was cool but then I never put the effort into checking out the website. My bad. And then I kept hearing rumors about this book being insanely good and that it ought to be at the top of anyone's reading list if they like seriously smart SF/Horror, and YEARS LATER, I went ahead and bought a copy.
It's only a little more than 220 pages, and yet, from the very start to the very end, I was sitting on the edge of my seat, my mind rolling and rolling around its ideas, the implications, while I followed all the tiny breadcrumbs laid out for me.
It 100% engaged every single one of my brain cells.
Suffice to say, I think I found a brand new favorite classic SF, even if it isn't very old.
It's amazing on every single level.
Yes, yes, but what is it ABOUT? Well? Take all the very best early fears and existential horrors from Stross's Laundry Files, make it sharper, minimalistic, non-linear, a vast puzzle that never goes in a straight line--for good reasons--and slam us against a true Case Nightmare Green that outdoes just about any Cthulhu story I've ever read. While being hard SF, competence-porn, a fanatically intricate mystery, and so damn sharp I'm STILL cutting myself.
Yeah, I'm giving this all the stars for everything. Readability, originality, characters, pure story, worldbuilding, and most of all, QUALITY. I'll be re-reading this again, with great enjoyment.
My synesthesia doesn't want to feel a tearduct slug, but alas, this is what I feel.
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to requests. Just direct message me in goodreads or email me on my site. I'd love to get some eyes on my novels.
Arctunn.com
February 26, 2026
For a full spoiler version of this review, please check out my blog, spoiledbooks.blogspot.com
I have a new fear. And it’s not ghosts.
This book follows a secret branch of a global organization that studies antimemes—entities that erase themselves from memory. If you can’t remember it, you can’t fight it. And if thinking about it lets it control you… well. Good luck.
Marie Quinn leads the Antimemetics Division as they battle a threat that spreads through conceptual understanding itself. The more you know, the more dangerous it becomes.
I can’t handle horror movies, but this? This is my kind of terrifying. It’s existential, brainy, and deeply unsettling in the best way. What are we without our memories? 🧠
Genuinely one of the smartest (and creepiest) books I’ve read.
I have a new fear. And it’s not ghosts.
This book follows a secret branch of a global organization that studies antimemes—entities that erase themselves from memory. If you can’t remember it, you can’t fight it. And if thinking about it lets it control you… well. Good luck.
Marie Quinn leads the Antimemetics Division as they battle a threat that spreads through conceptual understanding itself. The more you know, the more dangerous it becomes.
I can’t handle horror movies, but this? This is my kind of terrifying. It’s existential, brainy, and deeply unsettling in the best way. What are we without our memories? 🧠
Genuinely one of the smartest (and creepiest) books I’ve read.
October 22, 2023
3.0 Stars
This is a unique science fiction story. It started out as a fun ride, reminiscent of something Peter Clines might write, but then evolved into something more serious.
I’m honestly not entirely sure I “got it” but I enjoy the pieces of the story. I’m always on the lookout for unique stories and this one certainly fits that bill. I would recommend it to fellow sci-fi readers looking for a different kind of story. It might have been a little too weird for my personal tastes.
This is a unique science fiction story. It started out as a fun ride, reminiscent of something Peter Clines might write, but then evolved into something more serious.
I’m honestly not entirely sure I “got it” but I enjoy the pieces of the story. I’m always on the lookout for unique stories and this one certainly fits that bill. I would recommend it to fellow sci-fi readers looking for a different kind of story. It might have been a little too weird for my personal tastes.
May 24, 2026
4 stars
What if you were fighting an enemy that erases your memory of it? How do you protect the world from a threat they can't even see or remember?
My brain is currently a scrambled mess. I am now realizing there is this whole lore behind this book and I went down a rabbit hole trying to understand what I just read. To be perfectly honest, I understood the gist of what happened, but if someone puts a gun to my head and asks me to explain in detail what happened in this book, I would pull the trigger myself😭
This book is like the term "Never let them know your next move" but multiplied by a trillion. It's like a Black Mirror episode on an acid trip.. in a parallel universe.. in space.. also multiplied by a trillion😅 You need maximum brain power to experience this book. If you zone out for one minute, you will miss critical information.
This was truly a one of a kind experience of a book. I have read my fair share of mindfuckery books, but this one was on a whole other level. The premise is so so interesting and horrifying, the worldbuilding was actually so solid, the romance subplot was weirdly heartfelt and you could never predict where the story was going. The first half of the book was 10/10. I was ENTHRALLED.. my ear holes were locked in, and I was so engrossed, I was doing extra chores around the house to keep myself occupied while listening to the audiobook😅 (which was also amazingly produced btw!)
However, somewhere between 60 and 80%, it lost steam, and the science became way wayyyyy too confusing but the ending saved the book for me.
Overall, if you are interested in sci-fi/cosmic mindfuckery horror, give this book a shot. My advice is be ready to be 1000% locked in with no distractions because losing your train of thought during this book is detrimental😅
____________________________________________________________
pre-read
I've only seen good things about this book, so I'm curious!
What if you were fighting an enemy that erases your memory of it? How do you protect the world from a threat they can't even see or remember?
My brain is currently a scrambled mess. I am now realizing there is this whole lore behind this book and I went down a rabbit hole trying to understand what I just read. To be perfectly honest, I understood the gist of what happened, but if someone puts a gun to my head and asks me to explain in detail what happened in this book, I would pull the trigger myself😭
This book is like the term "Never let them know your next move" but multiplied by a trillion. It's like a Black Mirror episode on an acid trip.. in a parallel universe.. in space.. also multiplied by a trillion😅 You need maximum brain power to experience this book. If you zone out for one minute, you will miss critical information.
This was truly a one of a kind experience of a book. I have read my fair share of mindfuckery books, but this one was on a whole other level. The premise is so so interesting and horrifying, the worldbuilding was actually so solid, the romance subplot was weirdly heartfelt and you could never predict where the story was going. The first half of the book was 10/10. I was ENTHRALLED.. my ear holes were locked in, and I was so engrossed, I was doing extra chores around the house to keep myself occupied while listening to the audiobook😅 (which was also amazingly produced btw!)
However, somewhere between 60 and 80%, it lost steam, and the science became way wayyyyy too confusing but the ending saved the book for me.
Overall, if you are interested in sci-fi/cosmic mindfuckery horror, give this book a shot. My advice is be ready to be 1000% locked in with no distractions because losing your train of thought during this book is detrimental😅
____________________________________________________________
pre-read
I've only seen good things about this book, so I'm curious!
October 10, 2025
This was WILD.
Imagine working in an organisation that no one remembers. A division that deals with Unknowns with dangerous memetic properties. There are contagious ideas, which require containment just like any physical threat. Viral concepts. They get inside your head, and ride your mind to reach other minds.
Imagine forgetting hours or days of your time and accepting that’s a normal part of your work. Imagine being aware invisible monsters exist, but you can’t be aware these monsters exist otherwise you might not exist….
WILD.
This had me spiralling. I binged this and took my time with it. I wanted to stretch my experience whilst setting myself limits to how much I could read of this book a day.
It got into my head.
This is like Annihilation, but far more satisfying and understandable. Or maybe I have just always harboured a fear there have always been Unknowables in our universe.
The character cast is tight and the growth minimal, especially considering they keep forgetting their role. However, as someone who prefers character-focused stories, I was hooked.
The formatting was also note-worthy. There are case files, redacted words or sentences, and almost two storylines going on.
I had the physical arc, but apparently if you highlight the redacted parts in the ebook, secret messages appear. I am very tempted to try shining lights on my own copy LOL.
(Update - I did try, it only works on the cover.)
Physical arc gifted by Del Rey.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Imagine working in an organisation that no one remembers. A division that deals with Unknowns with dangerous memetic properties. There are contagious ideas, which require containment just like any physical threat. Viral concepts. They get inside your head, and ride your mind to reach other minds.
Imagine forgetting hours or days of your time and accepting that’s a normal part of your work. Imagine being aware invisible monsters exist, but you can’t be aware these monsters exist otherwise you might not exist….
WILD.
This had me spiralling. I binged this and took my time with it. I wanted to stretch my experience whilst setting myself limits to how much I could read of this book a day.
It got into my head.
This is like Annihilation, but far more satisfying and understandable. Or maybe I have just always harboured a fear there have always been Unknowables in our universe.
The character cast is tight and the growth minimal, especially considering they keep forgetting their role. However, as someone who prefers character-focused stories, I was hooked.
The formatting was also note-worthy. There are case files, redacted words or sentences, and almost two storylines going on.
I had the physical arc, but apparently if you highlight the redacted parts in the ebook, secret messages appear. I am very tempted to try shining lights on my own copy LOL.
(Update - I did try, it only works on the cover.)
Physical arc gifted by Del Rey.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
June 6, 2026
All in all, an amazing book, and it’s left me feeling a bit weird.
Definitely something different.
I could have done without the spiders and worms and all that, but as far as gross elements go, the book was actually pretty restrained—I’d expected worse.
Toward the end, it dragged a bit, even though the writing style had been so good up to that point that I could hardly put it down.
I can’t think of any eloquent words to really describe this story well.
The idea behind the book is brilliant. I hope it doesn’t comes after us and destroys us.
Read at your own risk.
‘How do you fight an enemy without ever discovering it exists?’ the Quinn in the video asks. ‘How do you win without even realising you’re at war? What do we do?’ 😳
Definitely something different.
I could have done without the spiders and worms and all that, but as far as gross elements go, the book was actually pretty restrained—I’d expected worse.
Toward the end, it dragged a bit, even though the writing style had been so good up to that point that I could hardly put it down.
I can’t think of any eloquent words to really describe this story well.
The idea behind the book is brilliant. I hope it doesn’t comes after us and destroys us.
Read at your own risk.
‘How do you fight an enemy without ever discovering it exists?’ the Quinn in the video asks. ‘How do you win without even realising you’re at war? What do we do?’ 😳
December 16, 2020
“There is No Antimemetics Division” by qntm is the best kind of science fiction. It’s the kind that asks a smart question about the way the world could be and then answers it. It explores consequences – turning complicated scenarios into narratives that leap off of the page and bury themselves at the back of your mind and the bottom of your gut.
It’s also deliciously gross and horrific, and oddly touching. It’s not a book without faults (the ending got a little out-there, even for me), but a perfect book to me, is a book that I finish and then want to read again. This is a story that's interested in the human ramifications of a smart problem and it hopes the audience is too. It was a thrilling, refreshing, and thought-provoking ride.
It’s also deliciously gross and horrific, and oddly touching. It’s not a book without faults (the ending got a little out-there, even for me), but a perfect book to me, is a book that I finish and then want to read again. This is a story that's interested in the human ramifications of a smart problem and it hopes the audience is too. It was a thrilling, refreshing, and thought-provoking ride.
September 5, 2026
This book was absolutely crazy! I honestly can’t think of a more original concept of a book that I’ve read recently. Some parts of this book were a little confusing to me tho.
I mean the whole concept can be kinda weird to wrap your head around honestly so I’m not surprised I struggled with some parts of it.
I am excited to read this one again (I think I’ll have to just to really understand it). Overall this book was lit!
I mean the whole concept can be kinda weird to wrap your head around honestly so I’m not surprised I struggled with some parts of it.
I am excited to read this one again (I think I’ll have to just to really understand it). Overall this book was lit!
September 17, 2021
Surprisingly good. Easily the best work of fiction related to SCP, which is mostly mediocre Reddit-teenager creepypasta, though maybe there are some gems out there that I'm not aware of. In this sense, Antimemetics Division is reminiscent of Kane Pixels taking the Backrooms and making actual art out of it.
Anyway, Hughes’s book is good for sci-fi, less impressive as actual literature, but I've slowly learned to lower my standards and just go along for the ride, when possible; the prose is just good enough to not be distractingly bad, and for a self-published $0.99 Kindle novel . . . I mean, I'll take it.
The idea/non-idea of antimemetics has been addressed before — in the Laundry Files and other middling-at-best SF, and most memorably in one of my favorite short stories of all time (Rick Moody's 2003 "The Albertine Notes") — but Antimemetics Division takes the concept in a clever Lovecraftian pop-SF direction.
2025 edit: Reread four years later . . . this book is seriously good, slightly better than I'd remembered, the main thing is that Hughes just needed an editor. The prose is actually not as bad as I'd vaguely recalled; the issue is that it's just first-draft-ish? The writing itself isn't weak, rather it's vaguely . . . untidy. And yeah I dunno man, purely as speculative fiction, this book is 9 out of 10, Hughes could easily be another Ted Chiang in the near future.
Anyway, Hughes’s book is good for sci-fi, less impressive as actual literature, but I've slowly learned to lower my standards and just go along for the ride, when possible; the prose is just good enough to not be distractingly bad, and for a self-published $0.99 Kindle novel . . . I mean, I'll take it.
The idea/non-idea of antimemetics has been addressed before — in the Laundry Files and other middling-at-best SF, and most memorably in one of my favorite short stories of all time (Rick Moody's 2003 "The Albertine Notes") — but Antimemetics Division takes the concept in a clever Lovecraftian pop-SF direction.
2025 edit: Reread four years later . . . this book is seriously good, slightly better than I'd remembered, the main thing is that Hughes just needed an editor. The prose is actually not as bad as I'd vaguely recalled; the issue is that it's just first-draft-ish? The writing itself isn't weak, rather it's vaguely . . . untidy. And yeah I dunno man, purely as speculative fiction, this book is 9 out of 10, Hughes could easily be another Ted Chiang in the near future.
May 12, 2021
What Sci-Fi was made for.
Suffers a little due to its structure and method of creation, and its goodness is heavily front-loaded, but still warrants a 5 due to extreme creativity and mind-fuckery.
Suffers a little due to its structure and method of creation, and its goodness is heavily front-loaded, but still warrants a 5 due to extreme creativity and mind-fuckery.
January 22, 2026
update: this was one of the first books I read this year, and I find myself still thinking about it about it all these months later...gotta bump the star up
July 6, 2026
100010000111001001
The singularity has already happened. We are living in the matrix.
Error Reported.
ERROR
Siri Stop!!!!
beeeeeeeeeeeeeep
Malfunction imminent.
ErRorrrrrrrrrrrr.....11000010100010010101010101
The singularity has already happened. We are living in the matrix.
Error Reported.
ERROR
Siri Stop!!!!
beeeeeeeeeeeeeep
Malfunction imminent.
ErRorrrrrrrrrrrr.....11000010100010010101010101
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