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Laundry Files #1.5
The Concrete Jungle
Bob gets called out on account of a monster program called SATAN STARE, that ties back into some past work for the Laundry and others.
He has to recruit, quickly, a pretty with it cop, and she helps him combat the beast, and the odd zombie.
He has to recruit, quickly, a pretty with it cop, and she helps him combat the beast, and the odd zombie.
129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2004
15 people are currently reading
1419 people want to read
About the author
Charles Stross
158 books5,851 followersCharles David George "Charlie" Stross is a writer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. His works range from science fiction and Lovecraftian horror to fantasy.
Stross is sometimes regarded as being part of a new generation of British science fiction writers who specialise in hard science fiction and space opera. His contemporaries include Alastair Reynolds, Ken MacLeod, Liz Williams and Richard Morgan.
SF Encyclopedia: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/...
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_...
Tor: http://us.macmillan.com/author/charle...
Stross is sometimes regarded as being part of a new generation of British science fiction writers who specialise in hard science fiction and space opera. His contemporaries include Alastair Reynolds, Ken MacLeod, Liz Williams and Richard Morgan.
SF Encyclopedia: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/...
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_...
Tor: http://us.macmillan.com/author/charle...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
June 13, 2022
“Ground zero, range twenty metres. Subject is bovine, down, clearly terminal. Length is roughly three metres, breed . . . unidentifiable. The grass around it is charred but there’s no sign of secondary combustion.”
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More civil servant espionage featuring bureaucrat turned spy, Bob Howard, in The Concrete Jungle, a continuation of The Laundry Files, #1.5. Humor comes through as Howard outwits Gorgons and other supernatural entities (and a supervisor who wants to fire Howard for not showing up to scheduled office meetings). Fun read! 3.5 stars
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More civil servant espionage featuring bureaucrat turned spy, Bob Howard, in The Concrete Jungle, a continuation of The Laundry Files, #1.5. Humor comes through as Howard outwits Gorgons and other supernatural entities (and a supervisor who wants to fire Howard for not showing up to scheduled office meetings). Fun read! 3.5 stars
August 24, 2015
3.5
This is the second story from The Atrocity Archives. It has Gorgons, hijacked CCTV cameras, one dead cow, and an attempted 'coup d'état'.
This is the second story from The Atrocity Archives. It has Gorgons, hijacked CCTV cameras, one dead cow, and an attempted 'coup d'état'.
January 17, 2018
A fun little story about bob who works for Laundry.
In this case, there's a "code blue" which apparently is very bad. Long story short: video cameras are BAD. So let's smsh them all! BWAHAHAHAHA!
Not as good as the novel but that is because it was shorter, naturally, so I can't really complain. To make up for that, a fun new character that apparently will return at some point is introduced.
And cows. Don't ask. ;P
In this case, there's a "code blue" which apparently is very bad. Long story short: video cameras are BAD. So let's smsh them all! BWAHAHAHAHA!
Not as good as the novel but that is because it was shorter, naturally, so I can't really complain. To make up for that, a fun new character that apparently will return at some point is introduced.
And cows. Don't ask. ;P
January 10, 2023
*** 4.55 ***
No, I am not in the habit of giving 5 stars to short novels, but this one had me riveted and I loved everything about it! I love the idea behind the biological being influenced by the esoteric, then being researched and adapted for everyday use, then of course, being weaponized and finally being used for nefarious purposes! And all being topped by office politics and power struggles, while being lectured on the "safety" of computers:):):) Just pure perfection! It doesn't hurt that this time around I actually liked the accidental partner and really hope we get more of her in the future! I am now very excited to continue with the series!
No, I am not in the habit of giving 5 stars to short novels, but this one had me riveted and I loved everything about it! I love the idea behind the biological being influenced by the esoteric, then being researched and adapted for everyday use, then of course, being weaponized and finally being used for nefarious purposes! And all being topped by office politics and power struggles, while being lectured on the "safety" of computers:):):) Just pure perfection! It doesn't hurt that this time around I actually liked the accidental partner and really hope we get more of her in the future! I am now very excited to continue with the series!
January 11, 2013
THIS is what The Atrocity Archives wanted to be - or, perhaps, what I wanted The Atrocity Archives to be.
Quick-witted, clever Lovecraftian take on the spy genre, complete with horrible office politics, somewhat technical explanations of eerie eldritch phenomena, and nicely brisk character development. The science and explanations here were still quite rapid-fire and could delve into the technical, but they weren't nearly so opaque as the references in The Atrocity Archives, and didn't detract from the story as in that tale. The inclusion of the case files, showing the progression in scientific understanding of the "gorgon" phenomenon, plus the increasing technologization/implementation of magic theory, was perfect - precisely what I'd hoped for when I heard the concept behind the Laundry, and what I'd failed to encounter in The Atrocity Archives.
Yes, there are characters here that are introduced in The Atrocity Archives and not explained further, which would make it a bit difficult to read without reading that first, but not impossible. Thus, I'd actually suggest reading this first...it's simply a more enjoyable, more carefully edited and presented tale in the Laundry universe.
Quick-witted, clever Lovecraftian take on the spy genre, complete with horrible office politics, somewhat technical explanations of eerie eldritch phenomena, and nicely brisk character development. The science and explanations here were still quite rapid-fire and could delve into the technical, but they weren't nearly so opaque as the references in The Atrocity Archives, and didn't detract from the story as in that tale. The inclusion of the case files, showing the progression in scientific understanding of the "gorgon" phenomenon, plus the increasing technologization/implementation of magic theory, was perfect - precisely what I'd hoped for when I heard the concept behind the Laundry, and what I'd failed to encounter in The Atrocity Archives.
Yes, there are characters here that are introduced in The Atrocity Archives and not explained further, which would make it a bit difficult to read without reading that first, but not impossible. Thus, I'd actually suggest reading this first...it's simply a more enjoyable, more carefully edited and presented tale in the Laundry universe.
May 2, 2013
I read the english version of this novella, and I found myself rooting for the outright destruction of every single video camera installed on the streets of everywhere. Alas, that it was just a dream of a newer, fresher, nicer 1984. Fun Story, great mix of medusa meets office politics meets palace revolt.
July 11, 2017
Enjoyed this more than The Atrocity Archives that it accompanies. A great genre-mashed SF/fantasy spy story. Still not for kids, but with less gore and more intrigue than the first one.
Felt a little like a lost episode of the X-Files (a compliment.)
Felt a little like a lost episode of the X-Files (a compliment.)
January 25, 2023
This was an enjoyable short story. Once past the background info, it turns into a fast paced thriller. I liked the different take on gorgonism and how it's weaponized. I'm really glad nothing exists like that in the real world... right?
January 18, 2026
This is the first novella in the Laundry Files series, volume 1.5 by Goodreads nomenclature. I read it because on my audiobook it was united with The Atrocity Archives, which I read as a part of the buddy reads for January 2026 at Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels group. This novella won Hugo in 2005 and took 2nd place in Locus best novella, losing to Gene Wolfe's novella Golden City Far.
Bob Howard, the occult field agent, is woken up at night and ordered to go check Concrete Cows in Milton Keynes (Google it if you, like me, are unaware. They are real-size cow sculptures). The problem is – there are too many. As Howard moves to the location, he reads classified files on the gorgonism. Turns out that not only turning into stone is true (actually a transmutation of the carbon nuclei of a target into silicon), but there is a top secret government program that installs software with this basilisk stare into the CCTV network of anti-crime cameras deployed across Britain in the late 90s and early 2000s. It was intended as a defense if the Old Ones arrive, but supposedly, one of the developers decided to use it as a bargaining chip for blackmail…
A solid installment.
Bob Howard, the occult field agent, is woken up at night and ordered to go check Concrete Cows in Milton Keynes (Google it if you, like me, are unaware. They are real-size cow sculptures). The problem is – there are too many. As Howard moves to the location, he reads classified files on the gorgonism. Turns out that not only turning into stone is true (actually a transmutation of the carbon nuclei of a target into silicon), but there is a top secret government program that installs software with this basilisk stare into the CCTV network of anti-crime cameras deployed across Britain in the late 90s and early 2000s. It was intended as a defense if the Old Ones arrive, but supposedly, one of the developers decided to use it as a bargaining chip for blackmail…
A solid installment.
January 24, 2020
This novella is #1.5 in the Laundry files and is included with the first audio book. I print I believe it is available in the omnibus edition that combines the first two books.
An extra concrete cow appears in Milton Keynes, supernatural causes are suspected and Bob is sent off to investigate. Things are much worse than they first appear and lead events off in an unexpected direction. There's a great mix of myth, mysticism and technology in the here that makes the vast network of CCTV cameras a really scary setup. Thankfully this is not true:)
There must be a shake up of the organisation in book #2 and I think this novella was written to explain that and fill in the gaps.
This was under 4 hours on audio so a quick read/listen.
An extra concrete cow appears in Milton Keynes, supernatural causes are suspected and Bob is sent off to investigate. Things are much worse than they first appear and lead events off in an unexpected direction. There's a great mix of myth, mysticism and technology in the here that makes the vast network of CCTV cameras a really scary setup. Thankfully this is not true:)
There must be a shake up of the organisation in book #2 and I think this novella was written to explain that and fill in the gaps.
This was under 4 hours on audio so a quick read/listen.
October 5, 2022
This entertaining short story was found in the back of the book after The Atrocity Files. It's an interesting idea, a blend of Medusa and government surveillance.
December 17, 2014
BOH! :(
Una cavolata.
Una cavolata.
June 5, 2015
it was too short! A great add-in to the laundry files world, this time with an attempted bureaucratic take-over.
DAng but Bob has own scary boss!
DAng but Bob has own scary boss!
May 7, 2021
This was the 2005 Hugo Winner for best Novella.
This book starts with the investigation of a cow fried to a Crispy Critter, and ends with the attempted bureaucratic overthrow of The Laundry. There was a lot of sciencey talk between these two events. Really and truly, these short stories of The Laundry are a gem!
This book starts with the investigation of a cow fried to a Crispy Critter, and ends with the attempted bureaucratic overthrow of The Laundry. There was a lot of sciencey talk between these two events. Really and truly, these short stories of The Laundry are a gem!
June 19, 2016
A Laundry Files novella (set after the events of The Atrocity Archives), that drags Bob out of bed in the early hours of the morning on a mission. To investigate a worrying issue with the concrete cows in Milton Keynes.
This novella nicely rounds out, and follows on from the Atrocity Archives. We see Bob in the field again, and meet a new character - who is about to find out that her curiosity may have made her bite off more than she can chew.
If you enjoyed The Atrocity Archives, you'll love this novella. (Which was included in some editions of The Atrocity Archives as a bonus story.)
This novella nicely rounds out, and follows on from the Atrocity Archives. We see Bob in the field again, and meet a new character - who is about to find out that her curiosity may have made her bite off more than she can chew.
If you enjoyed The Atrocity Archives, you'll love this novella. (Which was included in some editions of The Atrocity Archives as a bonus story.)
September 14, 2015
http://bookslifewine.com/r-the-concre...
3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars!
Tamika,
This story is...seriously sci-fi. I don't know if you'd like it at all. It's also book 1.5 in a multi-book series, so...
There are some funny parts and some parts that are pretty well explained but I don't think you could jump into this series without reading book 1. And book 1 is a trial to read, trust me on this.
3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars!
Tamika,
This story is...seriously sci-fi. I don't know if you'd like it at all. It's also book 1.5 in a multi-book series, so...
There are some funny parts and some parts that are pretty well explained but I don't think you could jump into this series without reading book 1. And book 1 is a trial to read, trust me on this.
January 8, 2021
Come out to the pasture, count the concrete cows, have a few laughs...
February 4, 2018
3.75*
Same formula as the first book, with plenty of geekery, involving cows, video cameras, and office politics (!) taken to the extreme. However this novella felt more focused somehow.
Same formula as the first book, with plenty of geekery, involving cows, video cameras, and office politics (!) taken to the extreme. However this novella felt more focused somehow.
January 2, 2022
Короткая повесть из цикла про Прачечную, практически полностью построенная вокруг одной шутки — что если все эти миллионы камер наблюдения, круглосуточно следящие за каждым квадратным дюймом британской территории якобы ради «борьбы с уличной преступностью», на самом деле подключены к нехитрой FPGA-борде, эмулирующей характерные нейронные пути василиска или горгоны? Чисто на случай массового вторжения русских десантников или демонов из адских измерений?
Лондонским бюрократам это казалось отличной идеей, но ровно до тех пор, пока на английских просторах не начали появляться бетонные коровы...
Лондонским бюрократам это казалось отличной идеей, но ровно до тех пор, пока на английских просторах не начали появляться бетонные коровы...
August 24, 2017
This is the second story from Atrocity Archives (usually bundled together, but technically this is a separate novella). Dramatically better than Atrocity Archives; still not really my thing but if you were going to read either this one is better.
September 10, 2020
Finally, a book that refers to my job and an agency I know about [BSA], life is all anti-cliimatic from here on...
More technical jargon and thankfully not as much gore as book 1.
This ?novella? was included, in its entirety, in the Recorded Books audio book I borrowed.
More technical jargon and thankfully not as much gore as book 1.
This ?novella? was included, in its entirety, in the Recorded Books audio book I borrowed.
December 10, 2017
4.5 Stars
Awesome science fiction thriller / horror / mystery. I loved the start of this series it is tailor made to my likes. This is my first Stross novel even though he has been on my to read list for a very long time.
Great characters.
Great world.
Great science fiction.
Lovecraft!
Gadgets.
And more.
I really liked it.
This is a fun novella.
Awesome science fiction thriller / horror / mystery. I loved the start of this series it is tailor made to my likes. This is my first Stross novel even though he has been on my to read list for a very long time.
Great characters.
Great world.
Great science fiction.
Lovecraft!
Gadgets.
And more.
I really liked it.
This is a fun novella.
Read
June 28, 2025Fun story, but was confusingly appended to the Kindle version of book one without making it clear that it was a different story.
June 16, 2024
2.5 stars
March 29, 2018
I absolutely loved the case file on SCORPION STARE and all the history behind the Basilisk tech, with all the trials. Amazingly cool. Great novella that adds a lot to the Laundry Files world.
March 7, 2019
This was a short story that extended book 1 of this series. This book 2 was only 60 pages. Fun story about what might happen if someone could transform medusa's power so that video cameras that "see" you will turn you to silicone.
June 6, 2015
"The Colder War" is a similar story by Stross that takes the life of militarized mythology seriously: nuclear war is far from the worst possibility. The Laundry series is Stross's attempt to leaven it up with some humor -- the world may be just as fragile, but Bob Howard, the lead character, is stuck trying to save it while working in the British civil service and navigating the cabinets of bureaucracy.
I've read most of the Laundry series over the years, out of order, so I took the time to start over from the beginning. "The Concrete Jungle" is probably my favorite: it's a novella, so length limitations if nothing else help keep the focus on what's going on. Moreover, it introduces an incredibly neat weapon project, SCORPION STARE, which is much more novel than the zombies or hands of glory that feature in the first book.
The setting, unfortunately, allows for a great excuse for Stross to let political asides take over; here (again, with the restricted length and nice pacing) he manages to keep it mostly focused and integrated into the plot. After reading you may find yourself considering the role of surveillance in society, but I at least found the asides on DRM and BSA audits nothing more than pacebreakers, killing momentum dead for the sake of a a political quip or two.
(If you're familiar with tech news/gossip site The Register's "BOFH" column, you'll recognize the type of humor this traffics in).
I've read most of the Laundry series over the years, out of order, so I took the time to start over from the beginning. "The Concrete Jungle" is probably my favorite: it's a novella, so length limitations if nothing else help keep the focus on what's going on. Moreover, it introduces an incredibly neat weapon project, SCORPION STARE, which is much more novel than the zombies or hands of glory that feature in the first book.
The setting, unfortunately, allows for a great excuse for Stross to let political asides take over; here (again, with the restricted length and nice pacing) he manages to keep it mostly focused and integrated into the plot. After reading you may find yourself considering the role of surveillance in society, but I at least found the asides on DRM and BSA audits nothing more than pacebreakers, killing momentum dead for the sake of a a political quip or two.
(If you're familiar with tech news/gossip site The Register's "BOFH" column, you'll recognize the type of humor this traffics in).
November 13, 2016
I heard a lot of good things about The Laundry Files series from Charles Stross.
Indeed it has potential. And it could be the right thing for my taste.
It is about a british Agency of supernatural battling monsters and various creatures from Hell and Beyond. Or sort of.
The writing isn`t quite easy (not YA for sure :))), I don`t know how to say it, but in the end I liked the story, the characters and the whole setting.
I guess I`m curious to see how`s the first volume of the series. Even if some readers said that it`s kinda of a hard read for a series begining.
Indeed it has potential. And it could be the right thing for my taste.
It is about a british Agency of supernatural battling monsters and various creatures from Hell and Beyond. Or sort of.
The writing isn`t quite easy (not YA for sure :))), I don`t know how to say it, but in the end I liked the story, the characters and the whole setting.
I guess I`m curious to see how`s the first volume of the series. Even if some readers said that it`s kinda of a hard read for a series begining.
January 29, 2020
As the back quarter of The Atrocity Archives, this story was a lot better than the first part of the book, as it required less exposition and was able to get right into the meat. I think I'll continue with the series if this is how it'll continue to be.
January 16, 2017
Nice little addition.
A nice little novella that further expands the world and sets up the pieces for this world. It's fast paced and we'll written and also works well as a standalone.
Solid.
Onward to the next book!
A nice little novella that further expands the world and sets up the pieces for this world. It's fast paced and we'll written and also works well as a standalone.
Solid.
Onward to the next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews