Tor.com linked together three of the Laundry Files short stories.  The stories are in a strange order, but still demonstrate what an awesome possibility there is for these adventures.  Down on the Farm is kind of The Prisoner/Cuckoo’s Nest meets Doctor Who.  Overtime deals with the ritual of Saint Nick.  And Equoid mauls both H.P. Lovecraft and the myth of unicorns.

The second Laundry Files tale.  Bob Howard finds himself embroiled in a plot to raise one of the chthonic beasts from the ocean, and he’s forced to take on the role of James Bond to a mad billionaire.  It cleverly carves the whole Bond mythos.  There’s also a nice short included in the digital version, PIMPF, which involves MMORPG’s and human resources.

Stockholm Syndrome set in with this, and I almost enjoyed this.  But Goodkind botched this royally as per usual.  Kahlan has magically been erased from history, but only Richard remembers her.  A mysterious beast that can change form and is indestructable hunts Richard.  But with Kahlan missing, this just leads to Richard arguing constantly through the entire book, and formerly strong female characters suddenly reduced to mooning schoolgirls flinging themselves at Lord Rahl.  BOOOOOOOO.

Archer meets Dilbert if they fought against Lovecraft’s eldritch horrors.  However, it’s super tech heavy — written in a hyperboolean patois that can get a bit heady.  Also, it relies alot on the humor of bureaucracy and paperwork.  The digital version includes novella The Concrete Jungle which bumped this review up a star and shows just where this series has the potential to go.

The thirteenth in this supernaturalistic detective story, this one felt more like an accounting. Parker is recuperating from the effects of the last book, and how he breaks will affect the rest of the series.  If this were a television series, this would be the season three ending.  Still miles to go, but those can be in any direction.  Even if it does feel like larger forces are still picking the path.

I love when a series that’s eight deep manages to stay fresh and exciting.  The Department of Military Sciences offers a lot of opportunities for Hoo-ah style ass-kickery, from genetically altered gorilla guards to lethal viruses, and this one is just as heartrending.  Drones attack Citizens Bank Park on baseball’s opening day and the terrorist attack sets off a shockwave that ripples through the government as well as personally taking on the DMS.  Crushingly good fun as always from Maberry.