Do you enjoy spy novels a la Len Deighton? What about eldritch Lovecraftian horror? James Bond thrillers, you say? Well now, you can have all three, plus plenty of Pythonesque satire, in one easy-to-read volume! But wait, there's more - real historical events, with strange, alternate explanations, and multidimensional mathematics, combined with advanced computational demonology, all at no additional cost!Welcome to the freaky, fantabulous world of Charles Stross. Welcome to The Laundry. Meet new hire Bob Howard - just an ordinary cubicle mole, with an unusual gift for some rather arcane applications of higher mathematics. After very nearly laying waste to a considerable section of Central London, Bob has been recruited into England's most secret service, The Laundry.
Just the other day, I was out falconing with my good friend and vassal, the 4th Baron of Smyth-Bullard, when he happened to mention my blog. "You know, Your Grace," said he, "I've been following your electronic journal, and I quite enjoy it. But I do have a question." At this point I casually removed my hand from the hilt of my sword, to encourage further candor, and gestured for him to continue. "Well, it is only that you never seem to dislike any of the books you review - and I for one love to see a bad author savaged in print by a master of vicious sarcasm such as Your Grace." 
Neil Gaiman is pretty hot right now - The Sandman graphic novels, the children's film (sort of) Coraline, and a brand new biography of the author and his work have been drawing public ardor and critical acclaim for some time. In my opinion, however, Gaiman's most beautiful, bewitching and rewarding work are delivered by his novels - Stardust, Neverwhere, and most of all, American Gods, a magnum opus on the intersection of global myth and American Culture.
