Season Of Skulls (book 3 of The New Management, a Laundry Files novel, book 12) by Charles Stross.
It’s not often I start a book review with an apology, but I do now. In my review of the ‘Quantum Of Nightmares’, I said it was number 11 in the Laundry Files series of books by Charles Stross and that’s not exactly true. There are three books: ‘Dead Lies Dreaming’, ‘Quantum Of Nightmares’ and ‘Season Of Skulls’, which are a self-contained trilogy set in the world of the Laundry Files. From a purist perspective I’m not sure they are part of the Laundry Files series as the British Government’s SOE (Special Operations Executive) operatives don’t play a role in this tale.
Now that’s been sorted, I can start the review of ‘Season Of Skulls’ which concludes the trilogy. The chief character in this concluding book is Eve Starkey who’s was and still might be the PA to Rupert the CEO of Bigge Organisation. The current status of Baron de Montfort Bigge is a bit undetermined at the start of the novel. Eve is hoping he really is dead and it would negate a seemingly legally binding marriage contract Rupert tricked Eve’s wayward brother Imp in to signing.
There are quite a few loose ends to tie up in this story, not least of which is the fact that there are questions about Rupert’s head which was delivered on request to His Dread Majesty, the Black Pharaoh. Yes, it is Rupert’s head but is it the right one? There’s only one way to make sure so Eve is tasked with venturing into the dream roads to complete the task.
The dream roads featured in the first volume of this trilogy ‘Dead Lies Sleeping’ but not so much in the second volume ‘Quantum Of Nightmares’. In this final instalment, they are the main setting for much of the story. For those unfamiliar with the concept, dream roads are reflections of real places and times but as people remember or expect them to be. So there are similarities and differences with the normal world. However, actions in the dream roads can have consequences in the normal world. That’s if anything in the world of the Laundry Files can be called normal.
The dream roads are used to take you to places and times in this imaginary world. Eve accesses the dream roads via a bedroom in her parents’ old house. This house is now used as a squat by her brother Imp and his motley crew. The very same people whose help she will need to overcome the difficulties she’s faced with when the dream roads take her to a different time and a different place. Actually, several different places around the UK. This is a very well thought-out plot with events in the past influencing things later.
Eve is a 21st century lady and not really suited to the Regency period of the United Kingdom. Attire, social expectations and being hunted by a range of demonic creatures and people does not make life easy for Eve. The Regency version of the1960’s cult TV show ‘The Prisoner’ is exquisite. Its purpose and characters are wonderfully adapted.
Essentially, the story is about how Eve tries to stay ahead of the machinations of Rupert which seem to have been planned many years ago. Certainly, what Rupert had in store for Eve goes way beyond what you would expect from a PA or wife or human being for that matter. There’s a violent ending followed by an Epilogue which nicely explains what’s just happened. It might be better to say the consequences of what’s just happened in the dream roads in the past.
The Epilogue is followed by a short Acknowledgments section where the author explains how the novel came to be created. This is really a fascinating two pages with a third page where he actually thanks the people who helped him create another excellent novel.
While I do wholeheartedly recommend ‘Season Of Skulls’, you really do need to have read the two previous books to get the most from this epic tale.
Andy Whitaker
October 2023
(pub: Tordotcom, 2023. 384 page hardback. Price: $28.99 (US). ISBN: 978-1-25083-939-8)
check out website: www.tor.com
