Rule 34 (novel)

Rule 34 is a 2011 cyberpunk crime novel by British author Charles Stross. It is the fourth book in his "Laundry Files" series, a series that blends espionage thriller elements with Lovecraftian horror and bureaucratic satire.

The novel's title directly references Rule 34, an internet adage stating that if something exists, there is pornographic content depicting it. This theme is interwoven throughout the narrative, exploring the darker corners of the internet and the consequences of unchecked information proliferation.

The story follows multiple protagonists, including DI Liz Hanover of the Edinburgh police's specialist "internet crime" unit, known informally as the "Porn Squad." Hanover investigates a series of increasingly bizarre and dangerous crimes, often involving highly specialized and disturbing fetishes that bleed into the real world with deadly consequences. The narrative also features other characters from the Laundry Files series, such as Bob Howard, tying into the broader mythology of the Laundry organization, a secret agency tasked with protecting Britain from supernatural threats.

Rule 34 delves into themes of technological overreach, the normalization of deviant behavior online, and the difficulties of policing a decentralized and often anonymous digital landscape. It also satirizes government bureaucracy and the challenges of adapting to rapidly evolving technologies. While containing humorous elements characteristic of the Laundry Files series, Rule 34 is notably darker and more disturbing than its predecessors, reflecting the disturbing subject matter it explores.