What do you think?
Rate this book
Rivers of London #1
Rivers of London
Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.
392 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2011
About the author
Ben Aaronovitch
149 books12.3k followersBen Aaronovitch's career started with a bang writing for Doctor Who, subsided in the middle and then, as is traditional, a third act resurgence with the bestselling Rivers of London series.
Born and raised in London he says that he'll leave his home when they prise his city out of his cold dead fingers.
Born and raised in London he says that he'll leave his home when they prise his city out of his cold dead fingers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 12,111 reviews
April 15, 2013
Great book. Urban fantasy. You should read it.
Why? Here's why....
1. It's witty.
2. It's not cliché.
3. It's smart.
4. It's set in London, and written by someone who obviously knows London.
5. The main character has a great voice.
5. The language is great. (See below.)
6. It hasn't been dumbed down for the American audience.
Well… okay. They did change the title in the US from "Rivers of London" to "Midnight Riot." That was a shame.
But they left a lot of good stuff in. I don't think I've ever read anything else published in the US that has as much legitimate British slang in it. It was lovely.
7. The author is obviously a proper geek. It's rare that someone references Tolkien, Newton, and The Last Airbender all in one book.
If you don't know anything at all about London, Brittish slang, or culture other than the last three decades of American history, this book might stretch you a little bit. You might occationally have to absorb some information, learn a new word or two, and figure things out from context clues.
If you have a problem with that? Well, I guess you can go back to watching Entourage and re-reading Twilight. Or you could jump into a dry well and kill yourself. It's a horse apiece, really.
For the rest of you who realize that one of the main joys of reading (if not life itself) is learning and broadening your experience of the world… well… this book is for you. Congrats. You win.
April 25, 2023
Rivers of London is a fun mix of so many things that I love in my pleasure reads - the geekiness and the science¹, the dry British humor², and the magical/mythical/phantasmagorical stuff in a big city³. What's not to like?
¹ My whole life, basically. Really.
² Examples - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, even some of China Miéville's stuff.
³ Examples - Harry Dresden books, China Miéville, Neil Gaiman, even Sir Terry.PI constable collaborating with the police force of a big city to solve magical crimes, while interacting with a slew of mythical creatures and engaging in self-deprecating pop-culture-references-laden humor (and, in case of Peter Grant, lacking the borderline-misogynous chivalry).
But before you, those who do not share my affection for the Dresden universe, run away screaming from this book, please listen - it apparently appealed even to those who cannot stand Harry Dresden. All the similarities aside, this book has a very distinct and fun voice, and is less pulpy, much lighter on the magical stuff and whimsy, and heavier on dry humor and police procedurals as well as geekiness than the Chicago wizard books.
[image error]
And the city - Ben Aaronovitch's love for London is contagious. London is very much a character in this story, and way more than just a setting. The history, the streets, the landmarks, even the rivers in this story are captivating. I love when that happens in books, and I thoroughly enjoyed it in this story.
But wait there for a second, Nataliya, you must be wondering, if you loved this book so much then (a) why don't you marry it? and (b) why the hell did you just 3-star it, huh??? Well, here's why. While I love the narrative voice and the protagonist to pieces, I find the storyline(s) not very memorable or compelling. I'm sure I'll remember Peter Grant for years to come, but I'll be hard pressed to remember what the hell the story was about. No, it's not hard to follow, but it's just not that memorable, and, honestly, not that engrossing. Moreover, the two main stories in this book, aptly represented by the titles that the different sides of the ocean have chosen - Midnight Riot and Rivers of London - felt to me quite separate from each other, connected only by the fact that Peter Grant was involved in both of them. I think Aaronovitch should have either connected them together in a more meaningful way, or has chosen one of them to focus on.
Despite my gripes with the storylines, I was so enamored with the narration and the humor and the protagonist that I will without a doubt read the next book in the series, and will highly recommend this one. Peter Grant for the win! 3.5 stars.
By the way, here is my review of the second book in the series, Moon Over Soho.
For the review of the third book, Whispers Underground, head over here, and for the fourth one, Broken Homes, over here.
——————
Recommended by: Catie
¹ My whole life, basically. Really.
² Examples - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, even some of China Miéville's stuff.
³ Examples - Harry Dresden books, China Miéville, Neil Gaiman, even Sir Terry.
"Carved above the lintel were the words SCIENTIA POTESTAS EST. Science points east, I wondered? Science is portentous, yes? Science protests too much. Scientific potatoes rule. Had I stumbled on the lair of dangerous plant geneticists?"The US-titled Midnight Riot (which used to be called Rivers of London before some American publisher undoubtedly decided that the target audience should NOT be aspiring US-based geographers) is a great read for me, a self-proclaimed devout Dresdenite (as in Harry Dresden, the Chicago wizard for hire, and not so much the German city). It has all the surface similarities to that series - a magically-inclined
But before you, those who do not share my affection for the Dresden universe, run away screaming from this book, please listen - it apparently appealed even to those who cannot stand Harry Dresden. All the similarities aside, this book has a very distinct and fun voice, and is less pulpy, much lighter on the magical stuff and whimsy, and heavier on dry humor and police procedurals as well as geekiness than the Chicago wizard books.
"I'd like to say that I remembered the practice of exchanging hostages from school history classes or from stories of precolonial life in Sierra Leone, but the truth was that it came up while playing Dungeons and Dragons when I was thirteen."Peter Grant is joining the ranks of my favorite characters with his self-deprecating humor firmly rooted in pop-culture and modern world, as well as his own complicated family dynamics. A probationary constable who is recruited into a small (now consisting of 2 people) department of London police dealing with the supernatural, he approaches learning magic from a viewpoint of a natural scientist, carrying out experiments, creating theories, and even using science and valid deductions to counteract the villain in one of the major confrontations. All helped along with humor, and told in a narrative voice that is very even-keeled, even when the protagonist is faced with a life-or-death situation, and which, in my opinion, adds to the appeal of this story.
"We did an hour of practice, at the end of which I was capable of flinging a fireball down the range at the dizzying speed of a bumblebee who'd met his pollen quota and was taking a moment to enjoy the view."
[image error]
And the city - Ben Aaronovitch's love for London is contagious. London is very much a character in this story, and way more than just a setting. The history, the streets, the landmarks, even the rivers in this story are captivating. I love when that happens in books, and I thoroughly enjoyed it in this story.
"Being a seasoned Londoner, Martin gave the body the "London once-over" - a quick glance to determine whether this was a drunk, a crazy or a human being in distress. The fact that it was entirely possible for someone to be all three simultaneously is why good-Samaritanism in London is considered an extreme sport - like BASE jumping or crocodile wrestling."--------------------------------------
But wait there for a second, Nataliya, you must be wondering, if you loved this book so much then (a) why don't you marry it? and (b) why the hell did you just 3-star it, huh??? Well, here's why. While I love the narrative voice and the protagonist to pieces, I find the storyline(s) not very memorable or compelling. I'm sure I'll remember Peter Grant for years to come, but I'll be hard pressed to remember what the hell the story was about. No, it's not hard to follow, but it's just not that memorable, and, honestly, not that engrossing. Moreover, the two main stories in this book, aptly represented by the titles that the different sides of the ocean have chosen - Midnight Riot and Rivers of London - felt to me quite separate from each other, connected only by the fact that Peter Grant was involved in both of them. I think Aaronovitch should have either connected them together in a more meaningful way, or has chosen one of them to focus on.
Despite my gripes with the storylines, I was so enamored with the narration and the humor and the protagonist that I will without a doubt read the next book in the series, and will highly recommend this one. Peter Grant for the win! 3.5 stars.
"If you ask any police officer what the worst part of the job is, they will always say breaking bad news to relatives, but this is not the truth. The worst part is staying in the room after you've broken the news, so that you're forced to be there when someone's life disintegrates around them. Some people say it doesn't bother them - such people are not to be trusted."---------------
By the way, here is my review of the second book in the series, Moon Over Soho.
For the review of the third book, Whispers Underground, head over here, and for the fourth one, Broken Homes, over here.
——————
Recommended by: Catie
September 22, 2012
Goddammit. I wanted to like this one. I really, really, really did. It has a lot going for it. Midnight Riot, also known as Rivers of London across the pond, has, while not the most original premise, certainly an engaging voice. It's got that dry British humor going on, an initially likable hero, an intriguing world and diverse cast, a science(ish)-based magic system, and a POC protagonist who doesn't read like a white guy with a paint job. It was close, SO CLOSE, to enjoyable.
Unfortunately, it's first and foremost a blatant male wish-fulfillment fantasy, which I could have endured, if the female characters hadn't ended up a casualty of the male-centric plot. Midnight Riot is heavy on the sexism: sometimes subtle, sometimes...not so much, but present and grating enough to make it a problem for me.
Sigh.
But let's talk about the good things first for once, eh?
Four Things I Liked About Midnight Riot:
1. It's Funny
Aaronovitch knows his stuff. Midnight Riot tends towards dry and subversive humor, and Aaronovitch is very good at using characters and archetypes familiar to the genre in funny and unexpected ways. The dialog is, for the most part, sharp and conversations have the sort of timing you'd expect from someone with a history of penning witty television shows. Riot and its world and its characters have the feel of a slightly wacky, weekly supernatural police procedural, and I could easily see it working as one.
Not every joke works, of course, but more than anything else the deadpan tone of the novel kept me reading and interested, even through two seriously meandering, disconnected plots, and an often history-heavy narrative.
2. It Has a Truly Diverse Cast
Midnight Riot was one of the few books with a POC protagonist where I feel like the author didn't just label a white protagonist black or Asian or Native American and been done with it. Peter's race actively impacts his life and his experiences - the way people react to him on the subway, or during a riot, or even in his job, he is aware of how his skin color makes a difference. It's not heavy-handed or preachy or the point of the story, it's just an aspect of Peter's life, and I think Aaronovitch handled that aspect quite well.
There's also a higher-than-average number of characters of color, in general. Dr. Walid, the coroner, is Scottish Muslim, and Peter's mother, of course, is an immigrant from Sierra Leon. His love interest, Beverly Brook, the powerful Mama Thames, and the majority of the rivers of London are African women. They all seem to largely avoid stereotypes, though I find the success of Bev and Mama Thames' portrayal a little sketchier - but that has more to do with the treatment of their genders than their race.
3. The Magic System is Really, Really Cool
I'm not one to give a shit about this sort of thing, usually, but Midnight Riot's science-based magic system caught my fancy. Peter is actually surprisingly inquisitive after he's chosen to begin training as a wizard, and doesn't let the revelation of magic and monsters and ghosts shake his confidence in the laws of science and nature that make up his understanding of the world. Like a hero after my own heart, Peter doesn't just accept that magic works "because magic". Instead, he immediately begins applying the laws of physics to them.
Peter questions. He experiments. He formulates theories, and then he tests them, and through his reasoning, we get a basic understanding of how magic works, in more scientific terms than usual. Magical spells are discussed in terms of joules and newtons; conservation of mass, energy, the laws of thermodynamics - they all apply. It's not all hand-waving and mystical force - the magic has consequences.
One memorable example is when Peter runs a series of experiments to discover why casting spells results in the destruction of nearby electronics - including his cell phone. After a series of tests, he is not only able to give a reasonable explanation as for why, but also figures out how far the sphere of damage extends, and how to avoid it all together. It's neat stuff.
Granted, SCIENCE! can only go so far in explaining supernatural phenomenon, and there comes a time when both Peter and his teacher have to admit that they just don't know how some magic works, scientifically, but there was enough detail that I didn't really mind when we got to that point. What I liked was that the magic was limited; it has rules, it requires repeated practice and study and patience, so Peter can't just whip out a wand and deus ex machina his way through the book with some random badass spell ten levels above his proficiency (though, of course, this doesn't prevent other magical deities from deus ex-ing to their heart's content).
The point is, the system more firmly grounds Peter Grant's world in reality than most any other urban fantasy series I've come across. It's well thought-out and detailed, and I appreciate that.
4. Peter Grant Has the Potential to be a Cool Character
I'm of two minds about Peter. On the one hand, I wanted to like him. He's not a dick-head Alpha male convinced he knows better than everyone else. He's actually got an underdog feel: he's not quite attentive enough to be a good police officer, he's best friends with a woman he desperately wants to date, and he's destined for a life of paperwork, until the ghost shows up. He commits to studying magic, but he's still got to practice like anyone else, and he makes plenty of dumb mistakes on the long road to solving the book's mystery. He's just kind of an average guy.
So what's the problem? Well, I mean, did you read that last paragraph? Every last bit of that makes Peter a perfect nerd wish-fulfilment insert. He's the meek, ignored, everyday beta-male who is chosen by fate to become the hero, who gets the super-sweet magician's apprentice gig instead of the mundane paper-pushing desk job he dreaded, who saves the day and gets the hot girlfriend and shows all those doubters what's what.
One Thing that Utterly Killed Midnight Riot for Me
Misogyny!
Given the over-saturation of male wish-fulfillment characters in the general media, this kind of story isn't for everyone, but I really could have gotten past that, if, if, the women hadn't been so completely filtered through this lens. Like, how so much of Peter's story seemed designed to pointedly get the one-up on his dastardly friendzoning female counterpart, Lesley...
Read full review at You're Killing.Us.
May 8, 2014
Well, I'm always looking for a great Urban fantasy book series, and this one is another one I'll be following with joy! Very much in the style of Harry Dresden, and my other fave, the Alex Verus series. This series is set in modern-day London, and features a black male lead character, who's a cop, and finds himself drafted into the magical investigation unit arm of the police. I love the sensibility of this book, it's incredibly dark at the same time, quippy! The worldbuilding is very interesting as well, and the characters are fun to follow. I will be reading more as soon as I can get my hands on it!
November 10, 2015
city people be like:
first of all, i wasn't too keen on what happens to lesley, but i guess you can't make an omelette without—
*ducks flung shoe*
anyway.
this painfully-white guy i used to know read this book too, and he said aaronovitch's handling of race annoyed him, because while there is awesomeness like various london water goddesses being nigerians, aaronovitch himself is not nigerian, and people who speak authoritatively about races not their own are typically embarrassing and distasteful.
and it's true, mostly. that's gross.
usually.
but somehow, i got through this book and all the way through the next one in the series without once being offended by that stuff.
i noted it; read up on the author's background; but mostly i was just like... hah, yeah, all the nigerians i ever met were totally like that.
i think a certain thing happens to you when you live in a huge, multicultural city like london (or nyc) that entitles you to a kind of bald and horrendously un-PC pragmatism about our differences that some people (who don't happen to grow up living on top of one another in a glorious shitpile of cultures) never have a reason to develop.
it's not something i'm proud of, exactly—not exactly—but life in a place like that encourages a certain... a certain...
well, look.
when someone in the neighborhood asks me where to buy bootlegged (and thus cheaper) cigarettes, i send them to "the arabs."
it's just a thing.
that we do here.
it sounds gross, but ...the place is literally run by arabs. and all places like it in this city are almost always run by arabs. like, that's where one goes. to the arabs. and everyone here knows what that means.
when you want some twee macrobiotic coconut water shit, you go to the korean market.
a greasy spoon: a greek diner named for athena or zeus or whatever.
a bag of chips and a sandwich: your local dominican bodega, of course. (ayo, bodega cat! get off muh chipz, ok! i'm rilly serious this time!)
diamonds?
you bettuh believe your goyim ass is going to the jews.
and just you try to catch a yellow cab not driven by a south asian dude. (the 'gypsy' cabs are all driven by dominicans, which i know not just because i live here, but because i am a dominican and i literally used to be a dominican gypsy cab driver. and yes disappointed drunk people on their way home from bars or clubs often ask to pay their fare in blowjobs)
so as a native new yorker in love with new york, i appreciated aaronovitch's plainly visible love for his london in just those ways. and while i've never lived there, i can certainly believe everything he wrote about it.
i recognized new york in it.
i felt like i got it, the racial side-stuff, and nothing bothered me about it, especially since i was pretty much over the moon with having a mixed-race MC and various non-punchline queers and very strong female characters to boot.
the mystery isn't bad at all; its your basic paranormal police procedural, and i'm really happy i read it, as it diverted my feeble mind during a difficult time—
trying to quit going to the arabs for cigarettes.
------------
PS: hilariously, it is somehow also NYC convention to pronounce "arabs" like an appalachian hillbilly or something, for no reason i can fathom. as in: "yo, i'm gonna go to the AE-rabz for a loosie, you want?"
first of all, i wasn't too keen on what happens to lesley, but i guess you can't make an omelette without—
*ducks flung shoe*
anyway.
this painfully-white guy i used to know read this book too, and he said aaronovitch's handling of race annoyed him, because while there is awesomeness like various london water goddesses being nigerians, aaronovitch himself is not nigerian, and people who speak authoritatively about races not their own are typically embarrassing and distasteful.
and it's true, mostly. that's gross.
usually.
but somehow, i got through this book and all the way through the next one in the series without once being offended by that stuff.
i noted it; read up on the author's background; but mostly i was just like... hah, yeah, all the nigerians i ever met were totally like that.
i think a certain thing happens to you when you live in a huge, multicultural city like london (or nyc) that entitles you to a kind of bald and horrendously un-PC pragmatism about our differences that some people (who don't happen to grow up living on top of one another in a glorious shitpile of cultures) never have a reason to develop.
it's not something i'm proud of, exactly—not exactly—but life in a place like that encourages a certain... a certain...
well, look.
when someone in the neighborhood asks me where to buy bootlegged (and thus cheaper) cigarettes, i send them to "the arabs."
it's just a thing.
that we do here.
it sounds gross, but ...the place is literally run by arabs. and all places like it in this city are almost always run by arabs. like, that's where one goes. to the arabs. and everyone here knows what that means.
when you want some twee macrobiotic coconut water shit, you go to the korean market.
a greasy spoon: a greek diner named for athena or zeus or whatever.
a bag of chips and a sandwich: your local dominican bodega, of course. (ayo, bodega cat! get off muh chipz, ok! i'm rilly serious this time!)
diamonds?
you bettuh believe your goyim ass is going to the jews.
and just you try to catch a yellow cab not driven by a south asian dude. (the 'gypsy' cabs are all driven by dominicans, which i know not just because i live here, but because i am a dominican and i literally used to be a dominican gypsy cab driver. and yes disappointed drunk people on their way home from bars or clubs often ask to pay their fare in blowjobs)
so as a native new yorker in love with new york, i appreciated aaronovitch's plainly visible love for his london in just those ways. and while i've never lived there, i can certainly believe everything he wrote about it.
i recognized new york in it.
i felt like i got it, the racial side-stuff, and nothing bothered me about it, especially since i was pretty much over the moon with having a mixed-race MC and various non-punchline queers and very strong female characters to boot.
the mystery isn't bad at all; its your basic paranormal police procedural, and i'm really happy i read it, as it diverted my feeble mind during a difficult time—
trying to quit going to the arabs for cigarettes.
------------
PS: hilariously, it is somehow also NYC convention to pronounce "arabs" like an appalachian hillbilly or something, for no reason i can fathom. as in: "yo, i'm gonna go to the AE-rabz for a loosie, you want?"
December 20, 2012
Rivers of London (U.S. title: Midnight Riot) by Ben Aaronovitch, 2011
I received this book as a gift a rather long time ago. It sat in my to-be-read pile for far too long because, I am embarrassed to admit, of its cover, which looked dreary and literary.
I should instead have looked at the first page, which opens:
“It started at one thirty on a cold Tuesday morning in January when Martin Turner, street performer and, in his own words, apprentice gigolo, tripped over a body in front of the West Portico of St Paul’s at Covent Garden. Martin, who was none too sober himself, at first thought the body was that of one of the many celebrants who had chosen the Piazza as a convenient outdoor toilet and dormitory. Being a seasoned Londoner, Martin gave the body the ‘London once-over’ – a quick glance to determine whether this was a drunk, a crazy or a human being in distress. The fact that it was entirely possible to be all three simultaneously is why good-Samaritanism in London is considered an extreme sport – like base-jumping or crocodile wrestling. Martin, noting the good-quality coat and shoes, had just pegged the body as a drunk when he noticed that it was in fact missing its head.”
OK. That got me in for the next paragraph, which took me to the next page, and by the time I had reached the end of the first scene and figured out the book was to be written in first person, normally an allergy for me, it was too late to opt out. But the first paragraph had given me glimpses already of what were to be salient ongoing features of the book – a strong voice, a wry sense of humor, and an utterly convincing sense of place.
There exists a quality of a book that I do not have a name for; it is approached by terms like “mode” and “voice” and “the writer’s world-view”, but isn’t quite any of these. I short-hand it as, “What kind of head-space am I going to be stuck in now?” And is it one I that will enjoy being stuck in? We seek out, I think, any favorite writer’s other books, even if they are varied, in the hopes of entering that agreeable head-space again. So while a lot of the events of this book were quite dark, its head-space, mediated by a young 21st Century London copper named (we eventually find out) Peter Grant, was not. Before the first chapter is out, he finds himself witness-interviewing a ghost, in his best police-procedural style, and events spin out from there. The plot seems discursive at times, but winds itself up in a very nice knot before the end, leading me to want to reread it very soon, to watch how all the cards were so neatly palmed. But no amount of plot legerdemain would take me back to a book if I hadn’t developed some affection for the characters, which Aaronovitch brought off and did not (though he had me worried at points) betray.
My problem these days with coming-of-age, young-man-discovers-his-mojo books, of which this is one in a long, long line (to which I have myself added), is that the protagonists, who ought by rights to be the literary heartthrobs for any right-thinking geek grrl reader, are now all younger than my children. It... just doesn’t work on that level anymore. Instead, I find my attention drawn to the mentor-figures.
Now, in this kind of book, being a mentor is an extreme sport indeed – their chances of making it out of the book alive are by no means secure, as they can be routinely sacrificed right and left to supply the proper amount of angst and secret generational triumph to the young protagonists. Aaronovitch offered quite a charming older mentor figure in one Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, last wizard of London, upon whom I was quite willing to bestow my senior-citizenly affections, except for this risk. Don’t get attached, I kept telling myself. Drat it. His fate did provide plenty of suspense from my point of view, quite apart from what proved to be the truly bizarre plot.
I see Inspector Nightingale makes it to the sequel, Moon Over Soho, now on order from my public library, but, y’know, that’s still no guarantee. But if he is ever butchered to make aRoman holiday speed bump for the kid, I shall be peeved.
Highly recommended, if you haven’t figured that out by now.
Ta, L.
I received this book as a gift a rather long time ago. It sat in my to-be-read pile for far too long because, I am embarrassed to admit, of its cover, which looked dreary and literary.
I should instead have looked at the first page, which opens:
“It started at one thirty on a cold Tuesday morning in January when Martin Turner, street performer and, in his own words, apprentice gigolo, tripped over a body in front of the West Portico of St Paul’s at Covent Garden. Martin, who was none too sober himself, at first thought the body was that of one of the many celebrants who had chosen the Piazza as a convenient outdoor toilet and dormitory. Being a seasoned Londoner, Martin gave the body the ‘London once-over’ – a quick glance to determine whether this was a drunk, a crazy or a human being in distress. The fact that it was entirely possible to be all three simultaneously is why good-Samaritanism in London is considered an extreme sport – like base-jumping or crocodile wrestling. Martin, noting the good-quality coat and shoes, had just pegged the body as a drunk when he noticed that it was in fact missing its head.”
OK. That got me in for the next paragraph, which took me to the next page, and by the time I had reached the end of the first scene and figured out the book was to be written in first person, normally an allergy for me, it was too late to opt out. But the first paragraph had given me glimpses already of what were to be salient ongoing features of the book – a strong voice, a wry sense of humor, and an utterly convincing sense of place.
There exists a quality of a book that I do not have a name for; it is approached by terms like “mode” and “voice” and “the writer’s world-view”, but isn’t quite any of these. I short-hand it as, “What kind of head-space am I going to be stuck in now?” And is it one I that will enjoy being stuck in? We seek out, I think, any favorite writer’s other books, even if they are varied, in the hopes of entering that agreeable head-space again. So while a lot of the events of this book were quite dark, its head-space, mediated by a young 21st Century London copper named (we eventually find out) Peter Grant, was not. Before the first chapter is out, he finds himself witness-interviewing a ghost, in his best police-procedural style, and events spin out from there. The plot seems discursive at times, but winds itself up in a very nice knot before the end, leading me to want to reread it very soon, to watch how all the cards were so neatly palmed. But no amount of plot legerdemain would take me back to a book if I hadn’t developed some affection for the characters, which Aaronovitch brought off and did not (though he had me worried at points) betray.
My problem these days with coming-of-age, young-man-discovers-his-mojo books, of which this is one in a long, long line (to which I have myself added), is that the protagonists, who ought by rights to be the literary heartthrobs for any right-thinking geek grrl reader, are now all younger than my children. It... just doesn’t work on that level anymore. Instead, I find my attention drawn to the mentor-figures.
Now, in this kind of book, being a mentor is an extreme sport indeed – their chances of making it out of the book alive are by no means secure, as they can be routinely sacrificed right and left to supply the proper amount of angst and secret generational triumph to the young protagonists. Aaronovitch offered quite a charming older mentor figure in one Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, last wizard of London, upon whom I was quite willing to bestow my senior-citizenly affections, except for this risk. Don’t get attached, I kept telling myself. Drat it. His fate did provide plenty of suspense from my point of view, quite apart from what proved to be the truly bizarre plot.
I see Inspector Nightingale makes it to the sequel, Moon Over Soho, now on order from my public library, but, y’know, that’s still no guarantee. But if he is ever butchered to make a
Highly recommended, if you haven’t figured that out by now.
Ta, L.
August 27, 2021
Re-Read 8/26/21:
Buddy reading and enjoying it as much now as I did the first time. It's wild to go back to the early days. Also disturbing, knowing what will come. ; ;
Original Review:
I'm giving this top marks for a UF for several reasons.
1. Plain enjoyment! (This one should be obvious but it doesn't always work even with a lot of other titles I respect across the board. I may love bits and pieces of them, but then you come across writing that is a breeze to fall into and enjoy throughout, and then you know you've got a real winner on your hands. That's this one.)
2. Geeky, rather a loser London Police Constable with a bit of a new magical talent, a heavy steeping of modern sf/f culture, and an even heavier steeping of police procedural and depth of characterization. It feels real and I just love this guy.
3. It's not light on the Londonite scene! This is a great grounding and full of great humor and history, bringing in some of the weirdest tidbits of the past centuries like the proverbial grab-bag and shaking it about a bit and giving us a hell of a weird novel. It's a total blast.
Any one of these reasons should have been enough, but damn... who cares! It's a great read! Some of the best UF created, in fact. I can't wait to delve into the rest!
Buddy reading and enjoying it as much now as I did the first time. It's wild to go back to the early days. Also disturbing, knowing what will come. ; ;
Original Review:
I'm giving this top marks for a UF for several reasons.
1. Plain enjoyment! (This one should be obvious but it doesn't always work even with a lot of other titles I respect across the board. I may love bits and pieces of them, but then you come across writing that is a breeze to fall into and enjoy throughout, and then you know you've got a real winner on your hands. That's this one.)
2. Geeky, rather a loser London Police Constable with a bit of a new magical talent, a heavy steeping of modern sf/f culture, and an even heavier steeping of police procedural and depth of characterization. It feels real and I just love this guy.
3. It's not light on the Londonite scene! This is a great grounding and full of great humor and history, bringing in some of the weirdest tidbits of the past centuries like the proverbial grab-bag and shaking it about a bit and giving us a hell of a weird novel. It's a total blast.
Any one of these reasons should have been enough, but damn... who cares! It's a great read! Some of the best UF created, in fact. I can't wait to delve into the rest!
March 22, 2012
The books starts off quite promisingly, with a mysterious murder in the centre of London, only to change its focus almost immediately and take us through a boring and totally mundane sub-plot about two opposing factions of rivers, whose petty conflict nobody cares about, least of all the reader. Apparently, they disturb "The Queen's Peace", so a scuffle amongst youngsters in Richmond is more important than a beheading in Covent Garden. Go figure...
So for the better part of the first half of the book we get introduced, in painstaking detail, to Mama and Papa Thames and an ensemble of characters that are irrelevant to the story. Yes, you heard me right. The title of the book has practically nothing to do with the main plot, with the exception of two elaborately orchestrated deus-ex-machina moments.
The story spans over a few months, but surprisingly little happens. The fun returns about three quarters into the book, but by then it's too late. Until then, the two protagonists, members of the London Met police, go about their own business instead of investigating the case. Nightingale (the master wizard) admits somewhere in the middle of the book that "we have no idea what's causing this". One chapter later they get a lead. But alas, not thanks to good old police-work, but by pure coincidence.
This frustrating lack of urgency is complemented by the weird casualness with which all the characters discuss murder and magic over a pint at their local pub. Everyone talks like a bad soap opera actor. And despite being under oath of secrecy, Peter Grant (the apprentice wizard) can't stop blabbering about his training to everyone he meets, as if this "great" secret was common knowledge.
Besides acting like puppets, the characters lack any likeability. Peter is clever, but has the sexual maturity of a 13-year old. He stares at boobs and gets an erection whenever a woman touches him. Nightningale, who is at first presented as a secretive, century-old, powerful wizard, turns out to be an old man completely out of touch with the times and a hopeless teacher who is so old that he has forgotten his own lessons.
The author's only good idea was to portray the art of magic as music, with spells as notes that can be combined to create more complex spells, and the sense of magic itself as feelings/memories. But in his attempt to merge magic and science he drives himself into a corner to the point where Nightingale (again) has to admit to his apprentice that "nobody really knows". Readers don't want to have magic explained to us. We just accept it as it is. The last time someone tried to explain magic in scientific terms he coined the term "midichlorians". And we all know how that went down with the fans...
I was very surprised to find out that Ben Aaronovitch is actually an accomplished script writer, since this book reeks of amateurism (his or his editor's). Peter speaks Latin before he admits that he doesn't know any, he uses the name of a spell before he learns it, and so on. Characters come and go without impact and certain events happen out of nowhere with no follow-ups. It's as if a large portion of the book has been edited out.
I can't help thinking that readers who liked this book have set the bar too low. If great urban fantasy set in modern London is what they're looking for, then I advise them to read Neverwhere by the far superior (and a personal god of mine) Neil Gaiman.
So for the better part of the first half of the book we get introduced, in painstaking detail, to Mama and Papa Thames and an ensemble of characters that are irrelevant to the story. Yes, you heard me right. The title of the book has practically nothing to do with the main plot, with the exception of two elaborately orchestrated deus-ex-machina moments.
The story spans over a few months, but surprisingly little happens. The fun returns about three quarters into the book, but by then it's too late. Until then, the two protagonists, members of the London Met police, go about their own business instead of investigating the case. Nightingale (the master wizard) admits somewhere in the middle of the book that "we have no idea what's causing this". One chapter later they get a lead. But alas, not thanks to good old police-work, but by pure coincidence.
This frustrating lack of urgency is complemented by the weird casualness with which all the characters discuss murder and magic over a pint at their local pub. Everyone talks like a bad soap opera actor. And despite being under oath of secrecy, Peter Grant (the apprentice wizard) can't stop blabbering about his training to everyone he meets, as if this "great" secret was common knowledge.
Besides acting like puppets, the characters lack any likeability. Peter is clever, but has the sexual maturity of a 13-year old. He stares at boobs and gets an erection whenever a woman touches him. Nightningale, who is at first presented as a secretive, century-old, powerful wizard, turns out to be an old man completely out of touch with the times and a hopeless teacher who is so old that he has forgotten his own lessons.
The author's only good idea was to portray the art of magic as music, with spells as notes that can be combined to create more complex spells, and the sense of magic itself as feelings/memories. But in his attempt to merge magic and science he drives himself into a corner to the point where Nightingale (again) has to admit to his apprentice that "nobody really knows". Readers don't want to have magic explained to us. We just accept it as it is. The last time someone tried to explain magic in scientific terms he coined the term "midichlorians". And we all know how that went down with the fans...
I was very surprised to find out that Ben Aaronovitch is actually an accomplished script writer, since this book reeks of amateurism (his or his editor's). Peter speaks Latin before he admits that he doesn't know any, he uses the name of a spell before he learns it, and so on. Characters come and go without impact and certain events happen out of nowhere with no follow-ups. It's as if a large portion of the book has been edited out.
I can't help thinking that readers who liked this book have set the bar too low. If great urban fantasy set in modern London is what they're looking for, then I advise them to read Neverwhere by the far superior (and a personal god of mine) Neil Gaiman.
May 8, 2011
Midnight Riot is the kind of book that people like me, absolute anglophile and devoted BBC lover, couldn’t help but like. The humor and the texture to the narrative in this book reads delightfully British, but in a fashion that suggests that England isn’t just Jane Austen or Charles Dickens. It’s also Doctor Who, Blake’s Seven, Being Human, Law and Order: UK, and Luther. It’s upper crust and working class. It’s a mix of past and present. Even deeper, it’s the everyday lives of Britons, not all Northern European either.
It was so refreshing to have a hero who is mixed-race, but seen as black by some; and to others, ethnically uncertain. He couldn’t get on the tube without getting nervous looks from some people who had made up their mind what his place in their world was, without asking him about it. On any given day, due to how much sun he gets, some might think he’s African, or some might think he’s Arab. Peter is unselfconscious about his ethnicity, although very aware that not everyone is comfortable with it. His mother is Sierra Leonan, and her culture infuses him, from her attitude towards hard work, to her frugality, and her penchant for making food so spicy that he has to drink a liter of water to douse its fire. His father is a white former musician with a thirty year heroin habit, and that colors the narrative just as much, for we are not in a small degree who our parents make us. That is either due to rebelling against our parents or through a childhood of being shaped by their rearing. As a reader of black heritage, I have to say that it’s good to see stories that feature characters of black ethnicity. There are a lot of our stories to tell, and they don’t seem to see the light of day, and not in the diversity that reflects the black African disapora. I hope that more leads in urban fantasy novels in the future are of color, because it adds something to a read to see someone who is like you, at least in some small way.
I enjoyed Peter’s character. He’s an insightful narrator, and full of wit. I liked seeing London through his perceptive gaze.
The police procedural aspects were great. Better than watching an episode of a BBC cop show, because Peter explains the ins and out of the Metropolitan Police to a degree I have never caught onto in my varied viewing pleasures. Peter’s acceptance of the workings of enormous wheels of bureaucracy turning in the Met makes what might have been boring, very fascinating, especially with his deadpan humor delivery (classic British wit). As I read this novel, I felt as though I had learned a lot more about the police in the UK, which is similar but different to the US.
The paranormal aspects were good and rather unique. I like how magic is presented here. The way it leaves an essence (called a vestigium that has a taste, feel, and smell) that Peter is able to pick up. When he’s recruited as an assistant and apprentice wizard to Thomas Nightingale, for a part of the Met that deals with the odd and magical crimes, he finds the niche he’d been searching for, with this inquisitive mind, and his insight into science. He doesn’t take things at face value, but he’s open-minded enough to accept that London has denizens that are not human, such as vampires, trolls, and malevolent ghosts who draw energy from those they possess, leading to their gruesome and violent deaths. It was interesting to watch Peter and Nightingale use a mix of police investigative techniques and magic to solve the inexplicable attacks of violence that seemingly normal London citizens are perpetrating against each other. He also comes to realize that the rivers of London are alive, gods and goddesses, if you will. And Peter needs their help to keep the peace in London, but also to resolve the territorial disputes between The Old Man of the River and Mama Thames, who both believe that they have a right to rule the Thames, and their tributaries.
Ben Aaronovitch has already secured his place in pop culture as the writer of Doctor Who novels. It’s great to see him put the fruits of his imagination to the page with this first in the Peter Grant series. After falling for Peter Grant, and his unforgettable narrative of London, he is going on my must read list.
It was so refreshing to have a hero who is mixed-race, but seen as black by some; and to others, ethnically uncertain. He couldn’t get on the tube without getting nervous looks from some people who had made up their mind what his place in their world was, without asking him about it. On any given day, due to how much sun he gets, some might think he’s African, or some might think he’s Arab. Peter is unselfconscious about his ethnicity, although very aware that not everyone is comfortable with it. His mother is Sierra Leonan, and her culture infuses him, from her attitude towards hard work, to her frugality, and her penchant for making food so spicy that he has to drink a liter of water to douse its fire. His father is a white former musician with a thirty year heroin habit, and that colors the narrative just as much, for we are not in a small degree who our parents make us. That is either due to rebelling against our parents or through a childhood of being shaped by their rearing. As a reader of black heritage, I have to say that it’s good to see stories that feature characters of black ethnicity. There are a lot of our stories to tell, and they don’t seem to see the light of day, and not in the diversity that reflects the black African disapora. I hope that more leads in urban fantasy novels in the future are of color, because it adds something to a read to see someone who is like you, at least in some small way.
I enjoyed Peter’s character. He’s an insightful narrator, and full of wit. I liked seeing London through his perceptive gaze.
The police procedural aspects were great. Better than watching an episode of a BBC cop show, because Peter explains the ins and out of the Metropolitan Police to a degree I have never caught onto in my varied viewing pleasures. Peter’s acceptance of the workings of enormous wheels of bureaucracy turning in the Met makes what might have been boring, very fascinating, especially with his deadpan humor delivery (classic British wit). As I read this novel, I felt as though I had learned a lot more about the police in the UK, which is similar but different to the US.
The paranormal aspects were good and rather unique. I like how magic is presented here. The way it leaves an essence (called a vestigium that has a taste, feel, and smell) that Peter is able to pick up. When he’s recruited as an assistant and apprentice wizard to Thomas Nightingale, for a part of the Met that deals with the odd and magical crimes, he finds the niche he’d been searching for, with this inquisitive mind, and his insight into science. He doesn’t take things at face value, but he’s open-minded enough to accept that London has denizens that are not human, such as vampires, trolls, and malevolent ghosts who draw energy from those they possess, leading to their gruesome and violent deaths. It was interesting to watch Peter and Nightingale use a mix of police investigative techniques and magic to solve the inexplicable attacks of violence that seemingly normal London citizens are perpetrating against each other. He also comes to realize that the rivers of London are alive, gods and goddesses, if you will. And Peter needs their help to keep the peace in London, but also to resolve the territorial disputes between The Old Man of the River and Mama Thames, who both believe that they have a right to rule the Thames, and their tributaries.
Ben Aaronovitch has already secured his place in pop culture as the writer of Doctor Who novels. It’s great to see him put the fruits of his imagination to the page with this first in the Peter Grant series. After falling for Peter Grant, and his unforgettable narrative of London, he is going on my must read list.
January 6, 2016
Posted at Shelf Inflicted
I’m a fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, even though I got tired and stopped reading after #9. After a while the stories became too repetitive and I didn’t see any significant growth in Harry’s character. His smart-ass comments that were amusing in the earlier books started getting annoying towards the end.
In the hopes I would find a fun read similar to the Dresden books, I picked up Midnight Riot. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a great one either. Peter Grant was an interesting character. He is a constable in London’s Metropolitan Police who wants to be a detective, but his superior thinks he is better suited for pushing paper. Finding a headless corpse in The Actors’ Church in Covent Garden and talking with a ghost who witnessed the crime draws him to Thomas Nightingale, the force’s investigator of supernatural crimes. Under Nightingale’s patient tutelage, Peter learns how magic works and how to hone his investigative skills. He is kept very busy as the body count increases and his negotiation skills are called upon to help resolve the differences between the magical rulers of the Thames River. This is when the story seemed to lose focus for me. There were two stories in one, and neither was compelling enough to keep my interest. I found my attention wandering numerous times and took breaks to read other stories.
I loved that Peter is mixed race, his father a failed jazz musician and his mother a cleaning woman from Sierra Leone. While I enjoyed how the ethnic and racial diversity of London was portrayed, I couldn’t really get a feel for the city. I need more than street names, mention of famous landmarks, and references to TV shows or movies I haven’t seen or heard of. Too many acronyms became confusing and I found myself going back in the story to find out what they stand for.
Overall, the story was fast-paced, but not especially gripping. I liked Peter’s voice, his witty sense of humor and his scientific approach to magic. But like Harry Dresden, his sexual maturity never exceeds the level of a teenage boy, even though he is attracted to his colleague, Leslie, and Beverly Brook, daughter of Mother Thames. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series.
I’m a fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, even though I got tired and stopped reading after #9. After a while the stories became too repetitive and I didn’t see any significant growth in Harry’s character. His smart-ass comments that were amusing in the earlier books started getting annoying towards the end.
In the hopes I would find a fun read similar to the Dresden books, I picked up Midnight Riot. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a great one either. Peter Grant was an interesting character. He is a constable in London’s Metropolitan Police who wants to be a detective, but his superior thinks he is better suited for pushing paper. Finding a headless corpse in The Actors’ Church in Covent Garden and talking with a ghost who witnessed the crime draws him to Thomas Nightingale, the force’s investigator of supernatural crimes. Under Nightingale’s patient tutelage, Peter learns how magic works and how to hone his investigative skills. He is kept very busy as the body count increases and his negotiation skills are called upon to help resolve the differences between the magical rulers of the Thames River. This is when the story seemed to lose focus for me. There were two stories in one, and neither was compelling enough to keep my interest. I found my attention wandering numerous times and took breaks to read other stories.
I loved that Peter is mixed race, his father a failed jazz musician and his mother a cleaning woman from Sierra Leone. While I enjoyed how the ethnic and racial diversity of London was portrayed, I couldn’t really get a feel for the city. I need more than street names, mention of famous landmarks, and references to TV shows or movies I haven’t seen or heard of. Too many acronyms became confusing and I found myself going back in the story to find out what they stand for.
Overall, the story was fast-paced, but not especially gripping. I liked Peter’s voice, his witty sense of humor and his scientific approach to magic. But like Harry Dresden, his sexual maturity never exceeds the level of a teenage boy, even though he is attracted to his colleague, Leslie, and Beverly Brook, daughter of Mother Thames. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series.
February 24, 2022
This is a marvellous reread of a wonderfully humorous fantasy series by Ben Aaronovitch that has London as a central character. I have to admit I originally read the series out of order as a mix of audio and the actual books, I can still remember the first book I read, The Hanging Tree, and being completely bowled over by it and wanting to read all the other books, and absolutely loved the black police officer, Peter Grant. With a new addition to the series coming up, which I will be reading, it seems a fine time to go back to where it all began again with Grant harbouring desires to become a detective in the London Met, finding himself heading in a unexpectedly different direction when his abilities to communicate with a lingering ghost become known. With London beset by brutal murders, Grant's skills come to be recognised by Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale as he finds himself becoming a trainee wizard learning magic as he investigates. This establishes the hugely entertaining series and its characters with verve and fabulous supernatural world building. Thanks to the publisher for making the first in the series available.
March 1, 2018
I enjoyed this book, so much that I didn't want to review it right away because I was still immersed in Peter Grant's London. It's the urban fantasy take on the detective novel, a police procedural that gives a close-up view of a modern London with undercurrents of magic and magical beings. I love the tone of this book--it's wry and humorous, but doesn't let the humor take over the scene. It's one thing to be ready with a quick line, another entirely to go through one's entire life wisecracking, especially in times of great danger. Aaronovitch walks that delicate line like a pro.
Peter is a probationary constable who is about to be shifted into a paperwork division. He and his co-probationary officer and friend are guarding the perimeter of a murder scene when he sees a ghost. Peter is a very likeable hero, wry, intelligent, loyal, aware of class and race issues around him, and while he has family issues that include a heroin-dependent father, he doesn't spend every moment agonizing and reliving the past. We are told he did well in the sciences in school, just not well enough to get him to the next levels. It's magic's gain, as he sets his analytical skills to understanding the magical world, using his free time for experiments. I love those little experiments, because it breaks up the action and makes Peter's experience seem all the more real--who wouldn't be asking a lot of questions if they discover there are magical beings and magic in the world? Many people would be asking the 'hows' and 'whys;' Peter attempts to answer some of the questions himself through the scientific method, to the surprise of his technologically-challenged boss.
There are few wizards left, and I liked that Aaronovitch didn't make magic easy. It takes Peter hours of study and practice to advance, and we get a sense of the effort and thought Peter puts into it. It isn't until a third into the book when he finally raises his own werelight, and we are ready to cheer with him when he does: "Fuck me, I thought. I can do magic." It's a refreshing change from the all-powerful heroes of other books. Similarly, he's aware that even though he has two years on the force, he still makes mistakes, such as when he and Leslie "obtrusively" piled out of the car during surveillance.
Aaronovitch has a real gift for bringing life to his characters, even the most bit parts. Molly doesn't talk at all, and we still get a very good sense of her, her dedication and her potential. Seawoll, an initially scary superior, and Leslie's immediate boss, gets imbued with humanity when Peter watches him question witnesses. We're also given a good look at the subtleties of the police department, when Seawoll "interrogates" Peter after a shooting. "Then we continued lying through our teeth while telling nothing but the truth." It's a perfect tone that conveys so much about the officers' loyalty, the bureaucracy of the department, and the unspoken understanding to follow the letter of the law without coming close to the spirit.
I loved it, and the re-read was even better than the first time through. There are a lot of British-isms, but most of them can be puzzled out from the surrounding sentence(s). A great read, and I'll be looking for a hardcover to add to my own library.
great lines:
"I left in a hurry before he could change his mind, but I want to make it clear that at no point did I break into a skip."
"Number two was a magical library where all the direct treatises on spells, forma and alchemy were kept, all of them written in Latin and so all Greek to me."
Four investigative stars.
Peter is a probationary constable who is about to be shifted into a paperwork division. He and his co-probationary officer and friend are guarding the perimeter of a murder scene when he sees a ghost. Peter is a very likeable hero, wry, intelligent, loyal, aware of class and race issues around him, and while he has family issues that include a heroin-dependent father, he doesn't spend every moment agonizing and reliving the past. We are told he did well in the sciences in school, just not well enough to get him to the next levels. It's magic's gain, as he sets his analytical skills to understanding the magical world, using his free time for experiments. I love those little experiments, because it breaks up the action and makes Peter's experience seem all the more real--who wouldn't be asking a lot of questions if they discover there are magical beings and magic in the world? Many people would be asking the 'hows' and 'whys;' Peter attempts to answer some of the questions himself through the scientific method, to the surprise of his technologically-challenged boss.
There are few wizards left, and I liked that Aaronovitch didn't make magic easy. It takes Peter hours of study and practice to advance, and we get a sense of the effort and thought Peter puts into it. It isn't until a third into the book when he finally raises his own werelight, and we are ready to cheer with him when he does: "Fuck me, I thought. I can do magic." It's a refreshing change from the all-powerful heroes of other books. Similarly, he's aware that even though he has two years on the force, he still makes mistakes, such as when he and Leslie "obtrusively" piled out of the car during surveillance.
Aaronovitch has a real gift for bringing life to his characters, even the most bit parts. Molly doesn't talk at all, and we still get a very good sense of her, her dedication and her potential. Seawoll, an initially scary superior, and Leslie's immediate boss, gets imbued with humanity when Peter watches him question witnesses. We're also given a good look at the subtleties of the police department, when Seawoll "interrogates" Peter after a shooting. "Then we continued lying through our teeth while telling nothing but the truth." It's a perfect tone that conveys so much about the officers' loyalty, the bureaucracy of the department, and the unspoken understanding to follow the letter of the law without coming close to the spirit.
I loved it, and the re-read was even better than the first time through. There are a lot of British-isms, but most of them can be puzzled out from the surrounding sentence(s). A great read, and I'll be looking for a hardcover to add to my own library.
great lines:
"I left in a hurry before he could change his mind, but I want to make it clear that at no point did I break into a skip."
"Number two was a magical library where all the direct treatises on spells, forma and alchemy were kept, all of them written in Latin and so all Greek to me."
Four investigative stars.
May 11, 2016
Thoughts on the book:
my review.
Thoughts on the audio version:
As many people have noted, Kobna Holbrook Smith is a fabulous reader. Turns out he is an actor and director is well, with a long list of tv credits, which is kind of a bummer because I hope he continues to have time for the Peter Grant series.
Holbrook Smith is clearly a talented voice actor who can understandably convey a range of London accents, from that of an 19th century itenerant to Nightingale's 'posh' early 20th century to current police vernacular. I also found his Danish and Jamaican accents amusing. Ever since an unfortunate experience with the Stephanie Plum audio, I'm particularly impressed when actors are able to voice characters of the opposite sex without making it sound fake. Holbrook Smith is able to give Leslie a decent voicing, but it really shines when I did feel like quite a few bit characters ended up with a Jamaican-sounding accent, which may or may not reflect London demographics.
Interestingly, I noted that I didn't find the audio version quite as funny as I found the paper version. As an American, I wonder if this is an example of the 'dry' British humor, that the pause or infliction I expect is missing. I certainly found phrases snicker-out-loud funny when my inside voice read it. That said, his reading of the following dialogue made me laugh out loud:
“You don’t think she and Nightingale…?” asked Lesley.
“Ew,” said Beverley. “That’s just wrong.”
“I thought you and her were friends?” I asked.
“Yeah, but she’s like a creature of the night,” said Beverley. “And he’s old.”
I will note that there were two moments in later chapters when it sounded as if the recording was taken up weeks or months later. It was still the same reader, but something about the tone of the recording and the closeness of the voice changed. I did love the jazz introduction between chapters.
Overall, a great audio. I'll definitely continue revisiting the series through audio.
my review.
Thoughts on the audio version:
As many people have noted, Kobna Holbrook Smith is a fabulous reader. Turns out he is an actor and director is well, with a long list of tv credits, which is kind of a bummer because I hope he continues to have time for the Peter Grant series.
Holbrook Smith is clearly a talented voice actor who can understandably convey a range of London accents, from that of an 19th century itenerant to Nightingale's 'posh' early 20th century to current police vernacular. I also found his Danish and Jamaican accents amusing. Ever since an unfortunate experience with the Stephanie Plum audio, I'm particularly impressed when actors are able to voice characters of the opposite sex without making it sound fake. Holbrook Smith is able to give Leslie a decent voicing, but it really shines when I did feel like quite a few bit characters ended up with a Jamaican-sounding accent, which may or may not reflect London demographics.
Interestingly, I noted that I didn't find the audio version quite as funny as I found the paper version. As an American, I wonder if this is an example of the 'dry' British humor, that the pause or infliction I expect is missing. I certainly found phrases snicker-out-loud funny when my inside voice read it. That said, his reading of the following dialogue made me laugh out loud:
“You don’t think she and Nightingale…?” asked Lesley.
“Ew,” said Beverley. “That’s just wrong.”
“I thought you and her were friends?” I asked.
“Yeah, but she’s like a creature of the night,” said Beverley. “And he’s old.”
I will note that there were two moments in later chapters when it sounded as if the recording was taken up weeks or months later. It was still the same reader, but something about the tone of the recording and the closeness of the voice changed. I did love the jazz introduction between chapters.
Overall, a great audio. I'll definitely continue revisiting the series through audio.
August 20, 2015
Loved the world building. Hated the incredibly Straight Male narrator and the creepy sexualisation of all of the women characters. Won't be bothering with the rest of the series despite the hype.
July 26, 2016
A British Dresen Files set in London.
As I said in a previous review, I love London. It feels like a second home to me and every time I go there (at least once/year) I marvel at its beauty. Ben Aaronovitch also loves London. It is clear from the way the city is described in this novel, being one of the main characters and not only a setting.
There is also a fair amount of dry British humor which I enjoy so how could I not like this book?
My only complain is with the story. The author intersects two main plots and it becomes confusing at times. That's the reason why I am only giving it three stars.
I am definitely planning to read the next one in the series as I heard the writing will improve.
As I said in a previous review, I love London. It feels like a second home to me and every time I go there (at least once/year) I marvel at its beauty. Ben Aaronovitch also loves London. It is clear from the way the city is described in this novel, being one of the main characters and not only a setting.
There is also a fair amount of dry British humor which I enjoy so how could I not like this book?
My only complain is with the story. The author intersects two main plots and it becomes confusing at times. That's the reason why I am only giving it three stars.
I am definitely planning to read the next one in the series as I heard the writing will improve.
October 18, 2021
I really love this narrator! If I continue with this series, it will have to be on audio as well!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 4, 2019
One of the best crime, fantasy, horror mixes next to Jim Butchers Dresden files
A kind film-noir hommage and persiflage at the same time.
It´s a love letter to London and especially for native Londoners, there may be the one or other bonus.
Especially the horror parts are well written.
A kind film-noir hommage and persiflage at the same time.
It´s a love letter to London and especially for native Londoners, there may be the one or other bonus.
Especially the horror parts are well written.
February 5, 2017
Well, this was something different. It had to grow on me. Which, in the end it did. Fun characters, out of the box weird story, humor here and there and all playing in London, one of my most favorite cities in the world. Many streets I could envisage for me, especially Covent Garden, the prime place of crime. It is of course a fantasy story, a young man, starting out as a cop, turns into a learning wizard cop. No, it's not like Harry Potter.... it's kind of a weird fantasy story playing in London. I would say... 3.7ish. There is more to gain by this writer I think and to improve. But... good start. I'd like to try more of this series and see how it evolved. And... thanks Caro, for the great tip! To be continued.
February 26, 2018
Oh my gaaaaawd, you know what I’ve just discovered? This is the first novel I’ve five-starred in nearly 20 GODDAMN MONTHS (the last being a re-read of Chuck Bukowski’s Pulp, thank you GR stats)!! The hell with it, this calls for an adult beverage - this is a motherloving EVENT! Join me, won’t you? I know you’re all secret alcoholics too… ah booze, you beautiful beast you… slurp…
Peter Grant is the London Metropolitan Police’s newest recruit, hoping for a fun, rewarding placement that’s not gonna stick him behind a desk filling out endless paperwork. Which he almost gets until a chance encounter with a ghost one night in Covent Garden introduces him to Detective Chief Inspector (read: Most Powerful Wizard in Ingerlund) Thomas Nightingale, the head - and up to that moment, the only member - of the Met’s secret paranormal branch. Together, the sorcerer and his apprentice set out to stop the malicious spirit of Mr Punch (yes, the puppet!) from murdering Londoners and resolve a turf war between the Thames river gods.
That’s the way to do it, Ben Aaronovitch! Supernatural coppers ain’t exactly original with The X-Files TV show and the Hellboy/BPRD comics springing to mind, and even the idea of a fantasy story about murderous Punch and Judy puppets has been done before in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld short story Theatre of Cruelty, but Aaronovitch definitely makes the concept his own here - Rivers of London is the best novel I’ve read in, well, too damn long!
I enjoyed every part of this book. The story is full of charming characters. Our protagonist Peter is very likeable and is the right amount of clueless and capable as the story demands. Nightingale is a brilliant Obi-Wan to Peter, Lesley is a great Scully to Peter’s Mulder (sorry for the disparate pop culture comparisons!), and even minor characters like the terrifyingly silent housekeeper Molly and Lesley’s boss Seawoll made powerful impressions in their brief appearances.
I also like how the cast is growing organically with new additions being made as the story progresses, like Toby the dog joining the group after a particularly gruesome episode. And - though it’s a cliche to say this - London itself is a distinct character with its sprawling and unique areas, world-famous landmarks and impossibly dense history playing a central role throughout.
The world-building is expertly done in such a way as to sell the fantasy in a wholly convincing and unforced style. Everyone from the first ghost to the vampires and river gods we meet along the way feel natural and believable-enough in the narrative context - think Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Aaronovitch has found the perfect balance between police procedural and fantasy, taking the best elements of both genres and fashioning a compelling hybrid from them. All of the incongruous pieces work beautifully together and make sense within the logic of the story. I liked The Folly, Nightingale’s “Sanctum Sanctorum”, and his magic lessons with Peter, introducing werelights and vestiges, were interesting in themselves; as well as being necessary plot devices, they also never felt like clunky exposition.
It wasn’t a huge concern to me as I found them both compelling but I did wonder if the two alternating plotlines had anything to do with one another and, yes, Aaronovitch does manage to tie them together in an inspired way by the end. Absolutely brilliant!
I loved Rivers of London. Well-written, cleverly-constructed, imaginative, original and thoroughly entertaining, I heartily recommend it to one and all but especially to fans of Terry Pratchett’s City Watch books and Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere.
Peter Grant is the London Metropolitan Police’s newest recruit, hoping for a fun, rewarding placement that’s not gonna stick him behind a desk filling out endless paperwork. Which he almost gets until a chance encounter with a ghost one night in Covent Garden introduces him to Detective Chief Inspector (read: Most Powerful Wizard in Ingerlund) Thomas Nightingale, the head - and up to that moment, the only member - of the Met’s secret paranormal branch. Together, the sorcerer and his apprentice set out to stop the malicious spirit of Mr Punch (yes, the puppet!) from murdering Londoners and resolve a turf war between the Thames river gods.
That’s the way to do it, Ben Aaronovitch! Supernatural coppers ain’t exactly original with The X-Files TV show and the Hellboy/BPRD comics springing to mind, and even the idea of a fantasy story about murderous Punch and Judy puppets has been done before in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld short story Theatre of Cruelty, but Aaronovitch definitely makes the concept his own here - Rivers of London is the best novel I’ve read in, well, too damn long!
I enjoyed every part of this book. The story is full of charming characters. Our protagonist Peter is very likeable and is the right amount of clueless and capable as the story demands. Nightingale is a brilliant Obi-Wan to Peter, Lesley is a great Scully to Peter’s Mulder (sorry for the disparate pop culture comparisons!), and even minor characters like the terrifyingly silent housekeeper Molly and Lesley’s boss Seawoll made powerful impressions in their brief appearances.
I also like how the cast is growing organically with new additions being made as the story progresses, like Toby the dog joining the group after a particularly gruesome episode. And - though it’s a cliche to say this - London itself is a distinct character with its sprawling and unique areas, world-famous landmarks and impossibly dense history playing a central role throughout.
The world-building is expertly done in such a way as to sell the fantasy in a wholly convincing and unforced style. Everyone from the first ghost to the vampires and river gods we meet along the way feel natural and believable-enough in the narrative context - think Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Aaronovitch has found the perfect balance between police procedural and fantasy, taking the best elements of both genres and fashioning a compelling hybrid from them. All of the incongruous pieces work beautifully together and make sense within the logic of the story. I liked The Folly, Nightingale’s “Sanctum Sanctorum”, and his magic lessons with Peter, introducing werelights and vestiges, were interesting in themselves; as well as being necessary plot devices, they also never felt like clunky exposition.
It wasn’t a huge concern to me as I found them both compelling but I did wonder if the two alternating plotlines had anything to do with one another and, yes, Aaronovitch does manage to tie them together in an inspired way by the end. Absolutely brilliant!
I loved Rivers of London. Well-written, cleverly-constructed, imaginative, original and thoroughly entertaining, I heartily recommend it to one and all but especially to fans of Terry Pratchett’s City Watch books and Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere.
June 11, 2022
Before I get into the review, I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
“Typically, a constable only sits in the commissioner’s anti-room when he’s been very brave, or very stupid, and I really couldn’t tell which one applied to me.”
Rivers of London is an urban fantasy story set in modern London. After constant recommendations from my dad, and then my brother recently, I decided to finally dive into this popular series. Thank you to them for pushing me into this read.
Rivers of London is a unique story that is full of dry humour, engaging plot, unique characters, and a wonderful setting. Listening to this on Audible, I was often laughing out loud, earning some strange looks from my family in the process. The narration by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who has won an Olivier Award for Best Actor, was absolutely fantastic and really elevated the story, which by its own was already great.
“On the plus side, there were no rioters in sight but on the minus side this was probably because everywhere I looked was on fire.”
Ben Aaronovitch has a prose that just seems to click with me. It is engaging, and perfectly crafts the tone that he appears to be seeking. Regarding prose, I thoroughly enjoyed the slight shift in syntax that was implemented in different situations to mirror our protagonist’s thoughts. From the more clinical, efficient, tentative process when working, to the more decisive and more tangential shift when approaching other spheres of the story. This is something that is not incorporated enough. Our thought processes adapt to our situations, and that is mirrored here. It makes the story more engaging, and also subtly tells us so much about the central character. Loved it! Alongside this is his dry humour, which I said earlier I found hilarious. I loved the historical and pop references, such as the quote below. It is so funny you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel…
“I have an idea," I said.
"This better not be a cunning plan," said Leslie.
Nightingale looked blank, but at least it got a chuckle from Dr Walid.”
Much of what I had heard before reading was that the portrayal of London and Ben Aaronovitch’s world-building was a strong point. This is so true. He obviously knows London inside out, and it is made evident by the easy description and laying out of the setting and tone of urban life. His passion for London is just infectious, and it was really enjoyable to be caught in that as a reader.
Alongside the depiction of London, Aaronovitch adds an underbelly to the setting that is a fantastical world. This reminded me strongly, in a good way, of the vibes of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. The coexistence of the magical world and the ‘normal’ world with the ignorance of the latter is something that we have seen many times, such as in Harry Potter. But it never gets old. Aaronovitch introduces his own spin and gives his own concept that is fresh and new.
"So magic is real," I said. "Which makes you a...what?"
"A wizard."
"Like Harry Potter?"
Nightingale sighed. "No," he said. "Not like Harry Potter."
"In what way?"
"I'm not a fictional character," said Nightingale.”
The characters were great as well. Our protagonist and perspective throughout the story is from constable Peter Grant, a given up scientist who begins in total ignorance regarding the magical world, until he talks to a ghost at a crime scene. He is wonderfully flawed and one of the best central characters I have read in a long time. Nightingale was an interesting character, and one that I hope to see more off. His role as guardian and teacher I feel was somewhat limited due to often serving as exposition. It was required for the plot, but I feel like it slowed down the pace and made Nightingale less engaging than his character appeared to initially appear. But, I am sure that he will be developed further on into the series.
Rivers of London introduces us to all manner of weird and wonderful scenarios and monsters. With a chance to view the development of London from the Dark Ages, to meeting the embodiments of the London rivers, to revenants, ghosts seeking vengeance, and troublesome spirits. They were all really unique and I look forward to encountering many more in the rest of the series.
“Keep breathing,’ I said. ‘It’s a habit you don’t want to break.”
Rivers of London is a well crafted story, with fantastic characters, a wonderful world, great prose and wonderful narration on Audible. My only small critique other than Nightingale’s exposition would be that I felt the middle third of the story lost some of its momentum, but that is me being picky, and certainly does not mean that I found it to be a slog at any part. It is just that drop from brilliance that makes me give this a 4.25 star rating. Cannot wait to start Moon Over Soho!
4.25/5 STARS
My expanded review of The Rivers of London is now on BookNest... BookNest - Rivers of London
“Typically, a constable only sits in the commissioner’s anti-room when he’s been very brave, or very stupid, and I really couldn’t tell which one applied to me.”
Rivers of London is an urban fantasy story set in modern London. After constant recommendations from my dad, and then my brother recently, I decided to finally dive into this popular series. Thank you to them for pushing me into this read.
Rivers of London is a unique story that is full of dry humour, engaging plot, unique characters, and a wonderful setting. Listening to this on Audible, I was often laughing out loud, earning some strange looks from my family in the process. The narration by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who has won an Olivier Award for Best Actor, was absolutely fantastic and really elevated the story, which by its own was already great.
“On the plus side, there were no rioters in sight but on the minus side this was probably because everywhere I looked was on fire.”
Ben Aaronovitch has a prose that just seems to click with me. It is engaging, and perfectly crafts the tone that he appears to be seeking. Regarding prose, I thoroughly enjoyed the slight shift in syntax that was implemented in different situations to mirror our protagonist’s thoughts. From the more clinical, efficient, tentative process when working, to the more decisive and more tangential shift when approaching other spheres of the story. This is something that is not incorporated enough. Our thought processes adapt to our situations, and that is mirrored here. It makes the story more engaging, and also subtly tells us so much about the central character. Loved it! Alongside this is his dry humour, which I said earlier I found hilarious. I loved the historical and pop references, such as the quote below. It is so funny you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel…
“I have an idea," I said.
"This better not be a cunning plan," said Leslie.
Nightingale looked blank, but at least it got a chuckle from Dr Walid.”
Much of what I had heard before reading was that the portrayal of London and Ben Aaronovitch’s world-building was a strong point. This is so true. He obviously knows London inside out, and it is made evident by the easy description and laying out of the setting and tone of urban life. His passion for London is just infectious, and it was really enjoyable to be caught in that as a reader.
Alongside the depiction of London, Aaronovitch adds an underbelly to the setting that is a fantastical world. This reminded me strongly, in a good way, of the vibes of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. The coexistence of the magical world and the ‘normal’ world with the ignorance of the latter is something that we have seen many times, such as in Harry Potter. But it never gets old. Aaronovitch introduces his own spin and gives his own concept that is fresh and new.
"So magic is real," I said. "Which makes you a...what?"
"A wizard."
"Like Harry Potter?"
Nightingale sighed. "No," he said. "Not like Harry Potter."
"In what way?"
"I'm not a fictional character," said Nightingale.”
The characters were great as well. Our protagonist and perspective throughout the story is from constable Peter Grant, a given up scientist who begins in total ignorance regarding the magical world, until he talks to a ghost at a crime scene. He is wonderfully flawed and one of the best central characters I have read in a long time. Nightingale was an interesting character, and one that I hope to see more off. His role as guardian and teacher I feel was somewhat limited due to often serving as exposition. It was required for the plot, but I feel like it slowed down the pace and made Nightingale less engaging than his character appeared to initially appear. But, I am sure that he will be developed further on into the series.
Rivers of London introduces us to all manner of weird and wonderful scenarios and monsters. With a chance to view the development of London from the Dark Ages, to meeting the embodiments of the London rivers, to revenants, ghosts seeking vengeance, and troublesome spirits. They were all really unique and I look forward to encountering many more in the rest of the series.
“Keep breathing,’ I said. ‘It’s a habit you don’t want to break.”
Rivers of London is a well crafted story, with fantastic characters, a wonderful world, great prose and wonderful narration on Audible. My only small critique other than Nightingale’s exposition would be that I felt the middle third of the story lost some of its momentum, but that is me being picky, and certainly does not mean that I found it to be a slog at any part. It is just that drop from brilliance that makes me give this a 4.25 star rating. Cannot wait to start Moon Over Soho!
4.25/5 STARS
My expanded review of The Rivers of London is now on BookNest... BookNest - Rivers of London
June 28, 2013
UPDATE 27 June 2013: A TV series is on the way! Maybe 2014!
Rating: 3.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.
My Review: I'm on record everywhere as disliking phantasee nowvels with Randomly capitalized woordes misspelled to make them majgicqkal. So why the hell would I even pick this book up? Need an easy target to aim brickbats at?
No.
I feel about this book the way I feel about candy bars: Okay. I won't buy one, normally, because I don't like them much (except Little Debby Nutty Bars, which are Perfection, but this is so self-evident as not to need discussion), but there are times and places for everything, right? I found a time and a place for this book. I liked it fine. It's more what I'd hoped for when I heard the fuss about the Harry Dresden, Wizard for Justice, series. Which I did not like at all after about book two.
Peter Grant and his London are intimately connected. The prose makes sure you know this by referencing the ways in which Peter interfaces with London constantly. Tube stops, the names of branch lines, references to bus lines and street names and the oh-so-British shorthand about a character by referencing the newspaper he or she reads...highways and exits and town names...the UK title of the book, The Rivers of London, is absolutely the proper title for a book that uses those rivers, from obvious and huge like the Thames to small, obscure, and vanished, like the Tyburn, as characters to be reckoned with, and whose central myth-making (highly reminiscent of American Gods) dates the age of some riverine characters to the time when England began to clean the rivers up and bring them back to life...well, Midnight Riot just doesn't do the book justice.
So...Harry Dresden meets American Gods, two things that have elicited negative reviews from me, and I give this three and a half stars. Senile? Drugged?
Honest. This book is meant to be fun to read, and it is, while still being built with a consistent mythical background, and it is, with...and here's the key to my pleasure in reading this as opposed to Dresden or Gaiman...a main character whose journey through the pages of story causes him to alter his perception of himself and his place in the world. Harry Dresden's boring agonizing and obnoxious chauvinistic 'tude towards women are absent. Gaiman's ultraubermega cool world-building is present, but without the static characters. Score!
Okay, that sounds like more than three and a half stars, right? Yep. If the book had had some issues ironed out, the rating would be higher. One big issue is Peter Grant's attitude towards the whole majgicqal mystikal world he's suddenly in touch with. “Oh...okay.” Not enough, Mr. Aa. Another issue is the pacing. How, in this day and time of 11945663-page, 29846-volume series novels, is it possible to make 298pp have draggy spots?! Seriously. Draggy spots! How? And there is the question of series-ness...one doesn't want to give too much away to preserve the fun of discovery for future installments, but the cicerone character of Nightingale, Grant's police superior and apparently a very, very old man, is not so much mysteriously vague and intriguing as annoyingly unexamined.
Flaws exist in all things made by humankind, and one person's flaw is another's bliss, but these are pet peeves of mine. Character development and pacing are crucial to my personal enjoyment of a novel. I'm inclined to be forgiving of first novelists in these matters, but not vets like Aaronovitch, who has written several very influential Doctor Who novels.
So three and a half stars it is. And I'll read Moon Over Soho, the next installment in the series, because I like Peter and his majgickqal world that much. Pretty high praise coming from a mean old curmudgeon like me.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Rating: 3.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.
My Review: I'm on record everywhere as disliking phantasee nowvels with Randomly capitalized woordes misspelled to make them majgicqkal. So why the hell would I even pick this book up? Need an easy target to aim brickbats at?
No.
I feel about this book the way I feel about candy bars: Okay. I won't buy one, normally, because I don't like them much (except Little Debby Nutty Bars, which are Perfection, but this is so self-evident as not to need discussion), but there are times and places for everything, right? I found a time and a place for this book. I liked it fine. It's more what I'd hoped for when I heard the fuss about the Harry Dresden, Wizard for Justice, series. Which I did not like at all after about book two.
Peter Grant and his London are intimately connected. The prose makes sure you know this by referencing the ways in which Peter interfaces with London constantly. Tube stops, the names of branch lines, references to bus lines and street names and the oh-so-British shorthand about a character by referencing the newspaper he or she reads...highways and exits and town names...the UK title of the book, The Rivers of London, is absolutely the proper title for a book that uses those rivers, from obvious and huge like the Thames to small, obscure, and vanished, like the Tyburn, as characters to be reckoned with, and whose central myth-making (highly reminiscent of American Gods) dates the age of some riverine characters to the time when England began to clean the rivers up and bring them back to life...well, Midnight Riot just doesn't do the book justice.
So...Harry Dresden meets American Gods, two things that have elicited negative reviews from me, and I give this three and a half stars. Senile? Drugged?
Honest. This book is meant to be fun to read, and it is, while still being built with a consistent mythical background, and it is, with...and here's the key to my pleasure in reading this as opposed to Dresden or Gaiman...a main character whose journey through the pages of story causes him to alter his perception of himself and his place in the world. Harry Dresden's boring agonizing and obnoxious chauvinistic 'tude towards women are absent. Gaiman's ultraubermega cool world-building is present, but without the static characters. Score!
Okay, that sounds like more than three and a half stars, right? Yep. If the book had had some issues ironed out, the rating would be higher. One big issue is Peter Grant's attitude towards the whole majgicqal mystikal world he's suddenly in touch with. “Oh...okay.” Not enough, Mr. Aa. Another issue is the pacing. How, in this day and time of 11945663-page, 29846-volume series novels, is it possible to make 298pp have draggy spots?! Seriously. Draggy spots! How? And there is the question of series-ness...one doesn't want to give too much away to preserve the fun of discovery for future installments, but the cicerone character of Nightingale, Grant's police superior and apparently a very, very old man, is not so much mysteriously vague and intriguing as annoyingly unexamined.
Flaws exist in all things made by humankind, and one person's flaw is another's bliss, but these are pet peeves of mine. Character development and pacing are crucial to my personal enjoyment of a novel. I'm inclined to be forgiving of first novelists in these matters, but not vets like Aaronovitch, who has written several very influential Doctor Who novels.
So three and a half stars it is. And I'll read Moon Over Soho, the next installment in the series, because I like Peter and his majgickqal world that much. Pretty high praise coming from a mean old curmudgeon like me.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
November 18, 2019
London’s Burning with a great urban fantasy series, beginning with this gem.
Ben Aaronovitch's 2011 novel, originally titled Rivers of London in the UK, starts the Peter Grant series of police procedurals that includes magic walking the lanes and etched in the stones.
Peter Grant’s Career Opportunities included a time in the police academy and he was ready for getting payed for playing Police and Thieves for real. Then he happens upon a ghost amidst some already strange occurrences and we’re off on a grand urban fantasy adventure.
I’ve read some other urban fantasies that quickly made me ask Should I stay or should I go? But here I knew early that this was a special book: stylish, fantastic and fun, with an edge of the detective story to fill things out. I’m so Bored with the USA when I can get a great story like this set in London.
Turns out there is a secret section of the London Metropolitan Police that deals with this kind of paranormal crime and Grant finds himself swept into things as an apprentice wizard. There’s some bad stuff that almost sends our hero Straight to Hell.
Like Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Aaronovitch has set up a world building where amongst the supernatural characters, we also have personifications of natural gods and goddesses, in this case the rivers of London. Seems Old Man River is having some trouble with the missus. Charlie Don’t Surf and no one can when the water spirits are in a feud that gets Peter wrapped up in the trouble.
Binding this very cool narrative together is the Scooby Doo crime solving mystery with Peter trying to nick the ghost who Fought the Law. Aaronovitch finally Rocks the Casbah with a mind bending White Riot of urban fantasy good times.
I’ll be in line for the next book in this series, Moon Over Soho and I’ll make sure to have London Calling playing while I read.
Ben Aaronovitch's 2011 novel, originally titled Rivers of London in the UK, starts the Peter Grant series of police procedurals that includes magic walking the lanes and etched in the stones.
Peter Grant’s Career Opportunities included a time in the police academy and he was ready for getting payed for playing Police and Thieves for real. Then he happens upon a ghost amidst some already strange occurrences and we’re off on a grand urban fantasy adventure.
I’ve read some other urban fantasies that quickly made me ask Should I stay or should I go? But here I knew early that this was a special book: stylish, fantastic and fun, with an edge of the detective story to fill things out. I’m so Bored with the USA when I can get a great story like this set in London.
Turns out there is a secret section of the London Metropolitan Police that deals with this kind of paranormal crime and Grant finds himself swept into things as an apprentice wizard. There’s some bad stuff that almost sends our hero Straight to Hell.
Like Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Aaronovitch has set up a world building where amongst the supernatural characters, we also have personifications of natural gods and goddesses, in this case the rivers of London. Seems Old Man River is having some trouble with the missus. Charlie Don’t Surf and no one can when the water spirits are in a feud that gets Peter wrapped up in the trouble.
Binding this very cool narrative together is the Scooby Doo crime solving mystery with Peter trying to nick the ghost who Fought the Law. Aaronovitch finally Rocks the Casbah with a mind bending White Riot of urban fantasy good times.
I’ll be in line for the next book in this series, Moon Over Soho and I’ll make sure to have London Calling playing while I read.
May 19, 2014
Too. Much. Fun.
But not too much. Just the right amount of fun. Ladies and gentleman, if you're looking for a relatively light read, with overtones of the theatre and English puppetry, and undertones of feuding rivers and power struggles, all sifted through the eyes of a police constable who has just discovered that magic is real, and he's been chosen to police it, then this is the book for you!
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the recent changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
But not too much. Just the right amount of fun. Ladies and gentleman, if you're looking for a relatively light read, with overtones of the theatre and English puppetry, and undertones of feuding rivers and power struggles, all sifted through the eyes of a police constable who has just discovered that magic is real, and he's been chosen to police it, then this is the book for you!
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the recent changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
December 4, 2018
"When I’m considering this I find it helpful to quote the wisdom of my father, who once told me, Who knows why the fuck anything happens?”
Funny, fresh and awesomely weird. I still have some minor complaints, but I couldn't put this down 😯
September 17, 2013
(Contains Spoilers)
Extremely disappointed.
Rivers of London starts out well. The first fifteen pages are electric and set up would could be a fantastic novel, but the promise gradually deteriorates until I realised, at page 234, that I couldn't continue as I no longer cared about the characters or plot.
There was nothing specific about the scenes on page 234 that made me stop, I just couldn't trudge any further having completely lost interest in the central character. I understand 'Rivers of London' is meant to be a light read, but it had all the depth of a bird bath. The characters became charmless, the mystery wasn't mysterious, and events and scenes read much like a child telling a teacher what they did on holiday: 'This happened AND this happened AND this happened...'
I believe Terry Pratchett said something along the lines of 'I'd written five books before I realised that what you need to do is tell a story rather than try and stitch jokes together' - Ben Aaronovitch would do well to heed this advice as too often his focus falls on the insignificant and unimportant, making a witty aside about something irrelevant to the plot. Which was extremely frustrating, as I'm sure the vase on the table is really nice, and you can tell me it's there, but don't make something out of it at the cost of your story.
Characters too are a problem. The main character doesn't seem at all surprised by the fact that, plucked from obscurity in his mid twenties, he's told that magic is real and that within a few hours of training he's casting spells. It may be a Fantasy novel, but even so, the lead character doesn't even blink when told of this 'magical world' or that River Gods live on the Thames or that his mentor is probably over a hundred years old, or that...you get the picture.
The fantastical elements would be fine if the characters had character, but they don't, and that's the flaw. No matter how fantastical the setting, a reader needs to care about who they following through it.
Hints too are handled badly, they aren't so much dropped as smashed over a reader's face. And my copy had several proof reading errors (no doubt so does this review, but pedantry aside, they should've been weeded out).
I don't want this review to be a total hatchet job - as the first fifteen pages were great, it's just it all went wrong somewhere. However, I'm in a minority - judging by reviews there are plenty of people who like this book and commissioning Editors must like it too because there's already a sequel. If Aaronovitch does write a series I hope he takes Pratchett's advice and focuses on story not gags.
Extremely disappointed.
Rivers of London starts out well. The first fifteen pages are electric and set up would could be a fantastic novel, but the promise gradually deteriorates until I realised, at page 234, that I couldn't continue as I no longer cared about the characters or plot.
There was nothing specific about the scenes on page 234 that made me stop, I just couldn't trudge any further having completely lost interest in the central character. I understand 'Rivers of London' is meant to be a light read, but it had all the depth of a bird bath. The characters became charmless, the mystery wasn't mysterious, and events and scenes read much like a child telling a teacher what they did on holiday: 'This happened AND this happened AND this happened...'
I believe Terry Pratchett said something along the lines of 'I'd written five books before I realised that what you need to do is tell a story rather than try and stitch jokes together' - Ben Aaronovitch would do well to heed this advice as too often his focus falls on the insignificant and unimportant, making a witty aside about something irrelevant to the plot. Which was extremely frustrating, as I'm sure the vase on the table is really nice, and you can tell me it's there, but don't make something out of it at the cost of your story.
Characters too are a problem. The main character doesn't seem at all surprised by the fact that, plucked from obscurity in his mid twenties, he's told that magic is real and that within a few hours of training he's casting spells. It may be a Fantasy novel, but even so, the lead character doesn't even blink when told of this 'magical world' or that River Gods live on the Thames or that his mentor is probably over a hundred years old, or that...you get the picture.
The fantastical elements would be fine if the characters had character, but they don't, and that's the flaw. No matter how fantastical the setting, a reader needs to care about who they following through it.
Hints too are handled badly, they aren't so much dropped as smashed over a reader's face. And my copy had several proof reading errors (no doubt so does this review, but pedantry aside, they should've been weeded out).
I don't want this review to be a total hatchet job - as the first fifteen pages were great, it's just it all went wrong somewhere. However, I'm in a minority - judging by reviews there are plenty of people who like this book and commissioning Editors must like it too because there's already a sequel. If Aaronovitch does write a series I hope he takes Pratchett's advice and focuses on story not gags.
May 31, 2017
“You put a spell on the dog," I said as we left the house.
"Just a small one," said Nightingale.
"So magic is real," I said. "Which makes you a...what?"
"A wizard."
"Like Harry Potter?"
Nightingale sighed. "No," he said. "Not like Harry Potter."
"In what way?"
"I'm not a fictional character," said Nightingale.”
2META4ME :D
I loved this little gem.
It was hilarious, snarky, well paced and good hearted. A funny, easily digestible read that is eager to delight the reader.
Where do I start with the many ways this book delighted me?
“Being a seasoned Londoner, Martin gave the body the "London once-over" - a quick glance to determine whether this was a drunk, a crazy or a human being in distress. The fact that it was entirely possible for someone to be all three simultaneously is why good-Samaritanism in London is considered an extreme sport - like BASE jumping or crocodile wrestling.”
The snarky POV was absolutely hilarious. I highlighted like 40+ hilarious passages where Peter commented on modern life. The writing was tonal perfection.
Then you have this daft, nerdy, oft- underestimated protagonist who thinks sexually inappropriate thoughts and gives you nuggets of wisdom like this:
"When I'm considering this I find it helpful to quote the wisdom of my father, who once told me, "Who knows why the fuck anything happens?”
“If you find yourself talking to the police, my advice is to stay calm but look guilty; it's your safest bet.”
“Keep breathing,’ I said. ‘It’s a habit you don’t want to break.”
The plot was arguably the weakest aspect of the novel. I knew who the villain was like 20 pages in with very few surprises. Although some aspects did shock me. However, I didn't mind this in the slightest- I was too busy having fun to notice the pedestrian UF mystery, which seemed incidental to hanging out with my new fave crew of characters.
Recommended for: anyone with a sense of humour, fans of Finn Fancy Necromancy, people who enjoy UF free from rampant, unacknowledged sexism.
"Just a small one," said Nightingale.
"So magic is real," I said. "Which makes you a...what?"
"A wizard."
"Like Harry Potter?"
Nightingale sighed. "No," he said. "Not like Harry Potter."
"In what way?"
"I'm not a fictional character," said Nightingale.”
2META4ME :D
I loved this little gem.
It was hilarious, snarky, well paced and good hearted. A funny, easily digestible read that is eager to delight the reader.
Where do I start with the many ways this book delighted me?
“Being a seasoned Londoner, Martin gave the body the "London once-over" - a quick glance to determine whether this was a drunk, a crazy or a human being in distress. The fact that it was entirely possible for someone to be all three simultaneously is why good-Samaritanism in London is considered an extreme sport - like BASE jumping or crocodile wrestling.”
The snarky POV was absolutely hilarious. I highlighted like 40+ hilarious passages where Peter commented on modern life. The writing was tonal perfection.
Then you have this daft, nerdy, oft- underestimated protagonist who thinks sexually inappropriate thoughts and gives you nuggets of wisdom like this:
"When I'm considering this I find it helpful to quote the wisdom of my father, who once told me, "Who knows why the fuck anything happens?”
“If you find yourself talking to the police, my advice is to stay calm but look guilty; it's your safest bet.”
“Keep breathing,’ I said. ‘It’s a habit you don’t want to break.”
The plot was arguably the weakest aspect of the novel. I knew who the villain was like 20 pages in with very few surprises. Although some aspects did shock me. However, I didn't mind this in the slightest- I was too busy having fun to notice the pedestrian UF mystery, which seemed incidental to hanging out with my new fave crew of characters.
Recommended for: anyone with a sense of humour, fans of Finn Fancy Necromancy, people who enjoy UF free from rampant, unacknowledged sexism.
September 20, 2021
I might have a new favourite UF series!
We are in London, my favourite city in the world. Peter Grant is just finishing his probationary period with the Met (Metropolitian Police) and in danger of being transferred to do the most boring and unimportant desk job ever. Until he is tasked with helping in a murder investigation and meets a ghost! From then on, he meets a wizard, river deities, vampires and more.
In his first job as a wizard's apprentice, he has to solve the murder that had him meet Nightingale (the afore-mentioned wizard). A number of very weird incidents seem to be connected to it: people suddenly losing it, going nuts and attacking others. What is causing it? Well ... that's the question, isn't it?
Despite only having been to London once, myself, I am thoroughly in love with the city. So is the author and it shows throughout the narrative. Other things the author loves are crime stories and jazz music - all of which made it into this series to result in a smashing mix of magic, science, fantastic worldbuilding and great characters.
It ocurred to me while reading that I've thoroughly missed proper British stories. You know, the kind where tea is essential and there is the constant underlying sense of humour. It's like the atmosphere itself when you'Re in London. Hard to put into words, but the author managed to convey the feeling splendidly.
This is the 10th anniversary edition of the book featuring a few illustrations that fit the type of narration very well:
So utterly worth getting it all the way from Brexit-separated England! Consider me a fan who is basically compelled to keep going with the series right now. *lol*
We are in London, my favourite city in the world. Peter Grant is just finishing his probationary period with the Met (Metropolitian Police) and in danger of being transferred to do the most boring and unimportant desk job ever. Until he is tasked with helping in a murder investigation and meets a ghost! From then on, he meets a wizard, river deities, vampires and more.
In his first job as a wizard's apprentice, he has to solve the murder that had him meet Nightingale (the afore-mentioned wizard). A number of very weird incidents seem to be connected to it: people suddenly losing it, going nuts and attacking others. What is causing it? Well ... that's the question, isn't it?
Despite only having been to London once, myself, I am thoroughly in love with the city. So is the author and it shows throughout the narrative. Other things the author loves are crime stories and jazz music - all of which made it into this series to result in a smashing mix of magic, science, fantastic worldbuilding and great characters.
It ocurred to me while reading that I've thoroughly missed proper British stories. You know, the kind where tea is essential and there is the constant underlying sense of humour. It's like the atmosphere itself when you'Re in London. Hard to put into words, but the author managed to convey the feeling splendidly.
This is the 10th anniversary edition of the book featuring a few illustrations that fit the type of narration very well:
So utterly worth getting it all the way from Brexit-separated England! Consider me a fan who is basically compelled to keep going with the series right now. *lol*
December 28, 2014
Peter Grant dreams of becoming a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Being granted the dreadful assignment of Case Progression Unit, Grant did everything he could so that he may be promoted to detective. His uncanny ability of seeing ghosts was his ticket to his dream. Brutal murders lurk in the city and the gods apparently meddles too.
Peter Grant was really likeable, but only during the first half of the novel. I got bored after about 50% because nothing grand was happening. Nothing gruesome, or big enough to capture my attention. The murders were mediocre and the other characters were also mediocre. Nightingale was a delight to read, but aside from Grant and Nightingale, there were no other good characters. The setting was great, but it really lacked action. This first novel felt more like an introduction to the characters and the setting, so hopefully the sequel would be a lot better than this.
3.5/5 stars. I honestly liked the Dresden Files more, but I heard that this series improves along the way. This was not bad, don’t get me wrong, but it could’ve been way better.
Peter Grant was really likeable, but only during the first half of the novel. I got bored after about 50% because nothing grand was happening. Nothing gruesome, or big enough to capture my attention. The murders were mediocre and the other characters were also mediocre. Nightingale was a delight to read, but aside from Grant and Nightingale, there were no other good characters. The setting was great, but it really lacked action. This first novel felt more like an introduction to the characters and the setting, so hopefully the sequel would be a lot better than this.
3.5/5 stars. I honestly liked the Dresden Files more, but I heard that this series improves along the way. This was not bad, don’t get me wrong, but it could’ve been way better.
May 10, 2019
This was an interesting story involving a policeman, old London river gods and magic and I did enjoy it. However I was not fully convinced and I may not follow up the series. To be fair I was listening to this on audiobook and I did not like the reader very much. Why would they use someone who takes loud, wet breaths between sentences? Very annoying. So maybe I will give this series a second chance but read the book myself next time.
Amendment 11th May 2019
Now I have listened to several more books in this series I want to apologise hugely to Kobna Holdbrook-Smith who narrated his book and all the rest. I have no idea now why I took against him in the first book, but by the last one I cannot imagine anyone else who could read them as well as he did!
Amendment 11th May 2019
Now I have listened to several more books in this series I want to apologise hugely to Kobna Holdbrook-Smith who narrated his book and all the rest. I have no idea now why I took against him in the first book, but by the last one I cannot imagine anyone else who could read them as well as he did!
August 8, 2016
This night I had a problem to solve: to read this book till the end or to sleep. And I thought: hell, why do I need sleep when I’m on a date with Peter Grant <3
The idea to present an ordinary human, who reveals super powers in himself, is not quite new, but in “Rivers of London”, the plot, the setting, and the main characters are new and interesting to me and they definitely helped me to have an extremely fun reading experience.
Ben Aaronovitch surprised me with a wise plot, because I found a mix of professional police stuff, touch of magic and the main character, whose role is to be a good detective, good magician apprentice and good diplomat while staying sane and professional. I was intrigued to find mysteries and horrible crimes in the story about London, moreover the answer to the mystery and the identity of the killer is gripping. I loved that the mystery involved mythology of the Rivers of London as persons– Mother Thames, Father Thames and their daughters and sons like smaller rivers and of course there was theatre involved.
I admired how Mr. Aaronovitch entwined crimes and the story of London into the setting. “Rivers of London” is full of so called British fun and interesting stuff, I enjoyed the humor especially.
If I eat these, you’re not going to expect an obligation, are you?’ asked Beverley.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ I said. ‘I have an air freshener in the bag.’
‘I’m serious,’ said Beverley. ‘There’s a geezer at my mum’s flats who turned up to repossess some furniture in 1997. One cup of tea and a biscuit later, and he’s never left. I used to call him Uncle Bailiff. He does odd jobs around the place, fixes stuff and keeps the place clean and my mother will never let him go.’ Beverley jabbed me in the chest with her finger. ‘So I want to know what your intentions are with this sandwich.’
‘I assure you, my intentions are honourable,’ I said...
The main character, Peter, tells the story from the Londoner, cop, immigrant and magician point of view. He clearly speaks on behalf of variety and difference of the immigrants in UK, as he himself is of mixed nationality. He questions everything and everybody, from police to magic.
And the lack of answers inspires him to grow as a character. Everything has its price. I liked that he has disadvantages, that means he is human. It was interesting, funny and sometimes ironic to read about his relationships with women and his efforts to find a way in life.
Sometimes I wonder whether, if I’d been the one that went for coffee and not Lesley May, my life would have been much less interesting and certainly much less dangerous. Could it have been anyone, or was it destiny? When I’m considering this I find it helpful to quote the wisdom of my father, who once told me,’ who knows why the fuck anything happens?
I liked the “Folly” team a lot.
The witcher
and the creepy maid
I think the little yappy Toby is awesome too. He’s mean but lovely. After all he is a part of the ghost-hunting-kicking-monster-ass team.
They definitely added spices to the story.
I’m eager to continue my relationship with Peter Grant and the “Rivers of London”.
P.S. I just loved the cover, it’s so unique and it definitely represents the tasty candy what is wrapped inside. Enjoy ;)
The idea to present an ordinary human, who reveals super powers in himself, is not quite new, but in “Rivers of London”, the plot, the setting, and the main characters are new and interesting to me and they definitely helped me to have an extremely fun reading experience.
Ben Aaronovitch surprised me with a wise plot, because I found a mix of professional police stuff, touch of magic and the main character, whose role is to be a good detective, good magician apprentice and good diplomat while staying sane and professional. I was intrigued to find mysteries and horrible crimes in the story about London, moreover the answer to the mystery and the identity of the killer is gripping. I loved that the mystery involved mythology of the Rivers of London as persons– Mother Thames, Father Thames and their daughters and sons like smaller rivers and of course there was theatre involved.
I admired how Mr. Aaronovitch entwined crimes and the story of London into the setting. “Rivers of London” is full of so called British fun and interesting stuff, I enjoyed the humor especially.
If I eat these, you’re not going to expect an obligation, are you?’ asked Beverley.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ I said. ‘I have an air freshener in the bag.’
‘I’m serious,’ said Beverley. ‘There’s a geezer at my mum’s flats who turned up to repossess some furniture in 1997. One cup of tea and a biscuit later, and he’s never left. I used to call him Uncle Bailiff. He does odd jobs around the place, fixes stuff and keeps the place clean and my mother will never let him go.’ Beverley jabbed me in the chest with her finger. ‘So I want to know what your intentions are with this sandwich.’
‘I assure you, my intentions are honourable,’ I said...
The main character, Peter, tells the story from the Londoner, cop, immigrant and magician point of view. He clearly speaks on behalf of variety and difference of the immigrants in UK, as he himself is of mixed nationality. He questions everything and everybody, from police to magic.
And the lack of answers inspires him to grow as a character. Everything has its price. I liked that he has disadvantages, that means he is human. It was interesting, funny and sometimes ironic to read about his relationships with women and his efforts to find a way in life.
Sometimes I wonder whether, if I’d been the one that went for coffee and not Lesley May, my life would have been much less interesting and certainly much less dangerous. Could it have been anyone, or was it destiny? When I’m considering this I find it helpful to quote the wisdom of my father, who once told me,’ who knows why the fuck anything happens?
I liked the “Folly” team a lot.
The witcher
and the creepy maid
I think the little yappy Toby is awesome too. He’s mean but lovely. After all he is a part of the ghost-hunting-kicking-monster-ass team.
They definitely added spices to the story.
I’m eager to continue my relationship with Peter Grant and the “Rivers of London”.
P.S. I just loved the cover, it’s so unique and it definitely represents the tasty candy what is wrapped inside. Enjoy ;)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 12,111 reviews