Moon Over Soho (Peter Grant, #2)

Aug 06, 2012 Nataliya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, location-is-the-true-protagonist

Dear Peter Grant, you are about to knock Harry Dresden off his pedestal. And that's not an easy thing to say for me, a devout Dresdenite. But this book was just that much fun.

Should I call myself a Grantite now? How about a hug then? Oh wait...

"For a terrifying moment I thought he was going to hug me, but fortunately we both remembered we were English just in time. Still, it was a close call."

How can a true nerd like me NOT love this book and its protagonist? Peter Grant, a wisecracking apprenti...more Dear Peter Grant, you are about to knock Harry Dresden off his pedestal. And that's not an easy thing to say for me, a devout Dresdenite. But this book was just that much fun.

Should I call myself a Grantite now? How about a hug then? Oh wait...

"For a terrifying moment I thought he was going to hug me, but fortunately we both remembered we were English just in time. Still, it was a close call."

How can a true nerd like me NOT love this book and its protagonist? Peter Grant, a wisecracking apprentice magician is not only incredibly funny, self-deprecating, non-misogynistic in the slightest, intelligent, and an actually good representation of a real early twenty-first century young man, but also has all makings of a natural-born scientist. He performs controlled experiences with his newfound magic, forms hypotheses that he proceeds to test, and applies scientific principles. He actually contemplates the nature and the origins of magic instead of just accepting it as a given. He is shown actually working on his skills, practicing them and experimenting with new approaches. And he talks science!

"I had jokingly developed my own scale for vestigia based on the amount of noise Toby made when he interacted with any residual magic. I called it a yap, one yap being enough vestigia to be apparent even when I wasn't looking for it.

The yap would be an SI unit, of course, and thus the standard background ambience of a Central London pub was 0.2 of a yap (0.2Y) or 200 milliyaps (200mY)."

Peter Grant is hilarious, often in a dry, very much non-slapstick way. He is firmly in touch with the modern life, and it is seamlessly integrated into the novel. He also pokes fun at the things that in the hands of the less able writer than Ben Aaronovich would have come out as borderline offensive, but they work in this book. An example of this is Peter teaching his (very old) teacher not to refer to the 'ethically challenged' wizards as 'black magicians' since Peter, who is of mixed race, could technically be viewed as such - while explaining why he is reluctant to call Nightingale 'master'.

"When you're a boy your life can be measured out as a series of uncomfortable conversations reluctantly initiated by adults in an effort to tell you things that you either already know or really don't want to know."

Just like in the previous volume, we get more of the author's love for London and learn snippets about the city's history, often tragic. And I love it! I enjoyed the descriptions of Soho, Peter's opinions about different kinds of Londoners, and the entire atmosphere of a huge, thriving, very urban, multicultural city. London is definitely going on my to-visit-no-matter-what list - someday, when I actually have free time to do so.

'There's more to life than just London,' said Nightingale.
'People keep saying that,' I said. 'But I've never actually seen any proof.'

I liked what little I saw of Peter and Leslie's relationship in this book after (view spoiler). I loved how supportive he is while at the same time avoiding the overt sentimentality or wallowing in guilt. And after the way this book ended - the best sorta-cliffhanger that I've read in the recent past, by the way - I cannot wait to see what happens to those two in the next book (which, of course, I have already bought with my birthday Amazon gift card).

"Every male in the world thinks he's an excellent driver. Every copper who's ever had to pick an eyeball out of a puddle knows that most of them are kidding themselves."

I enjoyed the short and apt descriptions of the British police system as well. While often detailed, they never seemed like info-dumps and were humorous enough to never let my attention falter. Aaronovich never glorifies police work, but he also does not follow the stereotype of 'big bad cops' that is so easy to fall back on. He makes his 'coppers' seem like real people with all the imperfections and idiosyncrasies and enough lovable qualities - basically real. While still poking fun at them, of course!

"It's a truism in policing that witnesses and statements are fine but nothing beats empirical physical evidence. Actually it isn't a truism because most policemen think the word 'empirical' is something to do with Darth Vader, but it damn well should be."

The plot of this book, while still leaving a bit to be desired, was tighter than that of the first volume (that, or I have gotten used to the world of this series). It was easy to follow, however, and in the end things turned out a bit different than what I expected - which is a reminder for me to not get all smug thinking that I know exactly what is going to happen and not to judge the characters prematurely (view spoiler)
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Basically, I adored this book and had a great time reading it. Harry Dresden, you've got some serious competition! 4.5 stars for the sheer amount of enjoyment, and very high recommendation. I can't wait to see what the next book in the series brings!
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And here is my review of the first book in this series.
For the review of the sequel, Whispers Underground, please head over here.(less)

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May 11, 2013 Megan Baxter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I got pushed into reading this slightly earlier than I had intended - but my mother is here for a visit, and she started to read the first book, and as she neared the end, there started to be threats about what might happen if I didn't hurry up and finish this one. (Threats of booknapping!)

So I did, and finished it in record time, which didn't particularly surprise me, as these are easy reads. But oh-so-fun and entertaining. Aaronovitch has such a knack for turns of phrase that make me grin. And...more I got pushed into reading this slightly earlier than I had intended - but my mother is here for a visit, and she started to read the first book, and as she neared the end, there started to be threats about what might happen if I didn't hurry up and finish this one. (Threats of booknapping!)

So I did, and finished it in record time, which didn't particularly surprise me, as these are easy reads. But oh-so-fun and entertaining. Aaronovitch has such a knack for turns of phrase that make me grin. And Peter Grant remains an incredibly entertaining lead character, and the exploration of what magic means in this world is very interesting.

Peter, you see, isn't quite satisfied with the "well, it's magic, isn't it?" explanation. He's noticed that batteries turn to sand around magic, and otherwise, well, let's just say that the energy has to come from somewhere, and "this is your brain on magic" has a fairly literal meaning. So he's gradually experimenting on figuring this out.

In between cases, of course. And with his governor still on sick leave, he's about all the magical protection London's got. Of course, his fireballs don't always go off, but at least he's not exploding apples anymore!

Peter is embroiled in two cases - one involving men who have been killed by vagina dentata, and the other surrounding jazzmen, who are dying with alarming regularity, right after gigs. And "Body and Soul" rests in the air around the bodies.

In the meantime, Peter's romantic life isn't any less complicated. Beverley Brook is off living with Father Thames people these days. Leslie's face fell off in the last book. (And this is something I really liked, the refusal to back away from the repercussions of what happened last book. Poor Leslie's face isn't something that can just be fixed by either magic or medical science. Small steps can be taken, but there is no magic bullet. So to speak.) And the first jazzman Peter investigates has a sexy girlfriend who seems interested....

Yet again, these are fun, if sometimes oddly paced. I think the odd pacing, though, is because Aaronovitch is determined to write about policing as it is rarely written about. Once on a case, police don't, can't, individually, work around the clock. They can't devote themselves entirely to everything that comes along. At some point, they have to go home, watch soccer, and try to be something other than a police officer for a little bit. There's not really another option. And yet, so much TV and fiction have given us those preternaturally dedicated law enforcement or private detectives, who work round the clock on that one big case, tirelessly, unaffected by sleep deprivation. And then it's done, and then they can relax.

But Aaronovitch makes the point that there's rarely just one big case, and you can't go without sleep or downtime, or else you'll burn out (and with magic, that could be quite nasty.) So in the middle of following up leads on the cases he's working on, he'll go home at the end of the day. Or in the early hours of the morning, and sleep until noon.

This undercuts the drive of the novel, but it makes another point, and I think it's a good one. We see Peter both on and off-duty, and have to realize that there is such a thing as off-duty, and there has to be, even in the middle of two big cases, because there will never be a time without big cases.

At any rate, this is the type of meandering I'm glad to be along for. I wasn't quite as attached as I was to Midnight Riot, but then, that had the theatrical backdrop. I like jazz, but I'm don't respond as strongly to it.

But this is a worthy successor to the first book, and I'm still eager to read the third!(less)

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Sep 28, 2011 Catie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mystery-thriller-noir, read-in-2011, paranormal

3 1/2 stars

Whenever I contemplate continuing a series that I love, there’s always that little bit of anxiety in the back of my mind: will this one live up to the rest? Will I have to abandon yet another series? Well, if any of you out there are worried about this one, be at ease. This installment is lovely and I have no doubt that fans of the first book will enjoy this one just as much.

At the end of Midnight Riot (aka, Rivers of London), Peter had just learned of a rather ferocious new murder. I...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Reni rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, crime, first-person-narrative, read-in-2012

I think I do like this one better than the first.

I liked the crime-story better this time around. The villain was a bit more down to earth, with more relatable motives than being a spirit -- or rather a personification -- of riot and revenge.

The characters are as addictive as ever (even secondary characters like DS Stephanopolous, who I cheer for every time she's mentioned *g*), and we continue to learn about them, which, as someone who reads more for characters than for plot, pleased me greatl...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of light urban fantasy; esp. of the Dresden files

Shelves: fantasy-urban, fantasy, fantasy-vampires, fantasy-magic, series

I feel kinda bad that I keep comparing Aaronovitch's series to Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Aaronovitch clearly has more skill than Butcher did when the Dresden series kicked off, although I still give the edge to Butcher.

They both have an deliciously irreverent sense of humor and an adventurous imagining of what modern urban magicians could face. Butcher is further over the top, whereas Aaronovitch does better with secondary characters. Aaronovitch is also better at multiculturalism, especially...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Tracey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, london

Posted - with a video of Billie Holiday - on my blog, too.

I love Ben Aaronovitch. Love. I haven't been this excited about a series in quite a while. Harry Dresden, yes, and Mercy Thompson, but I think the only comparison is the sheer happiness each new Harry Potter brought. To which there is a certain irony.

I have kept a List of "my authors" since I started realizing I needed a way to keep track of what I had and hadn't read by writers I liked, a pre-internet attempt to make sure that I didn't...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: brings-the-funny, fairies-or-fae, paranormal-urban-fantasy, witchcraft-sorcery

I liked MOON OVER SOHO. I didn't love it. It's got so many great jokes, and great moments, and I thought lots of admiring thoughts without ever feeling hooked or deeply invested. For all that, there's a good chance I'll keep reading the seires -- it's just so well-done.

MOON OVER SOHO didn't work for me for two main reasons. One: the main mystery in this book gets rolling when Peter realizes that a suspicious number of jazz musicians are keeling over dead from seemingly natural causes right after...more I liked MOON OVER SOHO. I didn't love it. It's got so many great jokes, and great moments, and I thought lots of admiring thoughts without ever feeling hooked or deeply invested. For all that, there's a good chance I'll keep reading the seires -- it's just so well-done.

MOON OVER SOHO didn't work for me for two main reasons. One: the main mystery in this book gets rolling when Peter realizes that a suspicious number of jazz musicians are keeling over dead from seemingly natural causes right after a show. He sets out to prove they were murdered, and find out by whom. Aaronovitch does a good job of soaking the book in jazz atmosphere -- jazz instruments, jazz songs, jazz variations. But I hate jazz. I hate jazz so much that even reading about jazz leaves me cold & disinterested.

Reason #2 is less quixotic, and very hard to phrase without spoilers. Basically, I figured out whodunit really early on in the novel and I found Aaronovitch's method of distracting us from the killer's identity to be very, very irritating. Every time the killer would pop up on the page I'd think, "C'mon, this is obvious," and then it would be distract, distract, distract until I was grinding my teeth as I read.

(view spoiler)

On the other hand, I loved seeing Peter's developing magic skills. There's a sort of geeky, technical aspect to the way Aaronovitch describes the forma and Peter's innovations to it that reminds me in the best possible way of Harry Dresden. I love that he's making slow, steady progress, and getting the maximum impact from each spell he learns. I love that we keep getting glimpses of what master magicians are capable of.

I loved the emphasis on race. It's front and center here, in dozens of different ways. There was one conversation in particular that I know will echo in my mind every time I read any kind of paranormal/fantasy from now on --

"You can't call them black magicians," I said.

"You realize that we're using black in its metaphorical sense here," said Nightingale.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "Words change what they mean, don't they? Some people would call me a black magician."

"You're not a magician," he said. "You're barely even an apprentice."

"You're changing the subject."

"What should we call them?" he asked patiently.

"Ethically challenged magical practitioners," I said.

"Just to satisfy my curiosity, you understand," said Nightingale, "given that the only people ever likely to hear us say the words black magician are you, me, and Dr. Walid, why is changing them so important?"

"Because I don't think the old world's coming back anytime soon," I said. "In fact, I think the new world might be arriving."

I loved the relationship between Peter and Nightingale, and I loved the relationship between the wizard cops of the Folly and the main police force. When Peter causes fun-to-read, action-packed chaos he gets away with it, but there's a price to pay. The higher ups dress him down & put a black mark on Nightingale's record. The rank & file resent seeing Peter get away with things they'd be fired for, and tell him so. Nightingale is injured, and every time he steps in to help Peter he gets weaker. The whizz-bang action scenes take their toll in increased anxiety and stressed relationships. This struck me as realistic and surprisingly rare in urban fantasy.

Just generally, I like that none of the relationships are easy. I like that they all have tense moments, where Peter, who's quick and likable and doing his best, makes missteps.

I love how very steeped in London this book is. Aaronovitch uses his setting to full advantage -- every neighborhood is described like a character, with its history and its quirks, and every location that Peter visits is fully realized, carries its weight in the story. I love that this series is a hymn to London, and to city boys, and the joy and chaos of living in a metropolis.

Really, now that I've written this review I can see there's so much more to like than dislike here. And I hear the third book in the series is really good, too. (less)

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Apr 04, 2011 Kevin Svendsen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book, much as I did the previous book in this series Midnight Riot. The things that I liked about that book are still in force. The detecting is good, and it's a nice to have a detective that works with the police, instead of around them. I like the response of most of the regular officers to the introduction of paranormal elements to cases (i.e. 'deal with this, but keep me in the loop'). Another nice element is the carry through of the people and their states from MR, it's the b...more

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Mar 14, 2013 rameau rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, fantasy, vampires, read-in-2013

There’s a longer plot in these books. What happened in the end of the first, is picked right up again in the beginning of the second and the characters… well, they stay true to themselves and the changes they’ve had to gone through. Some lessons take longer to learn than the others.

Like in Rivers of London there’s two plot threads advancing simultaneously in this book. There’s the long plot about Peter growing as a magical apprentice and then there’s the short plot and an incidental murder that...more

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Apr 29, 2013 MMOGC rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, mystery, magic, paranormal, urban

I don't know what it is about the Peter Grant series, but this is only the second installment and already I am completed addicted. I've not been a fan of urban fantasy for very long, but over the years I have come to appreciate the particular brand of "fun and fluffiness" that's so characteristic of books like this. They're reliable entertainment -- I know even before I crack the cover that I'll have a good time, and I'm hardly ever disappointed.

As it happens, Moon Over Soho was even better tha...more I don't know what it is about the Peter Grant series, but this is only the second installment and already I am completed addicted. I've not been a fan of urban fantasy for very long, but over the years I have come to appreciate the particular brand of "fun and fluffiness" that's so characteristic of books like this. They're reliable entertainment -- I know even before I crack the cover that I'll have a good time, and I'm hardly ever disappointed.

As it happens, Moon Over Soho was even better than I expected, because I found I could hardly put it down once I started. The story begins just several months after the events of the first book Rivers of London/Midnight Riot, but police constable and apprentice magician Peter Grant is already called upon to investigate a series of curious deaths around the Soho area in the West End of London. It appears a troubling number of jazz musicians have been keeling over dead after their gigs, apparently from "natural" causes such as aneurysms or heart failure, but the discovery of thaumaturgical residue on the bodies makes Peter suspect magical foul play.

I was also surprised to see that a seemingly minor event from the last book, one I'd thought was originally thrown in at the end for some perverse comic relief, actually turned out to be the basis for another major plot thread in this novel. The details are a little disturbing and really much too outrageous to try to explain, so let's just leave it at that. I'd rather not spoil it, anyhow.

That said, while the adventures of Peter and his dry sardonic British wit (especially in his zinging of everything from the bureaucracy of the London Metropolitan Police to post-modern architecture) continue to delight and make me laugh out loud, there is definitely a darker, more sinister tone to this book. Not only are a few of the crime scene scenarios somewhat disturbing, there were also a few parts where I actually found myself downright creeped out -- but in the good, spine-tingling-edge-of-your-seat kind of way.

There are also a couple of traditions I'm glad to see this book continuing. The first is the ever phenomenal characterization of London as a charming, vibrant and multicultural city. The author likes to inject random and interesting facts about London's description, history, and people in the course of his storytelling, and all that attention to detail truly brings this magnificent city to life in these books.

The second is the "science" behind the magic. The magical systems and how they work in this series are still not very clear, and here the reader is almost as lost as Peter when it comes to trying to figure it out. Peter, however, persists in experimenting with his powers using logic and scientific theory, and even though some of his results and "explanations" make things even more confusing and harder to understand, I do like his unique approach and am interested to see how the series' concept of magic will continue to develop in future books.

Speaking of which, contrary to the first book which in my opinion wrapped up quite nicely, Moon Over Soho has the distinct feel of a "Part I". This series is definitely building into something bigger, and I can't wait to get my hands on the third book so I can find out what happens.

See review at The BiblioSanctum (less)

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Jan 23, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british, urbanfantasy, police-detective

I very much enjoy the world of this series - the story is leading us through the trials of a police force in an increasingly magical London very well. However, I spent much of this volume frustrated and annoyed with the main character.

Peter is an amusing fellow with a scientific turn of mind, always trying to unpick and understand how magic works. But he spends much of this book completely failing to _think_. (view spoiler)...more I very much enjoy the world of this series - the story is leading us through the trials of a police force in an increasingly magical London very well. However, I spent much of this volume frustrated and annoyed with the main character.

Peter is an amusing fellow with a scientific turn of mind, always trying to unpick and understand how magic works. But he spends much of this book completely failing to _think_. (view spoiler)

Even more problematic is Peter's friend Lesley, a previously very perky and competent policewoman. In the previous novel Lesley's face "fell off" thanks to a magical possession. At the beginning of this story, Lesley asks Peter if there's anything magic can do.

He says, "No."

That's it. Not "I haven't found anything yet, but I'll keep looking. I won't pretend there's any guarantee, but I'll do everything I can." Not "My teacher tells me that any kind of magical healing would cost you your soul and your sanity." Just "No."

Lesley accepts this, without any sign of resentment toward Peter, and Peter later notes that he doesn't feel guilty about what happened to Lesley. How nice.

Problem is, this is a magic system which (view spoiler). There's no justification or reasoning behind why Lesley can't be helped at least in a minor way with magic - if only to relieve some of the considerable pain she's in. No explanation of why it's not possible. Just "No.".

And in another sign of Peter not thinking things through, he (view spoiler)(less)

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May 12, 2011 Christine Edison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magicians-and-mrs-quent

The second Peter Grant mystery set in London revolves in part around the London jazz scene. Since Peter's the son of jazz legend Richard "Lord" Grant, he's got an inside track on solving the case, but he's still learning the ways of magic. We also learn more about the background of his mentor, Thomas Nightingale. This is a fun series that delves into urban fantasy in a new way, with lots of twists and turns in the plot. I like the background information on the inner workings of the London consta...more

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May 14, 2013 Jellybelly rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 09, 2013 Brownbetty rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I requested this book from the library, and got an email telling me it was ready for pickup. From time of email to time of finishing the book was probably about six hours.

I don't think this book does anything special, but it's just solidly well done, and engaging.

I can't help comparing this book to Butcher's Dresden Files, still. Harry Dresden does this thing where he bemoans his luck with women, and at first the reader thinks, "Well, that's because you're an idiot, Harry, and think women are so...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Darcy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audio-book, law-enforcement, listened-to-at-work, magic, uf

Peter drove me nuts in this one, as he had too many TSTL moments, a lot of which he should have figured out.

I like that Peter is standing by Leslie after what happened to her, but am sort of surprised by how he treats her. Before a lot of the time he spent figuring out how to get her in bed, that sure isn’t the case now and even went so far as to do things that could hurt her if she ever finds out. I love that Leslie calls Peter on his crap, love that she demands to see his magic, and loved how...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Jana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Moon Over Soho

I thought that I had already reviewed this months ago, but it seems that I hadn’t, probably because I was so disgruntled about things that have nothing to do with the author’s writing and I wanted to give my annoyance a chance to simmer down and not get in the way of a fair rating. Thing is, the copy editing in the edition I read was quite ~~negligent~~ – scratch that - atrocious to non-existent and it really throws a monkey wrench into my reading pleasure when I have to read a sentenc...more Moon Over Soho

I thought that I had already reviewed this months ago, but it seems that I hadn’t, probably because I was so disgruntled about things that have nothing to do with the author’s writing and I wanted to give my annoyance a chance to simmer down and not get in the way of a fair rating. Thing is, the copy editing in the edition I read was quite ~~negligent~~ – scratch that - atrocious to non-existent and it really throws a monkey wrench into my reading pleasure when I have to read a sentence several times for fear that I’m missing something important only to realize that no one bothered to correct the typos, repeated and omitted words and wrong prepositions and such. Yes, I have a mean and petty cast of mind. I know.

What I enjoyed most in the novel were Peter Grant’s fun observations and remarks about London, his fellow Londoners, the MET, Nightingale, etc. I love the continuous banter between the characters. Plot development and solving the mystery took second place to the joyful dynamic between Peter and everyone he encounters.

I have to admit to having had a bit of a problem with the narrative from a very honest male point of view. In Rivers of London, Peter repeatedly made reference to the massive crush he had on Lesley. Being a man, he took the chance to get laid by someone else whenever it presented itself, but I had somehow expected Lesley to remain his number one (if unattainable) fantasy. Sure, I’ve heard before that a man can profess to be deeply in love with one woman yet sleep with every other woman who shows an interest and even have a relationship with a woman other than the one he proclaimed his love for. Well, I guess so can women. :) If a friend talked to me about similar love related issues I wouldn’t hesitate to call them out on such double standards whether they likes it or not. Since I cannot talk to Peter (I could try but I’m not sure he can hear me) and tell him what I think of his behaviour I was always slightly annoyed when his narrative turned to his sexual exploits while Lesley might be in great need of a friend. Granted, Peter tried to reconnect with Lesley and she was the one who tried to shut him out. And peter will never abandon Lesley, even if his former love for her might turn into a deep friendship. Also, since there always seems to be magic involved in his sexual endeavours, I should probably cut him some slack. And he is a man and can’t help himself. So, yes he’s forgiven.

I really hope that Lesley will get to play a bigger role again in future instalments in the series and that she and Peter will get to work as a team again. The ending of Moon Over Soho certainly seems to indicate a development in that direction.
(less)

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Feb 22, 2013 Jorgen Schäfer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

In the humorous trilogy The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch, we can follow the adventures of Peter Grant, apprentice in the last department for magical events of the London Metropolitan Police. Caught between a police force that does not want to hear about magic any more than they have to and a superior office who is stuck in the 40s, Grant is drawn to adventures with river gods and decade-old wraiths.

The trilogy is a fast read and full of dry, British humor. Prejudices flow freely, which is...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Katharine Kerr rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Overall, very well written and enjoyable as Aaronovitch further defines and refines the direction the series will take. The wordplay is as strong as ever. I particularly liked "ethically challenged magician" to replace "black magician" when Peter finds the older phrase insulting. There were some loose ends that bothered me, however, particularly concerning the characters who are unwittingly responsible for some of the deaths in the plot.

(view spoiler)...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Lois Bujold rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sequel to Rivers of London aka (in the US) Midnight Riot, which I read and reviewed here last week, and which I would link if I could figure out how. Start with that one, not this one, but you may as well pick up all three while you're at it. It will save steps. (#3, now in my library queue, is titled Whispers Underground.)

No sophomore slump here, I'm happy to report. Upon longer consideration, what the prior book and this one also remind me of is the movie Men in Black -- the good first one, no...more Sequel to Rivers of London aka (in the US) Midnight Riot, which I read and reviewed here last week, and which I would link if I could figure out how. Start with that one, not this one, but you may as well pick up all three while you're at it. It will save steps. (#3, now in my library queue, is titled Whispers Underground.)

No sophomore slump here, I'm happy to report. Upon longer consideration, what the prior book and this one also remind me of is the movie Men in Black -- the good first one, not the weirdly inferior sequel -- except, being Old World instead of American, with magic instead of sci-fi aliens. (Although the latter have not been ruled out, I suppose, if the series wends on. But it's apparent Aaronovitch hasn't run out of material yet.) The central relationship between the hero (who is not an orphan! yay!) and his mentor has some lovely inter-generational stuff, and not just the jokes about older people's sometimes-adversarial relationship with advancing technology.

I like what the storyline is doing with PC Leslie May, so far (medical background, here), and the fact that being shot through the lung also has actual appropriate lingering consequences. (It's also a plot convenience, but I'll give the author that one. I also have a soft spot for hurt/comfort.) I am less thrilled with the one-book lifespan of the love interest -- becoming the girlfriend of the hero in a men's action series is an even more ill-advised lifestyle choice than becoming his mentor -- but there were enough other active female characters with enough other fates that I'll spot the author this one, too, as long as he doesn't make it a habit. Because "screw 'em and slay 'em" appears as enough of a repeating trope in the genre to make me really worry about guys, sometimes.

Recommended. Ignore the unappealing covers, which appear to be doing their level best to conceal the fact that there is any humor at all in these volumes, but if you are long-time genre readers, you already know to do that.

More Chief Inspector Nightingale, please!

Ta, L. (less)

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Sep 21, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mystery

Midnight Riot(1) was good, but the series really gets going with Moon Over Soho . The magical world widens here as Peter discovers more non-human creatures and learns that human practitioners of magic might not have disappeared after World War II after all.

One of the things I enjoyed about Moon Over Soho was the additional layer of difficulty magic added to detection. Peter has to figure out if there is a crime, if it is magical, and if so, what kind of crime it is.

The book was next to impossibl...more

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Aug 14, 2012 meeners rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

just as much fun as the first one, although still limited by a tv/movie structure. the kind where you know, for example, (view spoiler)...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Gareth Beavis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting follow up that really takes a while to get going. What springs out instantly is the strange way Aaronovitch marginalises Lesley and almost demonises her - it's like she's being punished somehow for being attractive and successful in the first book.

The other odd theme is the erotic level found throughout this - it was entirely absent in the first book, and jars slightly. It doesn't really add to the relationship between Peter and Simone, nor does it add any 'passion' the writing.

Th...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Jesse Adler rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's a lost art - book buying. I wince even as I type that - like I'm personally killing books by saying it. But if not lost today then soon. Ebooks are great and do make life easier, yet they just aren't the same. But they are changing the reading/writing/publishing game. Getting a kindle was a bitter sweet moment in my life. You see I'm a book geek. Always have been. I love to touch them, leaf through them, smell them. I also love to feel their covers. I'm not proud of it but I just can't brin...more It's a lost art - book buying. I wince even as I type that - like I'm personally killing books by saying it. But if not lost today then soon. Ebooks are great and do make life easier, yet they just aren't the same. But they are changing the reading/writing/publishing game. Getting a kindle was a bitter sweet moment in my life. You see I'm a book geek. Always have been. I love to touch them, leaf through them, smell them. I also love to feel their covers. I'm not proud of it but I just can't bring my self to buy or love a book with a rubbish cover. It's taken me a while to overcome this enough to buy ebooks. It's made a bit easier by my snazzy tactile kindle cover.

What first attracted me to Rivers of London was the cover. Its doodle / graffiti map of London overlaid with the strong bold font in blood red, not to mention how smooth and right it felt in my hand.

Sci-fi set in London. I was sold! I grew up in the big smoke and any books that are set in it immediately pluck at my nostalgic heart strings. The pictures in my mind are sharper and more vivid.

From the first page I was impressed. It's rare to find a main character so immediate and likeable. You are instantly in his head for the crazy ride through the unknown magical side of London.

Peter is honest, modest and most importantly funny. No matter how serious the shit going down is, his perspective is light and likeable. It doesn't detract from the severity of the events but it provides a counter point which gives it a great balance.

There is a winning combination in the book that makes it such a page turner: it combines the behind the scenes crime novel with magic and myth adding a big helping of London's secret history into the mix.

The secret ingredient is Peters perspective and his world view. He has had a tough life; black in a mostly white profession and city; his dads continuing battle with addiction and driving passion for music. Yet he is not maudlin nor troubled. He is just trying to get on and do the best he can. It makes him easy to identify with and really easy to like.

So far there are three books in this series with a fourth in the pipe line (Broken Homes (2013)).

Book 2) Moon Over Soho (2011) follows on directly from the previous book. We have the cast of regular characters plus many new ones through whom we begin to learn more of the magical side of London. We look back on Nightingale's past as well as Peter's own history. We see how his parents, his childhood made him what he is. There are good times and bad, plus plenty of twist and turns to keep the adrenalin soaring.
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Jul 12, 2012 Marie-Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Constable Peter Grant ist ein ganz normaler Londoner Bobby. Die Abteilung, in der er arbeitet, ist allerdings alles andere als normal: ihr Spezialgebiet ist - die Magie. Peters Vorgesetzter, Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, ist der letzte Magier Englands und Peter seit kurzem bei ihm in der Ausbildung. Was im Moment vor allem das Auswendiglernen von Lateinvokabeln bedeutet, die uralten Zaubersprüche wollen schließlich korrekt aufgesagt werden. Doch als Peter eines Nachts zu der Leiche ein...more Constable Peter Grant ist ein ganz normaler Londoner Bobby. Die Abteilung, in der er arbeitet, ist allerdings alles andere als normal: ihr Spezialgebiet ist - die Magie. Peters Vorgesetzter, Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, ist der letzte Magier Englands und Peter seit kurzem bei ihm in der Ausbildung. Was im Moment vor allem das Auswendiglernen von Lateinvokabeln bedeutet, die uralten Zaubersprüche wollen schließlich korrekt aufgesagt werden. Doch als Peter eines Nachts zu der Leiche eines Jazzmusikers gerufen wird, verliert das Lateinstudium auf einmal seine Dringlichkeit. Peter findet heraus, dass in den Jazzclubs in Soho, im Herzen Londons, plötzlich verdächtig viele Musiker eines unerwarteten Todes sterben. Hier geht etwas nicht mit rechten Dingen zu ...

"Schwarzer Mond über Soho" ist ein würdiger Nachfolger von "Die Flüsse von London" und weiß mit einem gewissen Etwas zu überzeugen.
Ab der ersten Seite ist man sofort wieder im Geschehen und gepackt von einer unkonventionellen und magischen Krimihandlung, die auch nicht Krimileser zu unterhalten weiß.
Die Handlung hat im Vergleich zum ersten Band an Dichte gewonnen und ist niemals vorhersehbar, was durch viele Wendungen unterstützt wird.
"Schwarzer Mond über Soho" ist spannend konstruiert und lässt nach und nach die verschiedenen Fäden zusammenlaufen.
Die Atmosphäre besitzt etwas Gruseliges und Düsteres, das die gesamte Handlung hindurch zu fühlen ist.
Neben einer temporeichen Geschichte kommen auch die Beschreibungen Londons nicht zu kurz, die dem Leser das perfekte Setting bieten und ihm dieses näher bringen.
Da das Ende offen ist und einen Cliffhanger besitzt, wird die Freude auf die nächsten Bände noch stärker geschürt.

Die Charaktere bekommen mehr Tiefgang und einen facettenreicheren Hintergrund. Sie wirken lebendiger und sind dabei herrlich skurril und niemals stereotypisch.
Dabei werden neue Charaktere eingeführt, die entweder einen magischen oder nichtmagischen Hintergrund besitzen. Auch neue Wesenarten bekommen ihren eigenen Platz in der Geschichte zugesprochen und werden auch in den folge Bänden einen elementaren Part einnehmen.

Der Schreibstil des Autors ist gespickt mit viel britischem Humor und viel Ironie, dadurch zaubert Ben Aaronovitch dem Leser mit jedem Satz ein Schmunzeln auf die Lippen. Die Beschreibungen sind sehr bildhaft und der Erzählstil temporeich.

Das Cover passt perfekt und spiegelt das morbide sehr gut wieder. Die vielen Details schaffen Tiefe und der Kartenausschnitt einen kleinen Einblick in die Umgebung Londons.(less)

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Jun 08, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Peter is back in another magical mystery in London. With Nightingale recovering from his bullet wound, Peter must pick up a lot of the slack on his own. And there’s some major events that call for his attention.

The discovery of vestigia on certain bodies points to a supernatural reason for the death of a large number of jazz musicians not just in the present but going back through history – and something that touches very close to his own life and family.

Or the series of men found with their pen...more Peter is back in another magical mystery in London. With Nightingale recovering from his bullet wound, Peter must pick up a lot of the slack on his own. And there’s some major events that call for his attention.

The discovery of vestigia on certain bodies points to a supernatural reason for the death of a large number of jazz musicians not just in the present but going back through history – and something that touches very close to his own life and family.

Or the series of men found with their penises ripped off – which in turn leads to another magical practitioner in London – perhaps even a whole cabal of them. It’s a discovery which leads to far more magical history and, more frightening, a true look at the extent of dark and dangerous magic in the wrong hands. We also see how it connects to London’s own underworld and corruption in the police.

Add in Lady Tyburn’s ongoing antipathy, Molly’s moods, a whirlwind love affair, his father’s musical come back and Leslie’s recovery and he certainly has a lot of balls to juggle

Reviewing this book is difficult for me, simply because I’m sorely tempted just to write praise after praise. It’s especially difficult after reviewing the first book because everything that book got right, so did this one. It’s a great sequel for building on that foundation and continuing the plot and the world development.

The first thing I like is that it is a continuation of the last book, the canon hasn’t reset and a lot hasn’t magically happened in the downtime. Lady Tyburn still hates Peter. Leslie hasn’t been magically healed and nor has Nightingale. Which is very surprising in so many series where people take a bullet wound then next episode/book are right as rain with nary a twinge.

We have another wonderfully real feel to London. The author is a Londoner and it shows in every word. The setting and theme are such that you could almost be there. The humour is constant, dry, wry and wonderfully snarky. You will smile. You will laugh.

The story itself twists back and forth and brings several plot lines together and they come together really well while still being separate. Sure Peter connects them and his connecting brings the storylines together. The depiction of the evil wizard is both frightening and really well described –the magical fight was epic yet the discovery of his den was truly and utterly horrific and carries the full level of that horror in the description. It was really well written and disturbing. The other storyline with the jazz musicians was a wonderful break in between, lighter but still vital and very very personal to Peter with his personal history. It also didn’t require you to know about jazz to follow, but you could feel the passion behind their music.

Peter is a wonderful character – his experimenting with magic to Nightingale’s endless frustration is amusing and innovative. The way he interacts with everyone, including his family (and he’s an urban fantasy protagonist with powerful family bonds), is both fun and real. He’s not perfect, he makes mistakes and he’s not a wunderkid – he’s also not spunky - he listens to advice and, usually, takes it and gets himself into scrapes in a funny (and reasonable) manner, even if they do end up touching the farcically amusing because of the sheer enormity and weirdness he’s dealing with. He fits this story perfectly and he’s an extremely real character.

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Apr 18, 2012 Margaret Mcgaffey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The big question when you find a brand new author that wows you is often whether the sequel will flop. This is because writers may spend 10 years on the first book when contract obligations require them to finish the second in less than a year. I’m happy to report Aaronovitch’s interesting narrative voice and glimpse into the London scene that drew me in Midnight Riot are still present in Moon over Soho. Even more, instead of a straight sequel with the focus on Peter Grant’s magical education or...more The big question when you find a brand new author that wows you is often whether the sequel will flop. This is because writers may spend 10 years on the first book when contract obligations require them to finish the second in less than a year. I’m happy to report Aaronovitch’s interesting narrative voice and glimpse into the London scene that drew me in Midnight Riot are still present in Moon over Soho. Even more, instead of a straight sequel with the focus on Peter Grant’s magical education or the long-term consequences of the events in Midnight Riot, this book rightly assumes the reader has got all that now. We return to what has now become Peter’s normal life. He still tries to find the underlying logic for magic, and his training is mentioned here or there, but Peter is on to the next case.

After a visit to his friend, Leslie, who is still suffering the consequences of book one, a call from his contact in the medical examiners’ office, Dr. Walid, sets him on the trail of a new mystery to solve with his fledgling magic and his unlimited curiosity. This one hits close to home, considering his father’s love of music, as it calls into question the cause of jazz musicians’ short lifespan.

Moon over Soho takes you into the London jazz scene and Peter’s personal life because his father is a once famous trumpet player whose career had been cut short but which may be revived with a turn to the piano. Peter meets a bunch of older jazz musicians and comes to a better appreciation of his father’s second love, the first being his mother.

This is a mystery and so I can’t say much without giving things away, but I’ll tell you this: The ultimate answer is well seeded and can be picked up before the big reveal by the careful reader. At the same time, there are other elements introduced that offer potential answers so the solution to this mystery is neither simple nor too obvious.

As far as the series is concerned, while the first book brought us into the world of magic twined through London, this one stands mostly on its own while introducing elements that could become an ongoing conflict, or may just be the mystery to solve in the next one. I’ll say no more to avoid accidentally laying out a clue the book would have hidden better, but it is enough to say I’m happy to see threads in the story that are not tidily resolved because it means another book to enjoy in the future.
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Jan 08, 2012 Alytha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Finished Moon Over Soho, the sequel to Midnight Riot, respectively Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch.

Minor spoilers!

It's an OK novel, but I enjoyed the first one more. For one, the obsessive detailing of everything can get a bit annoying...every object is of a certain brand, to the extend where you wonder if he gets paid for it, and every food item is described in detail...unfortunately it also leads to mistakes, as, as far as I know, all kinds of iThings don't have removable batteries and wo...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Rosebee rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mystery

It was ok, but not as good as the first in this series (Midnight Riot).

The first one was really intriguing and sucked me in - this one didn't. I didn't like the whole thing with Simone - it seemed there was too much gratuitous sex, that didn't really have believable basis for why it happened. And yes, that may have been part of the point, but it was a weak plot device that wasn't believable on its own.

Peter didn't seem real to me as a police detective in this book the way he did in the first b...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Annmarie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: detective, england, fantasy, mystery, urban-fantasy

This is number 2 in this series, and it wasn't quite as good as the first. It's another detective urban fantasy novel with new policeman and wizard-in-training Peter Grant. Peter hears a magically induced jazz riff when he's magically checking a murdered body, and it leads him to what seems to be a series of murders that he starts semi-jestingly attributing to "jazz vampires". Also the "vagina dentata" case of the last minutes of the first book features, unfortunately, and it's kind of a messy p...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, disability, fiction

Not as good as Rivers of London -- the plot is sloppy, he accidentally replaced the romance with a cliche, etc. – but I liked it anyway for reasons that had nothing to do with the London copper urban fantasy bits.

This book made so much sense to me. It’s all quiet and subliminal, the way it would be, but this first person narration is just so dead on for what it’s like to be the token minority. The unspoken sense that everyone else is always going to have an opinion bout you or a reaction to you,...more

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Moon Over Soho (Peter Grant #2)

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