Rivers of London (Peter Grant, #1)

Jul 24, 2012 Nataliya rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Nataliya by: Catie

Shelves: catie-knows-best, 2012-reads, first-in-a-series, location-is-the-true-protagonist

Midnight Riot 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.

"Carved above the lintel were the words SCIENTIA POTESTAS EST. Science points east, I won

...more Midnight Riot 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.

"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?"

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 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.

"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."

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."

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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."

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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.(less)

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Apr 20, 2013 Megan Baxter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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!

Step right up, step right up! Meet our star, Peter Grant, a young police constable who just knows he's...more 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!

Step right up, step right up! Meet our star, Peter Grant, a young police constable who just knows he's going to be streamed into the branch of the police that helps the other branches of the police fill out their paperwork! Marvel as he runs into his very first ghost while guarding a very bloody crime scene! Prepare to get squicked as a wave of violence envelopes London and results in peoples' faces falling off! Hold your breath as he deals with the Gods and Goddesses of the various rivers and tries not to get caught in the undertow!

This book isn't going to change the world, but I enjoyed it every time I picked it up and never wanted to put it down. I want to run out and find the other two books that have been published right this very minute. I want to encourage them to have little book babies.

Peter is an amusing protagonist, and Ben Aaronovitch has a knack for turns of phrase that made me laugh out loud more than once. (Such as when, finding out that he's not going to be sentenced to paperwork, Peter informs us that as he left, he was definitely not skipping.) And the world he finds himself plunged into is so particular, the magic such an organic outgrowth of the history and geography of London and the Thames that I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.

And I'm a sucker for theatre stuff, and when the underlying causes of the wave of strange violence emerged, it both delighted me and creeped me out.

The supporting cast is just as strong as Peter himself, from Toby the dog, to Leslie the other police constable, to Nightingale the experienced magic officer, to Beverley the Brook, to Molly the whatever-the-heck-she-is, and while the narrative meanders a bit at times, they were always meanderings on which I was glad to be along. Magic isn't learned in a day, after all.

Crossposted at Smorgasbook (less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: urban fantasy lovers, detective fans

Recommended to Carol by: FA

Shelves: supernatural-mystery, my-library, male-lead, favorites

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,...more 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 and a half investigative stars.

Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2012/1...(less)

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Nov 06, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, sf-fantasy, crime-mystery-thriller, library-books

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 ch...more 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.

The last chapter with the young man in the hospital who had his dick bitten off by a vagina with teeth nearly made me lop off another star from my rating.

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.

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May 04, 2013 Richard rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Catie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Catie by: Regina

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

I have to admit that a moderate portion of my liking for this book is probably due to the fact that I am one of those Americans who is instantly charmed when faced with a page of British slang and references. I don’t know if it’s in the genetic memory or what, but I pathetically cannot help myself! Guh…it’s like thar speakin’ mah language but diffrint! However, this book isn’t just a compendium of British slang. I found quite a lot more to love within these pages.

Peter Grant is a young constable...more

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Jul 27, 2011 new_user rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to new_user by: Dr. Who fans

Shelves: urban-fantasy, racially-diverse

Ben Aaronovitch is funny. Midnight Riot's appeal stems from protagonist Peter Grant's humor:

"Do we have a plan B?"
"Molly can do haemomancy," said Nightingale [...] "It might be possible to find [the suspect] that way."
"Why can’t we do it that way now?" I asked.
"Because the odds are five to one against you surviving the experience," said Nightingale.
"So, yeah," I said. "Probably best not to do it that way now, then."

Aaronovitch delivers on his claims and doesn't make the mistake of claiming t...more Ben Aaronovitch is funny. Midnight Riot's appeal stems from protagonist Peter Grant's humor:

"Do we have a plan B?"
"Molly can do haemomancy," said Nightingale [...] "It might be possible to find [the suspect] that way."
"Why can’t we do it that way now?" I asked.
"Because the odds are five to one against you surviving the experience," said Nightingale.
"So, yeah," I said. "Probably best not to do it that way now, then."

Aaronovitch delivers on his claims and doesn't make the mistake of claiming too much. Rookie-copper Peter Grant's voice refreshes after slews of sword-wielding heroines and underachieving detectives. Peter doesn't whup every baddie with time for takeout, but he doesn't wallow in mediocrity either. He dares risks and brandishes wry humor when out of his league. Neither do the baddies stretch our understanding or disbelief. They're familiar characters and very British.

In fact, Riot's well-developed place enriches this urban fantasy. Peter Grant's asides paint London for readers, and may I say Aaronovitch's development -not tokens; I could hug Aaronovitch for the little gems of West African wisdom- of her multicultural nature shames the multitudes of authors writing big US & UK cities who have failed miserably to recognize the richness of those cities. I've seen reviewers ranting on everything except for this-- and this is more deserving than any of it.

I also learned about London's cop culture and sundry other items, but do I need to know the origins of Bow Street or street directions to the pub? I'll never be lost in London now, LOL. A few too many encyclopedic details marred my enjoyment-

As well as the sameness of tone. Riot's honest narration is endearing when we read all the little asides Peter would be embarassed to say aloud and showcases one of the advantages of first person narrative. However, Peter Grant never despairs or rhapsodizes. He never climbs or peaks. He experiences death and drama with the same, even mildness and humor, meaning that Riot had no momentum. Readers will continue because they're enjoying Peter and his encounters rather than because the pace or mystery compels them. That smacked of Dr. Who.

At the same time, Peter's young voice balances the old-school detective work, elbow-patched suits, and 60s-model Jaguar flavor of his companion, Nightingale. Peter's probably among the best developed of urban fantasy protagonists simply because his history is so relevant to his present whereas other authors assume for whatever reason that protagonists, like Cabbage Patch children, spring out of the dirt fully grown with mannerisms and beliefs ready and guns cocked. Peter's history is tangible, realistic and believable, whereas some authors apparently assume a generic, if there is such a thing, amorphous background for their leads. I don't know why. There is no one who grew up like someone else.

Also, 1000 points that scientific Peter wonders how many tons of force a fireball exerts, LOL. I can understand that.

The big question: will I read the next book? Probably, now that I'm prepared for the mild pace. Would I recommend it? If humor is a must for you, then yes, definitely. :)(less)

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May 07, 2011 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: BBC Fans

Recommended to Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress by: Michelle

Shelves: magic-noir, dark-fantasy, occult-detective, owned-copy, black-african-or-aa-hero, character-multi-ethnic-heritage, part-of-a-series, police-federal-agent-law-enforcemen, set-in-uk, urban-fantasy, laughed-myself-silly-while-reading, ghost, history, hero-i-loved, gods-and-goddesses, favorites, favorite-or-autobuy-author, male-pov, 2011-reading

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 N...more 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.

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Jan 07, 2011 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

I can never keep the new shelf classifications straight, but this has to be a {moderately} dark urban fantasy. It's dark the way Harry Dresden is dark, not like Felix Castor or John Constantine. Bad things happen, but the world itself is not an absolute bastard which wants you to die with a pitchfork in your eye.

I read it. I enjoyed it muchly. I want more from Ben Aaronovitch, soon, please, because my next read is about free market economics and the false rhetorics of capitalism in the early 21s...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Jonathan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fantasy-sci-fi-challenge, humorous, gritty-reads, mystery, action-challenge

Rivers of London also known as Midnight Riot was written by Ben Aaronovitch who many familiar with Doctor Who may recognise from his writing of classic episodes. Rivers of London was an entertaining, quirky and somewhat gritty read, kept consistent by its main protagonist. It was not a philosophical masterpiece of literature but it did not set out to create the writing equivalent of The Great Wall of China and then walk across it three times. Rather it set out to produce a fun, airy urban fantas...more
Rivers of London also known as Midnight Riot was written by Ben Aaronovitch who many familiar with Doctor Who may recognise from his writing of classic episodes. Rivers of London was an entertaining, quirky and somewhat gritty read, kept consistent by its main protagonist. It was not a philosophical masterpiece of literature but it did not set out to create the writing equivalent of The Great Wall of China and then walk across it three times. Rather it set out to produce a fun, airy urban fantasy for adults. And I mean adults. Like the Dresden Files (which it will draw similarities to and which I've only read book 1 of) this is not for children, and I mean that sincerely. Perhaps I'd recommend it to a handful of twelve or thirteen years olds I know (many of whom are no longer innocent or naive) but on the whole I'd prefer to have kids read these when they are aware of the adult concepts in them.

As mentioned above this is an urban fantasy and like the Dresden Files (Storm Front) follows a cop/wizard. How Rivers of London differs is that in this book Peter Grant has not learnt magic (and in fact the magic in this book plays second fiddle to everything else - which explains the haunting soundtrack I imaginatively heard throughout the book). However throughout the book he begins the process of becoming a magician or wizard, learning to use magic and experiment according to magical principals. Peter Grant begins to learn magic due to an unexplained magical murder spree that sweeps across the city of London and so this book becomes: a) wizard training b) chasing down leads c) running into mythical beings and d) humour filled action adventure.

So apart from the urban fantasy elements (there were vampires and spirits of rivers) in this book I did like the humour. Peter Grant was a witty, 'devious' and all-round likeable ethnic character (the fact that he was of an African background was a nice change from the typical Aryan heroes) and there were some moments that made me smile. However the secondary characters were somewhat less developed or less interesting, the magic was not as present as I had hoped and the plot at times seemed overly chaotic. That said I do believe the sequel may prove more to my liking as I did like Peter Grant as a character of fantasy (and to be honest considering that urban fantasy isn't my preferred sub-genre that's saying a lot).

So three stars for this interesting urban fantasy. I recommend it for any adults or the few older teens who are into this kind of novel. Even perhaps if you aren't into this kind of book you may find the Briticisms and general humour of the novel make it worth your while. It is definitely worth a read and I will look out for the sequel and read it when I can.(less)

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Oct 04, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club, action, detective, crime, fantasy, humour, mystery, mythology, supernatural, urban-fantasy, male-author, 2010s, 2011, book-club-scifi-and-fantasy

What can I say, I loved it. Maybe because I have just finished reading two rather dark, sometimes depressing, fantasy books but I really enjoyed this light (but gruesome) urban fantasy. It's probably the lightest UF I've read. They all tend to be dark and gritty books just because they're set in a city. Cities aren't all evil and danger. Though there is a bit of killing in this one...

I have to say I really enjoyed the characters. The river gods wee done well, Grant was a great main character, Ni...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Lady Jaye rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, stars-5, 2012-favorites, awesome-heroes, fantasy-urban-fantasy, favorites, first-in-series, loved-it, magic, new-to-me-author, male-authors, part-of-a-series, pb-ghosts, pb-other, people-law-enforcement, people-magic-users

Story: ★★★½ stars
*½★ extra for standing out in the land of UF
*★ extra for including jollof rice and groundnut soup!!!!
GRAND TOTAL: ★★★★★ fat, very well-deserved stars!

So after a while of reading UF, one begins to get sorta jaded; it all begins to blend and look similar. Mr. Aaronovitch's debut stands out from the bunch.

How does it stand out, you ask? Let me count a couple of ways:

1. It is being narrated by a guy. Which by itself puts it in the minority of UF books.
1a. To make it even more u...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series, review-copy, urban-fantasy

Peter Grant is just a rookie cop in the Metropolitan Police Service when he discovers an aptitude for magic, and is taken on as an apprentice wizard. As he comes to realise the complicated supernatural life that infuses London, he is caught up in a case involving a malicious vengeful spirit. A spirit who is twisting the lives of ordinary Londoners and leaving a trail of nasty deaths in its wake. Peter has to learn the magic trade quickly before he and his colleagues becoming part of the game.

Any...more Peter Grant is just a rookie cop in the Metropolitan Police Service when he discovers an aptitude for magic, and is taken on as an apprentice wizard. As he comes to realise the complicated supernatural life that infuses London, he is caught up in a case involving a malicious vengeful spirit. A spirit who is twisting the lives of ordinary Londoners and leaving a trail of nasty deaths in its wake. Peter has to learn the magic trade quickly before he and his colleagues becoming part of the game.

Anyone who has enjoyed Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, Kate Griffin's Matthew Swift novels, Mike Carey's Felix Castor series - anyone in those shoes will adore Rivers of London. This novel takes the very essence of London and distills it into book form - to the point where I was delighted at being able to picture exactly where Peter is performing his investigation. There is even a mention for Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury Avenue that made me literally go 'oooh!' as I was reading.

The language is clever and funny - Peter's narrative voice is full of wry asides and observations. I laughed a number of times, and smiled more, such as when Peter is practicing throwing fireballs: "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."

Peter and his various colleagues and friends are exceptionally winning personalities, and I enjoyed reading about their mishaps and challenges. Favourite by far were the various Rivers of London, which, in this novel, take corporeal form. For instance, Beverley Brook is one of the daughters of Mother Thames, and is a capricious and mischievous teenager, looking for fun and attention.

I loved the way that Aaronovitch brought in folklore and explored much of the history of London without seeming to lecture. This includes the moment where Beverley reveals that the Fire Brigade are sailors: " 'Not now,' she said. 'But in the old days when they were looking for disciplined guys who knew about water, ropes, ladders and didn't freak out at altitude...' "

The villain of the piece is linked effectively into the folklore and old stories, and is suitably chilling, with vivid motivations. His ability to send his spirit into the various citizens of London means that no one can be trusted - and he sends most of his victims to a suitably hideous death. It made me shudder on a couple of occasions.

The only aspect of the novel that was dissatisfactory, truly, was the way Aaronovitch occasionally dumped information in the form of "lessons" - it came thick and fast at some points, and felt a little disjointed.

However, this is minor. Rivers of London is assured, witty and great fun to read. I was incredibly impressed and will definitely picking up the rest of the series.

Rivers of London is published 10th January in the UK by Gollancz. (less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Dresden Files etc.

Recommended to Katy by: Amazon.com Vine

Shelves: vine-book

Please note: I read this book in Jan. of 2011; am just making some fixes to the review here and adding the disclosure that I received a free copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis: Midnight Riot introduces us to rookie constable Peter Grant. He is learning the ropes in London when, one night, he sees a ghost. From that point, his life will never be the same, because he has come to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale. Nightingale...more

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Apr 02, 2013 MrsJoseph rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Urban Fantasy Lovers, Harry Dresden lovers

Recommended to MrsJoseph by: Ala

Shelves: fantasy, format-paperback, series, fantasy-urban, 100-books-in-2011, fantasy-aficionados-group-read

Midnight Riot is a great new book! Peter Grant is a young probationary (rookie) police constable with the London Metropolitan Police Department. He’s on schedule to be assigned to hard desk labor when a man is killed by decapitation. Peter and a fellow officer are stationed at the murder site to keep it secure when he is approached by a ghost who has seen the murder take place. This interaction brings him to the attention to the Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale and Peter is subsequen...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Lou rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Once upon a time there was a Mama River and a Papa River and a Copper called Peter.
Jokes aside there really are these characters in the story.
This story serves up a concoction consisting of the humor of Terry Pratchett, a dice of Neil Gaiman's characters and plot and finally a fixer kind of guy and supernatural goings on from Jim Butcher.
Peter is a copper of mixed race ethnicity his mother was a cleaner, his father was a drug addict and grew up in a council estate. He became a down to earth ki...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Kinga rated it 3 of 5 stars

"Rivers of London" is an urban fantasy and the most important thing when reading a genre novel is to get a good cast. For me the heroes of genre novels have to have faces. So here is whom I hired for this show. The narrator, cute, hapless Peter Grant was played by Drake:
Ah....

The first love interest - Lesley May was played by a famous Polish actress Pola Raksa, updated to the 21st century for this occasion:

Initially I wanted to stay with Polish actresses for all the female characters and cast A...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Tracey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, england, fantasy

US title – Midnight Riot. Ben Aaronovitch has an excellent pedigree: he wrote two 7th-Doctor-era serials for Doctor Who, and has written DW novels which I will now have to seek out. And he seems to have been the first to send a Dalek up a staircase. Evil, evil man.

I'm becoming an audiobook voice groupie. Which is going to be a problem here, because the sequel to Rivers of London is not (legally) available in the US. Mia Michaels, judging on So You Think You Can Dance, coined a word I've been us...more US title – Midnight Riot. Ben Aaronovitch has an excellent pedigree: he wrote two 7th-Doctor-era serials for Doctor Who, and has written DW novels which I will now have to seek out. And he seems to have been the first to send a Dalek up a staircase. Evil, evil man.

I'm becoming an audiobook voice groupie. Which is going to be a problem here, because the sequel to Rivers of London is not (legally) available in the US. Mia Michaels, judging on So You Think You Can Dance, coined a word I've been using ever since. The spelling is debatable, but it is, roughly, "gorgeois" – pronounced "gor-zhwah". That word, for me, is a very good descriptor of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's narration of Rivers of London. (Hey, he pronounced "chaise longue" correctly. If for nothing else I love him for that – and there's plenty more to adore.) He has a deep, dark, dusty voice, and reads aloud like a dream. His character voices are stupendous. London being the (insert something less clichéd than "melting pot" here) that it is, KHS has a variety of not only British regional but international dialects to deal with: male, female, other, Scots, Cockney, British Received, Nigerian, more – all are wonderful. It's lovely to hear him switch from what may be his own voice, here the voice of Peter Grant, to the dry light patrician tones of Nightingale – equally natural, equally fluent, and so different from the sound of Peter that it could truly be a different speaker. There is nothing between Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and the experiences he tells of, no evidence whatsoever that the words he speaks were ever such dead things as print on a page.

The writing doesn't hurt in that endeavor. Ben Aaronovitch's style is utterly natural and conversational, perfectly in keeping with the first-person voice of young Peter Grant, his main character. It's no young adult book – the "f-bomb" is dropped liberally, for one thing, and then there's the violence – but it is the story of the beginning of an apprenticeship, of the opening up of a strange, unsuspected world within the common mundane. Peter's world is, if not turned upside-down, tilted at a startling angle, and everything changes. And then changes again. Then gets a little stranger. I loved that he took every part of it, from the very beginning, back to his classmate and sort-of-partner Lesley to talk over, not worrying (much) about whether or not she would believe him. I think I'm in love with Peter Grant (and Chief Inspector Nightingale), but that could just be the influence of The Voice.

I laughed at this from Wikipedia (be careful of spoilers on the page):
- Police Constable Lesley May; an officer in the Metropolitan Police who, having completed her mandatory probationary period, is expected to go far.
- Police Constable Peter Grant; an officer in the Metropolitan Police who, having completed his mandatory probationary period, is expected to do paperwork.

The story does a fascinating job of limning the difference between the sort of person who becomes a "copper" and the rest of us. I think it was a commercial for some possibly short-lived network series that explained that most people run away from trouble, while first responders run toward it. Here this is underscored, especially in the first chapters: Grant and May, the brand shiny new PC's, are caught up in the tail end of a hideous incident, and wind up standing shaking, covered in blood not their own, faced with a dead family and a scene of horrendous violence – and they field the situation. And come back for more. Most people (I) tend to want to avoid this sort of thing, and having been unable to avoid it once would do absolutely anything to avoid experiencing anything like it again….

I love how this world, this alternate London, was built. There isn't so much a conspiracy of silence as in, say, Harry Potter, where the wizarding world goes out of its way to keep muggles safe ignorance. (I love that Harry Potter exists in Peter Grant's world. It will be great fun to keep that in mind going on with the series, to try to spin it to determine what if anything the Alternate Jo Rowling knew about real wizardry.) In this London, in this world, it's more a matter of the muggles not wanting to see what they can't cope with (or not having the ability to see it), and the wizarding world simply staying rather quiet and out of the way. I love the skepticism, giving way grudgingly to acceptance, of just about everyone; I love Peter's attitude toward the situation in general and his situation in very much particular.

I love how the British title – so much better than the American – is brought to life. The voice of Mother Thames is wise and remarkably feminine and beautifully accented, and the tale of how she became Mother Thames is a small gem of storytelling. And then we go to meet Papa Thames. It's the sort of storytelling I just want to hug to myself and not let go of. And – bonus – I learned a bit. Going on to listen to A Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England, I could be a bit smug as the author talked about executions at Tyburn.

I loved just about everything about this book. I loved the revelations about what was going on – something which could have been truly awful in different hands, but which was suspenseful and horrifying here. I loved not knowing whether I could trust Aaronovitch with characters' lives. I even loved Peter's ambivalence toward Toby – and that's not like me. I can't honestly think of anything I didn't like. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book (and the third, and so on) – but I wish, I deeply wish, that the audio book was available here. It just won't be quite as much fun without KH-S.

But I have faith that it will be fun.(less)

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Jan 09, 2012 Tyrone rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of urban fantasy and people who know London.

Shelves: fantasy, reviewed, crime-and-thriller

I'm a fast reader so getting through a book in two days isn't a problem, except for the fact that I'm easily distracted, so life often gets in the way and books often take much longer to finish than their length would suggest.

Not this one. I began to resent having to do other stuff as it was stopping me from reading this book. Its very well written but not in an obvious way so was not hard to read and the ideas were compelling enough and the mystery interesting enough to pull the reader into the...more I'm a fast reader so getting through a book in two days isn't a problem, except for the fact that I'm easily distracted, so life often gets in the way and books often take much longer to finish than their length would suggest.

Not this one. I began to resent having to do other stuff as it was stopping me from reading this book. Its very well written but not in an obvious way so was not hard to read and the ideas were compelling enough and the mystery interesting enough to pull the reader into the world. It is also very humorous but manages to not to be absurd so avoids comparison to other speculative fiction crime writing like the Dirk Gently books which could be read as more of a parody of the 'crime/detective' novel.

I've not really ventured into the 'urban fantasy' or 'paranormal romance' sub genres much yet and the massive profusion of titles and the current popularity of the sub-genre has put me off. I have been intrigued by the Laurell K. Hamilton and Jim Butcher books and more recently I stumbled across this book.

The reason this caught my eye was that I recently saw a documentary on the 'Rivers of London' which revealed there are a number of subterranean rivers, tributaries of the river Thames, still hidden below the streets and that concept made me interested in what an author, especially a speculative fiction one, could do with such information.

Well I wasn't disappointed. What the author has given us is a crime procedural from the viewpoint of a lowly police constable, but one with a twist in that Scotland Yard also has a department for dealing with crimes which have a supernatural element and our hero find himself apprenticed to a Wizard but still a part of the great metropolitan police. Where the author succeeds is that he handles the mundaneness of police work with as much relish and detail as he does the supernatural plot elements of the story. I also really enjoyed the secondary plot about the rising tensions between two factions involved in a turf war led by Mother Thames and her daughters and Father Thames and his sons all of whom are river deities. The plot of which gives the book it's title.

Having worked in London for 6 years and having familiarity with the areas where the main story occurs, I can say with some authority that the author had captured the places wonderfully well. He imbued the book with a sense of a new modern brash city but with those old side-roads and areas which haven't changed quite as fast and the sense of the history and strangeness of some of those places which are just off the beaten track setting the perfect mood for this supernatural police procedural. For that alone I was disposed to love this book ensuring I will recommend it to others for years to come.(less)

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Apr 30, 2011 Lightreads rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, mystery, urban-fantasy

Now this was a breath of fresh air. Which I guess sounds funny if I mention it’s an urban fantasy about a somewhat bumbling cop who takes a witness statement from a ghost and ends up as the apprentice to the last wizard in England. But seriously, this was a breeze of competence and sanity in a welter of bad books.

I think the most important thing is that it’s funny. Not like first person urban fantasy funny, but actually funny. And our protagonist (first person, natch) is great: he’s one of those...more

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Jul 01, 2011 Nikki rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, mystery, crime

I first came across Rivers of London on the Kindle store, and downloaded the sample. I was intrigued by the first chapter, and put it on my wishlist. A friend or two read it, and finally one lent me his copy. He thought I'd tear through it in one go.

Not quite true, as it happens. Oh, all in all, I think it took about two hours to read, but sometimes a few days would go by without me reading more. It reminded me a lot of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books -- which is not really a compliment, comin...more

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May 19, 2011 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, urban-fantasy-uf, favorites

3.75 stars. Midnight Riot is great start to a series and also is simply a fabulous new series for the urban fantasy world. This book is funny, not silly funny like Three's Company, but dry funny with an amazing delivery. Ben Aaronvitch makes very witty observations about human nature and delivers in such a way that it is funny. At the same time, he sets up an intriguing urban fantasy world, playing on existing mythology and bringing new stuff in. He even makes a few Harry Potter jokes.

The main c...more

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May 19, 2011 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Another hard to rate book in that I can't really say I like it as much as my favorite books...but it it deserves more than 4 stars. So...5 stars, but not quite the top of my 5 star rating (?).

This is an urban fantasy, a genre that's become so chock full lately that you can't swing a kobold without hitting a new one. Most are(sadly) of the mediocre vein but every now and then you stumble on (or as in this case are directed by a friend on Goodreads) a gem.

Peter Grant is a young man just finishing...more Another hard to rate book in that I can't really say I like it as much as my favorite books...but it it deserves more than 4 stars. So...5 stars, but not quite the top of my 5 star rating (?).

This is an urban fantasy, a genre that's become so chock full lately that you can't swing a kobold without hitting a new one. Most are(sadly) of the mediocre vein but every now and then you stumble on (or as in this case are directed by a friend on Goodreads) a gem.

Peter Grant is a young man just finishing up his probationary period on the Metro police of London and about to become a full fledged Constable (complete with helmet thank you). However, the night before his final interview he's one of a large number of police personal involved in controlling the area around a strange murder...and in the "wee hours of the morning" (of course) he's approached by a witness, who's a ghost. Predictably enough Peter is somewhat reticent to report to his superiors that he has talked to a ghost who saw the murder. While it looks like he will be "condemned" to one of the more boring areas of police work, his interview not going exactly as he hoped Peter can't let the murder investigation (and the fact that he apparently talked to a ghost) go. Upon going back and waiting around till the nearby pub closed still hoping to meet his ghost a second time, Peter is approached by a man...who turns out to be a ranking inspector...and Peter tells hims he's looking for a ghost. Peter wonders what possessed him to admit this to an inspector and figures he's about to be pegged as a nut...until the next day when he finds that the inspector, Nightingale, is a wizard. He (quietly) handles supernatural and uncanny things that "come up" for the police. And he wants Peter to work for him....

Our story takes off from here.

Good book. And while I suppose comparisons with other urban fantasies must arise (I'd say especially with Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books) enjoy this for what it is, itself. While I freely admit that I came on it as I wait (impatiently) for the release of the next Dresden novel (as I'm a huge fan) this is a good book in its own right. While our protagonist is a bit of a wise guy with a quirky sense of humor I didn't find the character quite a well done or as likeable as Harry. He is though well constructed and saying I don't find the character to my liking quite as much as one of my favorite characters may be a bit unfair.

So...brain candy, total enjoyment reading. A well constructed story and the beginnings of a good magical world. The magic "system" and the background of the magic world it functions in are still very much only an outline, like a line drawing waiting for color to be added along with the shadings and shadows that will add depth. Still the lines are there and I hope all the rest will be added in the inevitable sequels. I've already ordered the next book, Moon Over Soho and I've seen that a third Whispers Under Ground is due out in Nov. All things remaining equal, I'll probably get that one to...

:)

5 stars. Good book, enjoy.(less)

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Jun 29, 2011 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jo by: Catie

Shelves: hometown-glories-uk, when-can-i-move-in, e

I think the last time I saw a Punch and Judy show a plague of locusts descended on me.

OK, maybe not locusts… but it sounds much more ominous than what they really were: Ladybirds.

I was eleven and was holidaying (in true British fashion- think ridiculous sunburn and ice cream dribbling down your arm) in Weston-Super-Mare with the entire family when the swarm descended. Seriously, I’m not making this up…. Apparently it happens quite a lot!
And now I can never think of Punch and Judy shows without...more

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Aug 18, 2012 MG Mason rated it 5 of 5 stars

Peter Grant is a thoroughly modern Copper. He loves beer, curries and football, he fancies his professional partner, has become cynical about being in uniform, has a love-hate relationship with the city of London and generally tries to get on in life while avoiding being pushed into a dull desk job. Yet when called to the scene of a bizarre murder, not to help with the investigation, but to stand guard so rubberneckers don't spoil the crime scene he is quite surprised to be given a statement by...more Peter Grant is a thoroughly modern Copper. He loves beer, curries and football, he fancies his professional partner, has become cynical about being in uniform, has a love-hate relationship with the city of London and generally tries to get on in life while avoiding being pushed into a dull desk job. Yet when called to the scene of a bizarre murder, not to help with the investigation, but to stand guard so rubberneckers don't spoil the crime scene he is quite surprised to be given a statement by a ghost who - despite being dead - is more than happy to be a good citizen in reporting what he had seen. This begins a voyage for Peter where he meets the last Wizard left in England who just happens to be a Police Inspector.

The world that opens for Peter is one where the mighty river Thames has a God and Goddess locked in a long-standing Cold War, where each of the tributary rivers have a minor deity of their own, where river nymphs, mermaids, vampires, werewolves and magic are not just common, but an integral part of the colourful city. Taken under the wing of Inspector Nightingale, Grant develops his magical powers much in a similar fashion to any other crime drama where the protege learns the ropes from the older, wiser senior officer.

Comparisons to Neverwhere are unfortunately inevitable. This is a shame, not because one is better than the other, but because of the different themes, subject matter and approach taken by the respective authors. Gaiman's work in general leans slightly more toward traditional fantasy, a place where magic is real and the characters simply go with it. Even Richard Mayhew, snorting at London Below and the mythology of the city is compelled to take it all at face value. Peter Grant on the other hand is a Police Officer with a highly scientific mind and wants to know how and why magic works; in his spare time he tries to discover the attributes of magic, the limitations of his own powers and the effect that using magic has on the outside world. This is a novel where magic is woven into the background and carefully integrated to be plausible within the Laws of Physics.

Another way in which this is different from Neverwhere is that it is not about an alternate London that exists beneath the one we know (i.e. two cities that rarely meet), but one that is part of it. There are more adult themes here, sex, violence and the dangers of real Policing. There are also jokes that children simply will not get. The final way in which it differs is that this novel is primarily a crime drama whereas Neverwhere is more of a fantasy adventure. All the while Grant and Nightingale are trying to solve a series of bizarre murders and their relationship is very much like Holmes and Watson, Poirot and Hastings, Morse and Lewis.

Overall this is a wonderful book. Full of gags and tongue-in-cheek pop culture references, it is a thoroughly modern urban fantasy that pays quite deliberate homage to its contemporaries with in-jokes about Harry Potter and Twilight, not through the plot but through amusing references. You'll chuckle at the jokes, you'll marvel at the magic and you'll be swept along in the mystery of the crime drama. There is something here for everyone. I'm already looking forward to the second in the series: Moon Over Soho.

See more of my book reviews at my blog (less)

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Jul 29, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sff-urban-fantasy, 2012-reads, favorites

So have you ever watched BBCA's version of Law & Order? Or maybe caught an episode or two of CSI? Well smoosh those two together. Now add a heaping, helping of Harry Potter (minus Ron & Hermione and if Harry had grown up to become a police constable with a wry sense of humor). Got all that? Well that is the kinda of/sort of feeling you get when you read this book -- that BBCA L&O/CSI/Harry Potter mash-up feel. Only with super, delightful witty writing.

Peter Grant is a probationary co...more So have you ever watched BBCA's version of Law & Order? Or maybe caught an episode or two of CSI? Well smoosh those two together. Now add a heaping, helping of Harry Potter (minus Ron & Hermione and if Harry had grown up to become a police constable with a wry sense of humor). Got all that? Well that is the kinda of/sort of feeling you get when you read this book -- that BBCA L&O/CSI/Harry Potter mash-up feel. Only with super, delightful witty writing.

Peter Grant is a probationary constable who is on the cusp of getting his full assignment on the Metropolitan Police force in London. Sadly, his full assignment looks to be to the Case Progression Unit (CPU). The unit where the cops do the paperwork so the real cops can be out on the street. It isn't that Peter isn't smart or capable, it is that he just gets distracted a lot. He thinks too much.

During a particularly gruesome murder scene where the victim was decapitated, Peter is left behind to mind the scene and is approached by a person who claims to have witnessed the whole thing. The only problem is, this person is actually dead. Great, so now he's talking to ghosts! And what is worse, his presumably one-sided encounter was witnessed by Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale.

Peter is puzzled when he gets his permanent orders to see he is not required to report to CPU instead he is assigned to a special unit, under the auspices of DCI Nightingale. Turns out, much to Peter's surprise, that ghosts exist as do other supernatural things such as vampires, werewolves, and warring river Gods. And there is a special unit in the Police that deals with them. And since Peter has shown he can detect supernatural beings he is now a member of the unit. He is also sworn in as a Wizard apprentice with Nightingale is his very own Dumbledore (if Dumbledore wore a natty suit, had a plummy Leslie Howard accent and drove a Jag).

The book then morphs into a police procedural/mystery with Peter and Nightingale tracking down a supernatural killer. It also has a few side plots. One side plot deals with Peter moving into ~~Hogwarts~~ a magically protected manor house where all the wizard apprentices are supposed to live to learn and work on his magic with Nightingale as his teacher. Another side plot involves the task of settling a dispute between the gods/goddesses of the River Thames. And finally there is his friendship, complete with unresolved sexual tension, between him and his best friend Leslie, also a constable.

I shelved this book as Urban Fantasy and really that is what it is. But it doesn't feel like other UF out there at all. First of all because Peter isn't gloomy and cynical. He has just the best inner voice. It is funny and dry and self-deprecating. Also, while there are supernatural creatures, the book marries magic with technology and police procedure. Peter may have magical ability but in his heart he is a tech geek. He loves his gadgets. And part of that 'thinking too much' thing that does not stand him well as a street cop, actually works incredibly well in his new assignment. He doesn't just rely on the magic to figure things out or help. It is new and shiny and cool, but it is still too new to him. So he falls back on what he knows: geek-science. In the end he uses both things to help him figure things out.

I also thought the River spirits were fun and clever. All of the rivers in and around London are personified. The women are daughters of the Goddess of the Thames and the men are the sons of the God of Thames. So we get to meet cute Beverly (Beverly Brook), mean Tyburn (River Tyburn) and others. The territory dispute between the boys and girls (& the God & Goddess) make for a fun distraction from the main case.

Also high points go to making the book multicultural, also a rarity in UF. Peter's mother is from Sierra Leone. His father is a British Jazz legend. Peter is biracial and many of his more amusing inner musings touch on this fact lightly. The daughters of the Mother of Thames are mostly black women, while the sons of the Father are all white. The London we wander around as we follow Peter and meet with the people he encounters are a cornucopia of races and ethnicities. The author has uses a deft, sure hand with his inclusion. The cultural variety and vibrancy around Peter is no big thing it just...is.

The ending of the main story was very exciting although I am super worried about Leslie's fate. I also enjoyed the ending to the river dispute and hope we get to at least glimpse those characters again in later books.

Terrific book!(less)

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Apr 19, 2012 Lannister rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first of a new UF series, called Rivers of London in the UK, and Midnight Riot in the US (why the name change, I have no idea).

Police Constable Peter Grant meets a ghost one night, who gives him some information on a murder. This not only saves Peter from the horror of being assigned to the Case Progression Unit (the paperwork department) within London's Metropolitan Police; it also opens up a whole new career avenue working within a secret branch of the Met, and learning magic from...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: readers of non-traditional mysteries

Shelves: mystery, paranormal-or-ghost-stories, fantasy, kindle, library-book, read-in-2012

This was a nice change of pace from the more serious reading I've been doing for the most part so far in 2012. A paranormal police procedural which takes place in London involves a very new constable, Peter Grant, in a police division he'd never heard of during his training. This division deals with things magical. Peter becomes involved when he has a conversation with a ghost. And the action takes of from there. There are old gods of London, wizards, various ghosts and a few creatures of specie...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Kelly-Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: this-makes-meh-happeh

I probably should've rated this five stars. But I'm kind of a bitch when it comes to giving SUPER HIGH RATINGS even when the book is SUPER AWESOME (reserved for books like the Mistborn series d=n.n=b ). But this book was really good. It took me longer than usual to finish it, but that's just 'coz exams suck. The humour was brilliant, the main character was awesome and I'm not writing a long review for this so I'll just leave you with the Doctor.

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Jul 14, 2012 Chelsea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, series-to-build, wizards-and-mages, fantasy, best-of-2012, favorites

A beautifully sculpted supernatural impression of London with a creepily imagined population of ghosts, local deities straight out of legend, all managed by the local police force, some of whom are also wizards.

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topics	posts	views	last activity
SciFi and Fantasy...: For Those Who Have Finished Spoilers	9	159	Nov 28, 2012 06:56pm
SciFi and Fantasy...: First Impressions No Spoilers	11	72	Oct 15, 2012 08:14am

title link	preview: Rivers of London
avg rating	preview: Rivers of London Goodreads rating: 3.93 (7948 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9317452-rivers-of-london?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327931673l/9317452.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9317452-rivers-of-london?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch[/url]

Rivers of London (Peter Grant #1)

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