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Rivers of London

(Rivers of London #1)

Ben Aaronovitch (Goodreads Author)

3.86 · Rating details · 103,391 ratings · 8,910 reviews

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’ ...more

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Paperback, 392 pages

Published 2011 by Gollancz

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Apr 14, 2013 Patrick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-would-blurb

Great book. Urban fantasy. You should read it.

Why? Here's why....

1. It's witty.

2. It's not cliché.

3. It's smart.

4. It's set in London, and written by someone who obviously knows London.

5. The main character has a great voice.

5. The language is great. (See below.)

6. It hasn't been dumbed down for the American audience.

Well… okay. They did change the title in the US from "Rivers of London" to "Midnight Riot." That was a shame.

But they left a lot of good stuff in. I don't think I've ever ...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Nataliya rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Nataliya by: Catie

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

Rivers of London is a fun mix of so many things that I love in my pleasure reads - the geekiness and the science¹, the dry British humor², and the magical/mythical/phantasmagorical stuff in a big city³. What's not to like?

¹ My whole life, basically. Really.
² Examples - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, even some of China Miéville's stuff.
³ Examples - Harry Dresden books, China Miéville, Neil Gaiman, even Sir Terry.

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

¹ My whole life, basically. Really.
² Examples - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, even some of China Miéville's stuff.
³ Examples - Harry Dresden books, China Miéville, Neil Gaiman, even Sir Terry.

"Carved above the lintel were the words SCIENTIA POTESTAS EST. Science points east, I wondered? Science is portentous, yes? Science protests too much. Scientific potatoes rule. Had I stumbled on the lair of dangerous plant geneticists?"

The US-titled Midnight Riot (which used to be called Rivers of London before some American publisher undoubtedly decided that the target audience should NOT be aspiring US-based geographers) is a great read for me, a self-proclaimed devout Dresdenite (as in Harry Dresden, the Chicago wizard for hire, and not so much the German city). It has all the surface similarities to that series - a magically-inclined 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."

--------------------------------------
But wait there for a second, Nataliya, you must be wondering, if you loved this book so much then (a) why don't you marry it? and (b) why the hell did you just 3-star it, huh??? Well, here's why. While I love the narrative voice and the protagonist to pieces, I find the storyline(s) not very memorable or compelling. I'm sure I'll remember Peter Grant for years to come, but I'll be hard pressed to remember what the hell the story was about. No, it's not hard to follow, but it's just not that memorable, and, honestly, not that engrossing. Moreover, the two main stories in this book, aptly represented by the titles that the different sides of the ocean have chosen - Midnight Riot and Rivers of London - felt to me quite separate from each other, connected only by the fact that Peter Grant was involved in both of them. I think Aaronovitch should have either connected them together in a more meaningful way, or has chosen one of them to focus on.

Despite my gripes with the storylines, I was so enamored with the narration and the humor and the protagonist that I will without a doubt read the next book in the series, and will highly recommend this one. Peter Grant for the win! 3.5 stars.

"If you ask any police officer what the worst part of the job is, they will always say breaking bad news to relatives, but this is not the truth. The worst part is staying in the room after you've broken the news, so that you're forced to be there when someone's life disintegrates around them. Some people say it doesn't bother them - such people are not to be trusted."

---------------
By the way, here is my review of the second book in the series, Moon Over Soho.

For the review of the third book, Whispers Underground, head over here, and for the fourth one, Broken Homes, over here. ...more

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Apr 15, 2014 Felicia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-paranormal

Well, I'm always looking for a great Urban fantasy book series, and this one is another one I'll be following with joy! Very much in the style of Harry Dresden, and my other fave, the Alex Verus series. This series is set in modern-day London, and features a black male lead character, who's a cop, and finds himself drafted into the magical investigation unit arm of the police. I love the sensibility of this book, it's incredibly dark at the same time, quippy! The worldbuilding is very interestin ...more

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May 20, 2013 Julio Genao rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Julio by: Erika

city people be like:

description

first of all, i wasn't too keen on what happens to lesley, but i guess you can't make an omelette without—

*ducks flung shoe*

anyway.

this painfully-white guy i used to know read this book too, and he said aaronovitch's handling of race annoyed him, because while there is awesomeness like various london water goddesses being nigerians, aaronovitch himself is not nigerian, and people who speak authoritatively about races not their own are typically embarrassing and distasteful. ...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Lois Bujold rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Rivers of London (U.S. title: Midnight Riot) by Ben Aaronovitch, 2011

I received this book as a gift a rather long time ago. It sat in my to-be-read pile for far too long because, I am embarrassed to admit, of its cover, which looked dreary and literary.

I should instead have looked at the first page, which opens:

“It started at one thirty on a cold Tuesday morning in January when Martin Turner, street performer and, in his own words, apprentice gigolo, tripped over a body in front of the West P ...more

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May 17, 2017 Bradley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-shelf, fantasy, urban-fantasy

I'm giving this top marks for an UF for several reasons.

1. Plain enjoyment! (This one should be obvious but it doesn't always work even with a lot of other titles I respect across the board. I may love bits and pieces of them, but then you come across writing that is a breeze to fall into and enjoy throughout, and then you know you've got a real winner on your hands. That's this one.)

2. Geeky, rather a loser London Police Constable with a bit of a new magical talent, a heavy steeping of modern s ...more

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Nov 27, 2010 Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: BBC Fans

Recommended to Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) by: Michelle

Shelves: magic-noir, ghost, dark-fantasy, hero-i-loved, occult-detective, male-pov, black-african-or-aa-hero, part-of-a-series, laughed-myself-silly-while-reading, history

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 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.

...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Nancy rated it liked it · review of another edition

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

Posted at Shelf Inflicted

I’m a fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, even though I got tired and stopped reading after #9. After a while the stories became too repetitive and I didn’t see any significant growth in Harry’s character. His smart-ass comments that were amusing in the earlier books started getting annoying towards the end.

In the hopes I would find a fun read similar to the Dresden books, I picked up Midnight Riot. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a great one either. Peter Gr Posted at Shelf Inflicted

I’m a fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series, even though I got tired and stopped reading after #9. After a while the stories became too repetitive and I didn’t see any significant growth in Harry’s character. His smart-ass comments that were amusing in the earlier books started getting annoying towards the end.

In the hopes I would find a fun read similar to the Dresden books, I picked up Midnight Riot. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a great one either. Peter Grant was an interesting character. He is a constable in London’s Metropolitan Police who wants to be a detective, but his superior thinks he is better suited for pushing paper. Finding a headless corpse in The Actors’ Church in Covent Garden and talking with a ghost who witnessed the crime draws him to Thomas Nightingale, the force’s investigator of supernatural crimes. Under Nightingale’s patient tutelage, Peter learns how magic works and how to hone his investigative skills. He is kept very busy as the body count increases and his negotiation skills are called upon to help resolve the differences between the magical rulers of the Thames River. This is when the story seemed to lose focus for me. There were two stories in one, and neither was compelling enough to keep my interest. I found my attention wandering numerous times and took breaks to read other stories.

I loved that Peter is mixed race, his father a failed jazz musician and his mother a cleaning woman from Sierra Leone. While I enjoyed how the ethnic and racial diversity of London was portrayed, I couldn’t really get a feel for the city. I need more than street names, mention of famous landmarks, and references to TV shows or movies I haven’t seen or heard of. Too many acronyms became confusing and I found myself going back in the story to find out what they stand for.

Overall, the story was fast-paced, but not especially gripping. I liked Peter’s voice, his witty sense of humor and his scientific approach to magic. But like Harry Dresden, his sexual maturity never exceeds the level of a teenage boy, even though he is attracted to his colleague, Leslie, and Beverly Brook, daughter of Mother Thames. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series.

...more

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Sep 08, 2017 Luffy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, literary, page-turner, pretty-good, superb-characterization, roman-policier, popular

Peter Grant is a Probationary Constable, a term I wasn't familiar with until I began reading. At the beginning the London of Peter Grant is a normal one. The genre is not in Fantasy waters from the beginning. But then Grant witnesses a ghost at a crime scene.

The author reminds me of Ian Rankin when there is police procedure of the mudane type, and Jim Butcher when magic is involved. I liked how imperfect the hero, Peter Grant, is. There is, however, always a trade off. I found the writing style ...more

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May 04, 2016 carol. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: supernatural-mystery, multi-culti, urban-fantasy

Thoughts on the book:
my review.

Thoughts on the audio version:

As many people have noted, Kobna Holbrook Smith is a fabulous reader. Turns out he is an actor and director is well, with a long list of tv credits, which is kind of a bummer because I hope he continues to have time for the Peter Grant series.

Holbrook Smith is clearly a talented voice actor who can understandably convey a range of London accents, from that of an 19th century itenerant to Nightingale's 'posh' early 20th century to curre Thoughts on the book:
my review.

Thoughts on the audio version:

As many people have noted, Kobna Holbrook Smith is a fabulous reader. Turns out he is an actor and director is well, with a long list of tv credits, which is kind of a bummer because I hope he continues to have time for the Peter Grant series.

Holbrook Smith is clearly a talented voice actor who can understandably convey a range of London accents, from that of an 19th century itenerant to Nightingale's 'posh' early 20th century to current police vernacular. I also found his Danish and Jamaican accents amusing. Ever since an unfortunate experience with the Stephanie Plum audio, I'm particularly impressed when actors are able to voice characters of the opposite sex without making it sound fake. Holbrook Smith is able to give Leslie a decent voicing, but it really shines when (view spoiler) I did feel like quite a few bit characters ended up with a Jamaican-sounding accent, which may or may not reflect London demographics.

Interestingly, I noted that I didn't find the audio version quite as funny as I found the paper version. As an American, I wonder if this is an example of the 'dry' British humor, that the pause or infliction I expect is missing. I certainly found phrases snicker-out-loud funny when my inside voice read it. That said, his reading of the following dialogue made me laugh out loud:

“You don’t think she and Nightingale…?” asked Lesley.
“Ew,” said Beverley. “That’s just wrong.”
“I thought you and her were friends?” I asked.
“Yeah, but she’s like a creature of the night,” said Beverley. “And he’s old.”

I will note that there were two moments in later chapters when it sounded as if the recording was taken up weeks or months later. It was still the same reader, but something about the tone of the recording and the closeness of the voice changed. I did love the jazz introduction between chapters.

Overall, a great audio. I'll definitely continue revisiting the series through audio.
...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Cyna rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Goddammit. I wanted to like this one. I really, really, really did. It has a lot going for it. Midnight Riot, also known as Rivers of London across the pond, has, while not the most original premise, certainly an engaging voice. It's got that dry British humor going on, an initially likable hero, an intriguing world and diverse cast, a science(ish)-based magic system, and a POC protagonist who doesn't read like a white guy with a paint job. It was close, SO CLOSE, to enjoyable.

Unfortunately, ...more

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Jul 03, 2017 carol. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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, I enjoyed this book, so much that I didn't want to review it right away because I was still immersed in Peter Grant's London. It's the urban fantasy take on the detective novel, a police procedural that gives a close-up view of a modern London with undercurrents of magic and magical beings. I love the tone of this book--it's wry and humorous, but doesn't let the humor take over the scene. It's one thing to be ready with a quick line, another entirely to go through one's entire life wisecracking, especially in times of great danger. Aaronovitch walks that delicate line like a pro.

Peter is a probationary constable who is about to be shifted into a paperwork division. He and his co-probationary officer and friend are guarding the perimeter of a murder scene when he sees a ghost. Peter is a very likeable hero, wry, intelligent, loyal, aware of class and race issues around him, and while he has family issues that include a heroin-dependent father, he doesn't spend every moment agonizing and reliving the past. We are told he did well in the sciences in school, just not well enough to get him to the next levels. It's magic's gain, as he sets his analytical skills to understanding the magical world, using his free time for experiments. I love those little experiments, because it breaks up the action and makes Peter's experience seem all the more real--who wouldn't be asking a lot of questions if they discover there are magical beings and magic in the world? Many people would be asking the 'hows' and 'whys;' Peter attempts to answer some of the questions himself through the scientific method, to the surprise of his technologically-challenged boss.

There are few wizards left, and I liked that Aaronovitch didn't make magic easy. It takes Peter hours of study and practice to advance, and we get a sense of the effort and thought Peter puts into it. It isn't until a third into the book when he finally raises his own werelight, and we are ready to cheer with him when he does: "Fuck me, I thought. I can do magic." It's a refreshing change from the all-powerful heroes of other books. Similarly, he's aware that even though he has two years on the force, he still makes mistakes, such as when he and Leslie "obtrusively" piled out of the car during surveillance.

Aaronovitch has a real gift for bringing life to his characters, even the most bit parts. Molly doesn't talk at all, and we still get a very good sense of her, her dedication and her potential. Seawoll, an initially scary superior, and Leslie's immediate boss, gets imbued with humanity when Peter watches him question witnesses. We're also given a good look at the subtleties of the police department, when Seawoll "interrogates" Peter after a shooting. "Then we continued lying through our teeth while telling nothing but the truth." It's a perfect tone that conveys so much about the officers' loyalty, the bureaucracy of the department, and the unspoken understanding to follow the letter of the law without coming close to the spirit.

I loved it, and the re-read was even better than the first time through. There are a lot of British-isms, but most of them can be puzzled out from the surrounding sentence(s). A great read, and I'll be looking for a hardcover to add to my own library.

great lines:
"I left in a hurry before he could change his mind, but I want to make it clear that at no point did I break into a skip."

"Number two was a magical library where all the direct treatises on spells, forma and alchemy were kept, all of them written in Latin and so all Greek to me."

Four investigative stars. ...more

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Jan 21, 2017 Annet rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: coming-of-age, crime, fantasy

Well, this was something different. It had to grow on me. Which, in the end it did. Fun characters, out of the box weird story, humor here and there and all playing in London, one of my most favorite cities in the world. Many streets I could envisage for me, especially Covent Garden, the prime place of crime. It is of course a fantasy story, a young man, starting out as a cop, turns into a learning wizard cop. No, it's not like Harry Potter.... it's kind of a weird fantasy story playing in Londo ...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Stamatios rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The books starts off quite promisingly, with a mysterious murder in the centre of London, only to change its focus almost immediately and take us through a boring and totally mundane sub-plot about two opposing factions of rivers, whose petty conflict nobody cares about, least of all the reader. Apparently, they disturb "The Queen's Peace", so a scuffle amongst youngsters in Richmond is more important than a beheading in Covent Garden. Go figure...

So for the better part of the first half of the The books starts off quite promisingly, with a mysterious murder in the centre of London, only to change its focus almost immediately and take us through a boring and totally mundane sub-plot about two opposing factions of rivers, whose petty conflict nobody cares about, least of all the reader. Apparently, they disturb "The Queen's Peace", so a scuffle amongst youngsters in Richmond is more important than a beheading in Covent Garden. Go figure...

So for the better part of the first half of the book we get introduced, in painstaking detail, to Mama and Papa Thames and an ensemble of characters that are irrelevant to the story. Yes, you heard me right. The title of the book has practically nothing to do with the main plot, with the exception of two elaborately orchestrated deus-ex-machina moments.

The story spans over a few months, but surprisingly little happens. The fun returns about three quarters into the book, but by then it's too late. Until then, the two protagonists, members of the London Met police, go about their own business instead of investigating the case. Nightingale (the master wizard) admits somewhere in the middle of the book that "we have no idea what's causing this". One chapter later they get a lead. But alas, not thanks to good old police-work, but by pure coincidence.

This frustrating lack of urgency is complemented by the weird casualness with which all the characters discuss murder and magic over a pint at their local pub. Everyone talks like a bad soap opera actor. And despite being under oath of secrecy, Peter Grant (the apprentice wizard) can't stop blabbering about his training to everyone he meets, as if this "great" secret was common knowledge.

Besides acting like puppets, the characters lack any likeability. Peter is clever, but has the sexual maturity of a 13-year old. He stares at boobs and gets an erection whenever a woman touches him. Nightningale, who is at first presented as a secretive, century-old, powerful wizard, turns out to be an old man completely out of touch with the times and a hopeless teacher who is so old that he has forgotten his own lessons.

The author's only good idea was to portray the art of magic as music, with spells as notes that can be combined to create more complex spells, and the sense of magic itself as feelings/memories. But in his attempt to merge magic and science he drives himself into a corner to the point where Nightingale (again) has to admit to his apprentice that "nobody really knows". Readers don't want to have magic explained to us. We just accept it as it is. The last time someone tried to explain magic in scientific terms he coined the term "midichlorians". And we all know how that went down with the fans...

I was very surprised to find out that Ben Aaronovitch is actually an accomplished script writer, since this book reeks of amateurism (his or his editor's). Peter speaks Latin before he admits that he doesn't know any, he uses the name of a spell before he learns it, and so on. Characters come and go without impact and certain events happen out of nowhere with no follow-ups. It's as if a large portion of the book has been edited out.

I can't help thinking that readers who liked this book have set the bar too low. If great urban fantasy set in modern London is what they're looking for, then I advise them to read Neverwhere by the far superior (and a personal god of mine) Neil Gaiman. ...more

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Feb 26, 2018 Sam Quixote rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Oh my gaaaaawd, you know what I’ve just discovered? This is the first novel I’ve five-starred in nearly 20 GODDAMN MONTHS (the last being a re-read of Chuck Bukowski’s Pulp, thank you GR stats)!! The hell with it, this calls for an adult beverage - this is a motherloving EVENT! Join me, won’t you? I know you’re all secret alcoholics too… ah booze, you beautiful beast you… slurp…

Peter Grant is the London Metropolitan Police’s newest recruit, hoping for a fun, rewarding placement that’s not gonna Oh my gaaaaawd, you know what I’ve just discovered? This is the first novel I’ve five-starred in nearly 20 GODDAMN MONTHS (the last being a re-read of Chuck Bukowski’s Pulp, thank you GR stats)!! The hell with it, this calls for an adult beverage - this is a motherloving EVENT! Join me, won’t you? I know you’re all secret alcoholics too… ah booze, you beautiful beast you… slurp…

Peter Grant is the London Metropolitan Police’s newest recruit, hoping for a fun, rewarding placement that’s not gonna stick him behind a desk filling out endless paperwork. Which he almost gets until a chance encounter with a ghost one night in Covent Garden introduces him to Detective Chief Inspector (read: Most Powerful Wizard in Ingerlund) Thomas Nightingale, the head - and up to that moment, the only member - of the Met’s secret paranormal branch. Together, the sorcerer and his apprentice set out to stop the malicious spirit of Mr Punch (yes, the puppet!) from murdering Londoners and resolve a turf war between the Thames river gods.

That’s the way to do it, Ben Aaronovitch! Supernatural coppers ain’t exactly original with The X-Files TV show and the Hellboy/BPRD comics springing to mind, and even the idea of a fantasy story about murderous Punch and Judy puppets has been done before in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld short story Theatre of Cruelty, but Aaronovitch definitely makes the concept his own here - Rivers of London is the best novel I’ve read in, well, too damn long!

I enjoyed every part of this book. The story is full of charming characters. Our protagonist Peter is very likeable and is the right amount of clueless and capable as the story demands. Nightingale is a brilliant Obi-Wan to Peter, Lesley is a great Scully to Peter’s Mulder (sorry for the disparate pop culture comparisons!), and even minor characters like the terrifyingly silent housekeeper Molly and Lesley’s boss Seawoll made powerful impressions in their brief appearances.

I also like how the cast is growing organically with new additions being made as the story progresses, like Toby the dog joining the group after a particularly gruesome episode. And - though it’s a cliche to say this - London itself is a distinct character with its sprawling and unique areas, world-famous landmarks and impossibly dense history playing a central role throughout.

The world-building is expertly done in such a way as to sell the fantasy in a wholly convincing and unforced style. Everyone from the first ghost to the vampires and river gods we meet along the way feel natural and believable-enough in the narrative context - think Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

Aaronovitch has found the perfect balance between police procedural and fantasy, taking the best elements of both genres and fashioning a compelling hybrid from them. All of the incongruous pieces work beautifully together and make sense within the logic of the story. I liked The Folly, Nightingale’s “Sanctum Sanctorum”, and his magic lessons with Peter, introducing werelights and vestiges, were interesting in themselves; as well as being necessary plot devices, they also never felt like clunky exposition.

It wasn’t a huge concern to me as I found them both compelling but I did wonder if the two alternating plotlines had anything to do with one another and, yes, Aaronovitch does manage to tie them together in an inspired way by the end. Absolutely brilliant!

I loved Rivers of London. Well-written, cleverly-constructed, imaginative, original and thoroughly entertaining, I heartily recommend it to one and all but especially to fans of Terry Pratchett’s City Watch books and Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. ...more

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Mar 07, 2018 Mario the lone bookwolf rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aaronovitch-ben

One of the best crime, fantasy, horror mixes next to Jim Butchers Dresden files

A kind film-noir hommage and persiflage at the same time.
It´s a love letter to London and especially for native Londoners, there may be the one or other bonus.
Especially the horror parts are well written.

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Jul 12, 2012 Megan Baxter rated it it was amazing · 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!

Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the recent changes in Goodreads policy and enfo ...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Richard Derus rated it liked it · review of another edition

UPDATE 27 June 2013: A TV series is on the way! Maybe 2014!

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with ...more

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Jan 17, 2018 Lyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

London’s Burning with a great urban fantasy series, beginning with this gem.

Ben Aaronovitch's 2011 novel, originally titled Rivers of London in the UK, starts the Peter Grant series of police procedurals that includes magic walking the lanes and etched in the stones.

Peter Grant’s Career Opportunities included a time in the police academy and he was ready for getting payed for playing Police and Thieves for real. Then he happens upon a ghost amidst some already strange occurrences and we’re off o ...more

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Nov 20, 2018 booksNpenguins rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-and-gothic, magic-wizards-spells, mystery-horror, psy-thriller-crime, urban-fantasy

"When I’m considering this I find it helpful to quote the wisdom of my father, who once told me, Who knows why the fuck anything happens?”

Funny, fresh and awesomely weird. I still have some minor complaints, but I couldn't put this down 😯
...more

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Apr 25, 2017 Lauren (Shakespeare & Whisky) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-and-4-star-books, fantasy, mystery, favorites, alternate-history

“You put a spell on the dog," I said as we left the house.
"Just a small one," said Nightingale.
"So magic is real," I said. "Which makes you a...what?"
"A wizard."
"Like Harry Potter?"
Nightingale sighed. "No," he said. "Not like Harry Potter."
"In what way?"
"I'm not a fictional character," said Nightingale.”

2META4ME :D

I loved this little gem.

It was hilarious, snarky, well paced and good hearted. A funny, easily digestible read that is eager to delight the reader.

Where do I start with the many ...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Catie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Catie by: Regina

Shelves: paranormal, urban-fantasy, mystery-thriller-noir, 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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Dec 02, 2014 Will M. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Will by: carol.

Shelves: urban-fantasy, crime-mystery-thriller, paranormal, 2014, magic

Peter Grant dreams of becoming a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Being granted the dreadful assignment of Case Progression Unit, Grant did everything he could so that he may be promoted to detective. His uncanny ability of seeing ghosts was his ticket to his dream. Brutal murders lurk in the city and the gods apparently meddles too.

Peter Grant was really likeable, but only during the first half of the novel. I got bored after about 50% because nothing grand was happening. Nothing gru ...more

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May 05, 2016 Adina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-pr, fantasy-sf

A British Dresen Files set in London.

As I said in a previous review, I love London. It feels like a second home to me and every time I go there (at least once/year) I marvel at its beauty. Ben Aaronovitch also loves London. It is clear from the way the city is described in this novel, being one of the main characters and not only a setting.

There is also a fair amount of dry British humor which I enjoy so how could I not like this book?

My only complain is with the story. The author intersects t ...more

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Aug 08, 2016 Orient rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: everybody, who like magic, action and detectives

Recommended to Orient by: Milda Page Runner

Shelves: desperado, recs-by-milda, fantasy, killer, entertaining, favorites, hero, historical

This night I had a problem to solve: to read this book till the end or to sleep. And I thought: hell, why do I need sleep when I’m on a date with Peter Grant <3

The idea to present an ordinary human, who reveals super powers in himself, is not quite new, but in “Rivers of London”, the plot, the setting, and the main characters are new and interesting to me and they definitely helped me to have an extremely fun reading experience.

Ben Aaronovitch surprised me with a wise plot, because I found a mi ...more

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Feb 05, 2021 William Gwynne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, reviewed, audible

“Typically, a constable only sits in the commissioner’s anti-room when he’s been very brave, or very stupid, and I really couldn’t tell which one applied to me.”

Rivers of London is an urban fantasy story set in modern London. After constant recommendations from my dad, and then my brother recently, I decided to finally dive into this popular series. Thank you to them for pushing me into this read.

Rivers of London is a unique story that is full of dry humour, engaging plot, unique characters, and ...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: urban, magic, mystery, paranormal, favorites, witches-and-wizards

Note: This book is AKA Midnight Riot in the US. Review originally posted at The BiblioSanctum.

I didn't even get past a quarter of the way through this book before I thought to myself, "Okay, this one is totally going on my 'favorites' shelf." In a word, it was fun. So, so fun. I really can't think of any other book in recent memory that has made me laugh out loud so much.

It definitely helps if you're a fan of the kind of paranormal action-adventures by Jim Butcher or similar authors, but someho Note: This book is AKA Midnight Riot in the US. Review originally posted at The BiblioSanctum.

I didn't even get past a quarter of the way through this book before I thought to myself, "Okay, this one is totally going on my 'favorites' shelf." In a word, it was fun. So, so fun. I really can't think of any other book in recent memory that has made me laugh out loud so much.

It definitely helps if you're a fan of the kind of paranormal action-adventures by Jim Butcher or similar authors, but somehow, I think even non-readers of the urban fantasy genre would enjoy this book. First of all, I don't even know if "urban fantasy" would most accurately describe it, as there is also so much of the book that sets it apart and makes it an original and refreshing read.

I suppose it's best to describe Rivers of London as a police procedural mixed with a heavy dose of the supernatural, topped with a dash of dark comedy, mystery and action. The book features Peter Grant, a London Metropolitan Police constable fresh out of probationary hoping to be assigned a decent permanent post, until one day while working on a case he finds himself encountering a ghost. His impromptu interview with the dead witness brings him to the attention of detective Thomas Nightingale, who is also a wizard and the only member of the Met's little-known paranormal investigative unit. Peter becomes Nightingale's apprentice, and soon the two are running all over the city trying to solve a series of murders involving exploding faces.

The book is also almost like a love letter to London. Rich descriptions of the city's history, landmarks and architecture fill its pages, instilling everything with feeling and practically making the setting itself a character all its own. And I haven't even gotten around to talking about all of the rivers in and around London being personified as semi-divine spirits, which I feel is probably one of the most unique and defining concepts in the novel.

As the main protagonist and narrator, Peter Grant pretty much single-handedly made this book amazing for me. I love his dry British wit. I love the unruffled way he approaches weird X-Files moments like ghosts and exploding faces with nothing more than a shrug and a c'est la vie. I love the fact that he is inherently a "good guy" who wants to be a policeman for the right reasons. I love that he tries to approach magic with a scientific mind.

It is that last point about Peter that really resonated with me, because I'd like to think I would react much the same way in his shoes. Also, it is the "science-y" bits in Rivers of London that in my opinion roots the story more to reality than a lot of other books in the genre. That said, sometimes the magic system still has that unfinished, not-entirely-developed feel to it, but I imagine this will be further explored in subsequent novels in the series. Speaking of which, I'm off to find the sequel. ...more

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Dec 31, 2018 HBalikov rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a contemporary urban fantasy with aspects of mystery, magic and a London police procedural. It is an amazing walk through one of the world’s most written about cities, but in a way that will make me look up many of the locales used by Aaronovitch the next time I get there. And, it is really about “the rivers of London.”

Peter Grant starts off as a probationary constable with London’s Metropolitan Police Services. His multiple academic degrees (mostly scientific) don’t seem to be helping h This is a contemporary urban fantasy with aspects of mystery, magic and a London police procedural. It is an amazing walk through one of the world’s most written about cities, but in a way that will make me look up many of the locales used by Aaronovitch the next time I get there. And, it is really about “the rivers of London.”

Peter Grant starts off as a probationary constable with London’s Metropolitan Police Services. His multiple academic degrees (mostly scientific) don’t seem to be helping him advance in the customary way. One night late, (or really very early one morning), while on overtime ‘secure the crime scene duty,’ he takes a witness statement from someone who is not really there. Yet this “ghost” is real enough, as he will learn when he is assigned to C.I. Thomas Nightingale of “Economic and Specialist Crime.”

You see “Peter Grant” and you have a vision of your typical London “bobby” which begins with a white guy in “that” uniform. Already you are wrong because Peter’s family is from Freetown (Sierra Leone). There are enough reminiscences about growing up to “flesh out” his background.

Here are some of his observations when he returns to his parents apartment and tries to find the bed in his old room. The room “…was full of cardboard moving boxes, each one stuffed to capacity and sealed shut with packing tape. I had to move several off the bed just to lie down. They were heavy and smelled of dust. On roughly a two-year cycle my mum collected clothes, shoes, cooking utensils and non-perishable beauty products, stuffed them in cardboard boxes and shipped them back to her family….but from what I could gather, my mum was related to about half the population of Sierra Leone. I’d learned from an early age that anything that I owned that I didn’t defend was subject to arbitrary seizure and deportation.”

I will not spoil your experience with anything further of the plot. So let me close by noting that Aaronovitch’s choice of venues is both idiosyncratic and perfectly logical. He has a deep understanding of London’s history and its current foibles. He can rap on culture, recreational choices, food, methods of transportation and the urban experience. His main character is bright, droll, easily distracted, enthusiastic, intuitive and earnest. He gives us a fresh take on his London which (despite the magical component) is close enough to ours to prevent any “speed-reading” to get to the novel’s resolution.

Here are some of his observations:
“She had the startled-rabbit look that civilians get after five minutes of helping the police with their inquiries. If they stay calm for too long it’s a sign that they’re professional villains or foreign or just plain stupid. All of which can get you locked up if you’re not careful. If you find yourself talking to the police, my advice is to stay calm but look guilty; it’s your safest bet.”

“’I one asked my dad’ – when he was sober – ‘how he knew what to play. And he said that when you get the right (jazz) line, you just know because it’s perfect. You’ve found the line, and you just follow it.’ ‘And that’s got the fuck to do with what?’ ‘What Nightingale can do fits with the way I see the world. It’s the line, the right melody.’”

“I offered her the flowers, which she took with a delightful laugh. She pulled my head down and kissed me on the cheek. She smelled of cigars and new car seats, horses and furniture polish, Stilton, Belgian chocolate and, behind it all, the hemp and the crowd and the last drop into oblivion.”

And his long ride on London’s Underground is a triumph of black humor that may keep me above ground on any future visits. My thanks to GR friends Monica, Stephan, and Carol for their enthusiasm. ...more

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Apr 12, 2011 new_user rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to new_user by: Dr. Who fans

Shelves: racially-diverse, urban-fantasy

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 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. :) ...more

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Jul 10, 2013 Phrynne rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was an interesting story involving a policeman, old London river gods and magic and I did enjoy it. However I was not fully convinced and I may not follow up the series. To be fair I was listening to this on audiobook and I did not like the reader very much. Why would they use someone who takes loud, wet breaths between sentences? Very annoying. So maybe I will give this series a second chance but read the book myself next time.

Amendment 11th May 2019
Now I have listened to several more book ...more

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About Ben Aaronovitch

Ben Aaronovitch

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Ben Aaronovitch's career started with a bang writing for Doctor Who, subsided in the middle and then, as is traditional, a third act resurgence with the bestselling Rivers of London series.

Born and raised in London he says that he'll leave his home when they prise his city out of his cold dead fingers.
...more

Other books in the series

Rivers of London (8 books)

Books by Ben Aaronovitch

Whispers Under Ground (Rivers of London, #3)

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Dragons, demons, kings, queens, and the occasional farm boy (with a special destiny, of course): Fantasy literature has it all! To celebrate...

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Quotes from Rivers of London

“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?” — 105 likes

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