From the Bookshelf of Q&A with Josh Lanyon…

Midnight Riot (Rivers of London #1)

Ben Aaronovitch

Start date: May 1, 2016

Finish date: May 31, 2016

Discussion: Book of the Month Club

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Book of the Month Club

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What Members Thought

Jun 07, 2015 Ije the Devourer of Books rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-exquisite-2015-reads

5 stars for the story. 10 stars for the narration!!

This is an excellent urban fantasy story brought to life by the most brilliant narration I have ever listened to.

The story has a number of different characters and the narration gave each character their own distinctive voice. It was amazing to listen to, a bit like watching a film or play in my imagination. It made for an incredible listening experience which I really enjoyed and left me with a hunger to listen to the rest. The story focuses o 5 stars for the story. 10 stars for the narration!!

This is an excellent urban fantasy story brought to life by the most brilliant narration I have ever listened to.

The story has a number of different characters and the narration gave each character their own distinctive voice. It was amazing to listen to, a bit like watching a film or play in my imagination. It made for an incredible listening experience which I really enjoyed and left me with a hunger to listen to the rest. The story focuses on Police Constable Grant who has just started his career in London. When Peter is assigned to a special department that investigates crimes which involve the paranormal he discovers there is far more to policing than he imagined.

There is also far more to policing in London than he imagined too. He sets out to investigate a series of murders that seem to have been committed by a long dead murderer only to find that there is far more to the case than he thought. As ancient drama comes to life with murderous and violent consequences for Londoners and his colleagues, Peter finds he has to rely on his wits, wisdom and his emerging spell craft as well as the wily assistance and support of London's rivers.

It is a great story. Highly imaginative, great pace, amusing and attention grabbing. I listened to this over a number of days while I walked along the River Lea in London. Listening to a story about London's rivers while walking along one of them made for a truly enjoyable reading experience.

The author has captured the essence of London in this book: a truly urban feel, tourists, Londoners, London's diverse communities, the police, the tube, theatre land, history, London's urban landscape and mixed it together with magic and mayhem to produce a really engaging story.

I loved the voices and characters of London's diverse communities. That clinched it for me, especially Mama Thames. Not everyone can bring a Nigerian character to life in this way. Both author and narrator have given their characters a truly realistic edge without falling into boring stereotypes.

But for me it was the narration that brought all these elements to life and have made me want more. This was like a drama for my ears. I think if every audible book was like this I wouldn't go to work.
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Jul 14, 2015 Meg Perry rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thoroughly enjoyed this! Smart, funny and a strong mystery.

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2013 Sylvia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

Very funny

1 like · Like · see review

May 30, 2016 Antonella rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.5
I loved the humor, the multiculturality of London, and the fact that the protagonist is a good example of it. The insertion of magic in ''our'' universe was good, but maybe a bit too smooth: Peter just accept it without much fuss. I found the last bit of the book weaker, and in fact it makes you wonder what was all of this about: the Punch and Judy part of the plot is not exactly gripping, I skimmed a bit in the last third of the book. ...more

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