Customer Reviews

Midnight Riot

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Rivers of London is the long-awaited original series from popular TV and tie-in writer Ben Aaronovitch. A darkly comedic police procedural, Rivers is a deliciously more-ish book that is nearly impossible to put down.

The book (and presumably, the forthcoming series) features Peter Grant, a somewhat mediocre police officer who suddenly discovers that he's, well, magical. Or at least, suddenly aware of the magical. Young Grant was on the fast track to a bureaucratic desk job, but now his life is much, much more interesting. Grant is poached for duty by Chief Inspector Nightingale, the Met's divisional head (and the entire division) for Creepy Magical Stuff.

It all happens just in time. The Rivers of London, at least, their magical embodiments, are having a turf war - it is in the pushing and shoving phase, but still, if it goes wrong, the city will be in bad shape. Grant is also juggling a second supernatural case - a nasty serial-killer of a poltergeist is beating people to death and making their faces fall off.

The Occult Detective has transformed into a recognisable genre stereotype. The 'O.D.' generally has a supernatural knack but, more commonly, solves problems through fast talking, "people skills" and general cunning. He's a bit of an outsider, something exacerbated by the fact that he Knows stuff that The Rest of Us don't. He's the tarnished knight type - cynical due to the problems in his own past. And 98% percent of the time? He wears a long coat.

Peter Grant (and CDI Nightingale) are the most recent branches of the motley family tree that includes Felix Castor, Harry Dresden, Johns Taylor, Constantine and Silence, and even, arguably, Doctor Who. All slightly-detached, urbane fellows with an outsider complex, floor-length coats and a knack of spotting solutions from a Lovecraftian angle. If Peter Grant bucks the trend, it is only because he still wears his patrolman's uniform.

If anything, Grant is a little too much of an outsider. He blithely strolls through the book with a clinical detachment that borders on the unflappable - even when he's caught on fire or, you know, someone's face falls off. Part of it is Mr. Aaronovitch's humorously objective writing style - but there are still points where I wanted to check the lead for a pulse. Like Constantine or Castor, Grant needs the occasional smack to remind him that he's still part of the human race - but unlike those two, it isn't rooted in cynicism, more an airy casual acceptance of events that is, at times, even more alien.

Where Mr. Aaronovitch separates his work from the trench-coated crowd is with his depiction of London. I'm a PROUD LONDONER (e.g. I moved here ten years ago, still cheer for foreign sports teams and will inevitably move to the suburbs as soon as I save up the money) and was wildly pleased to see proper descriptions of MY city.

Physically, emotionally and historically, Mr. Aaronovitch captures the unglamorous essence of urban London life. From stumbling over drunks to sweating on the tube, the informative plaques on every paving stone and the insane difficulty of Central London driving... this is the city in all of its banal glory. John Constantine and Felix Castor wander through Londons soaked through with mysticism - Peter Grant patrols streets with lined with CCTV and German tourists. Grant's detachment helps convey his (and, clearly, Mr. Aaronovitch's) love/hate relationship with the city as well. It is insane, clunky and messy, but who could possibly imagine living anywhere else?

Peter Grant is a late, and welcome, addition to a long line of irritable, sartorially-questionable saviours. If the he doesn't seem to be taking things too seriously... and the entire narrative style is a bit tongue in cheek... and the setting is a bit grittier than expected... that all sums up to an entertaining atmosphere that keeps the pages turning. There may be not a lot of thriller-style tension, but there is a lot of action, all excellently orchestrated in the streets and streams of London.

Midnight Riot is a fast paced and off beat Urban Fantasy that features a quirky, curious and altogether charming main character named Peter Gordon.

Peter Gordon wants the glamour of working for the London police but finds that his curiosity and tendency to get `distracted' have put him on the fast track to a desk job. That is until he happens to be at the scene of a vicious and baffling murder and discovers some new information in the investigation from a `ghost' who claims to have witnessed the murder. In an attempt to restart his career Peter decides to stake out the site and get more information from the ghost. But what he finds instead is a distinguished gentleman named Thomas Nightingale who questions him! Thomas Nightingale happens to be a famed Chief Investigator and the last registered wizard in England. Soon Peter find himself assigned to the Chief Investigator as his apprentice and assistant. It turns out Peter has a rare gift for magic and a clever mind which the Inspector intends to use. Peter soon discovers a world that he never knew existed. Strange and horrible beings such as vampires and trolls, as well as familiar and mysterious enemies. As the Inspector and Peter try to pursue the murderer and puzzle the pieces of the seemingly unrelated murders, danger comes from a very unexpected place.

This story was fun to read as Peter is quickly introduced to an amazing and vivid if dangerous magical new world. Peter is game for trying almost anything and his adventurous are entertaining to read. Those who enjoy Jim Butcher's Dresden series or Simon Green's Nightside and Secret Histories series should give this new book a try. Because it is just starting is doesn't yet have the loveable cast found in other series. And the English vernacular and English cultural references can sometimes detract from the story. (Sometimes I didn't understand exactly what the author meant and had difficulty orienting myself.) Peter is a very likeable character who also happens to be very cunning and curious. So you just know he is bound to get into more trouble, which only makes the story more entertaining. While Peter doesn't have quite the charm, need for his own brand of justice (he is a cop after all) or delightful humor that the rebels in the other series have, Peter is a fresh and original character that kept me fascinated.

This new series has a little more horror and a bit more serious tone than Butcher's Dresden Files and Simon Green's Nightside and Secret Histories series. Overall, I prefer the prior series 1st books better but Midnight Riot is definitely an imaginative and fun winner which lovers of urban fantasy and likeable characters will want to read.

In Midnight Riot, the debut novel by Ben Aaronovitch, Peter Grant is a "copper," a newly-minted London bobby who's just not that good at it. His career seems headed for the paperwork brigade until, when investigating a strange murder, he gets a tip from a bizarre informant - a local ghost. Grant is soon noticed by Thomas Nightingale, a one-man paranormal investigative unit in the London police department. Once you get past the obligatory "yes (young protagonist), magic is REAL" moment, Grant is apprenticed to Nightingale, who sets out to teach him about magic and how to police the various supernatural creatures that populate London, all the while trying to track down a spectral killer who is wreaking bloody havoc on a seemingly random array of innocent bystanders.

Throughout this novel I was reminded of both Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series and Neil Gaiman's American Gods: A Novel. Like Butcher, Aaronovitch's characters are vivid, unforgettable, and manage to hook you in very little time. Like American Gods, key figures of mythology factor into the story, if only in a supporting role. There's also a Bones/Law & Order vibe that makes me think this was written with a TV adaptation in mind. Aaronovitch keeps things light and humorous, even when the events are anything but, and he's got a great sense of pacing. He also sets the stage for what one hopes will be many more supernatural adventures in Peter Grant's London.

It's not without a few flaws (nothing a more thorough editing job wouldn't fix, anyway), but Midnight Riot was an absolute blast to read and was more than enough to convince me to sign on to Peter Grant's adventures for the long haul. If you're a fan of the kind of paranormal adventures Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison and Harry Connelly dish out, you'll definitely want to add Midnight Riot to your "must read" list.

For starters, the dimwitted clod at Random House who decided that the original title (Rivers of London) and cover wouldn't fly with American readers should be dragged out onto Madison Avenue in his underoos. The whole mindset that Americans only respond to the promise of sex and violence is as asinine as it is demeaning. I chose this book is because I first encountered it with its English cover and title and was interested enough to find out more about it. You may not be able to judge a book by its cover but a cover can get you to judge a book and I think 'Midnight Riot' (gag) will not get the exposure it deserves due the publisher's incompetence.

That said, Ben Aaronson's first adventure starring Peter Grant, probationary London constable and apprentice wizard, is simply a fun read. Although there are several wildly violent scenes, it has a zany whimsical light-hearted air to it, not unlike a Doctor Who episode (not surprising as Aaronson has also written several volumes of the "Doctor Who: The New Adventures" series). In 'Rivers of London' (sorry - 'Midnight Riot'), Constable Grant is assigned to watch over the scene of a vicious Covent Gardens murder and ends up taking eyewitness testimony from what he later realizes is a ghost. This leads to his subsequent assignment to an obscure division within the Metropolitan Police that can best be described as the X-Files with magic (and without aliens). From there peter finds himself assigned to solve a bizarre series of brutal attacks and broker a settlement on a territorial dispute between Old Man River and Mother Thames. Thank goodness not all urban fantasy authors take their subject seriously.

I look forward to reading the second book in the series, 'Moon Over Soho' which is already available. It can only be through some oversight that the original title of this book remains unchanged.

"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 covers the "strange" cases that come into the precinct and he is also a wizard - and he says that Grant has the potential to be a wizard, too, which will bring the wizards in London up to two. Grant enters a world he never knew existed and begins his training as a wizard as he continues to progress as a policeman.

While the book has its flaws - the fact that the story is told completely by Grant from his point of view tends to make all the characters sound the same, since they are all being reported in his "voice," for one, and his constant use of the grammatically incorrect "me and X" for another - the concept is fresh and fun and NOTHING like Harry Potter!! If you like police procedurals, mysteries, thrillers, urban fantasy and/or magical reality, you should enjoy this book. Fans of The Dresden Files particularly should find this story entertaining. give it a read!!

Midnight Riot
By: Ben Aaronovitch

Constable Peter Grant becomes an apprentice to Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale who investigates crimes involving magic and other strange and unusual happenings.
For me, Midnight Riot was an entertaining read.
I really enjoyed the main character, Peter Grant. His voice and dialog was real and expressive. The other characters propel the story forward. For me this was a character driven novel, where every character made me want to read the pages faster to see what was going to happen next.

The humor written here is understated, but very amusing.
Ben Aaronovitch writes a good mystery/police procedural in the urban fantasy genre. I look forward to reading the second in this series, Moon Over Soho, due out in March.

This book is exactly the kind of book I like - a character-driven story with very witty dialog. Several reviews I read compared it to the Harry Dresden books. I think it is far superior to that series because the writing is so much better. The comparison that comes to my mind is Connie Willis. Like Ms. Willis, Mr. Aaronovitch writes very well and creates realistic characters you care about. For both of them, the sci fi/fantasy is secondary to a very well-crafted story that could stand on its own as a novel without the sci fi.

The book's one flaw is the ending. All of a sudden, everything speeds up and when it finishes, it leaves you saying "What just happened?". This is also true, but to a lesser degree, in the sequel "Moon Over Soho". So, it seems to me that Mr. Aaronovitch is improving. In any case, both books are wonderful. I recommend them to anyone who loves good writing, whether or not you are a fan of the urban fantasy genre.

This is a funny paranormal police drama starring Peter Grant, a biracial cop, who just finished his two years of street duty and is hoping for a plum assignment with the Murder Team. Instead on the last night of his patrol duty he runs into and has a conversation with a ghost which puts him working with Detective Chief Inspector Nightingale who just happens to be a wizard also. So Grant moves into the Folly a mansion which is guarded by magical properties and has a very strange housekeeper, Molly. Meanwhile Grant and Nightingale must try to solve a series of homicides in which the only clues are that the victims' faces fall off after they are killed.

Part of the charm of the book is Peter Grant, who is a very loveable character and you will find yourself cheering for. It's also quite funny in parts, therefore, making it not all gore and wretchedness throughout. Another good part of the book is that the British police are aware of magic but just don't want to talk about it and have it involved in their investigations. In fact, they are rather reluctant to call in Nightingale but do so when they have hit a brick wall.

If you like British mysteries and don't mind a little magic alongside it then this is the book for you. I personally can't wait to read the next in the series and find out what Peter has gotten himself involved with this time.

One of the best reads I've found in a long time. Probably the best thing I can say about it is that once I finished it I went straight out and bought the sequel "Moon Over Soho" and I'm eagerly awaiting the next book this spring. Ben Aaronovitch has leaped to the short list of My Favorite Writers and I don't expect he will ever be off of it. :)

Has never heard of the author, but I ran across this book at a Doctor Who convention (apparently he's a DW writer). You can count me a lifelong fan now. I love the Aaronovitch's style, the plot is captivating & the characters are compelling. I could not put it down. When I finished I lent it to someone, went right out & bought another copy plus the sequel. Can't say better than that.