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Rivers Of London (2011)

by Ben Aaronovitch(Favorite Author)

3.91 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0575097566 (ISBN13: 9780575097568)

languge

English

genre

Paranormal Fantasy

publisher

Gollancz

series

Peter Grant

review 1: I picked this up because of a recommendation I saw in a Discworld forum. Based on the cover and title, it's something I would have simply ignored had I come across it in a bookstore or library. Neither suggests the clever and mostly lighthearted story between the covers. It is a distinctively British contemporary fantasy story of a young London police constable who finds himself attached to an obscure branch of the force that deals with solving crimes in which magic is a factor. There is only one other person working on such crimes, and he's over a century old. The crime he is investigating is, of course, murder, and the suspect is a ghost. This one is fun. I recommend it.
review 2: This book is fun, but it seemed rushed. Seemed more like a first draft, than a ... moreready for market novel. The story is about Constable Peter Grant - a rookie officer of mixed race in London. The rookie stumbles upon a dead body, and then finds himself interviewing a witness that is actually a ghost. Thereafter, the officer learns he has some innate magical abilities, and soon finds that the city is full of mysterious - previously thought mythical - creatures. The book is dominated by the lead character's interactions with the God's and Goddess's of the cities many waterways.So, why did I begin with the lead character, Peter Grant, being of mixed race? That this story is full of characters of different races, ethnicity, and species makes it a real winner for me. The author,Ben Aaronovitch, has a background in writing for British Sci-Fi/Fantasy television to include Doctor Who. The big draw of British sci-fi/fantasy television is that it is inclusive. It reflects the demographics of viewer's real lives. I consume entertainment in which I am represented for the most part. If a story is set in the present, or a futuristic version of a city, whether here(in the US), or abroad, and it's monolithic in casting then I am frankly not interested. I am also not into the token minority shoe horned in as a background player or a lead. You can tell if no thought went into fleshing out a good character. Hank in Grimm comes to mind.So, this is a fun, inclusive romp through a fantastical, adult version of London. It's rough around the edges, but I am hoping that the stories to come are more refined. less

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