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(3.88) | 672 | 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 Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.… (more) |
▾LibraryThing Recommendations  350 Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (riverwillow)riverwillow: Both 'Neverwhere' and 'Rivers of London' (US title 'Midnight Riot') evoke a magical fairy tale London which sometimes feels more authentic then any real life guide to the city. 244 Storm Front by Jim Butcher (majkia)majkia: both involve paranormal mystery and smart-ass dialog. 70 The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (Rubbah)92 A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin (TheDivineOomba)TheDivineOomba: Same Location, similar themes. Both Capture the essence of London. 82 The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde (souloftherose)souloftherose: It's difficult to explain this recommendation without giving spoilers to one or other of the books. There were certain plot elements to Rivers of London/Midnight Riots which made me think of The Big Over Easy. And both books have a well-developed sense of humour.… (more) 62 Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams (souloftherose)souloftherose: Both books have a certain dark British humour to them. 40 Rule 34 by Charles Stross (fhprice)fhprice: Besides the urban setting and police procedural genre similarities, both have protagonists with a snarky "we're just cogs making witty observations about the machine" voices. Wicked humor. 30 Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones (LongDogMom)LongDogMom: The way that the river spirits are characterized is similar to the characters in Archer's Goon. Same feel/style. 30 Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire (Mav.Weirdo)20 King Rat by China Miéville (mikewilliams64)mikewilliams64: London urban fantasy with malevolent magic in the wings. Sharp contemporary horror from the beginning of Mieville's career 20 Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older (rarm)10 Stray Souls by Kate Griffin (LongDogMom)LongDogMom: Both are a bit quirky, set in London, and deal with the spirits of things, magic and murder. 10 No Hero by Jonathan Wood (Rouge2507)Rouge2507: Similar: British policeman fights against the supernatural 10 Bryant and May and the Memory of Blood by Christopher Fowler (hairball)hairball: Two books with Punch & Judy-themed murders--must be something in the water in London. 10 The New York Magician by Jacob Zimmerman (LongDogMom)LongDogMom: Both books have a similar way of portraying Gods and Powers and both are urban fantasy/mysteries 10 Between Two Thorns by Emma Newman (LongDogMom)11 Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (andreas.wpv)andreas.wpv: Different type of protagonist and friends, but dealing with the un- or supernatural, solving crimes and preventing disasters.
This is very similar though in style and tone, mood of the story. It is tense, yes, but holds no horror or exceeding brutality. The protagonist is human, and like a human, and the story has an undercurrent of kindness that many novels miss. And it is funny at times, from gentle humor to laugh out loud.… (more) 00 The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell (LongDogMom)LongDogMom: Both series feature British police who deal with supernatural crime and both are more creative and well written than the average urban fantasy 77 Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (jonathankws)jonathankws: Both books feature an apparent normal world where magic takes place behind the scenes. 11 Never the Bride by Paul Magrs (jonathankws)
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| Epigraph |
Yet ah! why should they know their fate?
Since sorrow never comes too late,
And happiness too swiftly flies.
Thought would destroy their paradise.
No more; where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise.
Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College by Thomas Gray  | |
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In memory of Colin Ravey, because some people are too large to be contained by just the one universe. | |
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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 Portico of St Paul's at Covent Garden. | |
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He sliced it in half to show us the interior. It looked like a diseased cauliflower.
”And this ,” said Dr. Walid, “is your brain on magic.” I returned to the coach house with a packet of marigold gloves and my Uncle Tito’s Numatic vacuum cleaner. Let me tell you – a thousand watts of suckage makes a big difference The chip that handled RF conversion was superficially intact, but had suffered microscopic pitting across its entire surface. The patterns reminded me of Mr. Coopertown’s brain. This was my phone on magic, I thought. (Tyburn discounts Peter’s authority over the Folly) - “I am a sworn constable,” I said. “And that makes me an officer of the law. And I am an apprentice, which makes me a keeper of the sacred flame, but most of all I am a free man of London and that makes me a Prince of the City.” Mr. Punch was running for his afterlife, but I was gaining. Detective Chief Inspector Alexander Seawoll…was from Yorkshire or somewhere like that and, like many Northerners with issues, he’d moved to London as a cheap alternative to psychotherapy. “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. The voice belonged to a plump, round-faced woman of the sort that develops a good personality because the alternative is suicide. | |
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▾References References to this work on external resources.  Wikipedia in English (1)
▾Book descriptions 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 Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic. ▾Library descriptions No library descriptions found. ▾LibraryThing members' description
| Haiku summary |
The name's Peter Grant.
I'm a police constable
and trainee wizard.
(passion4reading) Complex plot features
river gods and goddesses,
old magic and ghosts.
(passion4reading) Down by the river:
“Get yer trousers on, you're nicked…
Despite being dead.” | |
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