I wont lie. One of the main reasons behind me giving this book a chance was that the author Ben Aaronovitch was the writer of one of my favourite Dr. Who serials - Remembrance of the Daleks. Ben Aaronovitch has worked on several things you may have heard of, Doctor Who, a bunch of episodes of Jupiter Moon when it was still airing and even an episode of casualty thrown in there for good measure.
Rivers of London represents Aaronovitch's first novel based in a world that he has created. His prior prose work is also very who-orientated with several Virgin New Adventures and a Benny Summerfield novel under his belt. But as I try to stay away from the non-canon who stuff this is my first taste of what he can do with prose.
The premise is simple, A ordinary work a day police constable while working the shift that absolutely no one else wants has a conversation with a ghost. This one conversation catapults Peter Grant into the hidden side of the metropolitian police department, where magic is not secret it is just hidden behind paper work.
Imagine the x-files if Mulder had the, begrudging, ackowledgement of the FBI and you start getting the idea. Peter Grant's development from Probationary constable to apprentice magician is nothing we have not seen before but the genius of this book really sets it apart.
This is a real world. Ben Aaronovitch shows the Met as it is and just because you can make magic lights with your mind the protagonist has to do filing along with his friends on the murder squad just the same. The laws governing the use of magic are as immutable as the laws governing the law of the land.
The plot is very strong with a nice sub-plot tied in well. The main plot deals with a series of murders and bouts of violence that are progressively increasing in brutality and severity. The secondary plot concerns the titular rivers of london and has Peter Grant juggling the old ways of Father Thames and buisness lady attitude of Mother Thames. Ultimately the plots meet in a rather spectacular finale that has me waiting for the next book in the series. 'Moon over Soho' which is interestingly slated for release this year along with the third in the series 'Whispers Under Ground'
No comments:
Post a Comment