Book Rec: Rivers of London

[grenegome]

People out there who like urban fantasy stories, who haven’t happened across the Rivers of London series yet, by Ben Aaronovitch, might want to check them out.

Particularly if you like:

London.
Protagonists who actually Google the things they don’t know but need to.
Magic that someone keeps hopefully applying the scientific method to.
Sarky comments about the Daily Mail. And Northerners.
Old school, upper class, Old Etonian-style traditions of magic being taught to a protagonist who very much isn’t from that background, and who doesn’t fall into the habit of thinking he’s getting the true or only story of the way it works. Post modern magician?

Having just read the third book, Whispers Under Ground, a couple of spoilerish thoughts under the cut, and The Fic You Should Write So I Don’t Have To.

The story-shape felt a bit... off? Like, the magic part was just incidental to the crime. Which thinking about it, I suppose should be right, and refreshing, as Peter is a policeman, not just a Magic Policeman, but I was expecting there to be some Dark and Terrible implications of the statues Peter reacted to at the art gallery, and then no.

I’m kind of liking that so far Peter doesn’t seem to be Super Special, aside from the magic. Like, he’s not Fated or anything, he’s just doing his job. Albeit with a certain knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and giving his commanding officers ulcers.

Lesley is a better police officer than Peter. I kind of love that. And that she wasn’t written out.

I laughed so hard through all the differences in American vs. English law enforcement customs, especially the WHAT THE HELL, YOU HAVE A GUN? ...WHY? moments, which I tend to find strangely missing from Sherlock, where people are so blase about it.

Fic You Should Write So I Don’t Have To

Peter and Nightingale’s bitter bloody row about splitting infinitives.

The escalating prank wars of Peter and Lesley. Bonus points if Nightingale or Molly outpranks them both to put an end to it.

Five times Peter had to explain why the lab was on fire.

Lesley. Nightingale. EVERYTHING about how they interact.

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