Midnight Riot

Rivers of London, Book 1

By: Ben Aaronovitch

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

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.

©2011 Ben Aaronvitch (P)2012 Tantor

Maybe not for everyone.

First, a disclaimer. When I watch British Mysteries on TV, I often need to turn on the closed captioning, to understand what is being said. Truth is, I speak American. This book is definitely in English.

The story is a fun combination of Police Procedural and Fantasy (I think that is the proper term). If you enjoy both, you need to read this book.

The reader does a fine job of delineating the various characters, primarily using various regional accents. He also does a good job of presenting women's voices without using falsetto.

This is the first of a series, which is tied, not just a series of individual books, so it's better to read them in order. I've read the first three and enjoyed each.

Nice snack between Dresden Files

In spite of the references through Ben Aaronovitch's series to the greats of British fantasy - Harry Potter, Tolkien, Terry Pratchet, Dr Who, etc. - the Peter Grant books much more strongly favor an American series, The Dresden Files, albeit with a British flavor. I decided to listen to all three of currently available Peter Grant books (a fourth is due out later this year) before writing about them so I would know if I could recommend the whole series since that's nice to know before starting. No doubt in my mind, if you like Dresden, you'll like Peter Grant. Be aware though, in spite of some internet book reviews comparing this series to Harry Potter, it's not at all that type of fantasy series and it is definitely not for children (some sex/some graphic violence).

Midnight Riot has its own unique characters, settings, plots, and magic system so it doesn't come across as derivative, but it has some nice commonalities with Dresden. Harry Dresden was an accomplished wizard when we first met him; Peter Grant does not even know about Wizards when we first meet him, but both men are extremely likable, combine self assurance bordering on arrogance with redeeming self deprecating humor, attract great friends and allies, and equally attract perverse and interesting enemies. Each series also has a very likable police woman to serve as sidekick/cohort/potential romantic interest, each is set in a huge metropolitan area which sets much of the tone of the books, and each is built on short term mysteries solved within each book and overarching plot lines that span the books. Best of all, each series on audio has found a delightful voice to convey the character of the central protagonist perfectly. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith fits Peter Grant hand-in-glove as James Marsters fits Dresden. Like the Dresden Files, the Peter Grant books are are first person narratives so success on audio is very dependent on having that perfect voice and Holdbrook-Smith strikes the right blend of sassy and sweet/smart and awkward to make it easy for the listener to take to Peter right away.

This is not a series where the magical system will overwhelm the listener because we learn about it little by little as Peter is learning it, but in this first book, it seems a bit muddy - not all the dots quite connect. In spite of that, the book is action packed with lots of fun good guys and bad guys both and my interest never flagged. As with any GOOD series, Midnight Riot provides conclusive answers to many questions, leaves open the options to pursue answers for other questions, and ends with a bang. Just the sort of thing to make you go get book 2, Moon Over Soho, and I recommend that you do just that.

One note about the narrator, Kobna Holbrook-Smith - his voice is perfect for Peter Grant and he does pretty good accents for other characters as well. He has a decidedly pronounced London accent, speaks quickly, and there is a fair amount British slang in the book so my American ears had to struggle a bit in the beginning to keep up. I found that I quickly adjusted to the narration and within a couple of hours I had no trouble following and came to really enjoy this narrator.

Off to a good start.

What did you love best about Midnight Riot?

The elements of the UK police work that you learn about in this series. Also, the magic system is interesting and not overpowering. A good low-powered magic user that has to rely on his wits instead of raw power.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I like Mother Thames. She kind of steals the show everytime she is in a scene.

What does Kobna Holdbrook-Smith bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings a real London flavor to the reading.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would like to but don't have the time.

Any additional comments?

It's a monster of the week book, but gets the series off to a good start. The series continuously improves and I am currently looking forward to book 4. The narrator is excellent and adds a depth to the story it might otherwise not have.

Good start, but lost me

This book had some really, really funny lines. Early on i thought i'd found a great mix of comedy, seriousness and a bit of mysticism. But instead, it went overboard (for me) with the other-wordly stuff, and just kind of lost me. I'm disappointed because, as i said, there were parts i really enjoyed. I'm just not into the fantasy world stuff, so it needs to be in smaller doses for me. Oh well, won't be continuing...

The BEST Narrator

This is a great book that really comes alive with Holdbrook-Smith's narration. Get this book. You will not be disappointed. And I have read the next 3 that come after it...they just get better and Holdbrook-Smith continues to be astoundingly fantastic.

Supernatural detective with a sense of humor

A very English book, so I had to accustom myself to the wording, in which the narrator did a great job of delivering all the appropriate punch lines.
It's about a new graduate from his police internship, that finds himself paired with the wizard of the squad, soon to learn that magic really exists. Peter Grant is now the newest apprentice helping to solve a rash of murders leaving it's victims faceless.
In his new line of work he meets some really interesting characters guaranteed to give the reader a chuckle at times, when they're behaving themselves.
Dresden fans will most likely also like this story.

Brilliant, Fun, with an exceptional Narrator . .

This is a very enjoyable and entertaining series . . . very British . . . with an author that has an exceptional ability to insert details and descriptions so smoothly that the imaginary senses are fired up. The conversations are brilliant.

The undercurrent throughout the storyline is one of a light-hearted humorous observation of life. I love it!

It's the narrator that makes this series come alive with an exceptional range of voices and ability to act. This narrator is a 10 out of 10!

This is a professionally turned out series of audiobooks. When I don't notice mispronounced words, or editing gaffes, then all I experience is the story, so either someone did an excellent job of editing, or no one made any mistakes along the way.

Good Story - ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC NARRATOR!

This book (and hopefully the series) is the perfect combination of sharp, smart writing and pitch-EXCELLENT narration. I've listened to a huge amount of audio books over the years and this is one that stands out as one of the best pairings I've heard. Yes- there are spots that could have lagged a bit but they were saved - no, elevated! - by R Holdbrook-Smith's execution. Oh, and did I mention how often I literally burst out laughing? Good job guys. You both now have another follower! I start book 2 tomorrow.

Thank God for Reviewers

What was one of the most memorable moments of Midnight Riot?

There were many. Favorite is introduction to the Folly and exchanges between Peter and Leslie and Nightingale.

Which scene was your favorite?

Hard to say. Many really good scenes that are funny and stand out in their own rights.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Made me crack up laughing many times.

Any additional comments?

I would have never found this series had it not been for the rave reviews of other listeners. People seemed to love it, so I gave it a go. These books are amazing! They are so funny and smart and interesting. The characters are complex and wickedly smart; you can connect to them easily. I also learned a great deal about the history of London listening to this series. This book, the first in the series, sets up a great deal of what is to come in the following books. Some things that seem hazy here get cleared up as the series moves along. But there is enough going on here to keep one riveted. This is one of the few books that I have actually listened to repeatedly because it is so nuanced and entertaining.
The narrator is outstanding and the writing is too. Highly recommend.

Had high expectations, but was underwhelmed

This sounded so compelling in the reviews, I wanted it to be so much more. I think I wanted the characters to surprise me, or have some humor, or be more likeable or SOMETHING, quirky maybe? The narration was rather rat-a-tat-tat. Just matter of fact. I also felt the lead character was misogynistic, which is tiring. Many female characters had their body parts described by him in cringe-worthy detail. Yuck. I liked it enough to finish, but won't be reading any more from the series.