Rivers of London

I love a mix of fantasy and reality. This book (and the following series) has changed the way I look at almost everywhere in London.

Unbeknownst to most policemen and nearly all members of the ordinary public, the Metropolitan Police have a unit that deals with magic in the city. Seemingly-innocent events are often caused by vampires, magicians, or the rivalries between the gods and goddesses of the River Thames’ tributaries.

Here, it is not just the Thames that is important; all the little, often overlooked, waterways have a role to play. Peter, the Detective Constable at the heart of… show more.

When I recommend this series (as I do regularly), I don’t go with the obvious description: “imagine Harry Potter meets Sherlock Holmes.”  

I mean, sure, these books follow British police detective Peter Grant as he learns magic and pursues criminals both human and not.  But they also throw our hero up against an insidious—and uniquely British—master villain and bring the landscape of London itself to life—literally. 

And the real wonder is that Aaronovitch’s brilliant world-building would be nothing without the real magic that is Peter’s voice: smart, perceptive, observant, and often infused with wonder that he invites the… show more.

Another magical alternate-London book, Rivers of London is a delightful journey into a world where the ordinary and the extraordinary coexist.

The book’s blend of detective fiction and urban fantasy was a very different take on the same premise that inspired my book. I really enjoyed Peter Grant’s journey from everyday police officer to apprentice wizard. One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was its humor.

Peter’s dry wit and the book’s overall fun tone balanced the darker elements of the plot. Even in a world filled with magic and mystery, there’s always room for a good… show more.

All the books in Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series have a dramatic and powerful sense of place.

Set mostly in contemporary London, they explore the many ways that the genius loci - the spirit of a place - interacts with the larger world. I love the diversity and range here, not only in the backgrounds of the characters, but in the kinds of magic and the lore and history that matters to them (and what doesn’t) and how that changes what they want in the world.

Along the way, there are mysteries to solve, people to help, and justice to… show more.

Easily one of the best series in fantasy in this century, Rivers of London gets to be the London representative, another of the toughest slots in English SFF in a city that’s had stories set in it by so many great authors. The reason I’d pick Aaronovitch over other favourite authors (Gaiman, Mieville, Pratchett, Schwab) is because the whole series is absolutely aglow with love for its setting, and exploration of London's deepest and darkest corners and people. The ‘grown-up Harry Potter is a fantasy police detective’ premise and the seamless, funny, and action-packed writing are definitely enough to draw… show more.

I picked this up, on a recommendation, without any particular expectation, and by the time I’d reached the first murder, presented through the snarky narration, I was hooked. As a premise, it sounds quite ordinary, Peter Grant is a young police officer about to be drawn in to the tiny department that looks after all things magical, but Ben Aaronovitch invited me into a world of surprises, invention, and thrills. I have worked for large companies and for the Civil Service, so the sharp observations of office politics and police “management speak” and its perception by the frontline officers felt… show more.

Set in London this humorous series of books follows the magical adventures of PC Peter Grant as he discovers magic is real. And he can do it. This isn’t necessarily laugh-out-loud humour but it’s the type of cleverness that will have you smirking and appreciating the twist on the norm to create the fantastical. If you know London at all, you will find yourself nodding along as you recall the places Grant takes you and it will definitely have you thinking differently about rivers. 

Peter Grant, who narrates his own story, is a London copper. His dad is a down-on-his-luck musician, and his mum cleans for a living. Peter just gets on with it. One day…he sees a ghost. From that time on, Peter finds a whole new identity as a trainee wizard who is also a London copper. Now based at The Folly, with a weird dog, his boss Thomas Nightingale, and the weirder housekeeper, Peter discovers a whole new world in his familiar London. This dual identity; copper and wizard, matches Peter’s other duality as the son of a Caucasian father and… show more.