“Midnight Riot is what would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the Fuzz. It is a hilarious, keenly imagined caper.”—Diana Gabaldon
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.
“Filled with detail and imagination . . . Aaronovitch is a name to watch.”—Peter F. Hamilton
“Fresh, original, and a wonderful read . . . I loved it.”—Charlaine Harris
This book made the rounds awhile ago, but I got it into my head that it was darker than what I enjoy and dismissed it, until someone recently mentioned how funny it was. Thank you whoever you are!
Not to say that I didn't have problems with it; I did - minor-ish ones including the riot of editing errors found throughout the text of my library's edition (published by Gollancz in London). I lost count of the number of missing words, extra words and repeated words I stumbled over, until they started reminding me of the sand Peter found pouring out of his electronic devices.
Why did the face-distortion dissimulo have to happen? By the very end, I thought I'd gotten it figured out, but I'm still guessing:
Was that a byproduct of Punch being able to come through? When it was described after the first murder, I thought it was a disguising spell, but it became clear after the second death that that wasn't the case.
(hide spoiler)
That the necessity of this was never explicitly explained bothered me; without explanation it feels possibly gratuitous. (and makes me go all alliterative, apparently.)
The scene post-riot, with Peter on the train: Mr. P. was already elsewhere, using someone else in the riot, but now suddenly he's on the train with Peter (and how did he find Peter??) ranting like a drunk and driving the people on the train toward an orgy instead of the anger and violence he's used every other time. Not a happy orgy, granted, but it's not at all consistent with previous episodes.
Once I discovered Lesley's role, I was eager for the book to be over, but that's not the author's shortcoming, just me not liking where he was going.
But in spite of all that, I did really enjoy this book - the humour shines from beginning to end and I really liked the characters. It was a really entertaining read and I had a lot of fun in this alternate London. I have Moon Over Soho on the TBR already and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
18 October, 2016:
Finished reading
-
18 October, 2016:
Reviewed