Midnight Riot

by Ben Aaronovitch

Paperback, 298 pages

English language

Published Aug. 7, 2011 by Del Rey.

ISBN:: 978-0-345-52425-6

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.

1 edition

Noisy Deadlines reviewed Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London, #1)

Lots of London/British references (that I didn't get...)

3 stars

Cool urban fantasy set up in London. It's got the Dresden Files vibe. It's full of British slang, which was not familiar to me. I'm not knowledgeable in the London geography so I must have missed tons of references. It was still a nice read for me, but I guess I was discouraged to go on with the series because it seemed very niche and more interesting for people who know London culture.

Amber Herbert reviewed Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London, #1)

Review of 'Midnight Riot' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel in the Rivers of London series. The prose was often witty and humorous, despite the grim plot, and I found myself invested in Peter Grant's adventures. I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the life of Peter Grant and his apprenticeship with Thomas Nightingale.

Alex Keane reviewed Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London, #1)

Review of 'Midnight Riot' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Really good overall, but there were a couple spots where pacing seemed a little thrown off by jumps forward and then backing up to fill in what happened.

Good character voice, good story.

kim karma reviewed Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London, #1)

Review of 'Midnight Riot' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Audiobook.
Oh I really enjoyed this! Interesting urban fantasy that also has humor. Will definitely continue with this series. Narration was good as well.

M Is For Awesome reviewed Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London, #1)

Review of 'Midnight Riot' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Dear Midnight Riot,
It's about time we got together - I can't believe I put off reading you so long! Flirting riffles through your pages on the shelves, finally, tentatively putting you on my wishlist of books to pick up 'when my tbr pile was smaller' - oh my god I wasted so much time I could have been reading you.
I'm going to absolutely exhaust my friends, talking about you, I just know it - your twinkling humor, your darkly handsome plot, and the surprising way you make such well-trodden story-lines fresh and exciting.
I hope you don't think this is too forward but...I can't wait to dive into your sequel.

Eoghann Mill Irving reviewed Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London, #1)

Review of 'Midnight Riot' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

If I was to give a quick description of this book I'd probably call it a UK version of the Harry Dresden series. But that doesn't really give it the credit it deserves.

Ben Aaronovitch may be known to some of you as the script writer for a couple of solid Doctor Who episodes (Remembrance of the Daleks and Battlefield). Here he shows not only a good grip on the basics of urban fantasy but also some nice background on the Metropolitan Police Force. Which gives the book an authentic feel.

Setting is critical to this book. In the UK it is titled Rivers of London and that name has significance. In the US it's been called Midnight Riot because... Americans.

Not only are the rivers themselves physically embodied in the book, but the locations add character and color. You couldn't simply transplant the story to New York and have it work the same way.

The book is also refreshingly multicultural (appropriate given the London setting) without making a big deal about it. The characters simply come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds.

If I have complaints it's that certain things are glossed over. None of the characters seem terribly upset or disconcerted by the sudden discovery of magic. Similarly they're not as upset as I might expect when things go almost catastrophically wrong.

And yet there's so much going on so fast that these are really only things I notice after the fact. There are three novels in the series so far and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.