Midnight Riot

Rivers of London, Book 1

By: Ben Aaronovitch

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

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

Great choice of narrator for this novel.

Would you consider the audio edition of Midnight Riot to be better than the print version?

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith can be credited with elevating the audio version of this book above the print version, he brings Peter Grant to life.

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

There were so many interesting elements to this novel but I think the most memorable moments revolve around Molly and her interactions with Peter Grant. Molly is a side character in this story but when he writes a scene with her in it Ben Aaronvitch makes you believe there is a sense of importance to Molly that you haven't yet seen. Not having read or listened to the other four books in the series I'm hoping Molly will be given a larger role as the story lines unfold.

Have you listened to any of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first audio novel I've listened to narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith but I'm looking forward not only to finding others but also listening to his turn as Peter Grant in the rest of this series.

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

Definitely! If I could have sat back with headphones and no interruptions for twent-four hours I'd definitely have done it.

Any additional comments?

I know there are at least four more books in this series but I'm hoping by the time I reach book five a sixth will be in the works!

A Lot of Fun

Although not the type of fantasy genre I usually listen to, I really enjoyed Midnight Riot. Mostly light fun with enough characters and realism to anchor it. The narrator is excellent. I enjoyed the strong accent.

Pure genius!

If the Harry Potter series and the British crime drama series Luther had a baby, Midnight Riot would be their child. The storyline is clever and enthralling. The narrator breathes life into the characters. Each character has a unique voice that suits his or her personality and station in life, from Nigerian river goddess to a turn of the century, upper crust detective/wizard. The contemporary allusions to Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Dr. Who are hilarious and well-timed. I love this book and the entire series, and I would recommend them to anyone who secretly played Dungeons and Dragons in 6th-8th grade, watched Star Trek with his/her parents, wished he/she were as cool as Hans Solo and had a Wookie sidekick, and loved reading Harry Potter more than his/her kids.

great narration paranormal UK police procedural

If you could sum up Midnight Riot in three words, what would they be?

absolutely intoxicating narration

Who was your favorite character and why?

Momma Thames, sucha cool concept.

Which character – as performed by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith – was your favorite?

Nightingale is mysterious. Not sure if he is trust-worthy or what he is hiding. Also loved the banter between Peter and his constable partner.

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

No, but very enjoyable listen.

Any additional comments?

This was the closest to the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher that I have come so far. It's a police procedural, with the protagonist being a British constable who discovers that magic is real and that some of the crimes he is investigating are really caused by things that go bump in the night. The book is set in London, by someone that really knows London. It has the feel of London, with the racial diversity, British slang, young Brit way of life (clubs, pubs, kebabs, curries, and flats with laundry on the floor), and a generous dollop of well-researched London history. I very much enjoyed the idea of the Thames and its "daughter" waterways being manifested by human-seeming spirits with distinct personalities and agendas. There is a lot of (dry or earthy) humor and humanity in the writing, which flows very naturally and is easy to get swept up in. It felt rather Dr. Who-esque. Like Dresden, there is an apprentice system for learning magic, and the protagonist is taken under the wing of an Inspector in a special "supernatural" wing of the constabulary.

What was somewhat lackluster: The pacing was odd. The story ran in fits and starts, with lags here and there. The teacher of our constable is injured and out of commission and thus unable to advise our hero for a big chunk of the book. The ending was rather far-fetched, involving a near-death experiment and time travel that seemed to come out of nowhere. After the ending, there is a bizarre episode after the resolution of the actual main plotline, which felt like the preview chapter of the next book. The main character is a likeable fellow mostly, but is quite juvenile sexually - commenting on cleavage and despite budding relationships with two female characters, is seemingly bumblingly teenage in his thoughts about them. The villain of the piece ends up to be re-enacting the old Punch and Judy tale, which is, quite frankly, ridiculous. It lessened the level of tension inherent in the solving of the crime for me. While I appreciated that the magic system was something that anyone could learn and the magical abilities were kept to a relatively conservative level in power and affect, our hero learned way too fast and too easily for the short period of time covered in the book.

3.5 stars, particularly for the easy, almost effortless style of the writing and the wonderful feel of the London setting. The narration was beautifully done, smooth, with all the right pacing, humor, and sarcasm, and excellent accents.

Anxiously awaiting each new book!

My husband picked this story up when Audible recommended it and I honestly wasn't sure if I'd like it. I'm so so glad I listened. The Peter Grant books are some of my favorites ever! I'm buying the books and reading them as well as listening because they are engaging in a way that I haven't experienced lately. I love the narrator, too!

Great Book, Really Loved It

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I really did not expect this book to captivate me for very long. I'm not a real mystery fan, I really struggle through keeping up with changing worlds and all the different fantasy elements that are present. This one was the perfect mixture of fantasy and real world, and science and history, and it was truly spectacular to listen to.

This book really made me feel, about halfway through, that there was no way they'd be able to wrap up all the characters by the end of the book. I was so excited when I remembered that this was the first in the series (I bought the book a while ago and just got around to reading it), and I'm so excited to begin Book 2 I can't wait. The characters were easy to relate to, and I'm happy to know that it won't end for at least a few more books!

I only gave 5 stars for reader cuz 10 isnt poss

Kubota holdbrook-smith is the absolute best narrator for audiobooks I have ever heard. Derek Jacobi is the second

A Rollicking Good Ride!

If you like the Dresden Chronicles, you'll enjoy this series. Excellent writing, a fast moving plot, and likable, interesting characters. Left me wanting more, so I'm happy there are a few more in the series!

Detective story and urban fantasy done right!

Oh so good! This is police drama with urban fantasy done right. Peter Grant is a recently made constable that starts to see ghosts. This suprise has some down sides but has the decidedly great advantage of saving him from being a paperwork monkey that fills out other constable's and detectives paperwork for them. While that would be a "valuable service," it is not the service he signed up for. He wants to be a proper thief taker.

Ben Aaronovitch creates a fabulously Brittish view of London. It's modern, funny, and has the perfect and accurate pop culture references. I picked it up because I was trolling Daniel O'Malley's blog, hoping to find out when the sequel to "The Rook" was coming,and he recommended The Peter Grant series for those of us needing anything similar to satisfy our impatience.

This is a quick but fun read that will make you laugh. Make sure you have the sequel because you will not want to wait. It has some light sexual content and profanity but nothing extreme a slightly worldly teenager can't handle. Have your parents ever slipped up and sworn in front of you? Yes? You can handle this.

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith does a fabulous narration! It enhanced the book for me. The accents were fantastic and the characters were differentiated well. The entirety is in a strong Brittish accent but as it is set in London this was perfect. I will listen to anything he narrates and intend to listen rather than read the rest of this series.

The best fiction audiobook I've ever heard

Any additional comments?

I'm a picky audiobook listener. I tend to find fault with narrators (too slow, weird voices, can't pronounce some words...) and if the writing isn't tight, the audiobook format will highlight that sloppiness.

So when I say that this audiobook was PERFECT, it means something.

The plot is fast-paced, suspenseful, and at times genuinely shocking. The logic of the supernatural components of the world is solid. The main character is charismatic and competent at his policing, and always relatable. You'll be gripped by the story and care about its ending.

And the narration, oh, the narration! Kobna Holdbrook-Smith brings each character to life in a way I've never heard another narrator even come close to. When it says "he laughed" or similar written stage direction, the narrator does it, in a completely natural way. He actually acts the emotions of the book. If something tense is happening, he sounds tense, just as the main character should be. It adds a whole new level of immersiveness to the experience. I wish he could narrate every book, but unfortunately he seems to be specializing in the rather narrow niche of books about Brits of African heritage. Well, then, come on, authors, write some more of those! I want more books narrated by this guy!

I didn't want this book to end, and when it did, I immediately listened to the two sequels (which are also great). I think there are more planned, and I can't wait.