Nocturnal Book Reviews

I have one word to describe this book, and it's TERRIFIC. There is always a special place among the books I read for British authors.

The writing style, the language, the grittiness and feeling that this is real, the peculiar British humour - I absolutely love all that. Ben Aaronovitch has it in spades.

First of all, Peter is a klutz. Adorable, sarcastic as any Londoner, but a klutz. That's why he failed to get top marks for his chemistry to get into a university, and that's why his superiors think that the only place he will be good at is The Case Progression Unit where you basically play a role of a uniformed secretary.

But Peter has got "the touch". His father was a famous jazz musician until his heroin habit got under way, and his son has the same talent - he is attuned to magic. When he decides to interview the ghost on the scene of murder, his life irrevocably changes and he becomes an apprentice for an inspector/wizard Thomas Nightingale.

Now he is studying magic, trying to diplomatically solve the territorial conflict between Mother Thames and Father Thames - two warring gods of the London rivers, and investigate particularly gruesome string of murders around London.

This book has it all - wonderful plot, juicy secondary characters, numerous jokes about London Police and Harry Potter, and plenty of tension.

I strongly recommend it to anyone who loves urban fantasy. I promise you'll enjoy it!