BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?

Subject: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Jun 20 - 03:39 PM

Author of the Peter Grant series of books. I have read them all apart from "Lies Sleeping" which I am part way through and "False Value" which I have waiting in the wings. Also read the Novellas "The October Man" and "The Last Station". Not read any of the graphic novels yet.

I am really enjoying them but I do like the idea of fantasy combined with the real world. His knowledge and descriptions of the London landscape are excellent. Makes me want to visit some of the scenes. Nearly :-)

Anyone else into these books?

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 02:51 AM

Ah well. I guess I'm on my own. Social distancing :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Reinhard
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 05:35 AM

I found Rivers of London by chance years ago in the English books section of Hamburg main station's book store. I did like the descriptive plot. But I can't find it on my book shelves any more - must have given it to someone for reading and didn't get it back. Pity, I'd like read it again some time.

And thanks for this thread - didn't know that this novel was just the first one in a long series.   Maybe I'll need a new bookcase; the old ones are filled with the complete (as far as I know) Terry Pratchett, Dorothy Sayers and Tony Hillerman, amongst others.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 06:18 AM

My wife got into the Rivers of London series a while back. They do look good. A bit like Jasper Fforde, anybody read his stuff?

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Thompson
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 08:44 AM

Like them, in the same way I like the Ladies' Detective Agency and Dr Siri Paboun books, but I'm finding them a little bit samey at this stage; he needs to take a bit of a turning and pull the stops out.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 08:54 AM

I enjoy the Rivers Of London books though I'm not usually into fantasy.
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 09:20 AM

I love Ben Aaronovitch. I found them on Audible, the audiobook vendor, read by an actor who does multi-racial Estuarine rather well, as far as my Canadian ear can tell.

“October Men” shifts the action to the wine city of Trier in Germany, to good effect. Thompson might like that.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 09:34 AM

Yes, I found Moon over Soho and Whispers Under Ground were a bit slow after Rivers of London but, for me, the series really took off again with Broken Homes and has not slowed down since!

Has anyone read the graphic novels? There are references in the books to events that happen in the graphic onces. No spoilers or nothing that spoils the enjoyement but interesting that they all link in.

I reckon a Netflix or Amazon series should be next :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 09:36 AM

BTW - For some reason Rivers of London is known as Midnight Riot in the US. Possibly elsewhere too.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 10:15 AM

Yes, it's "Midnight Riot" in Canada, though the title "Rivers of London" survives as the series label.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 10:21 AM

I wonder why that happens? Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone is sorceror's stone across the pond and Bernard Cornwell's Harlequin is Azincourt over there.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 11:13 AM

It is all dependent on to what the punters can relate, Dave.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 12:30 PM

The punters' understanding was certainly the case with the first Harry Potter (which sold in Canada under the British title, BTW), but copyright also has a bearing. If there's already a book with a similar title on offer in the area where your book is to be introduced, your title may be changed to prevent confusion.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Jun 20 - 05:15 PM

Jasper Fforde got a bad problem with similar names. Starting a new series of books with a more serious and dystopian angle than the earlier two, he called the first one "Shades of Grey". "50 Shades of Grey" came out a few months later. I don't think Fforde ever managed to do another one.

Subject: RE: BS: Ben Aaronovitch anyone?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Jun 20 - 11:49 AM

Ouch! Bet that narked him :-(