Rivers of London

" - I had a hard time getting through nearly half of it. That's odd considering the writing is roughly 8th grade level reading and the font is similar to that of a YA novel while round off at just over 300 pages. The particular copy I bought had a lot of typos, one of which was a whole paragraph accidentally printed twice. On top of that the characters aren't introduced very well, chief among them Inspector Nightingale, or the Merlin of this particular story. I expected this character to be more fleshed out, but he ended up being oddly one dimensional while not feeling mysterious enough to even work in a broad sense. The magical system itself is nearly non-existent even by soft magic standards and the plot feels contrived for most of the story. This is book one so maybe the series gets better later as it goes along, but as it is it feels generic and features shallow characters with world building that has very little depth or detail. I would recommend book one of The Dresden Files (Storm Front) if you want a good modern day supernatural mystery that is way funnier. + It does have its funny moments and the last quarter of the book is ok. I also liked certain characters like Beverly Brook and Lesley May. There is also a lot of potential to further explore this world in future novels, even if this one doesn't quite hit the mark. Overall: Mostly shallow characters that are poorly introduced, lazy world building and magic system, topped off with a contrived story. It is funny in some parts, reminiscent of Men In Black and Hellboy, but even its strengths make for a disappointing first book. I would recommend Jim Butcher's Storm Front as a way better alternative."

"Loved the dry humor throughout and the image and smell connections with magic. Really wanted to love this. Just wasn’t for me."

"A rollicking good time of a book, smart, funny, and fabulous unforgettable characters. (If you listen to it on Audible you will also get the pleasure of hearing one of their finest narrators ...) The River of London series just gets better with every book, and the mix of magic, police procedural, and British humor can't be beat. Not just for lovers of the genre, this urban fantasy is just an excellent read-plain and simple. Peter Grant is one of my favorite protagonists ever, along with a very believable magic system, and refreshingly strong smart and independent female characters - both human and not so human ... Definitely a desert island book for me, so much fun!"

"This was a fun magical realism detective story that has aged pretty well considering its publication date. I’m on book three of the series so far and the first book is definitely my favorite. "

"Really fun book. I enjoyed this spin on supernatural things in our world. Very cool. I look forward to reading the next one."

"The concept and the characters are lots of fun. Once I finished the first, I plowed right through the rest of the series. "

"Great concept for a magic realism book. The start of the series. Love the world building, not to fond of the main character and his problematic attitude to women. Oh, it's not too bad, but I find the objectification a little wearing."

"Amazing depth, detail and world building with complex, likeable characters who defy stereotypes."

"Can’t recommend this series of novels enough. "

"I don't interact with a lot of anime. It's just not my area of expertise. Sorry! :)"