Rivers of London: Detective Stories #2

From the Case Files of Peter Grant…

Police Constable Peter Grant’s performance review to become a detective continues. His next case placed under the microscope involves a stolen work of art. Only, this thief wasn’t trying to remove the sketch from a museum or gallery. He was trying to add it to the collection of the Duke of Wellington.

A Lack of Cohesion

I was quite disappointed with this issue. When it comes to plotting out a well structured mystery, the author can get bogged down in the details. I think Rivers of London creator and writer Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel made the plot to this story just too darn complex. Immortal soldiers, a rough draft by painter Francisco Goya, and a confession to the crime that the reader is never fully allowed to see makes for a centuries old puzzle that really didn’t need to be solved.

This issue wasn’t all bad. Segments of the story were quite good. The art as a whole was amazing. Artist Lee Sullivan illustrates the story in the style of different artists and art movements.

Sullivan’s use of styles was so good, I think Aaronovitch was trying to repeat this process, telling each suspect’s story in a different way. For example, when Grant is scouting the crime scene, clues are plastered all over the museum as he’d see it. Jump ahead a few pages to Peter interrogating the perp and the scenes inter-cut with Peter’s partner Lesley, at a private art session. Both conversations really only tell us one side of the story. Interesting techniques, but they don’t tell a cohesive enough of a story when put together.

Casting Judgments

Since I last reviewed issue #1, I have been on the hunt for the first Rivers of London novel. Being originally published in England, let me tell you, that’s no easy feat. I’ve only found it on Amazon and not for a price I’m very excited to pay. After reading this issue, I was a little relieved that I didn’t get it.

I’m willing to give this series one more try; like a best 2-out-of-3. Thankfully, each issue recounts only a single case with no real cliffhanger. If issue #3 winds up being my last, at least I will not feel like I would be missing out on anything. But Ben Aaronovitch and the staff at Titan Comics are going to have to pull out all the stops if they are going to win me over as a fan of Rivers of London for good.

Tune in next month to uncover how that mystery is solved…

Worth Consuming

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Review was originally published July 13, 2017 on Outrightgeekery.com

Rivers of London: Detective Stories #1

The men and women of the London Police are assigned with investigating the ritualistic murder of a goat. Normally Police Constable Peter Grant wouldn’t be called to investigate this assignment. The dead animal is probably the result of some punk kids trying to recreate something they saw in a movie. Steal a goat from a petting zoo. Douse the poor animal with petrol. Watch it burn. Only, there’s no evidence of any try of accelerant- well at least any that isn’t magical…

Law & Magic

    Rivers of London: Detective Stories is the latest miniseries from Titan Books based on the Rivers of London novels. Written by former Classic Doctor Who screenwriter, Ben Aaronovitch, Rivers of London follows PC Peter Grant as he solves supernatural related crime throughout the capital city of the British Crown.  Along with being a detective in training, PC Grant also happens to be an apprentice wizard. Due to his multiple talents, Grant is recruited into the Folly.

    The Folly is a branch of the British law enforcement that takes on the cases that keep the toughest of coppers awake at night. In this opening chapter, Grant is just about to undergo his exams. But first, he must pass a performance review with a tough as nails assessor named Detective Inspector Chopra.

Under The Influence

    Rivers of London was a magical book that draws it’s inspiration from many sources. The idea of the Folly is like the BPRD only without hellish creatures doing the investigating. The police procedurals and the very British use of slang reminds you of shows like Broadchurch or Luther. Plus, there’s a whimsical charm that harkens back to Pratchett’s Discworld series. There’s actual proof of that as this book has a reference to Lord Vetinari! What other series do that?

Only Nixon Can Go to China

   This book is co-written by series creator Ben Aaronvitch.  By having the mastermind behind the Rivers of London books crafting this tale was a smart idea on Titan Books part. Nobody’s going to do justice to your franchise than yourself! Plus, it helps when you co-writer is a kindred spirit. Assisting Aaronvitch is fellow Doctor Who screenwriting alum Andrew Cartmel.

   There’s at least 2 other minis based on the series of novels, which currently numbers in the half dozen. You don’t have to have read any them to understand or enjoy this book. That’s a very good thing as the art, while good, is also quite generic.

WHOoooooo Are You?

       Lee Sullivan (Transformers Time Wars) is on duty as the Rivers of London sketch artist. Sullivan’s vision of the scenery of London is quite stunning. Yet, as Rivers has never been done as a TV series or movie (YET!) So if you are not familiar with the other comics, with Sullivan’s style there is no way to  know who was who. Thankfully, Aaronvitch and Cartmel make the right decision to include back story and character introductions for many of the key players. This helps the uninitiated reader to have no problem following the story at all since most of the characters look very one note in comics form.

      Though this is the first of a new miniseries, the story has an acceptable enough ending. There is no true cliffhangers at issue’s end. So if the readers only wanted to go as far the first issue and go no further without a sense of completion, they could. By why would you stop with a series that is an intriguing and magical as this? Detective Stories is a book that deserves further investigation!

     Worth Consuming!

     Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.