Having lived in London for nearly a decade, it's always something trepidating about reading these (now rather many) urban fantasy stories set in it. PHaving lived in London for nearly a decade, it's always something trepidating about reading these (now rather many) urban fantasy stories set in it. Particularly because the authors always seem to have a far more exclusively positive relationship with the city, and even so seem to neglect many of the (both positive and negative) details in favour of well-known tourist spots.
This is yet again true for Rivers of London, but there is clearly evidence of some attempt to go further. The conception of semi-fantastical London, and the choice of locations to hone in on, was quite all right if not more than that. Instead, what fell completely flat for me was the story and the characters. As a detective novel, this was just plain uninteresting. I enjoyed reading it at times, and I'd be curious to know if there is more suspense and, for that matter, coherence, in the subsequent instalments, but as it stands, I was simply left entirely unimpressed....more
I would never have thought that a book that in its early stages seemed to lack direction entirely would turn out this good. Certainly not that the tenI would never have thought that a book that in its early stages seemed to lack direction entirely would turn out this good. Certainly not that the tendency of atrocious, bizarre, unnecessary scenes would be replaced by the excellent communication of genuinely moving myths.
There is considerable artistic greatness in this book. Just like in Neverwhere, there is also a scarcely-above-mediocre plot and an extremely bland protagonist, but overall, the sheer writing talent of Neil Gaiman, along with the incorporation of half a world's worth of mythological legends, was enough to tip the scales in his favour in my mind.
I'll give up the rest of my review space to the author himself, who describes and introduces the book perfectly:
If Neverwhere was about the London underneath, this would be about the America between, and on-top-of, and around. It's an America with strange mythic depths. Ones that can hurt you. Or kill you. Or make you mad.
It's about the soul of America, really. What people brought to America; what found them when they came; and the things that lie sleeping beneath it all....more
"There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife."
This opening sentence was my favourite part of The Graveyard Book.
I adore Neil Gaiman, his"There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife."
This opening sentence was my favourite part of The Graveyard Book.
I adore Neil Gaiman, his style, his ways of expression and his weird thoughts. His books, however, never seem to strike a pure, clean chord with me. It's an annoying thing, for every time I read one of them I really do want to like it more.
The Graveyard Book is no exception. It's good, sure, but it could have been better. The idea behind it is better. I loved the concept of living in a graveyard and communicating with ghosts on an everyday basis. But the story, the characters and nearly everything else fell somewhat flat.
I think in my eyes, Gaiman is a great man with fascinating ideas who is mostly only able to turn them into fun stories falling short of the mark of true greatness. I know people disagree, but I will keep expecting more until hopefully one day I read a book of his I can unequivocally praise....more
”There are two Londons. There's London Above―that's where you lived―and then there's London Below―the Underside―inhabited by the people who fell throu”There are two Londons. There's London Above―that's where you lived―and then there's London Below―the Underside―inhabited by the people who fell through the cracks in the world. Now you're one of them.”
What if there is a secret underworld hidden in the dark below the busy, noisy streets of London? What if Earl’s Court is truly the court of an earl and the name of Angel station derives from a real angel? On a fortuitous night Richard Mayhew finds a mysterious young girl wounded in an alley, and it is the first step on a journey to the world of Neverwhere…
Neil Gaiman is an author that’s been on my list for a long time, and I must say this was not anywhere near what I had expected. His writing style is more flowery (which translates to better in my head) than I had feared, and the premise and plot of at least this book was a lot less weird and more mainstream than I had thought. As a whole, that made me think of this as a somewhat remarkably well-written book with unremarkable characters, storyline and setting.
As an inhabitant of London (albeit a temporary one), this book of course came with an enormous appeal. I decided I had to read it before I moved again, and I’m glad I did. The fantastic fictionalisation of the Underground is both wonderful and enough to change my view of London. The tube stations Earl’s Court, Angel and many others now carry new meanings.
In the end, Neverwhere is a very enjoyable, but largely unimpressive book. Not many people see this as a favourite among Gaiman’s works, but it’s a good book that I’d recommend to anyone who has been to London. ...more
"I'm going to tell you something important. Grown-ups don't look like grown-ups on the inside either. Outside, they're big and thoughtless and they"I'm going to tell you something important. Grown-ups don't look like grown-ups on the inside either. Outside, they're big and thoughtless and they always know what they're doing. Inside, they look just like they always have. Like they did when they were your age. The truth is, there aren't any grown-ups. Not one, in the whole wide world."
And there we go. Another one down. And just like Neverwhere, American Gods, Coraline and The Graveyard Book, three stars it is. Although there are always elements of Gaiman's books that I greatly appreciate and enjoy, I remain with the impression that he is a far better writer than a storyteller. Or at the very least, he and I have vastly different perceptions of what makes a good story. Which is a shame considering how bloody cool the guy is. Every time I read one of his stories, I want to like it so much. And every time, that hope is crushed.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, however, is quite possibly the most intriguing one I've read of those stories. I'll have to give it some reflection to see if I can actually formulate an opinion of it eventually....more
I looked up through the clear night at the almost-full moon. Werewolves jumping through windows at gangster's lackeys in unfinished restauran3.5 stars
I looked up through the clear night at the almost-full moon. Werewolves jumping through windows at gangster's lackeys in unfinished restaurants. A mangled corpse in the middle of a blood-drenched floor. Berserk FBI field agents drawing guns and shooting to kill. A little kung fu, a little John Wayne, and a few casual threats. So far, I thought, my nerves jangling, just one more night on the job.
Ah, the Dresden Files. Modern-day pulp fiction, and yet so fun to read.
Harry Dresden’s career is going downhill. His former friend and main source of income, Special Investigator Karrin Murphy, refuses to have anything to do with him. Things get so bad he can barely afford his next meal. But then a new murder mystery comes along, one involving brutally mutilated corpses, paw prints left behind on the scene, and a full moon…
This book was actually quite different in a number of ways. At first it actually seemed to have taken a step down from the level of Storm Front, but fortunately it got better and better as the story progressed. Writing, characterisation and most other aspects of the book are still rather mediocre, but Jim Butcher is visibly improving as a writer.
As a murder mystery, this book was a lot better than the first one. There are multiple suspects, interesting plot twists and overall there are simply more layers to the story. The reader gets more information about Harry’s past and personality, and about the nature of magic and magical beings. I especially enjoyed the introduction of Chauncy the demon, and Harry’s rather interesting conversation with his own subconscious.
In the end, this was not a great book, but it’s definitely going in the right direction. Most important of all, it actually made me excited about continuing with the series. And that’s something the first book wasn’t able to. Considering that most people seem to think that this is another of the second-rate Dresden books, I am certainly looking forward to reading the really good ones. ...more
"My name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure by it at your own risk. I'm a wizard. I work out of an office in midtown Chicago. As far as "My name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure by it at your own risk. I'm a wizard. I work out of an office in midtown Chicago. As far as I know, I'm the only openly practicing professional wizard in the country. You can find me in the yellow pages, under 'Wizards.' Believe it or not, I'm the only one there."
Harry Dresden is Chicago’s only wizard. One day he is contacted by a nervous woman who wants him to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her husband, whom she thinks has dabbled in the forbidden arts of magic. Shortly afterwards, Harry’s contacts in the police summon him to a scene where a couple has been brutally and horribly murdered without any trace of the killer. The investigation takes him all across Chicago and its underworld, to encounters with crime lords and supernatural beings, all the while being observed by the watchful eyes of the White Council, who think that Harry himself is behind it all...
Harry Dresden is quite an interesting protagonist. Despite being a wizard, he’s incredibly... well, normal, and he lives and acts just like any other guy would. He has his good sides and bad sides and plenty of flaws, and despite that he’s not particularly complex, it’s refreshing to read a book from the viewpoint of a guy like this. Sadly, Harry is the only real character in the book. All the others are completely shallow and one-dimensional. Most of them are stereotypical and simplistic, and the female characters in particular are badly portrayed. And while some of these characters are really interesting despite all that, it’s just not enough.
Storm Front is a book which attempts to do quite a lot and falls a bit short in almost every area. It’s straightforward and predictable, lacks an organised plot, and contains whole chapters that are unfortunately quite boring. As a murder mystery, it lacks both style and suspense. As an fantasy novel, it’s not much better.
But of course, there are positive things to say as well. It seems I spent two paragraphs mostly slaughtering the book, and that won’t do at all. Because it was an enjoyable book to read. Despite its obvious issues, it was certainly entertaining. Sometimes it can even be a real page-turner. But like any expansion novel or any form of pulp fiction, it’s primarily just mindless entertainment. It’s not particularly complex, it’s not particularly well-written and it’s not particularly exciting. But if the opinion of the general public is correct and this is one of the weakest books in the series, then I am definitely looking forward to reading the others.
Of course, I should mention that urban fantasy is a long, long way from being my favourite genre. It's been a genre I've been skeptical to for quite some time, yet I still find it enjoyable occasionally. So if you're normally a fan of urban fantasy, I would recommend this book. If not, I'd say skip it.
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