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Shadow Police #1
London Falling
London Falling by Paul Cornell is an urban fantasy twist on the classic police London cops versus magical creatures of nightPolice officers Quill, Costain, Sefton, and Ross know the worst of London—or they think they do. While investigating a mobster's mysterious death, they come into contact with a strange artifact and accidentally develop the Sight. Suddenly they can see the true evil haunting London's streets.Armed with police instincts and procedures, the four officers take on the otherworldly creatures secretly prowling London. Football lore and the tragic history of a Tudor queen become entwined in their pursuit of an age-old witch with a penchant for child sacrifice. But when London's monsters become aware of their meddling, the officers must decide what they are willing to sacrifice to clean up their city.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2012
393 people are currently reading
10981 people want to read
About the author
Paul Cornell
616 books1,501 followersPaul Cornell is a British writer of science fiction and fantasy prose, comics and television. He's been Hugo Award-nominated for all three media, and has won the BSFA Award for his short fiction, and the Eagle Award for his comics. He's the writer of Saucer Country for Vertigo, Demon Knights for DC, and has written for the Doctor Who TV series. His new urban fantasy novel is London Falling, out from Tor on December 6th.
via Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cor...
via Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cor...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 933 reviews
February 7, 2017
FIVE THINGS ABOUT LONDON FALLING
What a splendid and fun supernatural procedural. I read it in its entirety on a cross-country flight, while a weary mother's dictatorial three-year-old loudly terrorized my entire seating section from the seat beside mine. Even with a strange child's feet flailing in my lap and a strange child's popcorn arcing over my field of vision and a strange child's crappy diaper removed and instantly refueled inches away from me, this novel held me. So, without further ado, five things about it:
1. It's the first in a series: the Shadow Police series, book 3 of which came out last year in the UK and is coming here to the U.S. in May. I know that I'm a hypocrite to be saying I'm not a fan of series because I don't like waiting for the next book to arrive, but there it is, it's the truth. London Falling, however, wraps up book one's concern in a satisfying, sprawling climax, and although there is a decidedly open ending, it's better classified as a promise than a cliffhanger.
2. Cornell has writing chops. I knew before starting London Falling this was his debut novel, but I also knew that he wrote comics and had written a few episodes of Dr. Who. He brings that sprightly pacing to this novel, juggling four main characters with ease. It's a procedural at heart, so expect efficient, brisk characterization rather than lavished pages of introspection, but the main characters were nonetheless specific and intriguing.
3. The magic is just wonderful. Sometimes when a book tries to meld grit and magic, one or the other suffers, but London Falling delivered some lovely and toothsome magic that felt essential and old.
4. The first 50 pages are a slog. I'm saying this because I want you to push past it. There are a lot of characters introduced very quickly and a lot of unfamiliar workplace relationships strung across the page, and for me, at least, it meant that I sometimes had to flip back to earlier pages to see if I was remembering last names correctly. This may have been due in part to my airplane seatmate's shouting that she wanted her candy NOW, but I suspect not.
5. There is a very, very rewarding plot element three quarters of the way through the novel that I'd love to tell you about — but I won't. It is the result of a careful building of a plot and character house, and far be it for me to bring it tumbling down before you get a chance to climb the stairs. Suffice to say that I grinned on the plane when I read it. Well done, Cornell, well done.
I'll be checking out Cornell's other work posthaste.
What a splendid and fun supernatural procedural. I read it in its entirety on a cross-country flight, while a weary mother's dictatorial three-year-old loudly terrorized my entire seating section from the seat beside mine. Even with a strange child's feet flailing in my lap and a strange child's popcorn arcing over my field of vision and a strange child's crappy diaper removed and instantly refueled inches away from me, this novel held me. So, without further ado, five things about it:
1. It's the first in a series: the Shadow Police series, book 3 of which came out last year in the UK and is coming here to the U.S. in May. I know that I'm a hypocrite to be saying I'm not a fan of series because I don't like waiting for the next book to arrive, but there it is, it's the truth. London Falling, however, wraps up book one's concern in a satisfying, sprawling climax, and although there is a decidedly open ending, it's better classified as a promise than a cliffhanger.
2. Cornell has writing chops. I knew before starting London Falling this was his debut novel, but I also knew that he wrote comics and had written a few episodes of Dr. Who. He brings that sprightly pacing to this novel, juggling four main characters with ease. It's a procedural at heart, so expect efficient, brisk characterization rather than lavished pages of introspection, but the main characters were nonetheless specific and intriguing.
3. The magic is just wonderful. Sometimes when a book tries to meld grit and magic, one or the other suffers, but London Falling delivered some lovely and toothsome magic that felt essential and old.
4. The first 50 pages are a slog. I'm saying this because I want you to push past it. There are a lot of characters introduced very quickly and a lot of unfamiliar workplace relationships strung across the page, and for me, at least, it meant that I sometimes had to flip back to earlier pages to see if I was remembering last names correctly. This may have been due in part to my airplane seatmate's shouting that she wanted her candy NOW, but I suspect not.
5. There is a very, very rewarding plot element three quarters of the way through the novel that I'd love to tell you about — but I won't. It is the result of a careful building of a plot and character house, and far be it for me to bring it tumbling down before you get a chance to climb the stairs. Suffice to say that I grinned on the plane when I read it. Well done, Cornell, well done.
I'll be checking out Cornell's other work posthaste.
March 10, 2019
so here is where i have to do that thing that i hate to do which is "admit when i am wrong."
i rather boldly declared, after reading Carniepunk, that it made me discover that i was not a fan of the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genre.
so, oops.
because while this is assuredly not paranormal romance, it is definitely urban fantasy. and while i have only read one china mieville novel, perdido street station, i know enough about his particular themes and style to try that "bold declaration" thing out one more time and pronounce that fans of his would be fans of this. or maybe also fans of jim butcher. i know less about him, but i know that with him, there are crimes to be solved, using magic-assisted means, and yet it is still all gritty and urban-police-procedural-focused.
which is what this one has going on.
it took a little while to get going, for me. i have to admit, i was utterly confused at the beginning. we are introduced, very rapidly, to a number of characters without learning enough about them to distinguish them from each other. there is a police investigation into an organized crime ring, where there are undercover cops, one of whom may have gone native and is under suspicion by other cops, and the chain of command was a little blurry to me, and everything was speeding along with a raid and a last-minute attempt to collect evidence and everyone sort of looking sideways at each other, suspiciously, and i had no idea who was on the up-and-up and who was conning whom.
but then, THEN, we get to the interrogation scene, where the suspect is behaving all squirrelly and then suddenly he becomes terrified, seems to see something that no one else can see, and then suddenly EXPLODES IN A MIST OF BLOOD! this is not meant to be a spoiler, this is meant to be a hook. this is what will either make you read the book, or know that it is not for you.
that kind of scene is definitely for me.
after that, it was smoother sailing for me. mostly. technically, this is a three-and-a-half that i feel comfortable rounding up because it intrigued me all the way through, and even though there were other points where i was a little confused, i can write that off as my newbie-to-the-genre status and my preoccupation with other life-matters.
the parts that i liked, i really, really liked.
i particularly appreciated the concept of a group of police, suddenly confronted with a whole "other" london, with supernatural forces existing unseen but exerting a dark influence over london-proper, and how they have to find a way to combat these forces using traditional police practices. and how it worked just about as well as you would expect it to. you know, not well at all. but then the unfolding process of how they adapt within that framework to try some more lateral thinking-moves while still employing traditional fact-finding missions and whiteboards and paperwork, with the added benefit of some new...skills.like being able to question, say, a cat. it managed to be both funny and fascinating; this evolution of procedure.
and there were some very memorable scenes that were well-written with their reveals well-deployed. quill's realization towards the end came as a total shock to me, which might have been due to my compromised attention-span due to those aforementioned life-matters, but i am hoping that it is just because it was carefully written and it comes as much of a surprise to you, too. because it is so nice to find a book that does that well, without cheating, and this one doesn't cheat.
ross' character was by far the most interesting, and not because she is the only ("real") lady. again, the reveal of her backstory was handled deftly, and was one of the most developed departures from the "main" story. her character was the easiest to connect with as a reader. again, not because of gender - she was the most human, while some other characters (sefton) seemed to be more a collection of character traits.
the money shot in this one was spectacular, and is an example of an author taking a real-world scenario and using it unexpectedly and creatively. and it was also very funny. and it was meant to be, i think; i'm pretty sure i am not laughing inappropriately here. which i have been known to do. but you tell me.
i will definitely be reading the follow-up to this one, now that my genre-preference foundation has been rocked.
come to my blog!
i rather boldly declared, after reading Carniepunk, that it made me discover that i was not a fan of the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genre.
so, oops.
because while this is assuredly not paranormal romance, it is definitely urban fantasy. and while i have only read one china mieville novel, perdido street station, i know enough about his particular themes and style to try that "bold declaration" thing out one more time and pronounce that fans of his would be fans of this. or maybe also fans of jim butcher. i know less about him, but i know that with him, there are crimes to be solved, using magic-assisted means, and yet it is still all gritty and urban-police-procedural-focused.
which is what this one has going on.
it took a little while to get going, for me. i have to admit, i was utterly confused at the beginning. we are introduced, very rapidly, to a number of characters without learning enough about them to distinguish them from each other. there is a police investigation into an organized crime ring, where there are undercover cops, one of whom may have gone native and is under suspicion by other cops, and the chain of command was a little blurry to me, and everything was speeding along with a raid and a last-minute attempt to collect evidence and everyone sort of looking sideways at each other, suspiciously, and i had no idea who was on the up-and-up and who was conning whom.
but then, THEN, we get to the interrogation scene, where the suspect is behaving all squirrelly and then suddenly he becomes terrified, seems to see something that no one else can see, and then suddenly EXPLODES IN A MIST OF BLOOD! this is not meant to be a spoiler, this is meant to be a hook. this is what will either make you read the book, or know that it is not for you.
that kind of scene is definitely for me.
after that, it was smoother sailing for me. mostly. technically, this is a three-and-a-half that i feel comfortable rounding up because it intrigued me all the way through, and even though there were other points where i was a little confused, i can write that off as my newbie-to-the-genre status and my preoccupation with other life-matters.
the parts that i liked, i really, really liked.
i particularly appreciated the concept of a group of police, suddenly confronted with a whole "other" london, with supernatural forces existing unseen but exerting a dark influence over london-proper, and how they have to find a way to combat these forces using traditional police practices. and how it worked just about as well as you would expect it to. you know, not well at all. but then the unfolding process of how they adapt within that framework to try some more lateral thinking-moves while still employing traditional fact-finding missions and whiteboards and paperwork, with the added benefit of some new...skills.like being able to question, say, a cat. it managed to be both funny and fascinating; this evolution of procedure.
and there were some very memorable scenes that were well-written with their reveals well-deployed. quill's realization towards the end came as a total shock to me, which might have been due to my compromised attention-span due to those aforementioned life-matters, but i am hoping that it is just because it was carefully written and it comes as much of a surprise to you, too. because it is so nice to find a book that does that well, without cheating, and this one doesn't cheat.
ross' character was by far the most interesting, and not because she is the only ("real") lady. again, the reveal of her backstory was handled deftly, and was one of the most developed departures from the "main" story. her character was the easiest to connect with as a reader. again, not because of gender - she was the most human, while some other characters (sefton) seemed to be more a collection of character traits.
the money shot in this one was spectacular, and is an example of an author taking a real-world scenario and using it unexpectedly and creatively. and it was also very funny. and it was meant to be, i think; i'm pretty sure i am not laughing inappropriately here. which i have been known to do. but you tell me.
i will definitely be reading the follow-up to this one, now that my genre-preference foundation has been rocked.
come to my blog!
December 8, 2014
From my blog at https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/...
I sought out London Falling as it was recommended by Ben Aaronovich, who writes my very favorite Peter Grant books.
But this didn't quite work.
The coming together of an investigative team? Police procedural? Thriller? Serial killers? All ingredients that sound appealing. I’m betting the juxtaposition here won’t work for most. Personally, I don’t lean too far into thriller territory, but there are some exceptions. This isn’t one.
Cornell has enjoyable writing. Vivid descriptions that make the magical seem plausible, and capture the confusion of people confronting it for the first time:
"The stairs, right in front of her, were particularly challenging. It was as if you could see underneath the stairwell and yet up it at the same time. The up-and-down pattern of the stairs seemed to be overlaid on the surface of your eyes. But it was still contained within a discrete space. It was like a Picasso painting of a stairway."
London plays an important role in the story, and its rich and varied scenes lend a nice sense of setting. Characterization of people, however, is a little weak. The third-person narrative jumps between the perspective of Quill, the Detective Inspector leading a two year-long undercover operation; Costain, the lead undercover officer who might be sampling too much product; Sefton, a junior undercover officer; and Ross, an analyst. While Cornell should get credit for putting together a team that is diverse in more than the traditional ways, their ‘voices’ don’t attain much individuality or style, only a difference in history and personal issues that they are bringing into the scene. Additional short narratives only serve to further confuse the voice issue. That said, Cornell does a nice job of making the Evil in the book foreboding and horrorific:
"She looked at him as if it was astonishing and humiliating to hear her name coming from him. She laughed, and it was a witches' laugh. Not like witches did in children's television. That was only a distant, safe memory of this. Her laugh sounded like small bones caught in an old throat. As if she was on the verge of choking, only she wasn't feeling the threat of that--only you were."
I enjoyed the magic system and the process of the officers attempting to comprehend a world they were unprepared to find. The attempt to delineate their knowledge on a normal Operations Board had a nicely realistic touch of taking the unfamiliar and trying to find a pattern.
Most significantly for me, the combination of Evil’s purpose and method was very, very off. A side road into how Evil began created some false sympathy in a situation where none was deserved, and confused a modern storyline with historical trivia that broke continuity, as it had little to do with current events. Plotting was partially redeemed by an unexpected twist that brought the problem home.
Come to think of it, I tried Jeaniene Frost because Ilona Andrews periodically squees about her books, and that was a miss as well. Consider my lesson learned. Whether the authors are friends or blurbing for professional reasons, it's not a reason to read the book.
Two and a half stars.
August 29, 2014
I'm actively angry about the beginning of this book.
It's slow, hard going, too many characters insufficiently distinguished, unclear action. I've been churning through it for a month or more, put it down repeatedly. Got to 25% last week, still bored, clicked on it today on the train to decide whether to just bin it, and pretty much read the reast of the damn thing in a sitting. I mean, it takes off like a firework. Suddenly we have characters, we have coherent action, we have thrilling magic and intense horror and plot lurches and a really good driving concept. I loved 75% of this book with an unholy passion. But the first quarter is turgid.
I was expecting to DNF this; in fact everything I read today was a clear 5* of anybody's money.
Poorly served. This is a brilliant dark gritty urban fantasy. Just skim the first 25%.
It's slow, hard going, too many characters insufficiently distinguished, unclear action. I've been churning through it for a month or more, put it down repeatedly. Got to 25% last week, still bored, clicked on it today on the train to decide whether to just bin it, and pretty much read the reast of the damn thing in a sitting. I mean, it takes off like a firework. Suddenly we have characters, we have coherent action, we have thrilling magic and intense horror and plot lurches and a really good driving concept. I loved 75% of this book with an unholy passion. But the first quarter is turgid.
I was expecting to DNF this; in fact everything I read today was a clear 5* of anybody's money.
Poorly served. This is a brilliant dark gritty urban fantasy. Just skim the first 25%.
September 17, 2018
Read my reviews at http://jenchaosreviews.com
By Paul Cornell
Tor, Tom Doherty Associates Book, April 16, 2013
417 Pages, Kindle Edition
"Police officers Quill, Costain, Sefton, and Ross know the worst of London—or they think they do. While investigating a mobster's mysterious death, they come into contact with a strange artifact and accidentally develop the Sight. Suddenly they can see the true evil haunting London's streets.
Armed with police instincts and procedures, the four officers take on the otherworldly creatures secretly prowling London. Football lore and the tragic history of a Tudor queen become entwined in their pursuit of an age-old witch with a penchant for child sacrifice. But when London's monsters become aware of their meddling, the officers must decide what they are willing to sacrifice to clean up their city, in London Falling by Paul Cornell."(Amazon)
Rating: 5 Stars
REVIEW:
A haunting tale with well-developed characters and storyline, complete with red herrings and twists that will leave the reader breathless. This is a book that is not like any other. I thought it was slow in the beginning; however, it made sense once it took off at the 25% mark and the plot began to thicken.
CHARACTERS:
Sefton: An undercover cop with a secret of his own and willing to do things to please others. He goes above and beyond the call of duty to solve the crime and "nick" the villain at any cost, even if it means losing his life.
Costain: The lead undercover cop (above Sefton), with a dirty past and seedy present that he desperately tries to keep hidden, works to make up for the sins of his past and make right what he is doing wrong. He has a quick temper, but is utterly loyal to the group, even though he loathes Sefton for reasons only known to him.
Quill: The Detective in charge of the undercover cops. He means business and is uncomfortable around things that don't make sense. Quill says to close cases very quickly because he always feels his neck on the line from top brass. Then he changes.
Ross: The enigma. She has the biggest secret among them all. An analyst for the police force, she researches databases and does searches for them looking for suspects and witnesses. Ross is a computer wiz, not so much a police officer. She gets called into the field when the search for the villain is underway. She proves to be the most active character of them all.
The Witch: A terrible and haunting crone. She has a taste for death and power and sacrifices children in the name of power. The witch has no qualms about hurting others who are in her way. She wields enormous magical powers which are used against the group time and again.
WRITING:
The writing was absolutely wonderful. The tale was strung together with perfect adjectives and words that played together in a way that created visuals that wouldn't leave the mind at rest. The descriptions are plenty, however not so much that it takes from the actual story itself. The views of London and the characters were full of flavor and color, and terrifying ghostly images when confronted by those who had the ability to see them.
PLOT:
The book starts off as a police procedural with undercover cops investigating a crime boss and his soldiers acquiring and distributing drugs and weapons. The detective, Quill, Is anxious to close the case and makes specific threats to Costain to make sure that he gets the information that will settle the case and render a certain arrest possible. Events happen, which are strange and frightening (also confusing) and the plot begins to move into a supernatural way.
When the team, led by Quill, finally catch up with the main villain, he touches a strange artifact out of sheer curiosity, and all of them end up with the sight, the ability to see beyond the living. The investigation into the world of the witch and the power in which she feeds is then started. They follow many leads, often coming up with nothing. There are red herrings and it becomes evident that this is not going to be a predictable story. The subplots, particularly, Ross's background, is something of a surprise. This leads to the discovery of what will happen towards the end.
The Plot is thick with suspense and thrilling adventure, Though this story, in particular, is filled with some disturbing scenes, it is a very good story. There is no predictability factor.
WHAT I LIKED:
I liked the development of the story and the pace in which it flowed. There was no hesitation, no stopping, no drypoints. Though there were some points where the dialogue was necessary to describe certain things and propel the storyline in one direction or the other.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I don't like cliffhangers very much. However, some are necessary as openers for the next book in the series. This one, however, simply dropped the story off a cliff. It wasn't so much a cliffhanger as much as a cliff drop. I had no idea what was going on. I was a little disappointed. I, of course, borrowed the next book in order to see what would happen next.
By Paul Cornell
Tor, Tom Doherty Associates Book, April 16, 2013
417 Pages, Kindle Edition
"Police officers Quill, Costain, Sefton, and Ross know the worst of London—or they think they do. While investigating a mobster's mysterious death, they come into contact with a strange artifact and accidentally develop the Sight. Suddenly they can see the true evil haunting London's streets.
Armed with police instincts and procedures, the four officers take on the otherworldly creatures secretly prowling London. Football lore and the tragic history of a Tudor queen become entwined in their pursuit of an age-old witch with a penchant for child sacrifice. But when London's monsters become aware of their meddling, the officers must decide what they are willing to sacrifice to clean up their city, in London Falling by Paul Cornell."(Amazon)
Rating: 5 Stars
REVIEW:
A haunting tale with well-developed characters and storyline, complete with red herrings and twists that will leave the reader breathless. This is a book that is not like any other. I thought it was slow in the beginning; however, it made sense once it took off at the 25% mark and the plot began to thicken.
CHARACTERS:
Sefton: An undercover cop with a secret of his own and willing to do things to please others. He goes above and beyond the call of duty to solve the crime and "nick" the villain at any cost, even if it means losing his life.
Costain: The lead undercover cop (above Sefton), with a dirty past and seedy present that he desperately tries to keep hidden, works to make up for the sins of his past and make right what he is doing wrong. He has a quick temper, but is utterly loyal to the group, even though he loathes Sefton for reasons only known to him.
Quill: The Detective in charge of the undercover cops. He means business and is uncomfortable around things that don't make sense. Quill says to close cases very quickly because he always feels his neck on the line from top brass. Then he changes.
Ross: The enigma. She has the biggest secret among them all. An analyst for the police force, she researches databases and does searches for them looking for suspects and witnesses. Ross is a computer wiz, not so much a police officer. She gets called into the field when the search for the villain is underway. She proves to be the most active character of them all.
The Witch: A terrible and haunting crone. She has a taste for death and power and sacrifices children in the name of power. The witch has no qualms about hurting others who are in her way. She wields enormous magical powers which are used against the group time and again.
WRITING:
The writing was absolutely wonderful. The tale was strung together with perfect adjectives and words that played together in a way that created visuals that wouldn't leave the mind at rest. The descriptions are plenty, however not so much that it takes from the actual story itself. The views of London and the characters were full of flavor and color, and terrifying ghostly images when confronted by those who had the ability to see them.
PLOT:
The book starts off as a police procedural with undercover cops investigating a crime boss and his soldiers acquiring and distributing drugs and weapons. The detective, Quill, Is anxious to close the case and makes specific threats to Costain to make sure that he gets the information that will settle the case and render a certain arrest possible. Events happen, which are strange and frightening (also confusing) and the plot begins to move into a supernatural way.
When the team, led by Quill, finally catch up with the main villain, he touches a strange artifact out of sheer curiosity, and all of them end up with the sight, the ability to see beyond the living. The investigation into the world of the witch and the power in which she feeds is then started. They follow many leads, often coming up with nothing. There are red herrings and it becomes evident that this is not going to be a predictable story. The subplots, particularly, Ross's background, is something of a surprise. This leads to the discovery of what will happen towards the end.
The Plot is thick with suspense and thrilling adventure, Though this story, in particular, is filled with some disturbing scenes, it is a very good story. There is no predictability factor.
WHAT I LIKED:
I liked the development of the story and the pace in which it flowed. There was no hesitation, no stopping, no drypoints. Though there were some points where the dialogue was necessary to describe certain things and propel the storyline in one direction or the other.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I don't like cliffhangers very much. However, some are necessary as openers for the next book in the series. This one, however, simply dropped the story off a cliff. It wasn't so much a cliffhanger as much as a cliff drop. I had no idea what was going on. I was a little disappointed. I, of course, borrowed the next book in order to see what would happen next.
October 5, 2016
I chose this novel to read to fill the Fall into a Good Book square of my 2016 Halloween Book Bingo card. I’d been wanting to read it for a while, since it was recommended by none other than Ben Aaronovitch, author of the Peter Grant series which I really like.
And I can see some basic similarities. Both authors obviously know & love London city. They also both see the city’s potential for magical history. But I find Aaronovitch’s series to be more optimistic and more playful. Cornell shows us a much darker, grittier, and more threatening magical system.
I also felt like the whole book was set-up, which may pay off in the second book. For me, things didn’t really snap into place until the very last chapters. Up until that point, I could have walked away without finishing the book and had no regrets. However, those last few pages have convinced me that I need to know where things go from here.
As I approach the end of several other beloved series, I am experiencing anticipatory mourning, so it is good to have another good series queued up and ready to roll. The Shadow Police will definitely help me with the loss of my favourites.
And I can see some basic similarities. Both authors obviously know & love London city. They also both see the city’s potential for magical history. But I find Aaronovitch’s series to be more optimistic and more playful. Cornell shows us a much darker, grittier, and more threatening magical system.
I also felt like the whole book was set-up, which may pay off in the second book. For me, things didn’t really snap into place until the very last chapters. Up until that point, I could have walked away without finishing the book and had no regrets. However, those last few pages have convinced me that I need to know where things go from here.
As I approach the end of several other beloved series, I am experiencing anticipatory mourning, so it is good to have another good series queued up and ready to roll. The Shadow Police will definitely help me with the loss of my favourites.
August 10, 2015
Well... this was a very promising series opener. I wasn't sure what to expect going in to this one, you know, because of that whole "not reading descriptions" thing I do. So the beginning threw me right off and I was confused as all hell for probably the first quarter of the book. But then things started to make more sense, and I found myself quite enjoying this.
I liked the characters - they were all pretty well drawn and realistic, and I felt that I was starting to get a feel of who each one of them are.... but just not quite as much as I would have liked. The story is told in alternating 3rd person limited perspectives from each of the four main characters (and occasionally hopping to a side character for a moment or two). I admit that I found myself wishing that there was just a bit more narrative for each of them to really let me in to their headspace. As it was, I could see the general shape of them, but I still don't quite understand them as much as I'd like to - particularly Costain and Sefton.
These two characters were... I don't know. I liked them, yeah, but I never felt like I knew them, or what they were saying to each other. Their subtext was just lost on me. I think that this is due to the writing style, or maybe it's a cultural thing, or maybe it was just that I didn't really understand them enough, but I just didn't really get their conflicts.
I did really like the way that these characters were just thrown into this situation, and how they were not necessarily innocent or naive in general terms, because they've all seen their share of some shit... but in terms of the new abilities that they gain, they are complete noobs, and are in way over their heads. That's fine, usually... but I felt a little left out of the loop when it came to their intuitive leaps regarding some of the situations they find themselves in - situations which should, realistically, have killed them, but they manage to squeak out a solution just in the nick of time.
That problem-solving process just felt like something was missing. It's there in broad strokes, and it was enough to get the job done, but I want to follow along and understand WHY such and such action or gesture or whatever works. I know that THEY don't know, either, but they have a feeling, and I want to feel like I also have that feeling. We're learning together, but I feel like I've missed half the lessons, and am always a step behind. (I think this is also partly why I couldn't really get a handle on Costain and Sefton as well. The writing told me what they were saying, but not enough of why... if that makes sense.)
As a plus about the writing style, I liked the way certain facts about the characters were released as just normal, no-biggie things, which became important later and felt like "OH SHIT!" moments. I don't know what it says about me that I read the description of Quill's home life and thought nothing of it, just accepted it as normal, until the significance of what it meant dropped like a rock onto my head. I mean, I read a lot into the description of Quill and Sarah's home, and felt that I understood the subtext there, so... you know. When it became an issue, I was shocked, because it was there, but NOT there, and I felt it like a gut punch right along with Quill.
So there were definitely some aspects of the writing that worked beautifully for me, while other areas fell a bit short, is what I'm saying.
Still, overall, it was a really enjoyable story. Dark and grim, but it did throw me for a loop with the whole soccer aspect. I get the motivation there, but still, at first, I admit that I thought it was rather silly.
I probably will carry on with this series, if only to find out what the main plan is, and why these four were drafted into this project, and just because it's enjoyable and different. I love how the city itself is described, and how it's such a huge part of the magic and menace. London has such history and weight and it's fascinating to see it play such an important role in this story. It's not just a setting, it's as alive as any of the characters. I like that.
I liked the characters - they were all pretty well drawn and realistic, and I felt that I was starting to get a feel of who each one of them are.... but just not quite as much as I would have liked. The story is told in alternating 3rd person limited perspectives from each of the four main characters (and occasionally hopping to a side character for a moment or two). I admit that I found myself wishing that there was just a bit more narrative for each of them to really let me in to their headspace. As it was, I could see the general shape of them, but I still don't quite understand them as much as I'd like to - particularly Costain and Sefton.
These two characters were... I don't know. I liked them, yeah, but I never felt like I knew them, or what they were saying to each other. Their subtext was just lost on me. I think that this is due to the writing style, or maybe it's a cultural thing, or maybe it was just that I didn't really understand them enough, but I just didn't really get their conflicts.
I did really like the way that these characters were just thrown into this situation, and how they were not necessarily innocent or naive in general terms, because they've all seen their share of some shit... but in terms of the new abilities that they gain, they are complete noobs, and are in way over their heads. That's fine, usually... but I felt a little left out of the loop when it came to their intuitive leaps regarding some of the situations they find themselves in - situations which should, realistically, have killed them, but they manage to squeak out a solution just in the nick of time.
That problem-solving process just felt like something was missing. It's there in broad strokes, and it was enough to get the job done, but I want to follow along and understand WHY such and such action or gesture or whatever works. I know that THEY don't know, either, but they have a feeling, and I want to feel like I also have that feeling. We're learning together, but I feel like I've missed half the lessons, and am always a step behind. (I think this is also partly why I couldn't really get a handle on Costain and Sefton as well. The writing told me what they were saying, but not enough of why... if that makes sense.)
As a plus about the writing style, I liked the way certain facts about the characters were released as just normal, no-biggie things, which became important later and felt like "OH SHIT!" moments. I don't know what it says about me that I read the description of Quill's home life and thought nothing of it, just accepted it as normal, until the significance of what it meant dropped like a rock onto my head. I mean, I read a lot into the description of Quill and Sarah's home, and felt that I understood the subtext there, so... you know. When it became an issue, I was shocked, because it was there, but NOT there, and I felt it like a gut punch right along with Quill.
So there were definitely some aspects of the writing that worked beautifully for me, while other areas fell a bit short, is what I'm saying.
Still, overall, it was a really enjoyable story. Dark and grim, but it did throw me for a loop with the whole soccer aspect. I get the motivation there, but still, at first, I admit that I thought it was rather silly.
I probably will carry on with this series, if only to find out what the main plan is, and why these four were drafted into this project, and just because it's enjoyable and different. I love how the city itself is described, and how it's such a huge part of the magic and menace. London has such history and weight and it's fascinating to see it play such an important role in this story. It's not just a setting, it's as alive as any of the characters. I like that.
April 6, 2013
Urban Fantasy is one of those murky sub-genres that can mean different things to different people. If I was to tell you that this was a story set in London in which several police officers investigate a supernatural serial killer I would be describing the book, but I really wouldn't be telling you what you're going to get.
This is not _Harry Dresden_ or _Rivers of London._ What Paul Cornell gives us is something much, much darker. This is a serial killer who happens to be supernatural. And as such she acts like a serial killer. She's just plain vicious.
Our motley collection of heroes are completely out of their depths too. They don't know what they're facing. They don't know what it means. They don't know what they can do about it. And they don't have any noticeable supernatural powers. All they've got is police procedure and some imaginative thinking. The only jokes you're going to hear in this book are the sort of dark humor that people use when they think they're going to die.
And that makes it a refreshing change of pace from many of the other entries into what is a very crowded market these days.
I initially found it a little difficult to get into the book. It's quite some time before the supernatural elements come into play and the characters don't really like each other very much (at least at first). But in this case persistence pays off and you see the story really form around you and the characters... well if they don't like each other there's a growing respect.
The book is a complete story in it's own right, but Cornell is setting up something bigger here. There's another player in the background and he has a game plan of sorts. There's also the open question of just what exactly happened to the previous people who tried to police this supernatural world.
Overall I really liked this book and I'm looking forward to where the sequel will go.
This is not _Harry Dresden_ or _Rivers of London._ What Paul Cornell gives us is something much, much darker. This is a serial killer who happens to be supernatural. And as such she acts like a serial killer. She's just plain vicious.
Our motley collection of heroes are completely out of their depths too. They don't know what they're facing. They don't know what it means. They don't know what they can do about it. And they don't have any noticeable supernatural powers. All they've got is police procedure and some imaginative thinking. The only jokes you're going to hear in this book are the sort of dark humor that people use when they think they're going to die.
And that makes it a refreshing change of pace from many of the other entries into what is a very crowded market these days.
I initially found it a little difficult to get into the book. It's quite some time before the supernatural elements come into play and the characters don't really like each other very much (at least at first). But in this case persistence pays off and you see the story really form around you and the characters... well if they don't like each other there's a growing respect.
The book is a complete story in it's own right, but Cornell is setting up something bigger here. There's another player in the background and he has a game plan of sorts. There's also the open question of just what exactly happened to the previous people who tried to police this supernatural world.
Overall I really liked this book and I'm looking forward to where the sequel will go.
June 19, 2014
Holy.Fucking.Shit.
Like Hellblazer crossed with Peter Grant crossed with--I dunno, all sorts of strange fantasms and philosophies. It started badly--in fact, for the first 20% I didn't like any of the characters, nor did I care about the plot. But then it transitions from a normal undercover investigation of a London mob boss and becomes something weird and horrible and haunting. By the end I was flat out cheering at bits, and chortling out loud, and gasping. This story grabbed me by my brain and didn't let go till I was finished with it. Clever, scary, imaginative, and all around worth a read.
Like Hellblazer crossed with Peter Grant crossed with--I dunno, all sorts of strange fantasms and philosophies. It started badly--in fact, for the first 20% I didn't like any of the characters, nor did I care about the plot. But then it transitions from a normal undercover investigation of a London mob boss and becomes something weird and horrible and haunting. By the end I was flat out cheering at bits, and chortling out loud, and gasping. This story grabbed me by my brain and didn't let go till I was finished with it. Clever, scary, imaginative, and all around worth a read.
June 17, 2013
Review originally posted at Kirkus
“You hear stories like that all your life and think: cool, a ghost bus. But now we have to look at this stuff analytically... a ghost bus?! The “ghost” of a motor vehicle?”
In London, Detective Inspector Quill is about to bring down drug lord Rob Toshack, the culmination of four years of painstaking work. Toshack is arrested and taken into custody and when he is about to confess to all of his crimes, the unthinkable happens: He dies. It is a bloody, sudden death that puzzles the detectives and doctors working the case. There is something really weird happening here—something that might explain how Toshack was able to always be ahead of the law.
Co-opting the help of undercover cops Costan and Sefton and of intelligence analyst Ross, Quill sets out to investigate the whys and hows of Toshack’s death. Soon enough, the team come across something that alters the way they perceive the world and they discover that London has a hidden, sinister side. Worst of all, there is a supernatural serial killer on the loose, capable of altering memories and who is kidnapping and boiling children alive.
They have only but one choice: to go after her. Operation Toto—they are so not in Kansas anymore—is underway and they are armed only with their regular equipment and tactics. What can possibly go wrong?
A lot, as it turns out.
London Falling is an engaging combination of Urban Fantasy and Horror, featuring a plot that is as close to a crime procedural as it can be. Comparisons to Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant series are inevitable to any fans of British Urban Fantasy. Both share a “hidden London” setting and cops as central characters. London Falling reminded me a lot of Rivers of London to start with, but there are two essential differences: The London here is a London that is horrifying and scary rather than whimsical and quirky (at least in this first entry, opportunities to explore this further will undoubtedly arise in further installments). And the main characters in London Falling are completely powerless and have no supernatural help, having to rely on their regular police procedures to face unimaginable evil. Heck, British cops don't even carry guns. This creates wonderful opportunity for awkward, hilarious moments where the cops have to follow normal procedure when dealing with the fantastical: You try and tell a goddesslike creature that she is under arrest and see what happens.
Similarly funny (but extremely thoughtful) is when the team reach a moment of despair and, without anything else to go on, they ask for a Pastor, an Imam and a Rabbi to “bless” objects so they can use them and the three, being the modern folks that they are, are horrified at such old-fashioned views. They insist on telling the cops that “holy water” and “sacred objects” are nothing but symbols and should not be taken at face value. These brief moments of levity are far in between though, as London Falling’s central plot deals with harrowing, sickening events.
Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of the novel is the way the fantastical elements are explained. London is a city that is alive and changing, that is both traditional and modern (reminding me in a way of yet another recent British Urban Fantasy, Tom Pollock’s The City’s Son), and whose supernatural side is shaped by both personal and collective memories.
On the down side, I thought the writing to be a bit awkward in places, with weird breaks in the narrative and excessive head-hopping. One could also say that the characters do fall under certain stereotypical patterns but to me, there is enough interesting character development and back story here to make those characters come to life. Just about.
I also need to comment on the fact that the central group of characters is quite diverse. Two cops are Black (one of them gay); two cops are women (one of them the main chief of their entire organization) and no remarks are made on their ability to do their jobs because they are women. Bonus point: The only romance in the novel is the one between two blokes, Kevin and Joe.[1]
At the end of the day, London Falling was simply a fun book and its epilogue, a tasty morsel for what is to come. I am very much looking forward to it.
In Book Smugglerish, an excited 7 out of 10.
[1] I await excitedly for the day when I won't need to remark on things that ought to be par for the course. Alas, that day is not here just yet.
“You hear stories like that all your life and think: cool, a ghost bus. But now we have to look at this stuff analytically... a ghost bus?! The “ghost” of a motor vehicle?”
In London, Detective Inspector Quill is about to bring down drug lord Rob Toshack, the culmination of four years of painstaking work. Toshack is arrested and taken into custody and when he is about to confess to all of his crimes, the unthinkable happens: He dies. It is a bloody, sudden death that puzzles the detectives and doctors working the case. There is something really weird happening here—something that might explain how Toshack was able to always be ahead of the law.
Co-opting the help of undercover cops Costan and Sefton and of intelligence analyst Ross, Quill sets out to investigate the whys and hows of Toshack’s death. Soon enough, the team come across something that alters the way they perceive the world and they discover that London has a hidden, sinister side. Worst of all, there is a supernatural serial killer on the loose, capable of altering memories and who is kidnapping and boiling children alive.
They have only but one choice: to go after her. Operation Toto—they are so not in Kansas anymore—is underway and they are armed only with their regular equipment and tactics. What can possibly go wrong?
A lot, as it turns out.
London Falling is an engaging combination of Urban Fantasy and Horror, featuring a plot that is as close to a crime procedural as it can be. Comparisons to Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant series are inevitable to any fans of British Urban Fantasy. Both share a “hidden London” setting and cops as central characters. London Falling reminded me a lot of Rivers of London to start with, but there are two essential differences: The London here is a London that is horrifying and scary rather than whimsical and quirky (at least in this first entry, opportunities to explore this further will undoubtedly arise in further installments). And the main characters in London Falling are completely powerless and have no supernatural help, having to rely on their regular police procedures to face unimaginable evil. Heck, British cops don't even carry guns. This creates wonderful opportunity for awkward, hilarious moments where the cops have to follow normal procedure when dealing with the fantastical: You try and tell a goddesslike creature that she is under arrest and see what happens.
Similarly funny (but extremely thoughtful) is when the team reach a moment of despair and, without anything else to go on, they ask for a Pastor, an Imam and a Rabbi to “bless” objects so they can use them and the three, being the modern folks that they are, are horrified at such old-fashioned views. They insist on telling the cops that “holy water” and “sacred objects” are nothing but symbols and should not be taken at face value. These brief moments of levity are far in between though, as London Falling’s central plot deals with harrowing, sickening events.
Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of the novel is the way the fantastical elements are explained. London is a city that is alive and changing, that is both traditional and modern (reminding me in a way of yet another recent British Urban Fantasy, Tom Pollock’s The City’s Son), and whose supernatural side is shaped by both personal and collective memories.
On the down side, I thought the writing to be a bit awkward in places, with weird breaks in the narrative and excessive head-hopping. One could also say that the characters do fall under certain stereotypical patterns but to me, there is enough interesting character development and back story here to make those characters come to life. Just about.
I also need to comment on the fact that the central group of characters is quite diverse. Two cops are Black (one of them gay); two cops are women (one of them the main chief of their entire organization) and no remarks are made on their ability to do their jobs because they are women. Bonus point: The only romance in the novel is the one between two blokes, Kevin and Joe.[1]
At the end of the day, London Falling was simply a fun book and its epilogue, a tasty morsel for what is to come. I am very much looking forward to it.
In Book Smugglerish, an excited 7 out of 10.
[1] I await excitedly for the day when I won't need to remark on things that ought to be par for the course. Alas, that day is not here just yet.
September 20, 2014
Pts first as always - 3.5pts rounded upto 4pts as its a debut & well... the pluses outweigh the one or two niggles id say.
If you dont want to read any further & get wind of any plots/spoils then I think anyone who likes London & British culture, Crime, Supernatural, X-Files will liken to this. Think film Think American werewolf in London for style (but without the wolves.....)
As above the opening chapters take you on a maze of genres as it starts off as a hard-boiled episode of the Sweeney (1970's flying squad that is) then it gets well.... weird..... as the supernatural raises its head, OK so its now an episode of the X-Files & we're settling in for a few more chapters & then cor blimey guv'nor its into the twilight zone & there's a fair few wtf is that about moments, but in a very good way, its a pg turner for sure as you wonder what is going to hit your literary senses next. Soon enough we're a 100pgs in & the backstories to the shadow squad & the antagonists come to the fore, all plausible.... in the context that is... & its good reading.
Now for the niggle... its likely jus me (again) but the shadow squad have lets jus say a lot of things thrown at them over a short period & normally that imo bond a team like no other esp as there virtually 24/7 in each others pocket, this though doesnt happen, the four are very much individuals, private & stand-offish (loners even) at the start & they remain this way through the book for the mostpart, the dialogue between the grp is sparse, it turns into thought narrative. Like I say the backstories are good & entertaining but me I'd have liked to have got more interaction amongst them although it does open up later, so its realistic in that respect - i guess im saying i woulda liked different characters to the squad rather than them being all of the same personality traits despite their obviously different/diverse backgrounds. Its a small niggle but I did phase out during soem of the "thought narrative" as i'll call it. Sorry i call it as i see it.
The shock tactics though work & quite oft "save" the story, holding it all together as yer pulled forward again to the climatic scenes.
Must add to, there are some very good touches & nuances for fans of football (soccer) such as the Millwall turf gag as they entered the witches "den" - yeah i got that one - very good! :D
Give it a go I say as its a promising debut, summit very different in many respects & maybe a series to follow as I'll defo give the 2nd in the series a go.
If you dont want to read any further & get wind of any plots/spoils then I think anyone who likes London & British culture, Crime, Supernatural, X-Files will liken to this. Think film Think American werewolf in London for style (but without the wolves.....)
As above the opening chapters take you on a maze of genres as it starts off as a hard-boiled episode of the Sweeney (1970's flying squad that is) then it gets well.... weird..... as the supernatural raises its head, OK so its now an episode of the X-Files & we're settling in for a few more chapters & then cor blimey guv'nor its into the twilight zone & there's a fair few wtf is that about moments, but in a very good way, its a pg turner for sure as you wonder what is going to hit your literary senses next. Soon enough we're a 100pgs in & the backstories to the shadow squad & the antagonists come to the fore, all plausible.... in the context that is... & its good reading.
Now for the niggle... its likely jus me (again) but the shadow squad have lets jus say a lot of things thrown at them over a short period & normally that imo bond a team like no other esp as there virtually 24/7 in each others pocket, this though doesnt happen, the four are very much individuals, private & stand-offish (loners even) at the start & they remain this way through the book for the mostpart, the dialogue between the grp is sparse, it turns into thought narrative. Like I say the backstories are good & entertaining but me I'd have liked to have got more interaction amongst them although it does open up later, so its realistic in that respect - i guess im saying i woulda liked different characters to the squad rather than them being all of the same personality traits despite their obviously different/diverse backgrounds. Its a small niggle but I did phase out during soem of the "thought narrative" as i'll call it. Sorry i call it as i see it.
The shock tactics though work & quite oft "save" the story, holding it all together as yer pulled forward again to the climatic scenes.
Must add to, there are some very good touches & nuances for fans of football (soccer) such as the Millwall turf gag as they entered the witches "den" - yeah i got that one - very good! :D
Give it a go I say as its a promising debut, summit very different in many respects & maybe a series to follow as I'll defo give the 2nd in the series a go.
February 21, 2013
Although I know there's a genre called urban fantasy/paranormal/supernatural, I haven't dipped my toes into it beyond a few examples that bleed over into the detective genre. As it happens, both of those were also first books in London-set series: Ben Aaronovich "Rivers of London" series (Midnight Riot / Rivers of London, Moon Over Soho, Whispers Underground) and Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May series (Full Dark House, The Water Room, Seventy-Seven Clocks, etc.). The premise of those two earlier series is that there is a supernatural London that exists alongside our real present-day one, and that special police officers can act to police that world. This book takes that same exact line, as a handful of police form a special unit to take on a powerful supernatural serial killer.
But before that happens, the story opens in media res, with two undercover police detectives within the inner circle of London's gangster lord. There's a rather choppy and confusing opening 40 pages or so, in which their operation is about to be shut down if they can't come up with some concrete information. Then something dramatic occurs, and the undercover officers, their boss, and a police intelligence analyst are put together to figure out what happened. It still takes quite a while for their investigation to get going, and even when it does, the pacing is off and description of the supernatural world isn't always clear. The book might have benefited from a revision or stronger editorial hand on the first third. Eventually, it does start to smooth out and pick up momentum, and in the final fifty pages or so the plot really kicks in.
Unfortunately, although strong in atmosphere and horror elements, the book really falters in characterization. At the start of the story the three policemen seem somewhat interchangeable and it's hard to really form any proper picture of them. Eventually, I ended up viewing them more as types (the angry one, the gay one, the analytical one, the boss), rather than fully realized characters. That really took away from my ability to get drawn into their encounters with the supernatural, and is also why I doubt I'll bother reading any further books in the series. It's not that the book or story was bad per se, but without compelling characters to take you along, it's hard to care that much about rich atmosphere for its own sake. Definitely worth checking out if you're a reader with a strong interest in urban fantasy (or whatever you want to call it) or books set in London, but not one I'd recommend widely.
But before that happens, the story opens in media res, with two undercover police detectives within the inner circle of London's gangster lord. There's a rather choppy and confusing opening 40 pages or so, in which their operation is about to be shut down if they can't come up with some concrete information. Then something dramatic occurs, and the undercover officers, their boss, and a police intelligence analyst are put together to figure out what happened. It still takes quite a while for their investigation to get going, and even when it does, the pacing is off and description of the supernatural world isn't always clear. The book might have benefited from a revision or stronger editorial hand on the first third. Eventually, it does start to smooth out and pick up momentum, and in the final fifty pages or so the plot really kicks in.
Unfortunately, although strong in atmosphere and horror elements, the book really falters in characterization. At the start of the story the three policemen seem somewhat interchangeable and it's hard to really form any proper picture of them. Eventually, I ended up viewing them more as types (the angry one, the gay one, the analytical one, the boss), rather than fully realized characters. That really took away from my ability to get drawn into their encounters with the supernatural, and is also why I doubt I'll bother reading any further books in the series. It's not that the book or story was bad per se, but without compelling characters to take you along, it's hard to care that much about rich atmosphere for its own sake. Definitely worth checking out if you're a reader with a strong interest in urban fantasy (or whatever you want to call it) or books set in London, but not one I'd recommend widely.
January 7, 2014
It took me forever to get into this book. If it had not been a book I committed to review, I would have DNF'd it. Finally, I reached a breakthrough and I was able to finish it. It turned out to be good, but I feel the writing needed more work to be more accessible. I love British just about anything, but I think some of the Britishness of this book didn't translate very well on paper.
A dark, twisted, and at times, incomprehensible urban fantasy novel.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books: http://bittenbybooks.com.
A dark, twisted, and at times, incomprehensible urban fantasy novel.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books: http://bittenbybooks.com.
September 4, 2014
This is a book that contains some quite graphic horror, including children being boiled alive, and yet, I really quite liked it. Odd.
It took me a while to get into it, in which I'm apparently far from alone, as the beginning is unnecessarily confusing. Two undercover cops - deep undercover, and we're thrown right into it, with the suspected-of-being bad one of them fitted up with a recording device by Quill, the detective in charge of the operation. It really wasn't clear who Quill was, who the two undercover cops (or UCs) were, and who was the criminal they'd been targeting for a few years, and it definitely wasn't clear why Quill would force Costain to wear a totally outdated recorder that would likely get him killed when it audibly clicked off at the end of the tape. Or why he was doing it now. Eventually though, all the characters get sorted out, and when the undercover op is terminated by the criminal's (clearly supernaturally-caused) death, the odd team of Quill, Costain, Sefton and Ross (a police analyst) comes together. It's only when they're "given" the Sight (not a gift one of them would have chosen) and compare notes that they truly accept this different world they'd never have believed existed in a million years. This is NOT your pretty elves or beautiful Summerland exists behind the city grit kind of urban fantasy. Well, right, I mentioned the children-boiling already, didn't I? There are factors that cause that horror to be slightly more bearable than it would be otherwise, though, which certainly helps.
As well as the confusing beginning, several people have mentioned that they think the members of the team are a bit stereotypical, but I don't really see that one myself. I did spend a bit of time worrying because I liked Costain (the crooked UC) more than anyone else, but that wasn't a problem really. All of them became interesting in their own right, and their hard-earned partnership and trust is well done. The only one I never totally warmed to was Sefton, though I was quite happy for his relationship success. And I was very glad when someone who'd behaved very sensibly and helpfully to Quill and his oddball team ended up joining them at (in the epilogue, I think). Past time, actually, as there was the advice they were given that they ignored. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her in the next book.
So yes, despite the poor boiled-alive children, and one of the nastiest, and seemingly most impossible to stop (given only mundane police tools) villains ever, I will be reading on. Or listening on, if Audible ever gets it together for this one. There was enough humour, and enough of people trying to do the right thing, to leaven the grimness sufficiently for me. (And I do mean humour - the catholic priest, the rabbi and the imam walking into the police station - or pre-fab, for poor Quill and Co. - is wonderful. As is what they say to the team about sacred objects...) At the point I added the update it didn't seem likely, but I'm glad I managed to walk back to the book and start listening again.
It took me a while to get into it, in which I'm apparently far from alone, as the beginning is unnecessarily confusing. Two undercover cops - deep undercover, and we're thrown right into it, with the suspected-of-being bad one of them fitted up with a recording device by Quill, the detective in charge of the operation. It really wasn't clear who Quill was, who the two undercover cops (or UCs) were, and who was the criminal they'd been targeting for a few years, and it definitely wasn't clear why Quill would force Costain to wear a totally outdated recorder that would likely get him killed when it audibly clicked off at the end of the tape. Or why he was doing it now. Eventually though, all the characters get sorted out, and when the undercover op is terminated by the criminal's (clearly supernaturally-caused) death, the odd team of Quill, Costain, Sefton and Ross (a police analyst) comes together. It's only when they're "given" the Sight (not a gift one of them would have chosen) and compare notes that they truly accept this different world they'd never have believed existed in a million years. This is NOT your pretty elves or beautiful Summerland exists behind the city grit kind of urban fantasy. Well, right, I mentioned the children-boiling already, didn't I? There are factors that cause that horror to be slightly more bearable than it would be otherwise, though, which certainly helps.
As well as the confusing beginning, several people have mentioned that they think the members of the team are a bit stereotypical, but I don't really see that one myself. I did spend a bit of time worrying because I liked Costain (the crooked UC) more than anyone else, but that wasn't a problem really. All of them became interesting in their own right, and their hard-earned partnership and trust is well done. The only one I never totally warmed to was Sefton, though I was quite happy for his relationship success. And I was very glad when someone who'd behaved very sensibly and helpfully to Quill and his oddball team ended up joining them at (in the epilogue, I think). Past time, actually, as there was the advice they were given that they ignored. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her in the next book.
So yes, despite the poor boiled-alive children, and one of the nastiest, and seemingly most impossible to stop (given only mundane police tools) villains ever, I will be reading on. Or listening on, if Audible ever gets it together for this one. There was enough humour, and enough of people trying to do the right thing, to leaven the grimness sufficiently for me. (And I do mean humour - the catholic priest, the rabbi and the imam walking into the police station - or pre-fab, for poor Quill and Co. - is wonderful. As is what they say to the team about sacred objects...) At the point I added the update it didn't seem likely, but I'm glad I managed to walk back to the book and start listening again.
March 31, 2014
A real 4 star book, cant praise this enough, really well reseached history of london which is merged in with UK modern policing methods to form a storyline in which keeps you on the edge of your seat.
This is what urban fantasy is all about, the author can hold his own with the other authors who use London like Ben Aaronovitch and Benedict Jacka with his own writing style.
will appeal to non fantasy readers who love police based stories.
This is what urban fantasy is all about, the author can hold his own with the other authors who use London like Ben Aaronovitch and Benedict Jacka with his own writing style.
will appeal to non fantasy readers who love police based stories.
May 25, 2021
Urban fantasy abbastanza particolare, con qualche pecca di ritmo e trama che però almeno in questo caso e per i miei gusti viene sopperita da alcune scelte non convenzionali.
Intanto, i protagonisti non sono maghi\stregoni\cacciatori di vampiri\amanti di licantropi o quant'altro cui siamo abituati, e che magari collaborano più o meno saltuariamente con le forze dell'ordine.
Sono tutti e quattro dei poliziotti, parte della polizia londinese e membri di una task force molto ampia creata per catturare e incastrare Toshack, il boss che da tempo governa i bassifondi cittadini.
Un capo detective ligio alle regole, un'analista dal passato misterioso, due agenti sotto copertura di colore (di cui uno omosessuale e l'altro che invece sembra aver preso un po' troppo gusto alla sua copertura).
Quando tutto comincia a andare a rotoli e il loro prigioniero muore misteriosamente mentre in custodia alle forze dell'ordine, loro quattro diventano una squadra a sè, incaricata di far luce su quanto accaduto: sarà mica opera di qualche talpa?
Ma andando avanti si apre poco a poco il mondo fantasy all'interno della Londra urban.
Abbiamo il primo quarto del libro che è in pratica la genesi dei personaggi, la loro scoperta che ci sia qualcosa oltre al mondo conosciuto.
Poi segue un altro quarto in cui cercano di capirci qualcosa. E qui sta la vera originalità del libro.
Cioè nel loro non sapere niente, non capirci niente. Sono come dei bambini finiti in mezzo a ladri esperti pronti a derubarli di tutto quanto.
Non sanno perché ora abbiano la Vista, non sanno cosa farci, non sanno cosa sia ciò che vedono o come i loro nemici possano fare le cose che fanno.
Non hanno modo di difendersi né di attaccare, sono dei bersagli mobili.
Dalla loro c'è solo la loro tradizione poliziesca, la mente analitica decisa ad affrontare tutto questo come un semplice caso criminale, a esaminare prove e ad accumulare indizi per riuscire a risolvere la situazione, salvare gli ostaggi e le potenziali vittime, e neutralizzare la minaccia.
Niente stregoni benevoli che li guidino, niente antichi tomi dei loro nonni che indichino un'eredità spirituale. Niente amici maghi, niente streghe che li prendano sotto la loro ala protettiva, niente di niente.
Solo loro, a procedere per tentoni cercando di scoprire qualcosa, rischiando ogni volta di fare il passo più lungo della gamba e di incappare in qualcosa di troppo pericoloso lasciandoci così le penne.
E francamente ho trovato tutto questo davvero ben fatto.
La cosa però ha dei risvolti negativi: il ritmo non è granché, spezzettato non solo tra i quattro personaggi ma anche con i loro differenti percorsi più o meno spirituali per venire a patti con la nuova realtà in cui si ritrovano immersi.
Poi abbiamo anche delle piccole forzature di trama, coincidenze un po' troppo fortunose, che irritano un pochetto ma che potrebbero venire spiegate in seguito in base a quanto la "casualità" esista, sia guidata e eventualmente rivesta un ruolo importante nell'ambientazione. Chissà.
Anche la prima parte del libro in cui noi si capisce bene che ci sia qualcosa di particolare ma si deve aspettare che i quattro ci sbattano il viso contro, risulta vagamente irritante.
Non amo infine i polizieschi, e tutto il gergo da poliziotti e da bassifondi che utilizzano non è che mi abbia entusiasmato.
Ma come dicevo in apertura, la gestione della loro inconsapevolezza e imbranataggine è davvero buona, mi bilancia abbondantemente queste pecche.
Intanto, i protagonisti non sono maghi\stregoni\cacciatori di vampiri\amanti di licantropi o quant'altro cui siamo abituati, e che magari collaborano più o meno saltuariamente con le forze dell'ordine.
Sono tutti e quattro dei poliziotti, parte della polizia londinese e membri di una task force molto ampia creata per catturare e incastrare Toshack, il boss che da tempo governa i bassifondi cittadini.
Un capo detective ligio alle regole, un'analista dal passato misterioso, due agenti sotto copertura di colore (di cui uno omosessuale e l'altro che invece sembra aver preso un po' troppo gusto alla sua copertura).
Quando tutto comincia a andare a rotoli e il loro prigioniero muore misteriosamente mentre in custodia alle forze dell'ordine, loro quattro diventano una squadra a sè, incaricata di far luce su quanto accaduto: sarà mica opera di qualche talpa?
Ma andando avanti si apre poco a poco il mondo fantasy all'interno della Londra urban.
Abbiamo il primo quarto del libro che è in pratica la genesi dei personaggi, la loro scoperta che ci sia qualcosa oltre al mondo conosciuto.
Poi segue un altro quarto in cui cercano di capirci qualcosa. E qui sta la vera originalità del libro.
Cioè nel loro non sapere niente, non capirci niente. Sono come dei bambini finiti in mezzo a ladri esperti pronti a derubarli di tutto quanto.
Non sanno perché ora abbiano la Vista, non sanno cosa farci, non sanno cosa sia ciò che vedono o come i loro nemici possano fare le cose che fanno.
Non hanno modo di difendersi né di attaccare, sono dei bersagli mobili.
Dalla loro c'è solo la loro tradizione poliziesca, la mente analitica decisa ad affrontare tutto questo come un semplice caso criminale, a esaminare prove e ad accumulare indizi per riuscire a risolvere la situazione, salvare gli ostaggi e le potenziali vittime, e neutralizzare la minaccia.
Niente stregoni benevoli che li guidino, niente antichi tomi dei loro nonni che indichino un'eredità spirituale. Niente amici maghi, niente streghe che li prendano sotto la loro ala protettiva, niente di niente.
Solo loro, a procedere per tentoni cercando di scoprire qualcosa, rischiando ogni volta di fare il passo più lungo della gamba e di incappare in qualcosa di troppo pericoloso lasciandoci così le penne.
E francamente ho trovato tutto questo davvero ben fatto.
La cosa però ha dei risvolti negativi: il ritmo non è granché, spezzettato non solo tra i quattro personaggi ma anche con i loro differenti percorsi più o meno spirituali per venire a patti con la nuova realtà in cui si ritrovano immersi.
Poi abbiamo anche delle piccole forzature di trama, coincidenze un po' troppo fortunose, che irritano un pochetto ma che potrebbero venire spiegate in seguito in base a quanto la "casualità" esista, sia guidata e eventualmente rivesta un ruolo importante nell'ambientazione. Chissà.
Anche la prima parte del libro in cui noi si capisce bene che ci sia qualcosa di particolare ma si deve aspettare che i quattro ci sbattano il viso contro, risulta vagamente irritante.
Non amo infine i polizieschi, e tutto il gergo da poliziotti e da bassifondi che utilizzano non è che mi abbia entusiasmato.
Ma come dicevo in apertura, la gestione della loro inconsapevolezza e imbranataggine è davvero buona, mi bilancia abbondantemente queste pecche.
December 8, 2014
I found Paul Cornell through Ben Aaronovitch – author of The Rivers of London Series. I was checking his Goodreads page to find an update for ‘Foxglove Summer.’ Aaronovitch read and rated ‘London Falling’ well. London officers are investigating Crime Boss Rob Toshak, who for ten years has been able to charm jury’s and get off without a slap on the wrist to their endless frustration. It has some basic similarities to The Rivers of London. There is a paranormal division in the London police that civilians are unaware of. ‘London Falling’ is grim and it’s characters not as likable. I enjoyed this book. I hated the first two chapters that introduced us to the Undercover cops Costain and Sefton who are embedded in Toshak’s criminal enterprise. The book grew on me the more I read. Stick with it.
Most authors, even with their unlikable characters, try to endear the reader to them. I don’t believe Cornell cares about this. I will say I grew to like them more as the story churned on. They have undesirable traits. Each character on the investigating team is important, and couldn’t function without them, but they get on each others last nerve. Detective Investigator Quill has been running the Toshak investigation and as he is raiding Toshak’s enterprise he has every intention of taking Costain down in the process. Quill doesn’t trust him, and whether he has proof or not, he’s going to trash Constain’s career. Costain is the lead undercover, and Quill should distrust him, he has set aside some of Toshak’s drug supply for a rainy day. He is just as willing to sell out the investigation as support it if it means he ends up on top. Sefton is the junior undercover and has allowed Costain to bully him and edit his investigation reports to delete any unsavory or questionable actions. Sefton would love to get back at Costain. He won’t proactively take Costain down but if the right questions are asked he’ll talk. Lisa Ross is the analyst on the paperwork side of the investigation. No one knows who she is, what her involvement is, and she doesn’t play well with others. This unlikely crew are put together to solve Toshak’s death after he combusts in the investigation room with Detective Inspector Quill – drenching him and everything else in the room in blood. There are no leads and no cause of death. For all intents and purposes it looks like these four are set a hopeless task.
I listened to the audible version of book narrated by Damien Lynch. I enjoyed his voice and interpretation of characters but he takes long pauses between sentences. I thought that the download was skipping content. It wasn’t. I sped the audio up to adjust for this but it didn’t help. I had to get used to it. If you choose to go with the audible version make sure you listen to the sample before purchasing to ensure this will not detract from your enjoyment of the story.
As the magic system developed, the team became more cohesive, and the investigation evolved into the paranormal I dug in and found myself captivated. I did find I had to go back and listen to portions a second time to ensure I knew who was speaking. It wasn’t always obvious which characters narrative you were in. I felt I was involved in my own investigation. Usually this would be a frustration for me but I didn’t mind it. I encourage people who enjoy adult paranormal, thriller, and noir to read this. I don’t believe all of Aaronovitch’s fans will like it. It doesn’t have the same sense of humor that The Rivers of London has. Chuck Wendig fans might like it a bit more. It’s not as gritty as Wendig but I could see his fans enjoying this. I have hope that this series will develop and intend to pick up the second in this series, ‘The Severed Streets’. I’m picking up the e-book because, unfortunately, the second book is not available in audible yet. I grew to like Lynch.
This is a 3.5 for me.
Most authors, even with their unlikable characters, try to endear the reader to them. I don’t believe Cornell cares about this. I will say I grew to like them more as the story churned on. They have undesirable traits. Each character on the investigating team is important, and couldn’t function without them, but they get on each others last nerve. Detective Investigator Quill has been running the Toshak investigation and as he is raiding Toshak’s enterprise he has every intention of taking Costain down in the process. Quill doesn’t trust him, and whether he has proof or not, he’s going to trash Constain’s career. Costain is the lead undercover, and Quill should distrust him, he has set aside some of Toshak’s drug supply for a rainy day. He is just as willing to sell out the investigation as support it if it means he ends up on top. Sefton is the junior undercover and has allowed Costain to bully him and edit his investigation reports to delete any unsavory or questionable actions. Sefton would love to get back at Costain. He won’t proactively take Costain down but if the right questions are asked he’ll talk. Lisa Ross is the analyst on the paperwork side of the investigation. No one knows who she is, what her involvement is, and she doesn’t play well with others. This unlikely crew are put together to solve Toshak’s death after he combusts in the investigation room with Detective Inspector Quill – drenching him and everything else in the room in blood. There are no leads and no cause of death. For all intents and purposes it looks like these four are set a hopeless task.
I listened to the audible version of book narrated by Damien Lynch. I enjoyed his voice and interpretation of characters but he takes long pauses between sentences. I thought that the download was skipping content. It wasn’t. I sped the audio up to adjust for this but it didn’t help. I had to get used to it. If you choose to go with the audible version make sure you listen to the sample before purchasing to ensure this will not detract from your enjoyment of the story.
As the magic system developed, the team became more cohesive, and the investigation evolved into the paranormal I dug in and found myself captivated. I did find I had to go back and listen to portions a second time to ensure I knew who was speaking. It wasn’t always obvious which characters narrative you were in. I felt I was involved in my own investigation. Usually this would be a frustration for me but I didn’t mind it. I encourage people who enjoy adult paranormal, thriller, and noir to read this. I don’t believe all of Aaronovitch’s fans will like it. It doesn’t have the same sense of humor that The Rivers of London has. Chuck Wendig fans might like it a bit more. It’s not as gritty as Wendig but I could see his fans enjoying this. I have hope that this series will develop and intend to pick up the second in this series, ‘The Severed Streets’. I’m picking up the e-book because, unfortunately, the second book is not available in audible yet. I grew to like Lynch.
This is a 3.5 for me.
April 30, 2013
Just when you thought there was nothing new to be done with urban fantasy, Paul Cornell comes along with London Falling and mashes up the police procedural (i.e., a mystery solved by the police, using the tools at their disposal and confined in their scope by the law) with demons and British history. Until you read it, it’s hard to imagine a police officer giving the “right to silence” speech (the British version of the American Miranda warnings) to a creature who is doing her best dispose of him through magical means. But once Cornell gets to that point in his narrative, he has set everything up so well that it seems as natural as can be.
The novel starts as a straightforward police procedural. Costain is an officer who is working undercover for Rob Toshack, the current king of the London criminal classes, the first ever to have united all the bad guys in one organization. Toshack has conquered all his rivals and remained untouched by the law. It’s Costain’s job to get the information necessary to put Toshack away for good, along with his fellow undercover officer, Sefton. Their superior, Quill, is running out of patience, as he makes known to Costain in no uncertain terms in the first pages of the book. Quill wires Costain up with a recorder, which, he tells him, is his last chance to get the goods or the operation will be shut down.
The territory we traverse for the first two and a half chapters or so is entirely in police procedural country. The reader might be forgiven for thinking that she’s picked up the wrong book. But stick with it, because things start to get strange in Chapter Three. Toshack, upon being taken into custody, doesn’t behave the way a crime lord ought to behave. Soon, he doesn’t look the way a crime lord ought to look; in fact, he becomes sort of hard to see, even to the police officers in the same room he’s in. And then things get really weird.
The weirdness is inexplicable to the cops for some time. After all, whose mind would immediately jump to the occult as an explanation for a death, no matter how gory? Lofthouse, the top cop, says the toxicology folks are looking to see whether poison was involved, but no one’s ever seen anything like what happened in their own witness room. The team pulls in Ross, a computer and research guru, in the hopes that she can find something in the transcripts to explain the inexplicable, but she has no greater success than the toxicologists.
Lofthouse puts together a spin-off unit from the undercover squad that captured Toshack, comprised of Quinn, Costain, Sefton and Ross. It’s an uneasy work unit at first, and their assigned task — to find out what killed the victim — is not one any of them relishes. But it still isn’t until they consider the involvement of the West Ham Football Club, and the “urban myth” that anyone who scores a hat trick against them dies, that anyone gives the least thought to the paranormal rearing its head. Once they’ve opened the door to that possibility, though, more strangeness enters their lives and their investigation, until things start happening fast.
It’s exciting to watch this unit accept the possibility of magic infesting London when that very notion seems utterly absurd, just as absurd to them as you would find it absurd to walk into your job tomorrow and be told that you’re to function with magic because your computer is down. These are people who are entirely of the world in which we all reside together, until suddenly they discover that there’s more to the world than they had thought. And they’re also confronted with the notion that they still have to operate within the law, sorcery or no. How do you get a proper search warrant when the target of your investigation has a warren of homes connected by occult pathways? How do you solve a series of serial murders that dates back to the sixteenth century? What do you do when a cat — a dead cat that talks — is your best witness? This is CSI on steroids!
I have some quibbles with the book, such as Cornell’s tendency to shift the point of view from one character to another with alarming rapidity and no warning; one paragraph we’re seeing the world through Quill’s eyes, and the next we’re in Sefton’s brain. The characterization is drawn with broad strokes, so that Sefton is the atheist, Costain is the crooked one, and so on. It’s written rather cinematically, as one might expect from Paul Cornell, who was until now best known for his Dr. Who and other television scripts.
With a lesser plot, these annoyances might have marred my enjoyment of London Falling. But these really are just are quibbles because the story is so fascinating and the story moves so quickly, and is so smart, that it overwhelms my objections. As a result, I’m eager to read the next in the series, and to see what these characters do with their lives and their jobs now that they know there is magic in their world.
Originally published at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi.... 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
The novel starts as a straightforward police procedural. Costain is an officer who is working undercover for Rob Toshack, the current king of the London criminal classes, the first ever to have united all the bad guys in one organization. Toshack has conquered all his rivals and remained untouched by the law. It’s Costain’s job to get the information necessary to put Toshack away for good, along with his fellow undercover officer, Sefton. Their superior, Quill, is running out of patience, as he makes known to Costain in no uncertain terms in the first pages of the book. Quill wires Costain up with a recorder, which, he tells him, is his last chance to get the goods or the operation will be shut down.
The territory we traverse for the first two and a half chapters or so is entirely in police procedural country. The reader might be forgiven for thinking that she’s picked up the wrong book. But stick with it, because things start to get strange in Chapter Three. Toshack, upon being taken into custody, doesn’t behave the way a crime lord ought to behave. Soon, he doesn’t look the way a crime lord ought to look; in fact, he becomes sort of hard to see, even to the police officers in the same room he’s in. And then things get really weird.
The weirdness is inexplicable to the cops for some time. After all, whose mind would immediately jump to the occult as an explanation for a death, no matter how gory? Lofthouse, the top cop, says the toxicology folks are looking to see whether poison was involved, but no one’s ever seen anything like what happened in their own witness room. The team pulls in Ross, a computer and research guru, in the hopes that she can find something in the transcripts to explain the inexplicable, but she has no greater success than the toxicologists.
Lofthouse puts together a spin-off unit from the undercover squad that captured Toshack, comprised of Quinn, Costain, Sefton and Ross. It’s an uneasy work unit at first, and their assigned task — to find out what killed the victim — is not one any of them relishes. But it still isn’t until they consider the involvement of the West Ham Football Club, and the “urban myth” that anyone who scores a hat trick against them dies, that anyone gives the least thought to the paranormal rearing its head. Once they’ve opened the door to that possibility, though, more strangeness enters their lives and their investigation, until things start happening fast.
It’s exciting to watch this unit accept the possibility of magic infesting London when that very notion seems utterly absurd, just as absurd to them as you would find it absurd to walk into your job tomorrow and be told that you’re to function with magic because your computer is down. These are people who are entirely of the world in which we all reside together, until suddenly they discover that there’s more to the world than they had thought. And they’re also confronted with the notion that they still have to operate within the law, sorcery or no. How do you get a proper search warrant when the target of your investigation has a warren of homes connected by occult pathways? How do you solve a series of serial murders that dates back to the sixteenth century? What do you do when a cat — a dead cat that talks — is your best witness? This is CSI on steroids!
I have some quibbles with the book, such as Cornell’s tendency to shift the point of view from one character to another with alarming rapidity and no warning; one paragraph we’re seeing the world through Quill’s eyes, and the next we’re in Sefton’s brain. The characterization is drawn with broad strokes, so that Sefton is the atheist, Costain is the crooked one, and so on. It’s written rather cinematically, as one might expect from Paul Cornell, who was until now best known for his Dr. Who and other television scripts.
With a lesser plot, these annoyances might have marred my enjoyment of London Falling. But these really are just are quibbles because the story is so fascinating and the story moves so quickly, and is so smart, that it overwhelms my objections. As a result, I’m eager to read the next in the series, and to see what these characters do with their lives and their jobs now that they know there is magic in their world.
Originally published at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi.... 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
April 16, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy/Police Procedural
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of police procedurals, dark urban fantasy, noirish stories
Book Available: April 16, 2013 in Hardcover and e-book; previously released in December 2012 in paperback, which edition is no longer available
Trigger Warnings: Drug dealing, use and abuse; murder (including children); organized crime
Animal Abuse: Sacrifice of pigs, cats, and dogs; while Mora's cat is just a construct made from a dead cat, it is treated roughly
My Thoughts: This is a very weird book. At times the narrative almost feels like a drug trip, especially when the main characters first develop their Sight. I really enjoyed the fact that this is very strongly a police procedural with the fantasy elements intruding, which made for a really fascinating read.
It's fairly obvious to me that Paul Cornell writes for TV. There is very little in the way of physical description of the main characters, and the same can be said of much of their surroundings, because on TV you see them so there is no need to explain. This sometimes made me feel like I was reading from inside someone's head, out of which I could not see. This was disconcerting at times, but the structural narrative was enjoyable and interesting. However, this overly “in the head” aspect of the story was distracting at times and slowed my reading pace significantly, so if that's an issue for you, it's something to consider.
While this is primarily a dark urban fantasy, there are many elements of police procedural in it as well. I was very amused by this description of the sorts of things people tend to say about serial killers.
It was fascinating to watch literal-minded police officers try to look at the metaphysical around them analytically, such as when they saw a phantom bus.
But, overall, an enjoyable read. If you're the type to enjoy police procedural, darker urban fantasy, noirish-type stories, this wonderful cross-genre mishmash should definitely appeal, so be sure to check it out once it's available.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: The dark is rising . . . Detective Inspector James Quill is about to complete the drugs bust of his career. Then his prize suspect Rob Toshack is murdered in custody. Furious, Quill pursues the investigation, co-opting intelligence analyst Lisa Ross and undercover cops Costain and Sefton. But nothing about Toshack’s murder is normal. Toshack had struck a bargain with a vindictive entity, whose occult powers kept Toshack one step ahead of the law—until his luck ran out. Now, the team must find a 'suspect' who can bend space and time and alter memory itself. And they will kill again. As the group starts to see London’s sinister magic for themselves, they have two choices: panic or use their new abilities. Then they must hunt a terrifying supernatural force the only way they know how: using police methods, equipment and tactics. But they must all learn the rules of this new game—and quickly. More than their lives will depend on it.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of police procedurals, dark urban fantasy, noirish stories
Book Available: April 16, 2013 in Hardcover and e-book; previously released in December 2012 in paperback, which edition is no longer available
Trigger Warnings: Drug dealing, use and abuse; murder (including children); organized crime
Animal Abuse: Sacrifice of pigs, cats, and dogs; while Mora's cat is just a construct made from a dead cat, it is treated roughly
My Thoughts: This is a very weird book. At times the narrative almost feels like a drug trip, especially when the main characters first develop their Sight. I really enjoyed the fact that this is very strongly a police procedural with the fantasy elements intruding, which made for a really fascinating read.
It's fairly obvious to me that Paul Cornell writes for TV. There is very little in the way of physical description of the main characters, and the same can be said of much of their surroundings, because on TV you see them so there is no need to explain. This sometimes made me feel like I was reading from inside someone's head, out of which I could not see. This was disconcerting at times, but the structural narrative was enjoyable and interesting. However, this overly “in the head” aspect of the story was distracting at times and slowed my reading pace significantly, so if that's an issue for you, it's something to consider.
While this is primarily a dark urban fantasy, there are many elements of police procedural in it as well. I was very amused by this description of the sorts of things people tend to say about serial killers.
“The neighbors... hadn't, thankfully, done the usual by saying that Losley was a pleasant neighbor who'd kept herself to herself. (Always delivered in a tone of voice that suggested that, since keeping oneself to oneself was the single greatest thing one English person could do for another, the suspect ought to be excused whatever psychopathic shit they'd visited on other people.)”I just love this blend of wry humor, darkness, and generally weird ideas blended together.
And continuing on the topic of Britishness:
“...[his] opinion seemed to matter more than other people's. Oh, very British.”
It was fascinating to watch literal-minded police officers try to look at the metaphysical around them analytically, such as when they saw a phantom bus.
“You hear stories like that all your life and think: cool, a ghost bus. But now we have to look at this stuff analytically... a ghost bus?! The “ghost” of a motor vehicle? A public conveyance, presumably, which didn't head towards the light, move on to join the choir invisible in... bus heaven, the great terminus in the sky, where all good buses go when they... I don't know, break down, but instead is doomed to … drive eternally the streets of Earth! How can there be a ghost bus?!”The bits of police process make this more realistic and entertaining to read.
To which my husband commented, “Buses don't leave ghosts, they leave fumes.”
Or the note to self that Sefton makes: “I was proceeding in a mystical direction when I encountered a six-foot-two Roman male, with whom I shared a certain sexual tension.”
But, overall, an enjoyable read. If you're the type to enjoy police procedural, darker urban fantasy, noirish-type stories, this wonderful cross-genre mishmash should definitely appeal, so be sure to check it out once it's available.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: The dark is rising . . . Detective Inspector James Quill is about to complete the drugs bust of his career. Then his prize suspect Rob Toshack is murdered in custody. Furious, Quill pursues the investigation, co-opting intelligence analyst Lisa Ross and undercover cops Costain and Sefton. But nothing about Toshack’s murder is normal. Toshack had struck a bargain with a vindictive entity, whose occult powers kept Toshack one step ahead of the law—until his luck ran out. Now, the team must find a 'suspect' who can bend space and time and alter memory itself. And they will kill again. As the group starts to see London’s sinister magic for themselves, they have two choices: panic or use their new abilities. Then they must hunt a terrifying supernatural force the only way they know how: using police methods, equipment and tactics. But they must all learn the rules of this new game—and quickly. More than their lives will depend on it.
April 24, 2013
This review and others like it available on my blog.
I really enjoyed this once I got past the first 100 pages.
Lets talk about those first 100 pages to start with, shall we? The reason they were such a struggle was that they started in the middle of the action. This isn't normally a problem, but it can be when all your characters have the same 'voice'. Now, what I mean by that is that the working-class young black copper 'sounded' exactly the same as the shy, nervous female tech, and the middel-aged married white man and so on and so forth. I know there's a certain amount of police speak and slang that carries on, but it would have been less confusing had they sounded notably different. This is especially important if you are writing a book from several different points of view.
However, once I was past those first 100 pages, things improved. I still got confused between characters easily, but the rest of the book more than made up for it. It's brutal and edgy, its honest, and it deals with subjects that a lot of modern fantasy avoids.
The feelings of one character, as an adult suffering bullying related to his race and sexuality seemed believable enough. I couldn't speak as to the race stuff - I'm a white woman, and the most I ever got in that regard was a few 'terrorist' comments now and again because of my Irish grandmother. But I have been bullied for my sexuality, both as a teen and as an adult, and there's a certain shame that goes along with it in adulthood that is different to the shame you feel as a young person. I related strongly with the character who expressed these feelings and thought that aspect of his character was especially well-drawn.
The writing is OK, sometimes a little clunky and it overuses the adverbs something fierce. But sometimes it is very good. It's at its best when describing action or the awful despair and grime of the worst parts of the capital. Its at its worst when trying to describe the way people interact. That's OK - all writers have their strengths. Description of the moments after each character gets the sight is excellent, and very revealing as to character. I liked it a lot.
I found the football stuff a bit unbelievable and kind of dull. I'm not really into football (soccer, to you americans) and it seemed gimmicky and forced, as well as being too thin a thread to pin a large, important section of the story on. It added a kind of arch, knowing, mocking blokeyness to a work that didn't really need it. Of course, that could just be my bias talking. But I still skim-read most of the football stuff until it became vital to the plot.
Well plotted (apart from the football thing which I still say is too slight a thread to hang this sort of thing on) with some intriguing details, often using Londons real history and myths. Irritated by the return of the witch as evil child sacrificing blah blah blah. I quite like to see old tropes like that turned on their head not used with the attitude that it is fresh or new in any way. I was intrigued by the details of vicitimisation and how it changes or damages people, though.
This is a book that gets better as it goes on, that starts coming into its own around the 100 page mark. For those of us who have the patience and stubbornness to keep going , that's fine. If you aren't built that way, however, if you get frustrated by slow burners and seemingly unimportant detail padding, I'd advise avoiding it.
3 out of 5. Would have been higher if it had lived up to its potential. Still, I'll probably pick up the sequel.
I really enjoyed this once I got past the first 100 pages.
Lets talk about those first 100 pages to start with, shall we? The reason they were such a struggle was that they started in the middle of the action. This isn't normally a problem, but it can be when all your characters have the same 'voice'. Now, what I mean by that is that the working-class young black copper 'sounded' exactly the same as the shy, nervous female tech, and the middel-aged married white man and so on and so forth. I know there's a certain amount of police speak and slang that carries on, but it would have been less confusing had they sounded notably different. This is especially important if you are writing a book from several different points of view.
However, once I was past those first 100 pages, things improved. I still got confused between characters easily, but the rest of the book more than made up for it. It's brutal and edgy, its honest, and it deals with subjects that a lot of modern fantasy avoids.
The feelings of one character, as an adult suffering bullying related to his race and sexuality seemed believable enough. I couldn't speak as to the race stuff - I'm a white woman, and the most I ever got in that regard was a few 'terrorist' comments now and again because of my Irish grandmother. But I have been bullied for my sexuality, both as a teen and as an adult, and there's a certain shame that goes along with it in adulthood that is different to the shame you feel as a young person. I related strongly with the character who expressed these feelings and thought that aspect of his character was especially well-drawn.
The writing is OK, sometimes a little clunky and it overuses the adverbs something fierce. But sometimes it is very good. It's at its best when describing action or the awful despair and grime of the worst parts of the capital. Its at its worst when trying to describe the way people interact. That's OK - all writers have their strengths. Description of the moments after each character gets the sight is excellent, and very revealing as to character. I liked it a lot.
I found the football stuff a bit unbelievable and kind of dull. I'm not really into football (soccer, to you americans) and it seemed gimmicky and forced, as well as being too thin a thread to pin a large, important section of the story on. It added a kind of arch, knowing, mocking blokeyness to a work that didn't really need it. Of course, that could just be my bias talking. But I still skim-read most of the football stuff until it became vital to the plot.
Well plotted (apart from the football thing which I still say is too slight a thread to hang this sort of thing on) with some intriguing details, often using Londons real history and myths. Irritated by the return of the witch as evil child sacrificing blah blah blah. I quite like to see old tropes like that turned on their head not used with the attitude that it is fresh or new in any way. I was intrigued by the details of vicitimisation and how it changes or damages people, though.
This is a book that gets better as it goes on, that starts coming into its own around the 100 page mark. For those of us who have the patience and stubbornness to keep going , that's fine. If you aren't built that way, however, if you get frustrated by slow burners and seemingly unimportant detail padding, I'd advise avoiding it.
3 out of 5. Would have been higher if it had lived up to its potential. Still, I'll probably pick up the sequel.
June 5, 2013
LONDON FALLING is now the second book I’ve read in the last month about serial killers in London. Which is weird, because until now I couldn’t have told you how long it’s been since I’ve read any book with serial killers in them. I’m not sure what my point is other than to say that at no time during the book did I feel I was treading on familiar ground. Normally when I read similar books I end up putting the second one aside for a bit because it just doesn’t feel ‘fresh’. LONDON FALLING definitely felt fresh.
What kept this book moving was the great characterization done by Paul Cornell. He struck a great balance between the views of undercover agents Costain and Sefton and Detective Inspector Quill and analyst Lisa Ross. I loved how he teased out their backgrounds throughout the book and didn’t simply do an infodump of everything as soon as they were introduced. The London of the book could also be considered a character in its own right as it is delightfully dark and twisted.
The book itself starts off towards the end of an undercover investigation in to crime boss Rob Toshack. Our intrepid heroes learn that the criminal’s rise to power wasn’t entirely natural. They are then put on a special task force investigating the supernatural powers behind the crime boss. The task force quickly finds that the crimes they were targeting Toshack for are nothing compared to what the darker powers have been up to.
The book has some trippy elements (especially involving the characters’ Sight), but at its heart LONDON FALLING is a work of crime fiction – even if the crimes are mostly magical in nature. This keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace for almost the entire book. Sadly the last 80 or so pages towards the end slow the story down considerably, but only enough to move my rating for this book down one notch. All in all it’s an extremely fun, dark read and I look forward to seeing more books from Cornell. Mysteries in urban fantasy novels are nothing new, but it’s always nice to see the crime fiction elements sharing the stage with the supernatural as well as they do here.
What kept this book moving was the great characterization done by Paul Cornell. He struck a great balance between the views of undercover agents Costain and Sefton and Detective Inspector Quill and analyst Lisa Ross. I loved how he teased out their backgrounds throughout the book and didn’t simply do an infodump of everything as soon as they were introduced. The London of the book could also be considered a character in its own right as it is delightfully dark and twisted.
The book itself starts off towards the end of an undercover investigation in to crime boss Rob Toshack. Our intrepid heroes learn that the criminal’s rise to power wasn’t entirely natural. They are then put on a special task force investigating the supernatural powers behind the crime boss. The task force quickly finds that the crimes they were targeting Toshack for are nothing compared to what the darker powers have been up to.
The book has some trippy elements (especially involving the characters’ Sight), but at its heart LONDON FALLING is a work of crime fiction – even if the crimes are mostly magical in nature. This keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace for almost the entire book. Sadly the last 80 or so pages towards the end slow the story down considerably, but only enough to move my rating for this book down one notch. All in all it’s an extremely fun, dark read and I look forward to seeing more books from Cornell. Mysteries in urban fantasy novels are nothing new, but it’s always nice to see the crime fiction elements sharing the stage with the supernatural as well as they do here.
December 1, 2014
This is probably one of the best new books I have read in a while.
DS Anthony Costain and DC Kevin Sefton are undercover cops, DI James Quill is their boss, with them is Lisa Ross, police civilian intelligence analyst. They are working an operation designed to bring down gang leader Rob Toshack. All goes wrong when Toshack is murdered in the interrogation room by an invisible assailant, in front of Quill and other police witnesses. Suddenly the London Met's finest are dealing with something they have never had to handle before.
Armed with their wits and the Sight which has been accidentally gifted to them, Quill and his group have to battle an evil that is way outside of their usual operational perimeters.
All four characters have balls by the bucket loads, as well as their own personal demons to battle. The characters are all well rounded and feel very real.
The plot is way, way out of the left field and needs your full concentration. This is not a pick up and flick through book. This is a book you have to give your entire attention to, otherwise you will miss something.
The threads that link the killing, the killer and the West Ham football club take some following, but do actually make sense, in a warped, twisted sort of way.
There is humour, of the dark, twisted kind. DI Cartwright: The cat is booby trapped? DI Quill: Welcome to my world.
A word about the cat. He only has a short appearance, but whilst he does, he OWNS the book.
Reading the notes at the back it seems "London Falling" started life as a television series proposal that was backed by none other than "Sherlock" and "Doctor Who" evil genius, Steve Moffat, along with Sue Vertue and Beryl Vertue. This goes a long way to explaining just why I loved the book so much.
The BBC need to revisit the idea and make "London Falling" into a television series. It would be brilliant.
I recommend "London Falling" to anyone who likes dark urban fantasy, British police procedurals, and weird fiction. They don't come much weirder, or more wonderful, than this book.
DS Anthony Costain and DC Kevin Sefton are undercover cops, DI James Quill is their boss, with them is Lisa Ross, police civilian intelligence analyst. They are working an operation designed to bring down gang leader Rob Toshack. All goes wrong when Toshack is murdered in the interrogation room by an invisible assailant, in front of Quill and other police witnesses. Suddenly the London Met's finest are dealing with something they have never had to handle before.
Armed with their wits and the Sight which has been accidentally gifted to them, Quill and his group have to battle an evil that is way outside of their usual operational perimeters.
All four characters have balls by the bucket loads, as well as their own personal demons to battle. The characters are all well rounded and feel very real.
The plot is way, way out of the left field and needs your full concentration. This is not a pick up and flick through book. This is a book you have to give your entire attention to, otherwise you will miss something.
The threads that link the killing, the killer and the West Ham football club take some following, but do actually make sense, in a warped, twisted sort of way.
There is humour, of the dark, twisted kind. DI Cartwright: The cat is booby trapped? DI Quill: Welcome to my world.
A word about the cat. He only has a short appearance, but whilst he does, he OWNS the book.
Reading the notes at the back it seems "London Falling" started life as a television series proposal that was backed by none other than "Sherlock" and "Doctor Who" evil genius, Steve Moffat, along with Sue Vertue and Beryl Vertue. This goes a long way to explaining just why I loved the book so much.
The BBC need to revisit the idea and make "London Falling" into a television series. It would be brilliant.
I recommend "London Falling" to anyone who likes dark urban fantasy, British police procedurals, and weird fiction. They don't come much weirder, or more wonderful, than this book.
April 2, 2013
I loved this.
London Falling is not at all what I was expecting. It starts as a straightforward police procedural thriller, but very quickly veers off into a dark - very dark - supernatural shocker.
A suspect dies in police custody in what can only be described as "strange" circumstances. A small team of dysfunctional coppers, each with their own demons and insecurities are tasked with solving the riddle, and find themselves pursuing the most elusive, prolific and sinister serial killer that London has ever seen. As they are drawn into a side of London they had not suspected existed there are some serious sacrifices to be made and fears to be faced.
There's a sequel spawning ending - indeed, preparing for a sequel seems to me the only reason for the somewhat superfluous epilogue, since the ending of the book proper seemed to me to be basically perfect - which grated slightly, but which I was prepared to forgive, because I'd quite like to return to the team of "Operation Toto", as they called themselves - for reasons that will become clear as you read the book.
A very dark, very twisted tale. Well worth your attention.
London Falling is not at all what I was expecting. It starts as a straightforward police procedural thriller, but very quickly veers off into a dark - very dark - supernatural shocker.
A suspect dies in police custody in what can only be described as "strange" circumstances. A small team of dysfunctional coppers, each with their own demons and insecurities are tasked with solving the riddle, and find themselves pursuing the most elusive, prolific and sinister serial killer that London has ever seen. As they are drawn into a side of London they had not suspected existed there are some serious sacrifices to be made and fears to be faced.
There's a sequel spawning ending - indeed, preparing for a sequel seems to me the only reason for the somewhat superfluous epilogue, since the ending of the book proper seemed to me to be basically perfect - which grated slightly, but which I was prepared to forgive, because I'd quite like to return to the team of "Operation Toto", as they called themselves - for reasons that will become clear as you read the book.
A very dark, very twisted tale. Well worth your attention.
July 11, 2014
**edited 12/04/13
D.I. Jimmy Quill of the Met is well aware of the disastrous ways a five-year undercover sting might end: you might not capture the perp; you might not be able to pin anything on him; your UCs might defect or be injured. And, of course, you might have the kingpin in custody and willing to confess when he inexplicably explodes in a welter of blood--right in the middle of a police interrogation room. As Quill and his team begin to investigate the mysterious death, they find themselves unexpectedly gifted with the Sight. It isn't long before they realize that human gangsters aren't the biggest monsters stalking the London streets.
Due to my disapproval of GR's new and rather subjective review deletion policy, the rest of my (rather verbose) review is posted over here at Booklikes.
D.I. Jimmy Quill of the Met is well aware of the disastrous ways a five-year undercover sting might end: you might not capture the perp; you might not be able to pin anything on him; your UCs might defect or be injured. And, of course, you might have the kingpin in custody and willing to confess when he inexplicably explodes in a welter of blood--right in the middle of a police interrogation room. As Quill and his team begin to investigate the mysterious death, they find themselves unexpectedly gifted with the Sight. It isn't long before they realize that human gangsters aren't the biggest monsters stalking the London streets.
Due to my disapproval of GR's new and rather subjective review deletion policy, the rest of my (rather verbose) review is posted over here at Booklikes.
April 28, 2014
I am about to write a review the like of which I have never written on this site or anywhere else for that matter. I'm going to gush. The reason for this is that all my favorite books have been read for the first time a long, long time ago and I've forgotten what it really means to experience a favorite book for the first time. I have now remembered while reading the London Falling.
If I could have given this book 10 stars, I would have.
It's not a book you can read in a couple of hours. If you are smart, you will savor it. It starts slow, but then goes bonkers. This is the book you have to walk away from occasionally because it gets so nerve wrecking that you have to take a breather (all I'm going to say is ). It's the most amazing mix of police procedural and paranormal; it's dark, it's gritty, the characters are amazing, the villain terrible, but not two-dimensional. Cornell is oh-so-smart: his cops (Quill, Costain, Sefton and analyst Ross) faced with something extraordinary don't lose their heads or become super cops due to The Sight they were given. They decide to apply regular police methods. They do searches, legwork, interrogations. They each have a set of skills as well as baggage they bring with them.
Sefton was bullied posh kid from black neighborhood, now black gay policeman who feels that he's always playing a role. He will have to face his demons to find his true purpose in this new, impromptu unit of theirs. Costain was an undercover cop who considered going rogue and now is afraid that he would go to Hell, which prompts him to try to always do what is right. Ross is on the path of vengeance for her father killed by, as it happens, the villain they are chasing. Quill, their leader, watches incredulously as his domestic life suddenly starts to fall apart for no apparent reason. But, they struggle and learn and go forward.
The dark events are peppered with humor that catches you unawares and lessens the tension. London is a character too - suddenly menacing and constricting. It's a mythical London, one made of human memories as much as the past events. The author provided a helpful dictionary of police and local slang at the end of the novel, though I had no trouble with the language although I am an ESL reader.
I won't talk much about plot because I want you to experience it, like I did, for the first time without expectations. I already envy you. But, here is a taste from the end of the novel:
Read it. Read it now. NOW, I say.
If I could have given this book 10 stars, I would have.
It's not a book you can read in a couple of hours. If you are smart, you will savor it. It starts slow, but then goes bonkers. This is the book you have to walk away from occasionally because it gets so nerve wrecking that you have to take a breather (all I'm going to say is ). It's the most amazing mix of police procedural and paranormal; it's dark, it's gritty, the characters are amazing, the villain terrible, but not two-dimensional. Cornell is oh-so-smart: his cops (Quill, Costain, Sefton and analyst Ross) faced with something extraordinary don't lose their heads or become super cops due to The Sight they were given. They decide to apply regular police methods. They do searches, legwork, interrogations. They each have a set of skills as well as baggage they bring with them.
Sefton was bullied posh kid from black neighborhood, now black gay policeman who feels that he's always playing a role. He will have to face his demons to find his true purpose in this new, impromptu unit of theirs. Costain was an undercover cop who considered going rogue and now is afraid that he would go to Hell, which prompts him to try to always do what is right. Ross is on the path of vengeance for her father killed by, as it happens, the villain they are chasing. Quill, their leader, watches incredulously as his domestic life suddenly starts to fall apart for no apparent reason. But, they struggle and learn and go forward.
The dark events are peppered with humor that catches you unawares and lessens the tension. London is a character too - suddenly menacing and constricting. It's a mythical London, one made of human memories as much as the past events. The author provided a helpful dictionary of police and local slang at the end of the novel, though I had no trouble with the language although I am an ESL reader.
I won't talk much about plot because I want you to experience it, like I did, for the first time without expectations. I already envy you. But, here is a taste from the end of the novel:
‘Yeah,’ said Quill, ‘enough of the heavy breathing. We’ve got a few of your lads down here, causing trouble and, before we give them a good kicking, I thought I’d have a word. Two points here. One: fuck. And two: you. It may not have occurred to you, but us policing the London of the Sight, it’s sort of liberating. We won’t need to be doing so much paperwork. We won’t have to worry too much about the rights and needs of little sods like this lot. We won’t have to watch our Ps and Qs with the cautions. We’re going to be a bit more like policing was when my dad did it. We’re going to be able to kick in a few doors and say, “You with the tentacles, you’re nicked.”’ There’s law now, for you and yours. The same law as for everyone else. Have a nice day, sir.’
Read it. Read it now. NOW, I say.
July 29, 2015
3.5
There's a part of me which feels that bumping this 3.5 star up to 4, instead of down to 3, is being a bit generous. Thing is, there are some parts that I did "really like" and others that I was less enamoured with - but the problem is I can't quite put my finger on the latter parts, and, overall, I did dig the story so, 4 stars it is. At least at the time of writing this review (and I always leave open the option for later edits.)
Anyway -
Many people on goodreads have shelved this book as urban fantasy, and it is, for a given value. But one thing I read was that this is urban fantasy at its roots - wherein the city, itself, plays a crucial role in the story, because this is, quite literally, magic of the city.
Simon Green, in the little blurb on the back of the book, says it's a mixture of police procedural and horror and, honestly, I think he's more on the mark. It's heavily a police procedural, but of the suspenseful kind, the kind where the perp is scary and dangerous, and where not everyone might make it out alive by the end.
And the story itself was damn good, and even downright suspenseful in places.
I think my only real issue with it is that I never quite gelled with the characters, and I think that that's probably my main niggling feeling for not full 4-star territory.
Unlike many urban fantasies this story is, thankfully, not written in first person perspective. It shifts perspectives throughout the story - quite often - to the 4 main detectives on the case. I liked this in that you got into everyone's heads, and you saw what they thought of themselves, and each other, and it gave you a lot more information than a first person narration would.
On the other hand, though, because it shifted so frequently, I never felt like we got too deeply into anyone's head.
I'm a very character-oriented reader, so this was a bit of a drawback, for me. That said, I did appreciate that the 4 mains all had distinctive characters each with their own virtues and foibles.
And the plot was great. The villain was creepy, the magic was intense, and I loved the poor cat.
Overall, I definitely recommend this, especially for people who might be looking for something UF-ish of a darker bend, but who are a bit burned out on the usual UF tropes.
***
ETA: One thing I forgot to mention before - I really liked that the book maintained the Britishisms and didn't Americanize it like they sometimes do. I didn't get all the slang or references, which is fine - because I'd rather a book maintain its Britishness... especially a book like this which is so very much about being in London.
There's a part of me which feels that bumping this 3.5 star up to 4, instead of down to 3, is being a bit generous. Thing is, there are some parts that I did "really like" and others that I was less enamoured with - but the problem is I can't quite put my finger on the latter parts, and, overall, I did dig the story so, 4 stars it is. At least at the time of writing this review (and I always leave open the option for later edits.)
Anyway -
Many people on goodreads have shelved this book as urban fantasy, and it is, for a given value. But one thing I read was that this is urban fantasy at its roots - wherein the city, itself, plays a crucial role in the story, because this is, quite literally, magic of the city.
Simon Green, in the little blurb on the back of the book, says it's a mixture of police procedural and horror and, honestly, I think he's more on the mark. It's heavily a police procedural, but of the suspenseful kind, the kind where the perp is scary and dangerous, and where not everyone might make it out alive by the end.
And the story itself was damn good, and even downright suspenseful in places.
I think my only real issue with it is that I never quite gelled with the characters, and I think that that's probably my main niggling feeling for not full 4-star territory.
Unlike many urban fantasies this story is, thankfully, not written in first person perspective. It shifts perspectives throughout the story - quite often - to the 4 main detectives on the case. I liked this in that you got into everyone's heads, and you saw what they thought of themselves, and each other, and it gave you a lot more information than a first person narration would.
On the other hand, though, because it shifted so frequently, I never felt like we got too deeply into anyone's head.
I'm a very character-oriented reader, so this was a bit of a drawback, for me. That said, I did appreciate that the 4 mains all had distinctive characters each with their own virtues and foibles.
And the plot was great. The villain was creepy, the magic was intense, and I loved the poor cat.
Overall, I definitely recommend this, especially for people who might be looking for something UF-ish of a darker bend, but who are a bit burned out on the usual UF tropes.
***
ETA: One thing I forgot to mention before - I really liked that the book maintained the Britishisms and didn't Americanize it like they sometimes do. I didn't get all the slang or references, which is fine - because I'd rather a book maintain its Britishness... especially a book like this which is so very much about being in London.
December 12, 2013
This is the first book in the Shadow Police series by Paul Cornell, and may I start by saying, "Finally something that feels a bit fresh on the urban fantasy scene."
The story centres around 4 main characters (all Police personnel from several different fields) with very different backgrounds and personalities who are all very well written and really fleshed out, these everyday hero's follow their latest undercover operation, and stumble across a side to London that they never knew existed, full of magic and monsters, with all this going on and a magical serial killer to boot, the characters fall back on the policies and procedures of their everyday jobs to come to terms and tackle the supernatural threats any way they can.
The book includes a very interesting twist on magic, one that ill hide because finding out about its part of the natural course of the book, so look at your own risk.
Overall this is a strong first book in a new series, with some interesting characters and systems, its well worth a look if your a fan of urban fantasies, especially if you have some knowledge of London or England.
The story centres around 4 main characters (all Police personnel from several different fields) with very different backgrounds and personalities who are all very well written and really fleshed out, these everyday hero's follow their latest undercover operation, and stumble across a side to London that they never knew existed, full of magic and monsters, with all this going on and a magical serial killer to boot, the characters fall back on the policies and procedures of their everyday jobs to come to terms and tackle the supernatural threats any way they can.
The book includes a very interesting twist on magic, one that ill hide because finding out about its part of the natural course of the book, so look at your own risk.
Overall this is a strong first book in a new series, with some interesting characters and systems, its well worth a look if your a fan of urban fantasies, especially if you have some knowledge of London or England.
August 2, 2013
London Falling is one of those rare police procedural books that I actually think is interesting. While it is heavy on the police procedure, Cornell keeps all of his characters so incredibly human and flawed that the procedure part of things isn’t oppressive. The novel is paced in such a way that readers will unravel, figure out, and discover along with the protagonists. Cornell depicts the fantastical elements of London in unique, rather clever ways, and describes the reasons behind certain things and events plausibly. Readers might struggle with connecting to certain characters and sometimes the perspective jumping does distract from the overall narrative, but otherwise Cornell has created a living, vibrant, believable piece of dark urban fantasy that is not to be missed. He takes the typical UF mystery/police procedural novel and tips it on its head. The ending is satisfying, but left open enough for some exciting and interesting additions to the world. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/08/...
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/08/...
June 17, 2017
This book was recommended to me by a Scottish friend who is an UK urban fantasy mavin. If you wanted to split hairs, I'd call this more of a Horror/Police Procedural or Supernatural/Police Procedural than an Urban Fantasy.
When I started reading, I was initially confused. I had a hard time convincing myself it was a Brit Police procedural-- for the first couple of chapters, except for an odd word, it seemed too *American*. Also, the supernatural element was not immediately present in the story. As the pages swept by, it left me wondering, 'So where's the magic?'
Its when people started dying that the story got interesting. I had a hard time putting the book down.
The author's bent is darker and more toward madness than the current run of Brit Urban Fantasy. Its also much less tongue-in-cheek. If you're a fan of Charlie Stross's 'Laundry' or Ben Aaronovitch's 'Rivers of London', you're going to miss that humor. This is more like a Brit Police Procedural inspired by Steven King.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, "The Severed Streets".
When I started reading, I was initially confused. I had a hard time convincing myself it was a Brit Police procedural-- for the first couple of chapters, except for an odd word, it seemed too *American*. Also, the supernatural element was not immediately present in the story. As the pages swept by, it left me wondering, 'So where's the magic?'
Its when people started dying that the story got interesting. I had a hard time putting the book down.
The author's bent is darker and more toward madness than the current run of Brit Urban Fantasy. Its also much less tongue-in-cheek. If you're a fan of Charlie Stross's 'Laundry' or Ben Aaronovitch's 'Rivers of London', you're going to miss that humor. This is more like a Brit Police Procedural inspired by Steven King.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, "The Severed Streets".
May 6, 2023
Stars: 3 out of 5.
As far as first books in a series go, this one wasn't particularly impressive. In fact, it was almost a DNF until about 30% into the book.
It is a very slow start, but it also starts with a story that doesn't seemingly have anything to do with magic and the rest, so I kept wondering why we are following these two undercover cops who are trying to nick this drug lord. Yes, it is relevant to the case in the end, but it could have been summarized in a lot less chapters and gotten out of the way quickly before we get to the meat of the story. As it stands, it dragged way to long and almost made me DNF the book. It gets more interesting once the team gets the "Sight" and the story actually picks up, but getting there was a slog.
The biggest issue for me were the characters. At least two of them are really unlikeable from the moment we are introduced to them, even if they grow on you afterwards. But that's not so much of an issue in itself. I read books with unlikeable characters before and loved them. My issue is that we don't get to know them enough to get to care about them. Yes, we get Ross's backstory, because it's essential to the larger story. Yes, we get mentions of one of the UCs being mercilessly bullied when he was a child. Of Quill and the other UC, we know even less. Which means that to me they don't exist as individuals, but just as coppers tied to this story that's unfolding.
Heck, a few times I didn't even understand why they reacted the way they did. Maybe I am missing some important cultural background here and didn't get some of the subtitle hints of social status in different descriptions, but some of their actions and reactions made me scratch my head.
Another problem is that the magic described has no apparent logic at the beginning, and makes only slightly more sense by the end of the book. So is this localized to London only or does each city have something similar? Does it mean that magic is linked to the past and human memory? That nothing new can be magical? Why does it require sacrifice? What are the rules of all of this?
I mean, I am more than willing to believe in a magical system the author invented, but I want to understand it. And I expect the author to follow the rules of that system as well. Here, we have a lot of random magical occurrences in London that are unrelated to the case. And the main villain seems so overpowered... yet four mundane coppers (with the Sight, but no magic powers of their own), continuously thwart her efforts and manage to overpower her in the end. How? What is the logic behind this?
Coming back to the requirement of a sacrifice. Ross sacrificed the witch in order to beat her. So whom was that sacrifice dedicated to? The smiling man? Does she have a bargain with him now? What will the consequences be for the team? It's unclear.
All in all, it's a very muddled book that lacks structure and drive, especially in the beginning. Though the glimpse of London it gives is interesting enough that I will probably check out the next book in the series, but I expect a few more answers, especially as to how this whole magical system works.
As far as first books in a series go, this one wasn't particularly impressive. In fact, it was almost a DNF until about 30% into the book.
It is a very slow start, but it also starts with a story that doesn't seemingly have anything to do with magic and the rest, so I kept wondering why we are following these two undercover cops who are trying to nick this drug lord. Yes, it is relevant to the case in the end, but it could have been summarized in a lot less chapters and gotten out of the way quickly before we get to the meat of the story. As it stands, it dragged way to long and almost made me DNF the book. It gets more interesting once the team gets the "Sight" and the story actually picks up, but getting there was a slog.
The biggest issue for me were the characters. At least two of them are really unlikeable from the moment we are introduced to them, even if they grow on you afterwards. But that's not so much of an issue in itself. I read books with unlikeable characters before and loved them. My issue is that we don't get to know them enough to get to care about them. Yes, we get Ross's backstory, because it's essential to the larger story. Yes, we get mentions of one of the UCs being mercilessly bullied when he was a child. Of Quill and the other UC, we know even less. Which means that to me they don't exist as individuals, but just as coppers tied to this story that's unfolding.
Heck, a few times I didn't even understand why they reacted the way they did. Maybe I am missing some important cultural background here and didn't get some of the subtitle hints of social status in different descriptions, but some of their actions and reactions made me scratch my head.
Another problem is that the magic described has no apparent logic at the beginning, and makes only slightly more sense by the end of the book. So is this localized to London only or does each city have something similar? Does it mean that magic is linked to the past and human memory? That nothing new can be magical? Why does it require sacrifice? What are the rules of all of this?
I mean, I am more than willing to believe in a magical system the author invented, but I want to understand it. And I expect the author to follow the rules of that system as well. Here, we have a lot of random magical occurrences in London that are unrelated to the case. And the main villain seems so overpowered... yet four mundane coppers (with the Sight, but no magic powers of their own), continuously thwart her efforts and manage to overpower her in the end. How? What is the logic behind this?
Coming back to the requirement of a sacrifice. Ross sacrificed the witch in order to beat her. So whom was that sacrifice dedicated to? The smiling man? Does she have a bargain with him now? What will the consequences be for the team? It's unclear.
All in all, it's a very muddled book that lacks structure and drive, especially in the beginning. Though the glimpse of London it gives is interesting enough that I will probably check out the next book in the series, but I expect a few more answers, especially as to how this whole magical system works.
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