False Value

False Value (2020) Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London)

The 8th Rivers of London book.

It’s been two years since the last book about Peter (although there have been comics) and although I was impatient, I didn’t mind, because my assumption was it was taking a long time so he could get it right (rather than publishing to meet a scheduled and not have the book he wanted). I suppose it could have been something else, but I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Not to say that I wasn’t confused and a little worried when I started the book, because I was confused and not quite sure what was happening.

The story opens with Peter interviewing for a job with the Serious Cybernetics Company. And yest, the entire company is just rolling with Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy things (Peter has to wear a towel around his head the first day.) This was confusing, since it came out of left field.

So the first section of the book jumps back and forth in time as we see just how Peter ended up job hunting.

Also, Beverly is pregnant with twins, and Peter is now living with her and not at the Folly.

So. This book.

First and foremost, it is everything you expect from a Rivers of London book.

“No,” she said. “I don’t want a personal friend in Jesus.”

I showed her my warrant card.

“But have you let the Metropolitan Police into your heart?” I asked.

Peter is snarky as usual, but even better…

As a wise man once said— I believe in coincidence, coincidences happen all the time, but I don’t trust coincidences.

HE QUOTED GARAK FROM DS9.

But the snark–Peter’s snark is my favorite snark.

From the kitchen behind us I could hear various chopped comestibles being tossed around in a wok. Which at least meant we weren’t going to be having McDonald’s— you hear stories.

It is everything I want a Rivers of London book to be. I hope we don’t have to wait two more years for the next, but as long as he keeps writing good stories, I’ll be patient.

Publisher: DAW
Rating: 8/10

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