Review: The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch

A pissed off Tyburn, complicated relationships, and...putting the smack down on a not so thinly veiled Blackwater crew. That part amused me.

Oh, and a Ferrari. Because we have to have expensive cars.

Obviously, there are a lot more magicians around than the Master and the Apprentice a la the Sith (a joke even Peter makes).

We meet a few of them in this book, but it's really about parenthood. What will you do to protect your kids?

And, of course, mothers always want to be grandmothers, or do they?

(For some reason, Aaronovitch tosses in a bunch of somewhat random LGBTQ+ rep. I'm not complaining but it kind of feels as if somebody asked him "Can you be a little more diverse?" which given the MC isn't white and there's a significant Muslim character...and we already have a lesbian...he's already doing pretty well).

I wish the pub with the tree bar was real. I want to go there and get a pint. Alas, I'm pretty sure Aaronovitch invented it. I have been to the Trip to Jerusalem, which is half cave, but that place is a sticky, sticky tourist trap with expensive booze that isn't that fantastic. You've been warned. It's fun, but not a real, proper local.

I miss having a real, proper local some days...

Review: Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch

Ha. I think our MC just had a bisexual awakening moment. I'm amused.

Our poor protagonist, though. Poor Peter. This is definitely the major crisis part of his journey. His love life may be going well, or as well as it can be when you're dating a minor goddess.

But everything else? Turns out that the bad guys are bent on sacrificing what appears to be part of Dionysus (our friend Punch) in order to bring back Merlin, apparently completely oblivious to the fact that he's already wandering around (the aging backwards quip in the first book? Some of us did not miss that).

And that ending. I think that there might have been some thought to ending the series here, but I'm glad not, because that was definitely not where I want to see Peter left.

Unfortunately...well, I already started the next book, so will explain my issue in the next review. You'll have to wait for that one.

But trying to wake up Merlin so he can rebuild Camelot is a nice twist on the raising Arthur legend. And is that actually Excalibur? I'd say probably not, but...but...it is a very well preserved early Medieval sword.

Might be a bit too recent. Maybe its just too many people think its Excalibur...just saying.

"You will be exiled." Ow.