Set in the wine-growing town of Trier, our first mysterious corpse has been choked by mould, which proves to be 'noble rot,' used in wine making. But there's a tangled backstory that involves German river goddesses, ancient wizards, a men's social group, an attempted rape twenty years ago, layers of German bureaucracy and fun compound words, and an over-enthusiastic assistant.
The October Man doesn't really contribute anything extra to the main Rivers of London narrative, apart from a vague warning that magic is increasing, but it's a fun excursion. What's the point of creating this rich, sprawling universe if you don't explore its outer reaches now and then?
I have just had an A2 enlargement of a map of London from my mother's 1948 Blue Guide; it looks so like the map used on the Rivers of London covers. It's quite beautiful, so intricate, and on the outer fringes, the cartographers have even marked houses. Not ordinary houses, of course; country houses, such as 'Micklefield Hall' or 'Horn House' or 'Waterfield Park'. Probably either demolished, or surrounded by housing estates, or sited right next to freeways! I am using it to get my geography right for the book I'm writing.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful! Excited for the WIP, too
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