Neverwhere

Author: Neil Gaiman

This book belongs to my sister. Halfway through reading it, I realised that I have actually seen parts of the original TV miniseries back in London - the book is a novelisation of the TV show. I didn't follow the miniseries - there must have been a serious lack of eyecandy to get me properly hooked - but the book I like very much.

The idea of people and events, conveniently sidelined by the rat-racers, falling through the cracks of London to exist in a parallel world - now who would have thought of that? A universe where an Angel called Islington resides under the watch of Afro-Anglo monks (Blackfriars, anyone?) and an elderly Earl holds Court on a moving Underground train. The most ingenious of all - Knightsbridge as a scary district. How true is that?

What struck me was how the villainous pair in this book is similar to the twosome in Terry Pratchett's 'The Truth': a short one with the words and brains partnering a huge hunk of a man who is mostly brawn. I suppose it is a prerequsite for bad guy characterisation, like the Good Cop/Bad Cop routine. Another similarity is one of the villain's penchant for fine antiques.

I'm not saying much more. Read it to find out.