The Rivers of London Series

The Rivers of London series
"Tales from the Folly" by Ben Aaronvitch is another set in the
World of the Rivers of London which are short pieces about
characters from previous stories. This was very good but you
have to know something about the series from other stories
to enjoy them. So though I do not have a copy on hand to verify
details of names I thought I would type up bit of information
starting below.
The Folly is the ancient building which is used as
headquarters for the Magicians who work for and are officers
of the Metropolitan Police Force and are called for any case
with the hint of the other than natural.
As in the Laundry Files doing magic can be very hard on the
brain and spells are difficult to learn but the hero is gaining
power and control as he works.  He has an ancient Mentor who
survived horrific magical actions in WW II when most of the
British and I believe German magicians were wiped out. Mentor
seems to used life extending magics.
The Mentor has some secrets hidden in a vault and is
relentless in refining the skills of his apprentices, one of
whom goes over to the enemy but seems to sympathize with the
Folly at times. The Senior Apprentice remaining is a
dark-skinned Brit whose father is a jazz musician and mother
is from the Islands with a touch of family magic.
Some magicians were disabled by the war experience so
that they have retreated from cities to more comfortable environs.
The Enemy is a powerful magician committing crimes and attempting
to gain access to immense power. So far he has eluded arrest by
presenting the SA with choices of damage to others if captured
or saving the innocents.  He has done some very vile things using
his magic and even more vile things to gain and increase his power.
  There also have a magically powerful cousin of the SA who is
getting preliminary tutoring but will be on staff when she finishes
High School at least; The Folly may send her to college.  SA meets
and socializes with the Deities of the Rivers of London and one
called Beverly Brook will fall in love with him and make him a
father.  So SA gets to travel to the scenes of crimes both inside
London and in the provinces.
No better reading for the people sick of the doom that
came from tailpipes or politics so read Ben Arronvitch's work
for a good time.
bliss
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b l i s s - S F 4 e v e r at D S L E x t r e m e dot com