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I was reading Ben Aaronovitch's book RIVERS OF LONDON as a possible novel to use for the class in British Fantasy Andy Miller and I are teaching in London over the winter break. Andy had given me his copy, purchased in the UK, to read. I thought I'd pick up a copy for myself, but when I went to order it, there was no such title being offered over here. What I eventually figured out was that the American publisher had changed the title. Here, the book is called MIDNIGHT RIOT.
OK... Why? RIVERS OF LONDON is, to me, a more intriguing and evocative title. Why muck it up? What about MIDNIGHT RIOT makes it a better title for American readers?
It's rather like the first Harry Potter book, whose UK title was HARRY POTTER & THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, being titled HARRY POTTER & THE SORCERER"S STONE here in the States. Are American readers considered too uneducated to understand the meaning of the Philosopher's Stone? Is MIDNIGHT RIOT a better U.S. title because it sounds violent?
Aargh!
OK... Why? RIVERS OF LONDON is, to me, a more intriguing and evocative title. Why muck it up? What about MIDNIGHT RIOT makes it a better title for American readers?
It's rather like the first Harry Potter book, whose UK title was HARRY POTTER & THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, being titled HARRY POTTER & THE SORCERER"S STONE here in the States. Are American readers considered too uneducated to understand the meaning of the Philosopher's Stone? Is MIDNIGHT RIOT a better U.S. title because it sounds violent?
Aargh!