Arziani rules the Blood Pit in Georgia, Eastern Europe;
he takes the unfortunate human beings and he makes them
his slaves: he breaks them, he kills them; he is Master.
The fittest of the males become ruthless killers,
gladiators in an underground world from hell; the most
beautiful of women, whores. The others, minions and
slaves; most of those unfortunate souls are orphaned,
nameless, hopeless, defeated. A female, 152, is one of
them; beautiful and young, she was chosen by Master to
become his consort, and obey him she must or else, death
awaits her. A male, 901, is Master's prized "Pit Bull",
an undefeated fighter who, in spite of threats, always
found it difficult to bend to Master's every command, the
one who holds his fate in his hands. Master is attending
yet another bloody combat, he's with 152, and 901 sees
her, looks at her longer than required, and Master
notices it. Arziani has been looking for ages to find
901's weakness, and now he's found it...
When I step out of my comfort zone, I don't do it
halfway, and it really paid off, because RIOT is amazing!
I had never read Tillie Cole before, and that was my
loss; she is a supremely gifted writer, which might be
RIOT greatest strength. The contrast between the superb
writing and the horrifying conditions in which 152 and
901 exist is startling, and RIOT is a dark, dark world
filled with violence, gore, beatings, death, despair; you
name it, and yet it's not depressing. I felt distanced
from the killing, the raping, the beatings -- just as the
characters are, in a way -- because the author's very
careful wording acts as a shield; this is the highest
form of compliment I could pay the author, because it
worked. I suppose readers who need warnings about any
sort of trigger should not attempt to read RIOT: it is
harsh, but if one is willing to take a chance, RIOT is a
most rewarding story.
I must commend the author for not making rape
titillating, but depicting it as the act of violence that
it is, and again this is due to Ms. Cole exceptional way
with words. The context and the characters are so well
defined right from the start, that I was immediately
engrossed in the story. And this is not a case of gawking
on the scene of an accident, because I never do this;
RIOT is simply that compelling. I felt for those poor
enslaved souls, I hated the nauseating, revolting,
abominable megalomaniac that is Master at least as much
as the characters. Ms. Cole described everything in such
a way that I couldn't help but wonder if places such as
the Blood Pit exist, probably not to that extent. I hope.
I found one little thing odd: men and women are always
referred to as males and females. While obviously I know
it's a biological fact, it felt a bit bizarre to me.
Another thing is -- and here Dark Romance readers are
going to snicker, but still -- picturing Russian and
Georgian crime bosses as the good guys was a bit
difficult for me -- but then again, in RIOT, they are, and
I suppose the only ones who could ... Almost a spoiler,
here!
I see RIOT as an allegory on freedom of choice, freedom
period, what makes us human, why we choose to be
compassionate and retain our humanity under the harshest
conditions, and Tillie Cole spoke to me on an existential
plane, while giving me a romance that touched me deeply.
RIOT is not for the faint-hearted, but the brave will
connect with this unforgettable story.
BRUTAL. INTENSE. PASSIONATE. THE WORLD OF THE SCARRED
SOULS.
They call me 901. I am a monster, a killer, a champion. In
the blood pit I am a god. I have no name, no family, and no
identity. When master says fight, I fight…until I am the
only one left standing. I have one goal, to fight so well
that I am freed. I don’t need friends, I don’t need women.
They are weaknesses. I am strong.
Until I see her. She is gorgeous and kind and
off-limits to me. She was stolen as a child to be the worst
type of slave and now master wants her. What he wants, he
gets. With a smile, she melts my brutal heart. I have never
wanted anything more.
I need to make a choice. Freedom or Love. I cannot choose wrong.
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