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.