Notorious Grell Runner Vazeer the Lash returns—bruised and bloodied but not entirely disenchanted with his hopes for the city of Sullward—in this thrilling sequel to Peter Eliott’s A Dream of Shadows. Once again, the gritty Shadow Bidder series is impossible to put down, as A BARGAIN WITH DARKNESS picks up shortly after the fateful night of the Narrow Bid and the historic Swell Driver. This stormy nexus has left Sullward riddled with aftershocks, both on the physical landscape and the shadowy, nefarious inner-workings of the bleak port city’s criminal empire. It has also changed Vazeer himself, bolstering his reputation with new rumors and leaving a network of new enemies scattered in seemingly every dark corner—from Dockside to his former Broodhouse, and into the underworld of the Lower City. As alliances shift and regimes change, Vazeer has to navigate this precarious world, which might lead him straight into the lair of the deadly Raving Blade himself.

The collision of betrayals within the Narrow Bid and the flooding and death that ravaged Sullward during the Swell Driver echo throughout the far reaches of the novel, adding another layer of conflict for Vazeer to traverse while he deals with frightening dreams, grief, and ever-changing relationships. In Hell’s Labyrinth, the line between friend and foe is always a blurred one, shifting constantly back and forth, which becomes even more apparent in this sequel. Eliott’s intricately-laid plot is just as spectacularly artful as his prose. Vazeer’s wordy, indulgent narration—sprinkled with his likable wry humor—is a pleasure to dive into once again, and the darker descriptions are just as compelling: “Air was moving, but it was not quite enough to fan away the dense mist, which was prowling throughout Dockside like half-formed thoughts.”

The plot unfolds like a perilous game board, and the reader is left holding their breath waiting for the pawns and key players to reveal their bids for power, riches, or infamy. There are twists on top of twists, betrayals, double-crosses that cross back again—a dizzying show of political intrigue that only criminals would conjure. And, once again, it’s riveting to watch Vazeer squeeze his way out of tight corners, often with help that’s least expected. Misdirections are devised not unlike his winding treks through alleys and flood-swept streets to shake off his many pursuers.

While Vazeer’s personal and career-related troubles worsen, his journey into the Sullward’s underbelly reaches parts where even the shadows might fear to tread. As conflicts climb to suffocating new heights, Vazeer treats his audience to a deeper look at the world around him—not only his dandy-esque appreciation for books, art, and the city’s glorious old architecture, but the storied mythology that lies beneath it. A bloody history of religion and politics, cults and regimes, and Vazeer’s own checkered past that knighted him “the Lash.” Every aside has its place within the narrative, as two different bids collide into present-day consequences. Once again, this place feels as lively and grim as its people—a carefully mapped world with languages, class systems, unspoken codes, and a criminal aristocracy that’s won in bloodshed.

Despite all its harshness and cruelty and violence, there are glimpses of hope and heart and levity as well. One scene that comes to mind is when Vazeer speaks to a young boy about love, imparting some fatherly wisdom about how the boy should change his habits to win the heart of a girl he likes. It’s a scolding speech that eventually morphs into something honest and raw and quite beautiful. The reader is shown a paternal side of Vazeer, but also this bittersweet, romantic undercurrent.

As always, Vazeer finds himself surrounded by an ensemble of rogues. Whether they’re already established relationships or new ones, each is rendered with the same care and richness as the world itself. New side characters are cleverly pulled into the plot, their unique cache of criminal skills put on display. Each one is more dangerous and intriguing than the last—flawed, rough, ambitious, powerful—from the Raving Blade himself to Vazeer’s former lover-turned-rival to Vazeer’s daring protege to the wily, resourceful new kids in his Broodhouse just learning their criminal trades. And of course there’s Vazeer the Lash himself, who again proves he’s one of the most interesting, complicated, memorable protagonists in modern fantasy.

A decadent fantasy novel that surpasses its predecessor, A BARGAIN WITH DARKNESS yet again lays the exciting, dangerous groundwork for the next chapter of Vazeer’s story in what’s shaping up to be a thrilling, highly-anticipated saga.

A riveting, taut sequel—Peter Eliott’s A BARGAIN WITH DARKNESS delivers pulse-pounding suspense and a winding, clever story as treacherous as the bleak back alleys of Hell’s Labyrinth.

~Jessica Thomas for IndieReader