A Dream of Shadows
Peter Eliott
Further Press, LLC (2022)
ISBN: 979-8986706504
Reviewed by Leigh Kimberly Zoby for Reader Views (01/2023)
Peter Eliott’s “A Dream of Shadows” is a heart-pounding battle of good versus evil set in the treacherous world of Hell’s Labyrinth, a city overrun with violence and cruelty. Infamous smuggler Vazeer The Lash must fulfill one final contract before he can walk away from a lifetime of crime. Gueritus, a sinister Count with a reputation for torturing people for his pleasure, has blackmailed the Countess of Odel into a sexual encounter. This devious act has the potential to cause war. Therefore, a hit is ordered to bring down Gueritus before he defiles the Emperor’s daughter. Vazeer joins members of The Shadow Bidders to devise a plan using each person’s distinct talents in a life-and-death battle to restore peace to the once respectable city of Sullward.
This mod podge group of experts consists of a brute that emits fear to whomever he encounters, an experienced locksmith, a seductress impersonator, a ruthless assassin, a lineman with a photographic memory, and Vazeer. The Shadow Bidders have 48 hours to devise a foolproof plan and complete the mission. They must time events perfectly and remain unnoticed. If caught, they are sure to be disfigured, maimed, and slowly tortured to death at the hands of The Raving Blade.
“A Dream of Shadows” is a literary masterpiece with scenes so eloquently described they seem real. Author Peter Eliott uses the senses to world build, allowing the reader to feel the fog roll in and smell the stench of death. An eerie foreboding feeling emits from every corner. In the world of criminals, there are levels of evil. Mr. Eliott builds suspense by dropping breadcrumbs of information about the inhumane actions which make Gueritus a force to be reckoned with.
Mr. Eliott’s writing style has a rhythmic hypnotizing tone that casts a spell upon its reader, transporting them into a world of darkness. The build-up to action is nail-biting. Once the mission starts to unfold, hold on tight for an action-packed plot twist that comes out of nowhere, leading to cliffhangers and side stories. I could not put “A Dream of Shadows” down. From the first sentence, I became invested. I felt bonded to the team of misfit criminals, praying they would survive and bring down the evil Raving Blade.
“A Dream of Shadows” is destined to be a bestseller. Netflix could easily make this a noteworthy mini-series. I cannot wait to read book 2 in The Shadow Bidder Series. I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes fantasy, action adventures, and incredible plot-twists.
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