Book Review: Bazaar by Miles Joyner

Review

Bazaar by Miles Joyner is one of those books that grabs you by the collar from page one and refuses to let go until it’s dragged you—wide-eyed and slightly breathless—through a world where dark web markets, untraceable firearms, and calculated assassinations are the currency of the day. It’s part dystopian cyber-thriller, part political commentary, and entirely relevant in a way that feels almost uncomfortably prescient.

As a writer and editor, what stood out to me immediately was author Joyner’s voice: gritty, propulsive, and unapologetically bold. He doesn’t shy away from tackling difficult themes such as urban decay, institutional failure, the banality of violence, and yet manages to keep his narrative character-driven and emotionally sharp.

The protagonist, Aaron, is a complex, morally gray young man whose descent into digital-era vigilantism is disturbingly relatable. And the marketplace known as Bazaar, where people bid on assassination dates? Terrifyingly inventive. The novel pulses with a kind of anxious energy that reminded me of early Bret Easton Ellis fused with the social consciousness of The Wire.

Is it perfect? Not always. The pace sometimes races ahead of character development, and a few side plots felt a bit rushed—but honestly, I didn’t mind. The urgency and ambition of the book far outweigh these minor hiccups.

If you’re someone who appreciates fiction that stares unflinchingly into the chaos of modern society and emerges with something urgent to say, Bazaar deserves a spot on your shelf.

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