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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(((((((((((((((((SPOILERS))))))))))))
I liked this story more than most because Lythlet's character was intriguing. The Arena, beasts, coalition, politics, religious aspects.
The biggest problems with the book: Desil, Ilden and Shunvi are legendary fighters, but Dothilos didn't know that they met on a regular basis? Seavum gives Lythlet the bestiary encyclopedia and Dothilos never wonders how she has this instant knowledge about defeating monsters?
I liked this story more than most because Lythlet's character was intriguing. The Arena, beasts, coalition, politics, religious aspects.
The biggest problems with the book: Desil, Ilden and Shunvi are legendary fighters, but Dothilos didn't know that they met on a regular basis? Seavum gives Lythlet the bestiary encyclopedia and Dothilos never wonders how she has this instant knowledge about defeating monsters?
adventurous
medium-paced
“The Serpent Called Mercy” was a mesmerising read, particularly because it introduced me to a culture I wasn’t familiar with before. But equally, it failed to entertain and intrigue me, leaving me a bit disappointed and stuck in the in-between. There were a lot of aspects I really enjoyed, but it saddens me that I know I will not remember the contents of this book in years to come.
Lythlet is a very interesting character. Strong and brave, but unable to prosper and move forward due to a huge debt she owes. When an opportunity arises for her and her best friend, Desil, who’s a brawler, to fight for money, they go for it.
I envisioned the arena fights as something from “The Gladiator” and “Hunger Games”, even “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, unlike the comparison the publisher did with “The Witcher” and “Squid Games”. “The Witcher” comparison, I can kind of understand, because they are fighting mythical monsters . But it has nothing to do with “Squid Games”, apart the fact that if you lose in the arena, you die. But as we are talking about fighting in arenas with mythical montsters from Malaysian-Chinese mythology, that should be considered as common sense. Each battle is a new challenge that Lythlet and Desil have to tackle and I quite enjoyed the first few battles. After a while, they start to become a bit repetitive.
Aside from the arena action, there was a lot going on outside of the arena as well. Lythlet’s parents are struggling with their own debts, her father has a new promising job, and the complicated relationship Lythlet starts to develop with Master Dothilos – the arena matchmaker. The action was there, but something about the story just didn’t grip me. It felt almost seen before, and the ending was quite predictable, and for me, without any big reveals or wow moments. The only wow moment that I can recall was Desil’s secret. And after this reveal, Lythlet’s reaction was even more disappointing. Maybe it was needed for her character development, but it was very rushed and didn’t make sense to me.
“The Serpent Called Mercy” is a wonderful story about facing adversity and refusing to become what society expects of you. There are amazing messages of bravery, strength, standing up for yourself and others and being kind and merciful. It was simply not a story that clicked with me, and although I found it forgettable, I would still recommend it to the fantasy fans out there.
Favourite Quotes:
“Hope in times of happiness isn’t hope – it’s expectation. It’s only when things are at their bleakest that you find hope unadulterated.”
“The best stories are those rooted in truth, embellished only for entertainment’s sake.”
“What a blessing it is that there remain children more scared of ghosts than of the world around them.”
“Master Dothilos. You know me better than to think I’ll believe that. Men frequently make threats they wildly intend, only claiming they never meant a word of it when it rebounds on them.”
“I refuse to live and die on your terms as your cur. I will not choose apathy over justice, wealth over duty, wrath over mercy.”
“If I want to run fast, I ought to run alone.”
Lythlet is a very interesting character. Strong and brave, but unable to prosper and move forward due to a huge debt she owes. When an opportunity arises for her and her best friend, Desil, who’s a brawler, to fight for money, they go for it.
I envisioned the arena fights as something from “The Gladiator” and “Hunger Games”, even “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, unlike the comparison the publisher did with “The Witcher” and “Squid Games”. “The Witcher” comparison, I can kind of understand, because they are fighting mythical monsters . But it has nothing to do with “Squid Games”, apart the fact that if you lose in the arena, you die. But as we are talking about fighting in arenas with mythical montsters from Malaysian-Chinese mythology, that should be considered as common sense. Each battle is a new challenge that Lythlet and Desil have to tackle and I quite enjoyed the first few battles. After a while, they start to become a bit repetitive.
Aside from the arena action, there was a lot going on outside of the arena as well. Lythlet’s parents are struggling with their own debts, her father has a new promising job, and the complicated relationship Lythlet starts to develop with Master Dothilos – the arena matchmaker. The action was there, but something about the story just didn’t grip me. It felt almost seen before, and the ending was quite predictable, and for me, without any big reveals or wow moments. The only wow moment that I can recall was Desil’s secret. And after this reveal, Lythlet’s reaction was even more disappointing. Maybe it was needed for her character development, but it was very rushed and didn’t make sense to me.
“The Serpent Called Mercy” is a wonderful story about facing adversity and refusing to become what society expects of you. There are amazing messages of bravery, strength, standing up for yourself and others and being kind and merciful. It was simply not a story that clicked with me, and although I found it forgettable, I would still recommend it to the fantasy fans out there.
Favourite Quotes:
“Hope in times of happiness isn’t hope – it’s expectation. It’s only when things are at their bleakest that you find hope unadulterated.”
“The best stories are those rooted in truth, embellished only for entertainment’s sake.”
“What a blessing it is that there remain children more scared of ghosts than of the world around them.”
“Master Dothilos. You know me better than to think I’ll believe that. Men frequently make threats they wildly intend, only claiming they never meant a word of it when it rebounds on them.”
“I refuse to live and die on your terms as your cur. I will not choose apathy over justice, wealth over duty, wrath over mercy.”
“If I want to run fast, I ought to run alone.”
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gladiator meets The Witcher in this high stakes and utterly compulsive, epic fantasy from debut author Roanne Lau.
Masterfully weaving a pacy and emotionally raw narrative that had me on the edge of my seat. We follow a pair of loveable, underdog-esque protagonists who take up fighting monsters (in a colosseum type arena)— in an effort to pay back their debts and rise out of the slums they’ve barely survived in.
Lythlet, (our sole POV character) was a fascinating if unconventional protagonist; morally ambiguous and unapologetically calculating —she’s willing to do whatever it takes to survive (including lie, cheat, manipulate or steal.) Yet in spite of this, she still holds firm in her moral convictions when it involves the city’s most vulnerable. And as such, brought a sense of relatability and realness to her character that I feel will resonate with a lot of readers.
The pacing was heart poundingly swift too, yet it never diminished the emotional depth (or growth) that our characters undertake—particularly when it came to the horrifying events in the arena and the slow, brutal demise of Lythlet’s closest relationships.
I also adored the nuance and multilayered elements of the prose (which was beautifully crafted) and loved that we could experience such an incredible Malaysian Chinese-fantasy setting. (I also really need an illustrated bestiary as the sun-cursed beasts all sound soo fascinating!)
The focus on corruption in the pursuit of power (and exploitation) was also handled extremely well. It’s unsettling how relevant some of the thematic elements (gentrification, oppression, displacement of the lower classes and the corporate-fuelled greed of the ruling classes) are in relation to current world events.
And (in my opinion) served as a stark reminder at how easily societal structures can be taken for granted, or even dismantled, when the people in power choose profits over the lives of their citizens —or only see empathy as a weakness.
If you haven’t added this to your TBRs yet, then I highly recommend you do so as it’s action packed, thought provoking, and soo very detailed—I was fully immersed! Just be sure to check the TWs first.
Also, a huge thanks to Shalini and Solaris Books for the finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Drug abuse, Trafficking
challenging
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
From one heist to another, when will it ever end? Sometimes we just are scraping by and we ask ourselves why. Why do we keep toiling to chip away a debt we are only barely scratching the surface on? Is there not a better way? For Desil and Lythlet, their chance to get above it all might be here, but nothing comes for free. The Serpent Called Mercy is a book full of adventure and action. It's for fans of those who love reading about this game of survival. And asking ourselves when we fight between ambition and mercy, who wins?
From one heist to another, when will it ever end? Sometimes we just are scraping by and we ask ourselves why. Why do we keep toiling to chip away a debt we are only barely scratching the surface on? Is there not a better way? For Desil and Lythlet, their chance to get above it all might be here, but nothing comes for free. The Serpent Called Mercy is a book full of adventure and action. It's for fans of those who love reading about this game of survival. And asking ourselves when we fight between ambition and mercy, who wins?
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Lythlet has been working dead-end job after dead-end job with abusive employers to pay off a debt to a loan shark. Her best friend Desil has been doing the same working two jobs to pay off a loan with a ridiculous interest rate that if they weren't, slumdogs wouldn't even exist. However, a random conversation about joining the Conquessors in the Arena may just change their fate if they can survive the Match Master first.
This is such a wonderfully straightforward conversation about the wealth gap, poverty, and those that prey upon the poor. On top of that we have Lythlet who is such a prime example of a human, whom if she had access to the same schooling, the same Healthcare, the same rights as those who were financially well off she would be an unstoppable genius. Hell, she pretty much is without any of those things. Honestly, there are many, many things that made this great, but it's Lythlet that truly put it over the top. She's such a great and relatable character. Even when she made poor decisions and she makes more than her fair share, they felt like something I'd do as well. And the gods know if you read my reviews it's the character that keeps making bad decisions that drives me bonkers but Lythlet's always seemed understandable because she was being used and abused by a man who had turned being a narcissist into a career. Quite literally. But she also admits her faults too and she doesn't surgar coat it either, she never tries to justify her actions, she just admits she messed up and moves on and that is so refreshing in a character like Lythlet. The one takeaway here is Lythlet is a borderline narcissistic herself, and she recognizes it and simply does better.
World building is well done as well, especially in establishing what a truly shitty world this is to live in if you are poor or if you try to rise above your station. Everyone in power is crooked, literally everyone. The Watchmen, The Governor, The Matchmaster, everyone. And we aren't talking a little crooked. We are talking "sacrifice peoples lives for cheap labor" crooked. We are talking the wife of one of Lythlet's abusive bosses, who says that he should beat Lythlet harder evil. This is, of course, an important distinction because humans have a tendency to believe women are somehow not a part of these evil systems of corruption, which is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves. Pacing is great as well, I never got bored, I never felt rushed, and omg, Lau does something other authors need to do: Skip ahead in time. That was so nice, there's no filler, Lythlet just mentions that "The last two arena battles went great," and yay, we are caught up! It was again, simple and straightforward manner of moving the story along.
I have to mention the beasts in the Arena before I go because these things are freaking amazing. They are creepy and terrifying, and how the hell both Lythlet and Desil keep their heads through the battles is simply beyond me. Especially the one with three heads and the way they end that one? Oh man, a gruesome and clever demise that made my violence loving (only in books sheesh) soar!
Overall, this was an excellent read that could not have come out at a better time. There is no way the publisher or Lau could have planned for American politics to go the way they are right now and it almost kind of sucks that it is speaking so loudly to the truths we are currently living but here we are and I highly recommend giving this one a shot.
As always, thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the eArc!
This is such a wonderfully straightforward conversation about the wealth gap, poverty, and those that prey upon the poor. On top of that we have Lythlet who is such a prime example of a human, whom if she had access to the same schooling, the same Healthcare, the same rights as those who were financially well off she would be an unstoppable genius. Hell, she pretty much is without any of those things. Honestly, there are many, many things that made this great, but it's Lythlet that truly put it over the top. She's such a great and relatable character. Even when she made poor decisions and she makes more than her fair share, they felt like something I'd do as well. And the gods know if you read my reviews it's the character that keeps making bad decisions that drives me bonkers but Lythlet's always seemed understandable because she was being used and abused by a man who had turned being a narcissist into a career. Quite literally. But she also admits her faults too and she doesn't surgar coat it either, she never tries to justify her actions, she just admits she messed up and moves on and that is so refreshing in a character like Lythlet. The one takeaway here is Lythlet is a borderline narcissistic herself, and she recognizes it and simply does better.
World building is well done as well, especially in establishing what a truly shitty world this is to live in if you are poor or if you try to rise above your station. Everyone in power is crooked, literally everyone. The Watchmen, The Governor, The Matchmaster, everyone. And we aren't talking a little crooked. We are talking "sacrifice peoples lives for cheap labor" crooked. We are talking the wife of one of Lythlet's abusive bosses, who says that he should beat Lythlet harder evil. This is, of course, an important distinction because humans have a tendency to believe women are somehow not a part of these evil systems of corruption, which is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves. Pacing is great as well, I never got bored, I never felt rushed, and omg, Lau does something other authors need to do: Skip ahead in time. That was so nice, there's no filler, Lythlet just mentions that "The last two arena battles went great," and yay, we are caught up! It was again, simple and straightforward manner of moving the story along.
I have to mention the beasts in the Arena before I go because these things are freaking amazing. They are creepy and terrifying, and how the hell both Lythlet and Desil keep their heads through the battles is simply beyond me. Especially the one with three heads and the way they end that one? Oh man, a gruesome and clever demise that made my violence loving (only in books sheesh) soar!
Overall, this was an excellent read that could not have come out at a better time. There is no way the publisher or Lau could have planned for American politics to go the way they are right now and it almost kind of sucks that it is speaking so loudly to the truths we are currently living but here we are and I highly recommend giving this one a shot.
As always, thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the eArc!
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the worldbuilding, the bestiary, the settings, and the complicated politics of this novel. However, what killed this books ability to be a 5 star review is melodramatic dialogue and it's reliance on dialogue as the only means of TELLING the reader both what the story is about and every single piece of detail made for the story. Everything was told to me instead of shown, I didn't get to see or experience the incredible world that was built for me. I didn't get to live through the experience of the criminal underworld and corruption. Instead it was all info dumped via monologues that are reminiscent of children's cartoons and anime.
I would have liked to experience the story and gotten to explore with the character instead of entire chapters of dialogue back to back TELLING me how everything works. Combined with cartoonish antics the tone for this book took a massive nose dive and makes this not geared towards adults but young adults. The fact that Lythlets parents never get names but are just Father and Mother used as names, also really killed the story telling and made all of the melodramatic and campy moments that much more cumbersome to get around. I signed up for a dark and gritty fantasy and what I got was a 2005 kids cartoon in written form.
Which is unfortunate I was extremely excited for this book.
I would have liked to experience the story and gotten to explore with the character instead of entire chapters of dialogue back to back TELLING me how everything works. Combined with cartoonish antics the tone for this book took a massive nose dive and makes this not geared towards adults but young adults. The fact that Lythlets parents never get names but are just Father and Mother used as names, also really killed the story telling and made all of the melodramatic and campy moments that much more cumbersome to get around. I signed up for a dark and gritty fantasy and what I got was a 2005 kids cartoon in written form.
Which is unfortunate I was extremely excited for this book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My thanks to Rebellion and Net Galley for a free DRC of "The Serpent Called Mercy" by Roanne Lau.
What a great debut in Adult High Fantasy!
I loved this tale of ride or die friendship, monster fighting with social and political undertones.
It was so refreshing to get away from the current trends of perfect looking main characters and Romantasy.
The fact that the main female character has a facial deformity and a stutter were a breath of fresh air after the dozens of Fantasy tomes where everyone is ridiculously and inhumanly handsome.
I have been craving for a true friendship where a female and a male protagonists can be as sworn brother and sister, genuine friends without the need for romance.
Also please go into this debut without the expectations of "The Witcher" or "Squid Games". It is its own narrative and while it has monster fighting in an arena, it is more about the journeys of the characters.
So if you enjoy great character development, underdog stories, some captivating actions, flawed characters that feel real, please give this debut a try.
I truly hope the author will revisit this world as I wanted just a touch more worldbuilding.
What a great debut in Adult High Fantasy!
I loved this tale of ride or die friendship, monster fighting with social and political undertones.
It was so refreshing to get away from the current trends of perfect looking main characters and Romantasy.
The fact that the main female character has a facial deformity and a stutter were a breath of fresh air after the dozens of Fantasy tomes where everyone is ridiculously and inhumanly handsome.
I have been craving for a true friendship where a female and a male protagonists can be as sworn brother and sister, genuine friends without the need for romance.
Also please go into this debut without the expectations of "The Witcher" or "Squid Games". It is its own narrative and while it has monster fighting in an arena, it is more about the journeys of the characters.
So if you enjoy great character development, underdog stories, some captivating actions, flawed characters that feel real, please give this debut a try.
I truly hope the author will revisit this world as I wanted just a touch more worldbuilding.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes