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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
*The Serpent Called Mercy* is a gripping and exhilarating epic fantasy that effortlessly blends the dark, gritty world of *The Witcher* with the high-stakes tension of *Squid Game*. Set in a Malaysian Chinese-inspired universe, the novel thrusts readers into a cutthroat arena where beasts are fought and lives are risked in the pursuit of fast riches. The stakes are raised as Lythlet and Desil, two debt-ridden friends, become conquessors—fighting both literal monsters and the more insidious beasts of politics and betrayal.
The heart of this story is Lythlet’s transformation, from a desperate fighter to a calculating player in a dangerous game. Her cunning and ambition make for an unforgettable journey as she navigates not only the bloody battles in the arena but the treacherous world outside it. The intricate world-building is both vivid and immersive, drawing readers into its brutal underbelly, while the plot keeps them on the edge of their seats with twists, intrigue, and moral dilemmas that feel all too real.
What truly elevates this story, however, is the unwavering bond between Lythlet and Desil. Their friendship is the backbone of the narrative, a powerful reminder that even in the most perilous situations, loyalty and trust are invaluable. The personal stakes, both in terms of honor and ambition, make every decision feel monumental, and the emotional depth brings the characters to life in a way that makes the reader deeply invested in their fates.
Fast-paced and deeply compelling, *The Serpent Called Mercy* is a thrilling ride through a world where loyalty is tested, monsters lurk in every shadow, and the true price of ambition is yet to be fully revealed. It's a must-read for fans of high-stakes fantasy that doesn't shy away from exploring the complexities of friendship, ambition, and survival.
The heart of this story is Lythlet’s transformation, from a desperate fighter to a calculating player in a dangerous game. Her cunning and ambition make for an unforgettable journey as she navigates not only the bloody battles in the arena but the treacherous world outside it. The intricate world-building is both vivid and immersive, drawing readers into its brutal underbelly, while the plot keeps them on the edge of their seats with twists, intrigue, and moral dilemmas that feel all too real.
What truly elevates this story, however, is the unwavering bond between Lythlet and Desil. Their friendship is the backbone of the narrative, a powerful reminder that even in the most perilous situations, loyalty and trust are invaluable. The personal stakes, both in terms of honor and ambition, make every decision feel monumental, and the emotional depth brings the characters to life in a way that makes the reader deeply invested in their fates.
Fast-paced and deeply compelling, *The Serpent Called Mercy* is a thrilling ride through a world where loyalty is tested, monsters lurk in every shadow, and the true price of ambition is yet to be fully revealed. It's a must-read for fans of high-stakes fantasy that doesn't shy away from exploring the complexities of friendship, ambition, and survival.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Thank you @netgallary and @dawbooks for this ARC, all view my own.
"We're slumdogs living deep in debt..all roads lead to despair..."
Lythlet and her friend Desil are trying to survive in the harsh city of Setgad. Between mounting debts and poverty, they take a chance and become the new combatants in the underground combat ring fighting sun cursed monsters. They meet the baffling Master Dorthilos, adorable duo Shunvi and Ilden, I imagine them as whimsically odd characters which I would also find in a famous Susanna Clarke book.
"There is nothing more dangerous than hope"
Throughout the narrative Lythlet and Desil leaned into their morals as guided by perceived justice and religious teachings, but also by circumstance of being at risk of homelessness, in debt and being 'unregistered' from society. Lau seems to have talent for weaving in social commentary within the story. My heart ached for Lythlets challenges, self doubt and survival instinct: this is a story of displacement, but also of friendship and growth.
I have been deep diving into the fantasy and dystopian genres, so I couldn't resist this character driven story. There are good attempts at world building through character dialogue, the description of the cosmoscape, Lythlets' appraisal of her surroundings and circumstances, all of which I felt could be developed in richer detail as Lau develops her narrative.
I will leave you with this final quote.
"They genuinely don't consider your dignity to be as important as their entertainment".
Overall, this was a great debut into the fantasy genre and I am looking forward to the next title in this duology.
Thank you to @netgallary and @dawbooks for this e-arc, a really excellent pick for dystopian fantasy readers. If you are edging towards diversifying your book reads, this is a brilliant first step 💕
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
The Serpent Called Mercy follows Lythlet & Desil, two down on their luck inhabitants of a slum. Burdened with an ever increasing debt, the pair decide to enter 12 rounds of deadly fights against mythical beasts to gain a chance of changing their fate.
The fights were one of my favourite parts of the book, Lythlet coming up with different tactics to the pair's advantage and seeing whether they'd win or forfeit was thrilling. However, the fights become glossed over in the future in favour of time skips and a pivot towards the larger themes of morality & classism. This isn't a bad thing and these themes are always present but the change into more political machinations of the underworld seems under developed compared to the first half of the book and the fights. I think a bit more time in the world building + non-arena times could've benefited the story.
However, I did overall enjoy the story and it was a refreshing fast paced standalone. I just don't think the comparisons to 'The Witcher' & 'Squid Game' really do it justice and might have folks expecting something quite different.
Thanks to Netgalley & DAW for this arc.
The fights were one of my favourite parts of the book, Lythlet coming up with different tactics to the pair's advantage and seeing whether they'd win or forfeit was thrilling. However, the fights become glossed over in the future in favour of time skips and a pivot towards the larger themes of morality & classism. This isn't a bad thing and these themes are always present but the change into more political machinations of the underworld seems under developed compared to the first half of the book and the fights. I think a bit more time in the world building + non-arena times could've benefited the story.
However, I did overall enjoy the story and it was a refreshing fast paced standalone. I just don't think the comparisons to 'The Witcher' & 'Squid Game' really do it justice and might have folks expecting something quite different.
Thanks to Netgalley & DAW for this arc.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
Thank you to DAW and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In the slums of the Malaysian Chinese-inspired fantasy city of Setgad, Lythlet Tairiel and her childhood friend Desil Demothi live in poverty and debt, barely scraping enough coin together to keep the usurers off their backs. When the opportunity to claw their way out of debt presents itself, they enter the underground arena of conquessing, fighting sun-cursed beasts in dangerous battles to the death. And while Lythlet’s meterorical rise to fame seems to point towards a brighter future, she soon discovers that when the underground has its claws in you, it’s loathe to let you go.
When I started The Serpent Called Mercy, I had no expectation that I would find one of the best books I’ve read in a while among its pages. However, I was immediately blown away by the beautiful writing style, surprisingly lush and poetic for a story about debt-ridden slumdogs and their fight to survive. The city of Setgad is vibrant and rich, even the darker and poorer parts that Lythlet frequents, and the cultural elements are incredibly fascinating and feel very anchored to the world, without being bogged down with too much exposition.
I, too, found a protagonist in Lythlet who was flawed, yes, but incredibly easy to root for. Her harsh childhood and the circumstances she’d been trying to overcome could have easily led to resignation and apathy, but her wit and ambition, especially after getting a taste of coin and glory in the conquessing arena, were exciting to behold. Especially as it led to internal struggles about what to prioritise: a future of financial security at the cost of present danger in the arena and entanglements with the criminal underground, or her friendship with Desil, whose brawling days have left him scarred and conflicted about their careers as conquessors?
This book has been pitched as The Witcher meets Squid Games, but I don’t think that’s particularly accurate – the only similar aspects are fights against monsters and games where life and death are on the line, respectively. Instead, I’d recommend this to anyone who fell in love with Ketterdam in Six of Crows or whose favourite movie is Gladiator. This is a story about underdogs fighting tooth and nail for a secure future for themselves and those around them against the oppressive forces of the powerful and corrupt elites above, and while those are also present in the official comps, the aesthetic vibes are definitely more similar to my comps.
The last thing I will say is that while The Serpent Called Mercy looks to be a standalone novel, I sincerely hope that Roanne Lau will return to this world, whether it be a continuation of Lythlet and Desil’s story or something completely different. This is a world that feels full to bursting, and it would be a shame not to get to explore more of it. I will certainly be looking out for what else Lau has to offer in the future.
challenging
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
“All we can do is find a way to survive and prosper within the system.”
Lythlet and Desil have found themselves victims of circumstance and are struggling to repay a significant debt to a loan shark. However, the system exists to perpetuate the struggle of poverty that they have found themselves in. They find themselves with an opportunity to become conquessors in a series of matches against a menagerie of beasts that will reward them with wealth beyond their imagining. These matches are not easily won, and they must work together to continue through all twelve matches.
“I will not choose apathy over justice, wealth over duty, wrath over mercy.”
Throughout the story, we are reminded that the moral compass with which we ourselves exist by, is not what others adhere to. There can be promise of riches and connections but they come with consequences. Can you maintain morality when tempted with the one thing that may change your situation? Can you show mercy despite reaping no reward? Roanne challenges us to consider these questions, and more in this exciting debut.
Thank you to DAW Books and NetGalley for access to the eARC!
The Serpent Called Mercy is a thrilling debut. I absolutely loved the FMC, she is an underdog that uses her mind and wit to overcome so many obstacles. I also loved her friendship with her close friend, this was a delight to read. I thought we would see more of the monster fighting and go deeper into the mythology. There was a lot more focus on politics, which I did like but I did feel there was a lack of balance between this and the arena. Considering there are 12 epic fights, we only get coverage of three/four in any detail - these were the best parts of the book for me and I would rather have read this and not had the side plot with her parents. Although I can see why this was included and the character arc was charming to read. Definitely an entertaining and quick read with some cool monsters and exploration of societal systems.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.
adventurous
medium-paced
I liked this book, but didn't love it. It felt so dense and yet I had so many questions about the world and magic. I felt like the main story could have been two books instead of one. I did love that this is a fantasy story without a real romance aspect. There is some flirtation, but always between the main characters and a side character. Lythlet and Desil are best friends, and I love the familial relationship between them. I liked how they really complemented each other and there wasn't any heaving bosoms and stolen glances.
The book takes place over the course of just over a year. There is so much plot that takes place that I was just rushing through the end. So many of their conquessor battles are just glazed over, but I would have liked more description. I also was interested in the real difference between Sun Cursed and Sun Blessed. Also, it seemed like other nations still had magic, so why didn't they? I know it's explained but it just felt so vague.
I would also wager a guess that Lythlet is neurodivergent. I loved the way she was described and her interactions with people. She wasn't a caricature, but a loving representation. The other thing this book does well is describe the harsh ways people get trapped in poverty. The predatory loans and jobs that overpromise and underdeliver. This really was a scrappy underdog story, but the ending isn't pitch perfect. The ending depicts an imperfect world that has years to go, I like a messy ending.
I don't know if I would read another book in this series, but if you like monster fighting rebellious fantasy, this book is for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
The book takes place over the course of just over a year. There is so much plot that takes place that I was just rushing through the end. So many of their conquessor battles are just glazed over, but I would have liked more description. I also was interested in the real difference between Sun Cursed and Sun Blessed. Also, it seemed like other nations still had magic, so why didn't they? I know it's explained but it just felt so vague.
I would also wager a guess that Lythlet is neurodivergent. I loved the way she was described and her interactions with people. She wasn't a caricature, but a loving representation. The other thing this book does well is describe the harsh ways people get trapped in poverty. The predatory loans and jobs that overpromise and underdeliver. This really was a scrappy underdog story, but the ending isn't pitch perfect. The ending depicts an imperfect world that has years to go, I like a messy ending.
I don't know if I would read another book in this series, but if you like monster fighting rebellious fantasy, this book is for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Trafficking