Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
This book was fun to read! and I will probably reread it in the future to read the second one because I have already forgotten a lot of the plot (this review is quite late). I love reading science fiction when they don't make it complicated to understand. Definitely one of those YA that I enjoyed because they don't feel middle grade.

While I am probably (well, certainly) not the target audience of this book, I have enjoyed it very much. The pacing started slower than it ended, but that was totally in line with the plot; it reflected how life in the Bolvar Union could seem very slow until big happenings happened.
Of course the plot has quite some tried and proven hooks, like Adan being the One Special Person, romance etc. Just as it should be with books like these, because when done well it gives a feeling of familiarity we all need sometimes without getting boring. And that is exactly what is achieved here.

This book was interesting. I am on the fence about how to review this one and how I actually feel about it, but I'll give it a go.

The world was a slight bit confusing. I almost felt like there was too much of my belief I would have to suspend to enjoy the book, and I just was never able to fully get there. The book didn't 100% commit to the sci-fi genre and I felt that throughout the story.

The pacing was also interesting. The book at the start was very slow, to the point where I had to give myself some time before returning. However, I did like the characters. I felt connected to the main character pretty quickly. As others have noted, the book seemed a bit juvenile, which isn't a bad thing! It just was a bit difficult to get used to considering I was expecting a YA, however that genre seems to be expanding everyday to younger and younger audiences.

A late review on my part, unfortunately I got a little overrun with some things in my personal life and wasn’t able to get to this review quicker!

I thought this book was a really interesting read with so many engaging elements: the plot and particularly the characters we meet along the way.
Highly, highly recommend.

3.5 stars! I liked this book, and it held my interest well, but I think it was a bit young for me. The pacing felt good, if a little fast for my taste, but I enjoyed the inner plotline and story arcs. A few years ago, I might have gone mad about Founder's Mercy, but now I think I have aged past its taste. Thank you NetGalley!

I thoroughly enjoyed this YA sci-fi story. The world the author has built is set in the future on a planet that’s not Earth, but there’s a dystopian aspect that gives it a throwback feel. The government is very controlling of its citizens, and we get a sense as early as the first chapter that this will be a story about rebellion and uncovering deceptions. I really didn’t know what to expect from this story and enjoyed the adventure. We see the characters in a variety of settings and gradually learn more about their world even as they learn about it too. There are lots of twists and plot developments that I didn’t see coming. There are also some really fascinating plot developments related to technology, but I can’t say more, you’ll just have to read the book!

The main character, Adan, and his friends are all very earnest but also cynical, and it’s interesting to see how they work through challenges while navigating the uncertainty of young adulthood. Adan struggles several times with actions he’s forced to take that harm others to protect himself and others, and I appreciated the author working this into the story, it’s rare to see a character grapple with the morality of using weapons.

The story is also very queer-positive. Despite the government’s heavy control and manipulation of its citizens, it’s clear that the society on this planet is queer-embracing and not homophobic. Both good and bad characters, including government and military officials, freely discuss preferred pronouns, and there doesn’t seem to be any stigma about same-sex couples. There are several budding romances in the story though romance is not the primary plot driver. It felt realistic to me that these young adults would be forming romantic attachments even as they are dealing with government forces and trying to figure out who they can trust.

All of this - the world building, the young characters, the intricately woven plot, the positive queer rep - made for a very readable story. The story ends at a point that seems to anticipate a second book (and this book is called “Neskan Chronicles book one” on the author’s website) so I’m excited to read more of this world. There’s also a happy ending (or beginning?) for Adan and his love interest so that’s another reason to be excited for the next book. A very impressive debut, I will be watching for more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars!

So, I think this book will definitely work for a younger reader! There is romance, the worldbuilding is good enough and the characters are likeable. But for me it did not work as I thought it would. It's neither a terrible book nor even close to that. I really think the target audience was the problem for me.

This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest criticize.

Founder’s Mercy by Owen Lach is a Young Adult sci-fi dystopian novel, set on a planet that humans have colonised many years before the start of the narrative. The protagonist, Adan, discovers that he has powers that link back to the original settlers on the planet of Neska, allowing him to do things no-one else can do. His friend Bo accompanies him through the world, meeting very different people and being put in a variety of dangerous situations over the course of this first installment in the Neskan Chronicles series.

If you read books for their worlds, then you will love this book. Neska is a well-developed world, with fantastic landscapes and interesting geography and weather, like the electromagnetic field storms. This is depicted through a combination of Adan’s own observation of his world and journal entries of the original settlers of Neska that add extra flavour through eyes unfamiliar with the planet as the reader’s. There are interesting systems in place as well, such as the Gories (which I was left a little confused about but would be interested to read more about), everyone serving their “Five”, and how humans have adapted to living on Neska with none of their technology. I also enjoyed the queer utopia of the world, with no characters assuming gender or sexuality before pronouns were given and preferences expressed.

However, as someone who reads books for characters, I was left a little disappointed with the novel. I wanted to see more of how the events of the novel impacted Adan, given that his entire life was turned upside down and he has to do things he would have never have considered, including killing people. I don’t feel like we got much of that in text – Adan shrugs basically everything off, other than a few short conversations with other characters about things that have happened, and one short paragraph describing it all getting too much and him crying. But nothing that has happened seems to have actually impacted him in tangible ways in his day to day, or even in the moment of action. I would love to have seen more of Adan wrestling with his own agency in his actions given how Besi works and the lengths he is forced to go to, especially when he decries the violence of the Gories so early on in the book.

Founder’s Mercy provides a fantastic world for the start of an exciting series, but for me, the characters rang a little too hollow for me to really fall in love with the novel.

Founder’s Mercy was such a fun read! I loved the concept of the dystopian future on the backdrop of past colonists to the planet with varying results. The alternating chapters switching between of the present day and the captain’s log from the first settlers of the planet made for an interesting read. Especially when I made connections between the information being revealed in the logs and the events of the novel’s chapters.

While the plot was gripping and exciting, I think my favourite thing about this novel were the characters. I loved following Adan and Bo in their bid to escape their constrictive lives under the thumb of ‘The Union’. A body of government that claims to have their citizen’s best interests at their focus, but it doesn’t always seem that way. The friendship between these two main characters was wonderful to read amongst the dark backdrop if the setting. The friendship itself was so genuine and caring. The other main supporting characters were all so interesting to read, and I loved learning more about them all and following their crazy journey.

There were some little things I found with this novel that I had a small issue with. These were things that didn’t take away from the plot too much but were noticeable to me as a fellow writer. I didn’t feel they affected the narrative voice much, but without them would have enhanced the work. I also found the romances to be a little rushed – they seemed to develop very quickly. I know this can happen (I’m not that cold hearted). I just felt that a little more time (timeline time) spent with the romances might have made them more believable to be. Don’t get me wrong, the relationships were sweet, and I am totally onboard and emotionally invested. No turning back now!

Something I really loved was the casual inclusion of pronouns within the character’s conversations when they introduced themselves. I also loved how Adan would use neutral pronouns for people he met until he knew for sure. This is something I would love to see more of in other novels.

Overall, I love how much fun this novel was to read. It had a high stakes plot, secrets and lies everywhere you look, and some exciting scenes to read. The romances were really sweet, and I loved all the characters and their depth. I recommend this for those who enjoy dystopian sci-fi with strong plotting and some really fun characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sending me this free eARC (eAdvanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 22nd March 2022.

Adan lives in the authoritarian state of the Bolvar Union, but he and his best friend Bo are determined to escape before having to take part in their compulsory military service. But Adan has a mysterious gift, connected to the ancient technology of the first colonisers of their planet, and the Union is determined to uncover the truth of his secret.

I thought 'Founder's Mercy' started well, and I was interested in following Adan and Bo in their escape from the Bolvar Union. Unfortunately, I don't think this book was quite for me, on this occasion. I felt the characters were lacking depth, and I struggled to feel much emotional connection with the story. I found the ending quite flat, although the fledging romance between two of the characters was very sweet and gentle. Fans of dystopian action-adventures with a sci-fi slant should definitely consider giving 'Founder's Mercy' a try.

I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of 'Founder's Mercy'. These opinions are my own.

Founder's Mercy is a breathtaking debut from Lach. I read it in nearly a single sitting. The delightful cast immediately drew me in, especially childhood best friends Adan and Bo. I enjoyed the pacing. Adan's world started small and contained but grew more extensive and exciting with each chapter. Lach's writing style is accessible and appropriate for young adults without skimping on frankness and depth. Lach's world-building is commendable, especially with how thoughtfully inclusive the story is regarding queerness, gender, and race. The book sets up a series I'm excited to read.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

Founder’s Mercy starts off strong, it’s got an interesting premise and diverse cast of characters. However, I only got a few chapters in before I had to dnf. The book itself isn’t bad, it’s just not my cup of tea right now. Some books I can just feel that they can put me in reading slumps, and this is one of them.

I do feel bad about not reading the whole book, but I just don’t want to force myself to and give it a lower rating. Based on what I read, it’s easily a 3 star read, though I’m giving it 2 since I only read around 25%.

The platonic relationship is so refreshing to read. You don’t see a lot of platonic friendships in YA books, so I was excited to read this one.

Maybe I’ll read a finished copy of this book, but for now, it’s a DNF.

Founder’s Mercy lures you in with its charming characters and keeps you intrigued with mysteries and action.

Platonic love is such an underrated type of relationship. Adan and Bo’s friendship, more than anything else, felt like the core of this book, and it was so refreshing to read. Pile that on with unique world building, a diverse cast, solid writing, and some really neat science fiction elements, and you’ve got an enjoyable read from start to finish.

The plot wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be, especially towards the last quarter of the book. But the book as a whole feels like a prelude for bigger things to come, and I really hope that’s true because I’m definitely going to pick up the sequel when it releases.

I wasn’t sure what to think of this going on, since I haven’t always had the best luck with YA Dystopian, but the premise pulled me, and I’m happy to say that I ended up liking it!

First off, I LOVED the LGBTQ+ representation in this book, and I appreciated not only that it was there, but that it was done well, and respectfully.

Secondly, I really liked the characters! Adan was a great main character, well developed and likable, and he worked really well in the dystopian genre. Sometimes characters in this genre can come off as cheesy or one note, but that was not the case here.

Lastly, the world building! It was so good, and it was so obvious that Lach put a lot of time into developing this world and this story. Overall, this was a really cool debut and I’d love to read more from this author in the future.

Wasn't really sure what to expect with this book, but ended up quite liking it. It's a YA dystopian novel, based in a different Earth-like world. The society Adan lives in is quite authoritarian. The government provides for everything from cradle to grave but expects absolute obedience. The world-building is well-done. We come to understand the society they lived in. In between chapters are log entries from the first explorers who first discovered and settled this world, so we also get the historical perspective. I enjoy the pace of the story. The reader, along with Adan and his friends, gradually discover that their world and society are not as simple as it looked. Multiple complex layers start to emerge as Adan's world expands beyond the borders of his country. The ending suggests a sequel to come and I cannot wait to see where this will lead us to.
**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.**

It was so refreshing that the main characters sexuality was simply part of who he was and not put into the narrative to prove some sort of point. The world building and the characters were well written and convincing believable. This did feel like the scenes and storyline were being established to ready the reader for the rest of the series. Roll on the next book ......

I loved this book. Founder’s Mercy is a fantastic story. Lach should be proud of releasing such a formidable debut novel. Even though I was raised on a steady diet of YA dystopian fiction, I found Lach’s treatment of the familiar tropes unexpectedly delightful. Make no mistake. This is a book for and about teenagers and young adults. Teenagers make questionable choices sometimes, and Lach’s hero Adan is no exception. But, honestly, faced with similar conditions, I don’t know that I’d do any better.

The world-building was impressive. Lach feeds readers a slow drip of exposition slice-of-life style, including the genius move of adding some history of the Neska’s settlement in short interstitials between chapters. Info dumps are rare and never go beyond a few paragraphs. But I still came away knowing so much about Neska and life in the Bolvar Union. I suspect Lach might have some history as an RPG GM.

Neska feels lived in and well-loved in no small part to Lach’s excellent characters. No one feels one-dimensional, and their relationships feel real. I especially enjoyed the close bond and platonic love between queer Adan and his straight best friend, Bo. I have to admit I wasn’t all that surprised when Adan’s turn at romance came about. But it still felt organic and part of the story. I also appreciated how queerness and varied gender expressions are a fact of life, even in an unfriendly, oppressive place like Bolvar. YA dystopia so often feels like a torture porn event at the oppression olympics. Not so, here. Adan is queer, but Adan’s story isn’t about his queerness.

Founder’s Mercy has some Martha Wells flavor, with shades of N. K. Jemisin and maybe Anne Leckie. It’s absolutely going into my permanent collection. I can’t wait to read it again!

I really enjoyed reading this book! The pacing kept me wanting to turn to the next page, and the world-building and relationships between the characters had me engaged throughout the story. The writing was straightforward and easy to read while still being descriptive enough to feel immersed within the world of the characters. Although, at times the sentence structure and certain phrases did become repetitive, and there were the occasional odd turns of phrase (chunky hair?). The good aspects of the story and writing, however, far outweighed any of the minor foibles.

The world-building in this book was fascinating. The society reminded me of descriptions of the Soviet Union, but it was set on a colony planet sometime in the future. The author did a great job of setting the scene, and the world felt well-conceived and realistic. It felt as though I was there alongside the main characters as they confronted the horrors and secrets of the Union, and I was enthralled by every minute of being immersed in this world. I especially liked how the information about the history of the world was carefully unveiled in service to the events of the story rather than just all being dumped at random. The parallel story of the first explorers, which was presented via written logs inserted between the chapters, complemented the story of the main characters and added to the mystery of the Union while giving important information about its origins.

The characterizations were well-done, and I felt like I was reading about actual teens. There was the usual teen drama, and the main character constantly assessed the hotness of his companions. These aspects, among others, made the characters feel like typical teens in the face of extraordinary circumstances. I thought the romances were adorable and well-paced while managing to avoid overtaking the entire narrative. My favorite thing about this book, though, was the endearing friendship between Adan and Bo. It was just so beautiful to read about two boys who weren't afraid to express their emotions and form deep platonic bonds.

I also loved that the book was super queer. All the representation was great, and it was interesting to see equality on that front in a society that was deeply flawed in other ways. In a lot of queer stories, the protagonist is often fighting for equality (or simply to exist) in regards to their queerness. In this book, however, that wasn't the case, and it was great to see queer teens just kick butt and take names without queerness itself being the motivation for their actions/conflict.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one. The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read for me was the repetitive use of betrayal as a plot device. The first couple of times it packed a punch, but it got old and predictable as the story progressed. However, I still highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA, dystopian, queer, and/or sci-fi stories because it was definitely an enjoyable read. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

I have mixed feelings about this book! I'm intrigued by the story and where it is going. I'm not sure I would have picked it up though, had I realized there would be so little progression in this part of the series. So, beware, this ends on a cliff-hanger because there's very little about the main character's situations that's revealed by the end.
Adan and Bo are best friends. They're planning to escape the city and the oppression they've been living under. Their escape plan goes wrong, and they find themselves faced with potential execution until they are whisked about to enter their mandatory military service early.

Things get convoluted when Adan manages to activate an ancient artifact and he's suddenly the most interesting person around. There are rebels who are interested too and Adan gets swept up in a conflict between two powerful forces.

There's a lot of subterfuge in this story. Adan feels as though he can't trust anyone as he escapes with the "rebels". But they seem to keep falling into one trap after another.

The story didn't progress very much from the opening pages. What was there, was good but I struggled to make. connection with any of the characters. If you don't like cliff-hangers, this is a series you may want to read until all the books have been published.

I did like the newfangled "tech" that Adan was able to activate. (A bit reminiscent of To Sleep In a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini). Sadly, Adan's knowledge of the tech didn't progress much in this section of the series.

It's been a while since I found a YA Dystopian book that I really clicked with, but I finally did with Founder's Mercy.

The world building was fantastic from the very beginning, the characters clicked instantly, and the tropes of the genera were there but they weren't lazyily used as I often find they are in recent YA, and the twists and turns were fun enough to keep me on my toes.

The queerness of the book bumps it from four stars to five stars for me, it was refreshing for the genera and I loved every second of it.

I'm glad it's the first of a series, I anxiously await a sequel.