I rated the first book three stars and finished wanting to find out what happens next, but this book left me unsatisfied. As the story went on, the characters became more and more unlikable. I think I liked the relationship between the side characters more than the main relationship. The sudden change in format felt unnatural and did not mesh well with me. I liked the moments of connection between Gem, their mother, and their grandmother. I wish we could have seen more moments like that. Overall, the concept of the book was well done but I personally did not finish the book with a love for the series.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

what’s it about? ⬇️

Picking up soon after the shockingly violent events that closed out the first book, Merciless Saviors focuses far more on the lives of Gem Echols (formerly "The Magician" in their world) and their counterparts in their godly forms as they return to and refamiliarize themselves with the home world they fled and abandoned centuries ago. But of course, things have changed back home, just as they have changed on earth, and the changes to Gem, Rory, and Enzo's surroundings are nothing compared to the changes that each of them are experiencing with their powers and abilities shifting and changing now that the balance has been lost.

All in all, Merciless Saviors is a tale of finding oneself in the aftermath of loss and change, and deciding through that discovery what sort of person you wish to become and how to keep going forward. That's as much as I think I can say without giving too much away because holy cow did this book come back hitting even harder than the first at some points.

my thoughts? ⬇️

While the first is still my favorite of this incredible duology, I loved so much of Merciless Saviors and the journey Gem/The Magician goes on to take on memories of their past both on Earth and in their old home world and to learn from those memories and traumas and still find a way to move forward. As a whole, this story was deep and cutting and touched on so many difficult topics in ways that still pull the reader far enough out of reality to make them more bearable to focus on. I related to so much of Gem's journey in this book, caught myself multiple times wondering what that said about me as a person, and then quickly chose to follow Gem and the others through to the end to see how things went for them. And I wasn't disappointed. Edgmon's characters took on even more life in this second part of the duology and almost became larger than life in a few ways, and having the story continue on from the first in the way that it did really helped to make the story feel complete and without gaps. Love love love.

trigger warnings ⬇️ (read at your own risk, some are pretty rough)

violence, death, gore, body horror, blood, torture, injury/injury detail, war, gun violence, fire/fire injury, self harm, suicide, suicide attempt, mental illness, panic attacks, ptsd, trauma, child abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, csa, rape, pedophilia, incest (attached to the previous), war, colonization, genocide, transphobia, animal death, terminal illness.

Fantastic and magical and traumatizing and confusing and heartbreaking and hopeful. This is the second book in a duology that is very much connected, so if you haven’t read Godly Heathens yet, you probably shouldn’t even be reading this review. Go read this and then come back.

This book was really hard for me to read. I actually started it in April as an ARC, got about 20% in, and was completely lost. I even thought the ebook I’d gotten from NetGalley might be corrupted because chapters were cut short and stream of consciousness and nothing seemed to flow. So I put it down for a few months, and then when I picked it up again next week, restarted from the beginning. Turns out nothing was wrong with my ebook - those quick shifts and fragmented chapters were an essential part of this story. A story of a child who was so terrified and traumatized by sexual abuse that they created magic out of air and a whole world in which they were in control, they were the ones deciding who lived and who died. Or at least that’s one way of looking at it.

Of course, there’s also the mind-bendy and confusing time-isn’t-linear and you’ve always been who you will be way of looking at it, and I’m afraid my mind doesn’t bend quite that far, because I can’t quite comprehend it. I’m not quite sure it even matters if the chicken or egg came first in this scenario, because in the end, we can choose who we want to be. Yes, we are responsible for our actions and must face the consequences of them, but our past character doesn’t define who we can be. You don’t have to be a bad person if you don’t want to be, especially if you have people who love and support you.

Gem struggles with self-hatred for so much of this book, and I think that’s part of the reason I had a hard time connecting with it at first. But when you realize that most of that self-hatred was instilled through abuse, it makes a whole lot more sense (and I want to give them a big hug and also punch some people with a fancy snake knife). I’ve never been through the things Gem has (and agree it’s bullshit to say going through those things somehow made them a better person), but I could feel their journey of pain and healing and self-discovery through every word of this book. I’m sure such personal things were difficult for the author to write, and I’m grateful he was willing to share them with us, especially those who have been through similar things.

As for the romance elements, the relationships at this point are more of a “of course we’re together, duh” because it’s so obvious how much they love and need one another. The true tension is whether they’ll allow themselves to be loved and supported by these people they clearly care about. There are some spicy elements, but I’d say only about 1🌶️/5 - but bear in mind that I absolutely cannot picture things in my head and they spent part of this book in their godly bodies, which were described in detail and I tried my best to picture and absolutely failed. So your mileage may vary, depending on your imagination and what you are into.

In a way, this book flips the first one on its head, but it’s less of a change of genre and more of a shift in perspective, or the adding of a 5th or 6th dimension. You have the surface fantasy of reincarnated gods on earth, battling to the death to return (or not) to their home. But beneath the surface is a personal and human story of trauma, regret, rebirth, and regeneration. I’m glad I stuck around for it.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

I will share my review after St. Martin's Press does the following:
1. Address and denounce the Islamophobia/racism from their employee.
2. Offer tangible steps for how they’re going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
3. Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab readers, influencers, and authors in addition to their BIPOC readers, influencers, and authors.

I said when reading the first book, that I struggled a bit at the story wasn’t for me. I am open to reading books with non-binary or queer agonist to help understand and inform. But a lot of the way these two books are written Make it inaccessible and uncomfortable for a regular reader just trying to get a glimpse. There’s a lot of anger and I had hoped after establishing the characters in the first story that part would go away, and we would get more of the godly backstory that I was there for. But at about 30%, I am giving up. I am not going to post a review anywhere because I did not finish. But I’m not someone who does books lightly.

The rating below is only because the system requires me.

I was really excited for this book, but unfortunately it just didn't captivate me as much as the first book. I think I should have read a recap of the first book because I was really confused for a while. I think it's very well written and a good book, just not as good as the first. Some of the gore was a bit too much for me.

3.5*

Merciless Saviors was a great follow on to Godless Heathens.

Edgmon continues to craft a fantastical story around a diverse cast of characters, bringing more of what readers loved from Gem's first book. As the stakes climb and powers grow, we're brought to the edge of sacrifice and self-worth.

I think that Edgmon is doing great work in terms of representation and diversity, and though I didn't love all of the themes in the book, I appreciated what they tried to achieve.

Very intense! Which was true of the first book also, but some of the body horror/gore in this one was tough for me (think Alien chest-burster scene but… more).
Overall, I thought this was a satisfying conclusion to the story and the narrative was gripping. I loved the relationship between Gem, Rory, and Enzo. It feels weird to say but I also appreciated the depiction of disassociation; representation of that experience is important.

When I read the first book in the series, Godly Heathens, I recognized I probably wasn't the audience the book aims for. However, I enjoyed it and this sequel. There are so many themes covered in this book and I loved that it was not a linear-time plot. It did make it a little difficult to follow but I've read other books by American Indigenous authors that are similar, and I've liked how they tie together with themes rather than dates. The end and epilogue were divine and I'm happy Gem had some resolution in their life. Definitely read the trigger warnings. However, all sexual scenes are fade-to-black, even the CSA thankfully. I would let my 16-year old read this but would not recommend it for younger due to the heavy themes. Maybe if read with a parent.

Having loved the first book, I was excited to dive into "Merciless Saviors" by H.E. Edgmon. The initial book set a strong foundation with its intriguing concept, even if the world-building was a bit sparse, particularly regarding the magical elements. I hoped the sequel would expand on this and fill in the gaps.

However, "Merciless Saviors" unfortunately shares the same world-building issues as its predecessor. While the plot is compelling and the stakes are high, the magical system remains underdeveloped and inconsistent. The story often leaves too much to the reader's imagination, failing to elaborate on why certain events occur. This inconsistency undermines the narrative's tension; one chapter establishes a rule about magic, only for the next to break it without clear reasoning. This "because magic" explanation feels cheap and lazy, detracting from the story's credibility.

Moreover, many action scenes fall flat, often ending in stalemates or resolving themselves within the fight, making their inclusion seem unnecessary. These scenes seem to exist more for visual effect than to drive the plot forward, and they aren't described vividly enough for the reader to visualize the action effectively.

The story follows Gem Echols, who now wields the power of the God of Air after being forced to use the Ouroboros knife on Zephyr. This imbalance in power wreaks havoc, leading to chaotic consequences for the pantheon of gods. As Gem, Rory, and Enzo strive to restore balance, they face new horrors that test their resolve and morality.

Despite its flaws, "Merciless Saviors" offers a gripping plot and complex characters that kept me reading. You still love and adore the questions; however, the inconsistency in the magic system and underwhelming action scenes leave much to be desired. If Edgmon can tighten these elements in future installments, the series has the potential to be truly exceptional.

A really stunning conclusion to H.E. Edgmon's Ouroboros series, Merciless Saviors is an adventure. The coil continues to tighten before an explosive resolution you have to read to experience.

Merciless Saviors is the second book in H.E. Edgmon Ouroboros duology following Godly Heathens.

The explosive cliffhanger of the first book had me absolutely desperate to see what happened next, and author H.E. Edgmon did not disappoint! We get to learn more about the Ether, a somewhat parallel universe where Gem, Rory, and Enzo’s godly forms ruled before they fled to earth.

Tensions rise as more is revealed about the circumstances that led up to Gem and their companions leaving the ether. New alliances form, old bonds are severed, and Gem is faced with extremely difficult choices.

I absolutely loved the romance between Gem, Rory, and Enzo. All three of them are strikingly different but complement each other in a way that was empowering and comforting to read.

Seeing Gem come face to face with their actions, tangled in guilt and half-remembered trauma, was healing in its own way. The ending made me feel seen and appreciated in a way I had not expected, and haven’t encountered in any other novel. This story is a reminder that love of friends, family, and romantic partners can help us heal from and cope with horrors experienced in childhood.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys unconventional mythology stories, unapologetic queer representation, and themes of self-forgiveness and acceptance.

Everyone knows I absolutely loved Godly Heathens. Merciless Saviors went above my high expectations. I love everything about these books. The covers are stunning. The story is original and queer. I love to see so much representation in the books I’m reading. It’s so important for humans to have access to stories that are safe and familiar.

I could rave on H.E. Edgmon for hours for their inclusivity. However, I will not be doing that at this time. If you’re looking for nonbinary rep in a MAIN character - this series is for you.

Godly Heathens set my expectations ridiculously, impossibly high for Merciless Saviors - and, even still, I was blown away by this sequel. The characters and their relationships and worlds gained even more depth, with a deft balance of humor and violence. Edgmon is writing the chaotic trans rep we desperately need in the book world.

Usually I'm stressed when I'm late on ARCs but the fact that I didn't read Godly Heathens until recently meant I could immediately devour up Merciless Saviors pretty close to when I finished! While I wonder if it was intended to be a duology at first or a long boi split into two, here we have two books of one story and I was eating it up.

There were a few more parts that dragged in this one than the first (the RV journey...) but a lot was quick enough, with layers that got you thinking and wondering about the could bes and might have beens and is it..?s and I feel like I haven't had a book that set my brain on fire like these in a while! There were things hinted about in Godly Heathens that came to full light, both sort of vaguely and then flayed open (not unlike some of our gods here) with these teens who have lived over and over for a thousand years on earth and countless prior in the Ether being forced to come to terms with maybe they have returned to the Ether, but maybe their time on Earth didn't leave them unaffected in the least. Loved that. I think I've read enough stories where it's like, "AND AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS I AM THE SAME PERSON..."

I understand some of the issues some of the other readers had (some of them... some are very much reaches) but they weren't things that either bothered me in light of what I did love and I'm a vibes-rater who ate quite well here.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for review!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC of Merciless Saviors in exchange for my honest review!

As someone who was very much enthralled by Godly Heathens, the previous book in H.E. Edgmon's duology, I wish this sequel could have been just as good, but it's still a generally worthwhile read. It returns me to Gem, to Enzo, to Rory, to all the interesting characters who inhabit this dauntingly mythological landscape. The authentically vulnerable, brutal, and touching ways in which it unpacks its characters' trauma is admirable, and it's an element that had been present in Godly Heathens as well. Same goes for the morally gray scale that the characters live by, that nimbly turns them into realistic individuals who aren't all good or all bad. The fleshed-out queer rep continues to be a superb element, too. However, the pacing does feel clumsy sometimes, particularly around the middle of the plot, and it's capable of putting me in a restless state. It doesn't help that there are points where the book shifts between different POVs, jarring me somewhat and making me wish we could stick with Gem's perspective.

Overall, I'm officially rating Merciless Saviors 3.5 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 3 stars. I'll continue to be interested in more of Edgmon's writing.

unfortunately I don’t enjoy this as much as I did the first book, and I didn’t finish after getting over half way through. The plot didn’t captivate me and I was left feeling confused

Though I liked the first book, unfortunately this one was not for me. The concept is amazing and the side characters were interesting enough to make me stay and not DNF, but I could not take Gem. In this sequel, they become a bully. I could not take the excuses of them saying lack of impulse control, doing something mean because they COULD, bullying someone because it brought them joy, and then becoming a victim when a situation didn’t go as planned. It made the whole story not fun for me.

Now this is just my opinion. This book does have an interesting idea and should be considered if you are interested.

This was a solid second book to the series, I did get a little lost in the middle but eventurlly was able to get back on track.

This was a very satisfying conclusion to this duology. The character development of the characters from books 1 and the new characters introduced was well done. You could feel the tension as the story moved forward. This books (and the duology) left me with a lot of feelings that I am still considering (in a good way).