"The Serpent Called Mercy" by Roanne Lau is an exhilarating rollercoaster of epic fantasy, where the stakes are as high as the blood-soaked battles! With a Malaysian Chinese-inspired world that feels both fresh and familiar, this novel draws you in with its gritty, fast-paced action and keeps you hooked with its rich layers of ambition, betrayal, and friendship. Lythlet’s journey from debt-ridden slumdog to a cunning conquessor in the monster-fighting arena is packed with edge-of-your-seat moments, and watching her navigate the deadly games both inside and outside the ring is nothing short of thrilling.

What truly sets this book apart is its heart—the bond between Lythlet and Desil shines amid the chaos, adding an emotional depth to the story that balances out the ruthless fight for survival. The political intrigue and the harsh reality of the cost of ambition make this more than just an action-packed fantasy; it's a gripping exploration of power, honor, and loyalty. With a unique world, unforgettable characters, and twists that will leave you breathless, "The Serpent Called Mercy" is a must-read for fans of intense, high-stakes fantasy!

The cover and description is what drew me in and I was so glad I was able to read this. I loved the use of Malaysian-Chinese mythology worked overall. I thought it was a great idea for a monster-fighting arena. It had that plot that I wanted and it was so well written that I was hooked from the first page. The characters had that feel that I wanted and glad they worked so well in this world. I enjoyed how strong Roanne Lau’s writing was and that the characters worked overall.

loved this book. the worldbuilding felt so unique and so did the story? i was HOOKED with everything going on in the arena. i loved how morally grey all of the characters were, even if they didn’t appear to be so at first— like, the REVELATIONS? also, desil is the Best Boy. 4.5 stars rated up

As someone VERY partial to world building, this book was extremely satisfying. The religion, the history, the cultures, the divine blessings, the socioeconomic state of the city, the mythology, the everything, MOONMACHIST? COSMOSCAPE? BEES? Mwah

I love the main character fiercely. She’s easy to love, and her arc was incredible. I rooted for her the entire way, and I love everyone she was surrounded by too. They were all fleshed out, unique, and lovely to read about. I felt sympathy for almost all of them, and I felt what I was supposed to towards each character. I also loved how almost everyone was splotched in shades of grey.

The relationship between Lythlet and Desil was was so tender and written so beautifully. God I love platonic love. It is SO underrated, and the way it was done here made my chest squeeze and heart ache. Genuinely one of the best bonds between two characters I’ve read about this year.

This book challenges you, and has beef. It’s full of wisdom, philosophy, metaphysical schemes, very quotable and powerful lines, and I could spend forever rambling about how well this book challenges the mythos of storytelling. It also has a good deal and depth of both socioeconomic commentary and political intrigue. Not to mention the symbolism, which was detailed and plentiful; I can think of a certain scene that is VERY ghibliesque.

I enjoyed this book so much. Lythlet is very relatable. Maybe a bit too much at times because I felt very called out. But I can see where the squid games aspect comes in. She feels like a realistic person with real problems that cause them to do things that they don't want to and go against their morals in order to survive. She is trying to fight for a better life for her and her friend, to have a life she always dreamed of. But now that she has a taste of what she wanted is she willing to give it up despite what it may cost her to keep. I pre ordered the hardback of this so quickly.

I am always a huge sucker for a riveting epic fantasy, and The Serpent Called Mercy was the perfect read to scratch that itch. It was fast-paced and gripping, and it seriously felt like I was on a rollercoaster as I read. This is definitely going to be a bestseller in 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I thought the use of Malaysian-Chinese mythology was fantastic. It struck me as a fantastic concept for a monster-fighting arena. I was engrossed from the first page because it was so well written and had the plot I wanted. I'm happy that the characters functioned so well in this world because they had the vibe I desired. I liked how well Roanne Lau wrote and how well the characters all came together. I was engrossed from the first page because it had the plot I wanted and was so brilliantly written.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau is a third person-POV Malaysian-inspired fantasy. Lythlet and Disel are two impoverished youths who find a way to pay off their debts through becoming conquessors, gladiator-esque fighters who battle monsters in increasingly dangerous battles. But match-master Dothilos has his own agenda and is very interested in Disel’s previous history as a brawler before turning his attention to Lythlet.

Lythlet and Disel have a Queer Platonic-coded relationship. They view each other as soul mates and they are deeply important to each other and are, for all intents and purposes, partners. Lythlet never expresses romantic feelings for anyone and there’s even a scene that implies she is Aspec, possibly AroAce. There is no label stated outright and all of the coding is my own interpretation, but regardless of whether or not someone reads QPR into their relationship, it’s still very cool to see a strong female-male friendship that stays platonic and very tight-knit.

There is a nice variety of monsters and all of the monsters that appear on the cover do appear in the book. Lythlet means more about them from a bestiary that is gifted to her and she retains the information, helping her and Desil win their matches as she hones in on the weaknesses in the most efficient way possible. The two-headed horse was my favorite of all the monsters because the details of the match were very interesting and the twist was a nice surprise. It’s action-packed but requires a lot of wit and strategy on Lythlet and Desil’s part.

A major theme is trauma. Lythlet is triggered by one of the monsters pulling her hair and we go into one of her memories with her of being bullied in a very humiliating way followed by a peer seeing her being bullied and doing nothing. This deeply affects Lythlet in the ring and we learn a lot more about her as a character and her history. Disel and Dothilos also have trauma that is explored later and the trauma of poverty does come up throughout the story.

Content warning for violence and mentions of CSA

I would recommend this to fans of fantasy with strong platonic friendships and readers looking for a monster fighting fantasy with a smaller cast of characters

I still cannot believe that this was a debut book. I loved everything about it - from the intriguing capitalistic fantasy city, to the monsters brought into the arena for fighting, to some of my new favorite characters in Lythlet and Desil - but also so many of the side characters, including Master Dothilos, because I love a character that has ambiguous morality and you never really know whose side he’s on.

“Anyone who buys into the concept of a meritocracy is someone naive to the workings of the world. What option have you ever had but poverty, Lythlet?”

The fights in the arena were definitely my favorite moments from the story because we get to see just how clever and smart Lythlet can be. These were the moments with so much tension because I was certain something tragic would have to happen in these battles. No spoilers as to if that happens or not, but every battle had me on the edge of my seat.

The mythology and religious world-building employed in this story was *chef’s kiss* - just so phenomenal. I would love to see more of this world explored and see more of the magical aspects introduced because what we got was fantastic, but I want more!

The way the characters deal with trauma and overcome their lot in life is too real and tragic. I think this is a book that a lot of people can connect with feel for these characters because of it. Even Lythlet’s reason for wanting to join the arena is rooted in this:

“I want to be happier!” she exploded. “I want what my parents never had, nor my ancestors – to survive and prosper.”

There is some commentary on capitalism woven into the story in such a satisfying way, leading me to root for the downfall of the governor even before you really know him.

“She was no more than a commodity stripped naked before a hungry market, a racehorse they would ruthlessly beat to the finish line if it meant they’d win.”

And because I feel like I never see this in this type of fantasy book much anymore, I was excited that Lythlet and Desil are not romantic interests, but are truly best friends and the platonic love that they share for each other is so beautiful. Even through their worst moments in the books, something brings them back together time and time again.

“Flowers fade quickly, but a well-bound book will last you decades.”

5 Sun-Cursed Beasts out of 5

Thank you to @dawbooks for the ARC and finished copies 🙏 All thoughts are my own.

This isn’t a plot heavy book; and while there’s a lot of world building, it’s mostly off to the side or slipping through the cracks as Lythlet focuses on what’s important to her: money. Living in poverty, with loan sharks and their violence a constant threat, she dreams of the day she can feel safe. Content. With food enough, books enough, sleep enough to say she enjoys her life. This book is her quest for those goals — all while politics go on around her as the city struggles with poverty, classism, and corruption.

The fights are well done, the animals hinting at a greater world beyond the one Lythlet knows, confined in the city slums, and the mythology and religion that shape and guide her life feel real and well thought out. Everything in this book comes together so well, even the ending — which I can see some readers maybe not being happy with as there’s no great righting if wrongs, no climactic moment where every wrong and evil and small, selfish deed is wiped clean; but that ending wouldn’t fit with this book.

This is a character driven book focusing on Lythlet’s relationships: her best friend and soul mate, Diesel, who is as much a brother as if they’d shared the same womb; her parents, from whom she is estranged; Olden and Shunvi, friends of Desil’s who help Lythlet when she struggles. It’s a story about a young woman struggling, trying to climb her way out of poverty without losing herself, and it’s wonderful.

I so hope you give this a try, especially if you’re a fan of character driven books. Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me an ARC.

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 one blew me away! A debut this strong is a true gem!

I loved everything about it. Be it the pacing which was slow and fast and sometimes I was wondering where it would go but then I remembered, I follow someone's life so there are streched out patches.
The protagonist does not suddenly become a loveinterest. TYFM.
Often you cannot trust the narrator.
Or the character.

The world building. I was so sad when we came to the pup. But then there was the other puppy and. Oh this has my heart.

10/10