There was something about The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau that made me really want to read it! There’s something about Lythlet that drew me to her, her background and past history were hard and harsh, her relationship with her parents is distant and as she describes it, more evident in the negative space between them. I also really felt for her relationship with Desil, founded in friendship from childhood and how this developed into their partnership as fighters in the arena.

There’s a lot about Lythlet that totally pulled me in, she most definitely isn’t your insta-FMC hero, her skills and capabilities have strong foundations in her past. She is flawed and seen as physically unattractive, not beautiful and her social skills most definitely aren’t those of the most popular girl in the room. She struggles with crowds but, develops relationships with those who are important to her. And I have to say that I totally followed her arc and growth throughout this book with interest.

I also really enjoyed the world-building in this book, cities founded and developed on top of the ruins of previous cities, the religion that most definitely took aspects and inspiration from a range of religions but, at its centre had core moral values. I actually really enjoyed that this book was set in a world that I could take in and consequently engage with the more detailed layers of society, politics, religion, economics, fashions and clothing, and peoples, rather than a huge epic world where it’s often not possible to explore so much. I must admit I would have loved to have had a little more precis about the Gods and their stories but, there’s always the opportunity for a spin off book of their stories.

I must say that I totally devoured the arena matches, from start to end. The action and pace was totally explosive and I was blown away by the amazing and strange beasts and their skills and abilities. All brought together as part of the fighters’ trials! It was here that Lythlet’s skills and religious beliefs truly came to the fore but, also put her in such danger.

I have to admit I love a story about an underdog, so there was no way I wasn’t going to enjoy this one but, I must admit that I was surprised and delighted by the less than expected ending. Thank you so much Rebellion, Solaris and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

3.5 stars

This was an interesting and action-packed fantasy following tow childhood friends who, in order to claw their way out of their debts, find themselves fighting against sun-cursed beasts in an underground fighting arena.

I really liked the friendship between our two main characters. Lythlet and Desil's bond is ride or die, and I loved that we got to see a fantasy that was more focused on friendship and not romance. Don't get me wrong, I love a good romantasy, but there is something about a book that just focuses on friendships that get me. Both characters are flawed and have their own inner demons and it was so interesting to see how they balanced one another put, especially when it came to fighting the beasts, who were intriguing in their own right.

I will admit that the middle chunk of this book felt a bit lacklustre to me. I really enjoyed the beginning third and as soon as it hit the 70% mark, the book really picked up, and I found myself fully engaged in the story and politics again. I also would have liked to have seen more world-building. While we know about the sun-cursed beasts, we don't get much more information on how they came to be, and I just felt like I was missing something. I definitely think this one could have benefited from being a duology rather than a standalone.

Overall, this was a good debut fantasy, with a compelling premise and fantastic characters. I'm intrigued to see what Lau writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting read! I enjoyed the conquessor battle scenes in particular, and found Lythlet to be an engaging MC - she's definitely not a hero, and I found her character flaws made for a compelling arc

While I was excited for this book because of the comp titles, it unfortunately didn't live up to my expectations. The premise was wonderful and I enjoyed the characters but the storyline was a bit of a drag and I think more world-building would've helped.

The Serpent Called Mercy is an epic fantasy inspired by Malaysian Chinese culture, weaving a gripping tale of ambition, survival, and deception. The story follows Lythlet and her closest friend, Desil, as they struggle with debt and poverty, forcing them into a brutal underground world where they battle monstrous creatures for survival. Lythlet’s intelligence and cunning soon attract the attention of a powerful figure, drawing her into a dangerous game of power and politics.

The novel shines with its engaging character development, particularly in Lythlet’s journey as a resilient underdog. Her friendship with Desil adds emotional depth, offering a rare and refreshing portrayal of male-female friendship. While some readers may wish for deeper exploration of certain character dynamics, the narrative remains compelling and immersive.

Though comparisons have been made to other well-known fantasy and dystopian stories, this book carves out its own unique identity, delivering a thrilling and culturally rich adventure. With its fast-paced action, morally complex themes, and intricate world-building, this is a strong debut that leaves a lasting impression.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This has been on my radar for so long that once I finally read it, I couldn't put it down. This was sheer brilliance.

3.5 stars 🌟

This one started as a really great book, with intrigue and wonderful characters. It just, for me, lost pacing as time went on and I think the author did herself a disservice with so many creature battles.

PROS:
- I loved the FMC, I loved her strength and her tenancy. I loved that she wasn’t the usual pretty damsel in distress. That she was strong willed, driven and motivated by friendships and loyalty.
- I enjoyed the friendship over romance troupe, and liked how it was developed and explored with the main characters.
- I loved the bees, I don’t know why but I loved the first part of the book with these creatures and wished we had spent more time with them. Rather than them being a side plot support.
- Initially loved the monster battles.
- The concept of being trapped in a political mind game without the autonomy to get out.

CONS:
- The magic? I found the strangely random addition of the cosmosphere and jumping from the sacred plant to be wholly random. The FMC only used it again in practicing (from memory) and it seemed like a really out of the blue concept.
- The monster battles. They became, samey? And I think the author agreed because she missed out a lot of battles in order to save time and push the plot forward. The issue for me was there was nothing extra each time, the addition of the area change was a really positive one, but it only happened once.
- The plot drivers. Initially to get out of debt, but once that was achieved it got a little convoluted. With helping her parents, or having a more secured life. Then there was a plot twist on her parents and then more political intrigue which unfortunately fell a little flat for me.
- The last quarter of the book felt strangely…rushed? Suddenly issues arose, but then the hero’s found ways out, fairly painlessly. I almost wish there had been more peril or negative outcomes despite having attachment to all the main characters.

Overall I did enjoy the book, I just wish perhaps it had been a duology to bring out more of the world building and political system. And I wish there had been more to the monsters angle. What makes the Hunger Games intriguing is the arenas, full of traps and unknowns and monsters and alliances etc. There’s more than just fighting in a pit, and I think an additional angle would have given the 12 games more of a hook to look forward to.
However, I loved the characters and their relationships. This was the real gem in the novel, and I loved how this played out.

I really enjoyed this book!

I felt immediately drawn into the underdog story of the FMC. She's extremely smart and goes on quite the journey of self growth. She has her main friendship put into question, her mortality, her relationship with her parents and her self worth too. I loved the lessons she learned along the way, even when gained because of mistakes. I actually enjoyed that she had flaws and wasn't your typical beauty (or even a beauty at all on the outside). Her relationships with herself and people close to her as well as "above" her are dynamic and go through growth too.

I thoroughly enjoyed the inspiration from various cultures like the celebrations, god's, the way you show respect for your parents and make sacred vows.

I didn't mind that the world wasn't vast, it was interesting, unique and the strong political story and intrigue was enough for me. There was some history built into the story as you went which I appreciated. I would say I feel like it could be fleshed out more, there were lots of gods of various things and clearly different races within the world but only spatterings of information to set them apart rather than a more obvious explanation which made conjuring up images a bit difficult. There was definitely an eye for detail around lots of things like the clothing and the emotions/expressions of the characters and immediate surroundings but less so the way characters really looked and the marked differences between the races that occupy this world together. There were different names for days and months and seasons etc which could have added to the story if they were explained a bit better. Or a glossary.

The matches in the book were great, the beasts well thought out and all something new to me. I enjoyed the thoughts and trials they went through.

Overall I loved the journey, it was refreshing for it to be about a genuine underdog with a want to do more for herself and the world in which she inhabits. The ending wasn't your typical one either in that it was bittersweet leaving you satisfied but feeling the emotions of the characters well.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The greedy are always ambitious, the ambitious always desperate, and the desperate never forfeit a match until they're on the verge of death."
I was initially hooked by the book being marketed as a Malaysian Witcher meets Squid Game but I stayed for my girl Lythlet and the amazing storytelling. From the get-go the writing was so beautifully immersive and really kept me hooked to the page. I loved the fight scenes, my heart was racing and I felt like a spectator in the arena.
This was such a great fresh take on the 'arena' narrative and I can't wait to see what else Roanne Lau produces, I will be waiting with anticipation

THE SERPENT CALLED MERCY is an action-packed book that explores systematic injustices and friendship.

The monster-fight sequences are tense and full of imaginative - and horrifying - creatures. They are some of the fastest parts of the book, visceral and always feeling very risky. Any victory feels earnt and close, like there was a real chance of failure. And there is a cost to them - the characters aren't simply skipping away.

I loved that there was no romance in this book. Not even a hint of it. Lythlet doesn't pursue any romantic relationships, doesn't have a crush or anything. It's never discussed whether this is because Lythlet isn't interested in these things or just she doesn't find anyone around her attractive, and I quite liked this. The book never had to comment on this "lack", instead focusing on familial and platonic relationships.

And these relationships are so central to the book. Lythlet and Desil's friendship is the heart of the book, looking at how the fights strains that as the things they are desperate for are changing, pulling them apart. I loved how it ended, that acceptance of a person for all they are, no matter their mistakes and past failures.

It is also a book about the cost to survive and what we're willing to do in order to rise. It is about the injustices of systems and how you can work with them for a price. Lythlet constantly has to decide if she's willing to take a stand for others at a cost to herself. There's so much empathy in this book for the horrible decisions people are faced with in a rigged system, but injects hope for change, the sort of change that starts with individuals even if the odds are overwhelming.

Thank you Solaris Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

Burdened with debt, childhood friends Lythlet and Desil just want out of their never-ending cycle of poverty. Desperate for a way out, they become "conquessors", arena fighters battling ferocious sun-cursed beasts in the city’s dangerous underworld.

As they rack up victories, Lythlet dares to hope that in conquering these battles they could conquer the poverty that had them chained most of their lives. With each cheer and flash of fame, her ambition grows, pulling her deeper under the wing of the match-master. But soon, she finds herself tangled in the messy world of underworld politics and deception, forcing her to choose between her morals and the people she loves.
The Serpent Called Mercy is an epic fantasy inspired by Malaysian Chinese culture and folklore. With its thrilling action and rich world-building, it’s a stunning debut from Roanne Lau.

Lythlet, for me, is a remarkable and compelling character, flawed as she is I found myself rooting for her - not just for her conquering the arena against the sun-cursed beasts, but also for how she conquered the challenges life threw at her, and how she continues to fight in achieving the life she had always dreamed of. Her determination and grit make her journey feel incredibly real and inspiring.

The world-building is vivid, but I wish there was more lore on the sun-cursed beasts, where they come from and how they differ from sun-blessed ones. The ending is a bit bittersweet, but it made the story even more powerful.

Overall, The Serpent Called Mercy is a must-read for fantasy fans. If you’re into action-packed adventures with strong characters and emotional depth, give this book a chance!

OH my gosh I absolutely devoured this novel. An incredible read which once again reminded me of why I love political fantasy, plus a focus on platonic relationships and NO ROMANCE (well, I thought there was the tiniest little hint of a possible romance which I really wished hadn't been added). The characters, layers of plot, action scenes, etc. were simply fantastic and I genuinely could not stop reading - the creativity of when writing about the magical creatures/sun-cursed beasts was perhaps one of my favourite aspects of the book. I have to applaud the author for the characters of Master Dothilos and Desil, who were both so well written. Also, I loved the humour, which was subtle and appropriately timed, plus the side characters were enjoyable to read about.

More so than The Witcher (which I've never seen) or Squid Games (which I have), I would have compared this book to She Who Became The Sun for the overall vibe (quote: "Hope in times of happiness isn't hope - it's expectation."), and also because both protagonists were ambitious, relying heavily on wits and street smarts to succeed.

If I had one gripe about this book it would be that a lot was crammed in and it could've been a duology instead. Anyways a stunning debut and I was definitely the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Solaris for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Solaris for the ARC

I loved the concept of this book. A mix of Slumdog Millionaire, Hunger Games and The Witcher. There was so much great character work, world-building, political machinations, monsters and Malaysian Chinese.

Our main protagonist is a slumdog, raised in poverty, struggling to survive in a world that would happily beat her to death. Despite this, she is brave, determined, clever and kind. To escape living in debt Lythlet and her best friend, Desil, sign up to become monster fighters in a dangerous underground arena.

While monster fighting appears to be the book's main premise, it is not the main story. The story is about two disadvantaged young people, trying to survive in a corrupt world where the rich get richer and the poor cling on to any sliver of hope they can find. As we get deeper into the story, both Lythlet and Desil have to wrestle with their demons and find a way to keep their humanity.

I loved Lythlet’s relationship with Desil, the deep friendship and reliance the pair have on each other to survive and the lengths each would go to protect the other. It’s a breath of fresh air to have a book focus so deeply on a platonic relationship.

Personally, I could have done with the book being longer, and the world-building more in-depth. What we did get I loved, though at times I did struggle to understand the concepts and history being introduced.

4.25 stars, a stunning debut novel, I can’t wait to see what Roanne Lau does next.

Not often does a book pull me in so much as this one... although the first few chapters were the hardest to get into with setting the story up - once it was there I was hooked, and stayed up way later than I should have purely because it was so amazing and I had to know what happened next.
When this book is described as Squid Games meets Witcher it is not wrong! All the best parts of those addictive series thrown into one and the pace just kept going.
Loved this and cant believe this is just a debut novel, I need more from Roanne Lau

Before I launch into my review, I would like to say a warm thank you to Roanne Lau, Rebellion, Solaris, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For anyone with their eye on this title, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.

This was quite the chunky read and getting started was hard work. I struggled to make progress during my first reading sessions, but I was taken by the blurb and eager to know what opportunity might tempt someone to ditch one of the most important people in their lives. Fortunately, once I made a dent in the book and the story got going, there was a lot to enjoy.

Lythlet only has one real friend in the world, and he would do anything for her. Linked later in life by a debt Desil secured to save her life, the two slumdogs sign up to a dangerous tournament that promises great riches to survivors. The trouble is, people do not tend to survive. Committed to death matches in order to win enough coin to claw her way out of the slums and a life on the run, Lythlet faces the ultimate sacrifice when her potential becomes apparent. But…to sacrifice or not to sacrifice? That! Is the question.

There was a lot to love about this book. I enjoyed the rich cast of characters and the way their back stories were woven into the main story. I liked the complex relationships that were formed between characters and tested in ways that questioned their morals and values. There were suspenseful moments when the reader was left wondering wat a character would do.

I especially loved the ‘Squid Games’ element. Rather than The Witcher meets Squid Games, I am more inclined to describe the novel as The Gladiator meets a cross between The Hunger Games and Squid Games, and I lived for The Gladiator element. The battles and the monster revealed in them were spectacular. The descriptions of the creatures and the arenas were written with great detail, although I would have welcomed more weapons and the opportunity to witness the selection.

I think the book fell a little short in the general world building. It would have been a vision for my imagination to be able to see the landscape, particularly that of the richer areas. I felt there was more emphasis in the underworld, and the upper world was a little neglected.

Regardless of the couple of shortcomings mentioned, I loved the journey through this book. I think it would make an interesting screenplay that I would be glad to watch. With its wide range of beasts, this is a story that would capture the interests of most fantasy readers, even with the political elements included in the story. It is a 5 out of 5 stars for me for a book I cannot wait to recommend to my audience.

This book took me a while to get into but throughout it begins to teach some valuable lessons.

A girl and her best friend stricken from poverty strive for a better life by entering a deadly competition.. woven with corruption and deception this story teaches you the value of Mercy and that money is not always the answer in the face of doing what is right.

The characters were highly detailed and written well. The world building was wonderful in all the little details as well as the references to gods from ages past.

An enjoyable book overall

I genuinely don’t even know how to write a review of this without spoiling the book!
The long story short is that I absolutely loved it.

I’ve read through a few reviews here and seen some complaints about world building and lack of magic system etc but I think people are missing the fact that our narrator is a young female who was raised with less than bare minimum education who relied on what texts she could steal to learn about her world - it’s even pointed out by other characters that her whole morals and ethics rely on the stories of myths. I think what we are given is truly how Lythlet experiences the world.

I loved the monsters - I would love to see a beastiary accompaniment to this it would be truly amazing. The imagination that went into this was fantastical in every way.

The friendship between Desil and Lythlet and the found family they acquired along the way was so refreshing after reading back to back romance stories.

I adore Lythlet, she was such a great FMC. I loved that her flaws were well presented, she was naive and easily manipulated. Her brain works in a way that I can resonate with as a child who was always “bright and quick to learn” when in reality it was just pattern recognition. I think a lot of the younger readers who pick this up will find a common soul with this little candle flame.

The story reads as a long winded Aesop fable if you have the mind to listen. The name of the book is so incredibly smart - almost goose bump worthy when the realisation strikes.

I really do want to know who the phantom is. Also is runt a beast that was rescued?! Why is she so big? Roanne I need answers please!!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion

The premise was so good I had to request, however I struggled to get through this. I kept powering through hoping for more tension between Lythlet and Desil, or even for the monster fights to be far more stressful, but everything seemed a little underwhelming.
There felt like a lot of telling rather than showing, and it’s sad because I really wanted to enjoy it as much as I expected to.

Interesting debut novel but unfortunately not really delivering on the description or its potential.

The prose in this book is excellent but there was a lack of world building, character development, tension, pace and a gripping story line.

I expected a lot more based on the description and felt it fell a bit flat. I felt more invested in side characters than the actual characters themselves.

The story had potential, the plot in itself is not bad and could be drawn out more into a longer book or perhaps a series.

There’s so much given in the book that could have been expanded upon: the political system, the gods / religious aspects, the beasts and the characters as well.

The scenes of the conquessors were the best parts of the book - even that was taken away as the book neared its end as several were glossed over : missed entirely. As I said initially the prose itself is very well done.

All in all a 2.5/3 star read in my mind though I would read the authors works again bearing in mind this is a debut novel.

How far will you go to get everything you want? Roanne Lau explores this in an enjoyable fantasy debut about two slumdogs who fight in arena battles against monsters to better themselves from their poverty-stricken lifestyle.
Taking influences from the hugely popular Squid games Lau tackles feelings of empathy, duality, justice and the effects of poverty.
Lythlet is a young girl who lives with her friend Desil at the edge of society, living hand to mouth Lythlet is indebted to loan sharks for essential healthcare.
Seeing an advert for underground monster fighting, Lythlet and Desil enter themselves into the competition and unwittingly win their first bout. As the competition moves on, Lythlet and Desil finds themselves gaining stardom as their star grows.
As the story progresses, Lythlet finds herself coming under the watchful gaze of the Fagin like Games Master who taps into her desire to pull herself from the poverty trap that she is in at the moment.
Whilst this is marketed as Squid Games meets Witcher, I didn’t find this entirely to be the case to be honest and instead found it to be more reminiscent of a Dickensian tale.
I have to say that I was surprised about how much I actually enjoyed this one to be honest. Initially I wasn’t taken in by the idea of fighting pits as it is a trope that has been overused in fantasy in my opinion, and luckily after the initial first bouts, this is not central to the plot.
There were a number of issues that I found interesting in this. One of them is the character of Lythlet. Whilst initially she points to being autistic in her outlook, I felt that there was much more to her character, particularly the effects of having a mother that has mental health problems which have ultimately resulted in attachment issues.
There is also the question of how we treat the poorer members of our society, in that the rich use them as convenient commodities that can used and abused without any thought.
In addition to this, Lythlet is an interesting character in that she has many flaws. She is at once innocent in her outlook in life and will find herself abused both mentally and physically. However, when she is enabled by the Games Master, she equally has these qualities, and at times these put her relationships with others on the line to get what she wants.
All in all, whilst not perfect, this was a surprisingly good read that had me hooked.