Synopsis:

The Witcher meets Squid Game in this Malaysian Chinese-inspired epic fantasy novel where a debt-ridden slumdog joins an illegal monster-fighting arena for some fast coin, but quickly learns the most dangerous beasts are outside the ring.

Lythlet and her only friend Desil are shackled to a life of debt and poverty that she fears they will never escape. Desperate for money, they sign up as conquessors: arena combatants who fight sun-cursed beasts in the seedy underworld of the city.

Match-master Dothilos is initially enamored of Desil’s brawling reputation, but after seeing Lythlet lead the pair to triumph with her quick cunning, he takes her under his wing, scorning Desil. Ambition takes root in Lythlet’s heart as a life of fame and wealth unfolds in her imagination.

But Lythlet isn’t the only one out for coin and glory, and she soon finds herself playing an entirely different game—a game of politics and deception. As the cost of her ambition grows, she will have to decide if sacrificing her honor, and only friendship, is worth the chance to shape her own fortune.

A whirlwind of blood-pounding battles as characters grapple with their choices in the face of wealth and financial security, The Serpent Called Mercy‘s heart is the underlying, steadfast friendship between its protagonists.

Review:

In the underworld of a Malaysian-Chinese inspired fantasy city, Lythlet and her best friend Desil are barely managing to earn enough coin to pay their debts and keep themselves fed. They find themselves signing up to become Conquessors, fighting in an arena against sun-cursed beasts for the chance to earn riches they could only dream of. But beneath the glory, Lythlet quickly finds that the politics of the city do, in fact, reach all the way down to the forgotten corners of the underworld.

Lythlet is a brilliant character, and the journey she goes through in this book is fantastic to follow. She is brave, smart, and ambitious, yet she also has flaws that help define her. We see her internal struggles, her agonising over decisions between glory and friendship.

Speaking of the friendship, it was wonderful to read a book that focused on such a strong and loyal relationship that never once veered romantic. Lythlet and Desil have one of the best-written friendships I have read in a long time.

Desil was a great character too, a former brawler who gave up his own glory for a peaceful life of religious contemplation. I found that all the characters we met here felt real and were given their own histories that we actually got to learn, which made the book all the more vibrant.

Lau’s writing was lush and surprisingly poetic and indulgent for a book that focuses on a seedy underworld. The city, Setgad, was alive and vibrant, and I could so easily imagine myself wandering its streets, racing about the arena and spending quiet moments at the inns. There was so much history, culture and even politics to discover, and I would love it if we got more stories in this world in the future.

I highly recommend this standalone fantasy, especially if you enjoy underdogs, found families and strong friendships.

This beautiful book was @dryadbookshop April book box choice and as a rep I received the box for free. It’s still available from the store, use my code: EMMA5 for a discount.