Check out the cover of THE SERPENT CALLED MERCY, a fantasy book full of deadly adventures and battle-hardened friendships

At nerdwe love battle-hardened friendships. What could be better than deep bonds forged amidst terrifying dangers? There’s nothing like an epic adventure to bring people together. And that’s why we’re excited to exclusively feature the cover of DAW Books’ The serpent called mercya Malaysian-Chinese inspired fantasy by debut author Roanne Lau. The underlying, unwavering friendship between the protagonists of The serpent called mercy forms the beating heart of this story. But besides resonant interpersonal dynamics, the fantasy adventure book also promises plenty of heart-wrenching battles and mysterious (and ferocious) sun-cursed beasts. And we have a feeling we can see all of this well represented in The serpent called mercy‘s cover.

You can take a look below.

Exclusive cover reveal for The serpent called mercy

Okay, isn’t this cover stunning? We’re speechless. The snake called compassionThe beautiful cover of is by Rowynn Ellis (she/her) and art direction is by Katie Anderson. We really hope we get to see all of these monsters in the story. But both literally and symbolically, we are already obsessed with them. The elemental energy, the dynamic action, the little hint of charming friendship in the corner – we feel all of that on this cover. The wildness, the anger, and the little touches of softness all come together perfectly to help us understand what readers are getting into The serpent called mercy.

(But seriously, get the little guy his own streaming show immediately. We’d follow him to the ends of the earth.)

This cover will probably only get better as fans learn more about its true meaning when reading the book. But we are honestly considering making a second copy of The serpent called mercy just so we can display this piece in our house.

More about The serpent called mercy

Just in case The serpent called mercyIf the stunning cover reveal isn’t enough to convince you, here’s a little more about the book. A press release states: “Fans of the thrilling, dynamic action and battle-tested friendships like The Sorcerer And Squid Game will love The Serpent Called Mercy, where a debt-ridden slumdog joins an illegal monster-fighting arena for some quick cash, but quickly learns that the most dangerous beasts lurk outside the ring.” Essentially, this book tries to answer the question, “What if an epic fantasy with already high stakes meets even higher stakes, with a heartbreaking friendship thrown in for good measure?” That sounds like it’s guaranteed to make us both sob and have us on the edge of our seats with suspense. And we can’t ask for much more than that from a book. We also just have to say that the home of this novel adaptation should definitely be Netflix. An even more detailed summary of the book can be found at the end of this article.

Some may also find it interesting that Roanne Lau’s novel will feature asexual and neurodivergent characters, which we certainly support and welcome. Both asexuality and neurodivergence deserve more representation in the media, and books with representative characters should be encouraged.

Pre-order The serpent called mercy by Roanne Lau Today

The serpent called mercy will be released on December 3, 2024. You can pre-order it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Bookshops.org. You can also follow Lau on Twitter, @roannelauand Instagram, @roannelau, for further updates on the story.

The serpent called mercyFull table of contents

Here is the full summary of The serpent called mercy by Roanne Lau:

Lythlet and her only friend, Desil, are chained to a life of debt and poverty from which she fears they will never escape. Desperate for money, they sign up as conquerors: arena fighters who fight sun-cursed beasts in the city’s seedy underworld.

Marriage Master Dothilos is initially taken with Desil’s reputation as a thug, but when he sees Lythlet’s quick wiles leading the pair to victory, he takes her under his wing and despises Desil. Ambition begins to grow in Lythlet’s heart as she envisions a life of fame and fortune.

But Lythlet is not the only one seeking money and fame, and soon she finds herself playing a very different game – one of politics and deception. As the price of her ambitions mounts, she must decide if the chance to shape her own happiness is worth sacrificing her honor and her only friendship.

Mercy is a whirlwind of bloody battles as the characters wrestle with their choices regarding wealth and financial security. At the heart of Mercy is the fundamental, unwavering friendship between the protagonists.