“A show-stopping debut that dazzles even as it pulls at your heartstrings. Featuring breathtaking battles, intricate lore, and a remarkable friendship as its beating heart, The Serpent Called Mercy is a thrilling spectacle from beginning to end. I loved this book.” -- Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief

“The Serpent Called Mercy is a dazzling fantasy debut that is equal parts thrilling and moving. Roanne Lau has crafted a wonderfully complex world filled with political intrigue and gladiator-style adventure that will leave you at the edge of your seat.” -- Amber Chen, author of Of Jade and Dragons

"Roanne Lau immerses you into a remarkably vivid world with a gritty underworld that raises the stakes—and your blood pressure. Full of monsters and mayhem, but most importantly, a cast of characters that you can’t help but love. An astounding debut." --Saara El-Arifi number one Sunday Times bestselling author of, Faebound

“Lau nimbly weaves complex themes of oppression, loyalty, and friendship into the action-packed and suspenseful plot.” -- Publishers Weekly

“The Serpent Called Mercy delivers a world so vibrant and rich with Southeast Asian culture, it leaps off the page. With its complex political rivalries, underworld factions, and vicious death games, Setgad is a city that will swallow you whole without blinking. Yet Roanne perfectly balances her setting’s epic proportions against characters scrabbling for agency amidst debts and class realities that are heavier than fate. Until I met Lythlet and Desil, I didn’t know how much I longed for a story sewn together with an unshakable bond of friendship rather than romance.” —Gabriella Buba, author of Saints of Storm and Sorrow

“As sharp as a speartip against your jugular, The Serpent Called Mercy is a heart-stopping battlecry of a debut. Lau’s world of underground monster fights, gritty ambition, and all-too-real inequality sucks you in and won’t let go. Epic and deeply satisfying.” --Julie Leong,USA Today, Sunday Times, & Indie Bestseller Author of The Teller of Small Fortunes