THE SERPENT CALLED MERCY

Chan Woo Lim narrates this debut audiobook inspired by Malaysian Chinese mythology. Lythlet and Desil are lifelong friends scraping by in the slums of the sprawling city of Setgad. Desperate to pay off a vicious debt collector, the pair volunteer as conquessors--those who fight otherworldly beasts in the hope of winning a massive payout. But soon they're drawn into a web of political corruption. Lim gives Lythlet a perfect tone of street-tough defiance with hints of vulnerability, while Desil sounds quieter and more conflicted about what's ahead. Lim's adept narration keeps the characters inhabiting this complex plot distinct and allows listeners to follow the suspenseful fighting sequences. The exposition that is revealed through dialogue can be slightly clunky, but the overall effect of this work is electrifying nonetheless. N.M. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2025]