MERCY

In the second installment of Dillon’s dark epic fantasy series, following Mercy: Tears of the Fallen (2025), the fragile calm that followed the devastating Reckoning begins to crumble.

Across kingdoms still scarred by war, rumors spread that the powerful relics known as the Tears are a danger once more. These artifacts, capable of reshaping balances of power, draw warriors, rulers, and exiles alike into a dangerous race that could ignite another potentially world-ending conflict. Dillon continues to weave together multiple storylines, following characters who remain haunted by grief, betrayal, and vengeance. Some seek redemption for the roles they played in the Reckoning, while others are driven by ambition. The story of former knight Alevist, for instance, centers on the death of his family, and adventurer Steyvin struggles to find direction after the loss of his brother, Ilatu, who once guided him on his path. The latter’s journey becomes one of identity as much as survival, forcing him to confront what kind of leader, or destroyer, he might become in his sibling’s absence. Meanwhile, strange rumors ripple through the land of monsters in the mountains and a looming prophecy tied to the mysterious Dawn Tree. Dillon’s prose leans toward the grimdark tradition in which violence is brutal, morality is murky, and victory is rarely clean: “He spun the blade, driving it up and into where her heart should have been. The pulse of it thrummed through the hilt.” Yet the novel’s emotional core lies in its characters’ attempts to reclaim meaning from shattered pasts. The expanding mythology and layered politics deepen the scope of the series, even as the narrative occasionally slows under the weight of its many perspectives. Still, the author maintains a strong sense of momentum, steadily building toward the inevitability of another catastrophic clash.

A brooding fantasy sequel that, despite its large cast, remains immersive and rewarding.