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Mercy #1
Misericorde
Independent Author Network 2020 Book of the Year Winner for Fantasy!|
Readers Favorite 2020 Silver Medal Winner for Fantasy!
It's the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation's Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy - Tzadkiel - makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a world ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he's looking for... and how much will he need to sacrifice?
Readers Favorite 2020 Silver Medal Winner for Fantasy!
It's the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation's Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy - Tzadkiel - makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a world ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he's looking for... and how much will he need to sacrifice?
- GenresParanormalFantasy
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2020
12 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia A. Morgan
29 books152 followersCynthia A. Morgan is an award-winning author; free-lance columnist, blogger, and poet. Author of the dystopian fantasy Mercy Series and the young adult fantasy Dark Fey Trilogy, Morgan’s captivating tales serve as a backdrop for powerful messages like ‘show thankfulness through kindness and appreciate blessings through generosity’ and ‘the only way to achieve peace is by becoming peace’.
Morgan is also the creator of the popular blog Booknvolume where over 18,000 followers regularly explore Morgan’s own brand of poetry, musings about life, photography, book reviews and more. Morgan’s writing has been featured as a monthly column in Fresh Lifestyle Magazine and she is an active member with Artists 4 Peace as well as supporting the ASCPA since 2008.
Upcoming projects include a fictional drama in Regency Period England, a non-fiction exploration of the supernatural/paranormal and beliefs around the world, and a return to the realms of Dark Fey in a mind-bending prequel.
Some of her other interests includes a deep love for animals and the environment. She is frequently heard laughing, finds the mysteries of ancient times, spirituality, and the possibilities of life elsewhere in the cosmos intriguing, and believes in the power of love, hope and forgiveness.
When asked how she feels about writing, Morgan has said: “To write; to paint with words as an artist bedecks his canvas with hues and shades and layers of pigmentation; to sing a melody upon which the gaze may linger and over which the heart may muse again and again: to create visual splendor with grammar and language is the most beguiling form of intoxication in which I could ever take pleasure.”
You can find Morgan through social media in the following places:
Blog / website: www.booknvolume.com
All Things Dark Fey Website: https://allthingsdarkfey.wixsite.com/...
Amazon Author Page: Author.to/CAMorganAuthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/MorganBC728
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/booknvolume
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/creativiapu...
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Publisher’s Author Page : https://www.creativia.org/cynthia-mor...
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 2, 2020
A dystopian world in which three of the horsemen have already been released--and destroyed quite a bit--I couldn't resist picking this one up. Yup... this girl is a four horsemen fan!
Misericorde is an interesting take on the lore, including both original themes with human aspects, resulting in strong emotions and the inability to sleep! I admit it! I fell prey to the need to know, sacrificing a full night.
Misericorde is an interesting take on the lore, including both original themes with human aspects, resulting in strong emotions and the inability to sleep! I admit it! I fell prey to the need to know, sacrificing a full night.
August 18, 2021
Misericorde by Cynthia Morgan is a post-apocalyptic romantic drama set in France circa 2446. Captain Levesque is charged with the custody of Tzadkiel, taken prisoner while undertaking a sacred mission. Levesque finds his authority undermined by his unit medic Philippe, who takes a sadistic interest in experimenting on Tzadkiel. The captive is discovered to possess superhuman qualities, yet Philippe drives him to his breaking point. Lourdes, a lowly maid, takes pity on Tzadkiel and conspires to free the detainee. Only Tzadkiel wonders whether her pity is truly the divine quality of mercy he has been commissioned to find amidst a depraved and amoral humankind.
The theme of conscience resonates throughout the storyline as both Levesque and Lourdes risk their own welfare in considering the plight of Tzadkiel. Brigyda and Gabriel are among the protagonists who are faced with similar conflicts as the forces of evil dominate the primitive philosophies of the futuristic realm. There is no reward for anything other than blind obedience to the evil Protectorate. Yet Tzadkiel must endure to determine whether there is a shred of compassion left among them.
For speculative fiction buffs and romantic fantasy lovers, Cynthia Morgan's Misericorde is one you can't miss.
The theme of conscience resonates throughout the storyline as both Levesque and Lourdes risk their own welfare in considering the plight of Tzadkiel. Brigyda and Gabriel are among the protagonists who are faced with similar conflicts as the forces of evil dominate the primitive philosophies of the futuristic realm. There is no reward for anything other than blind obedience to the evil Protectorate. Yet Tzadkiel must endure to determine whether there is a shred of compassion left among them.
For speculative fiction buffs and romantic fantasy lovers, Cynthia Morgan's Misericorde is one you can't miss.
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June 29, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/29/2020)! 🎁
October 28, 2020
In a future nightmarish dystopian world nearly 100 years after the Great Cataclysm, Lourdes is a servant at The Bastion of Resolution where The Eminent Protectorate lives. She hears horrendous screams emanating from Tower Obligar, the place of torture. Tzadkiel has been given 100 years to find one person who can exhibit mercy, and thereby prevent the Apocalypse bringing down the final curtain. No spoilers, but there then ensues a gripping and imaginative story (with a clever melange of futuristic fantasy, Biblical echoes and the sonorous tones of classical-novel storytelling) as their paths cross. Also exquisitely written. Recommended.
August 1, 2020
Unusual post-apocalyptic fantasy novel.
First, a sort of spoiler: if rape and torture is too much for you, avoid this novel. It deals with a world of a small amount of privileged people and everybody else living in misery. Lourdes is a scullery maid who finds herself helping a torture victim. There’s far more to it than that but, without revealing too much, the reader will find some well-drawn characters, a bit too much description and a simple plot. It's a good enough read although it's a novel which sets the scene and only really deals with one situation.
First, a sort of spoiler: if rape and torture is too much for you, avoid this novel. It deals with a world of a small amount of privileged people and everybody else living in misery. Lourdes is a scullery maid who finds herself helping a torture victim. There’s far more to it than that but, without revealing too much, the reader will find some well-drawn characters, a bit too much description and a simple plot. It's a good enough read although it's a novel which sets the scene and only really deals with one situation.
August 30, 2020
Great world building and imagery throughout this novel taking place deep within the Apocalypse of the book of Revelations.
Disclaimer: graphic mentions of torture within this novel so reader beware.
Full review here:
http://bookshelfadventures.home.blog/...
Disclaimer: graphic mentions of torture within this novel so reader beware.
Full review here:
http://bookshelfadventures.home.blog/...
April 15, 2022
What happens to the world when only three of the four horsemen ride? “Misericorde” looks at that in great detail. Set in the future when all horsemen of the apocalypse—except Death—ride, the author presents a world that has fallen back into the Middle Ages. All technology is gone, there is no electricity, and people go back to living in castles in the few places where basic resources can still be found. There is a ruling class that lives in luxury, while all their servants are barely surviving. You never really meet this ruling class though, instead the reader is introduced to a servant, Lourdes, the brutal soldiers she’s tasked with serving, and an Archangel that is determined to find any human still capable of mercy in such a brutal world. This book has “Angelfall” vibes but written with literary prose full of feeling, with well crafted characters, but maybe just a tad too much description.
First off, some trigger warnings for you. A lot of this book revolves around the violent torture of one character, and the brutal rape of another. I applaud the author for not shying away from those topics, and depicting them with the horror such actions deserve. However, it can be a lot and considering those actions are a major driving force behind the plot, there’s really no escape from those themes. So if those topics are upsetting for you, you may not want to dive into this story just yet. I will say that I never thought the violence was just for shock value though, it served a purpose and was handled with respect, so take that for what you will.
The plot of “Misericorde” is rather simple, as the synopsis says, the Archangel just needs to find that one person who shows him mercy. It’s not entirely clear what he’ll do should he find this person; will that forever keep Death from riding? Undo the apocalypse in general? Or just delay the inevitable? The book is part of a series so those answers may come later. But this book in particular reminded me a lot of Sodom and Gomorrah; I enjoyed the authors take on biblical lore in general but I found that parallel most interesting. But while the plot may be simple, the writing certainly is not! I truly found it lovely and so emotive, but that did cause the story to drag in places with long descriptions; I felt we were going over the same ground or emotions over and over again. Still, the novel is so well written that I didn’t mind it too much, but it is the reason I’m giving this 4 stars. It’s a truly lovely start to this post-apocalyptic series! And thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for an honest review.
First off, some trigger warnings for you. A lot of this book revolves around the violent torture of one character, and the brutal rape of another. I applaud the author for not shying away from those topics, and depicting them with the horror such actions deserve. However, it can be a lot and considering those actions are a major driving force behind the plot, there’s really no escape from those themes. So if those topics are upsetting for you, you may not want to dive into this story just yet. I will say that I never thought the violence was just for shock value though, it served a purpose and was handled with respect, so take that for what you will.
The plot of “Misericorde” is rather simple, as the synopsis says, the Archangel just needs to find that one person who shows him mercy. It’s not entirely clear what he’ll do should he find this person; will that forever keep Death from riding? Undo the apocalypse in general? Or just delay the inevitable? The book is part of a series so those answers may come later. But this book in particular reminded me a lot of Sodom and Gomorrah; I enjoyed the authors take on biblical lore in general but I found that parallel most interesting. But while the plot may be simple, the writing certainly is not! I truly found it lovely and so emotive, but that did cause the story to drag in places with long descriptions; I felt we were going over the same ground or emotions over and over again. Still, the novel is so well written that I didn’t mind it too much, but it is the reason I’m giving this 4 stars. It’s a truly lovely start to this post-apocalyptic series! And thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for an honest review.
August 16, 2020
Thanks, Cynthia Morgan! You made me cry again at the end of Misericorde, like the hormones aren’t doing that already? I cry at a bird chirping, a butterfly dancing through my milkweed, unicorns and rainbows, burgers sizzling on the grill. But an archangel watching over a young human girl sleeping, after releasing all the pain she endured saving his sorry heavenly butt – well, that will do it too. Then again, like Lourdes, having read your story I had a lot of pent up anxiety that needed to come out too– good thing my little dog was here to hug. I think most of the angst was already there, having raised daughters and currently living through one of the other horsemen’s handiwork, our current apocalypse replacing people with cardboard cutouts at Dodger stadium. I actually left the game in the middle to continue this book – though it was like 30 to 2 or something anyway, still. I suppose I know now the workings of a female mind under pressure watching your mind argue with itself, though I am pretty familiar with it already, having lived with mine without the biological affirmation, until recently, that is; never-mind. Of course, I have a penchant for wordiness over action, thus my inclination for Nathanial Hawthorne, Gore Vidal, Mary Shelley – who wrote another glorious end-of-the-world book, after her husband drowned yachting – so you’re in good company. Excuse me,, must feed kids (it never stops). Ok, I’m back. Poetry, I read all of Shakespeare’s sonnets as methinks you did too, then wrote some of my own, forcing my parents to listen to them – tears in their eyes, for reasons I now understand -they were pretty bad. So how can I compare thee to a summer’s sonnet? Your prose has it’s own meter and rhyme, which I found hauntingly beautiful (what rhymes with pain?). Like the house of Seven gables, I knew what lie waiting, and it wasn’t a cat, but it was so fun getting there. I don’t know how you took such pains (sorry for pun) getting us there – rather inclined to turn and flee once you did. But we mortals have a softness for archangels, especially those of us brought up steeped in the scriptures, also feeling like screaming during long winded torturous services. The poetry of your words caused me to pause and reflect while moving the verse along through the dungeon halls so that i forgot all the chores i had to do, like feeding the cat, the children too, for that matter. Oh they can all go hungry for a few hours, Jeez! I like the dialogue, big T’s indifferent tone to these grubby mortal conscripts. I like Lourdes inevitable outburst and the foreshadowing of her name, I adore all your characters. Your prose is so detailed it hurts, i relate to your protagonist, i want to take care of everyone too, maybe be violated as described , its the way things are, Okay? Anyway, your painfully engaging descriptions drive me nuts, but that’s what’s keeps me coming back; i love these two characters! A romance between the gods and the bridesmaids of Christ, such as we are..
November 21, 2020
Short Version
In the year 2446, the world exists as a mere shell of what it used to be. The Great Catalyst tore the human race apart as the Horsemen rode. War, Pestilence, Famine… All that remains to ride is Death.
Archangel Tzadkiel, Angel of Mercy, had taken the task upon himself to find one human on the planet who understands what mercy is. Humans are a vile species, though, and as his journey nears its end, he fears he may never find that person. When he is captured by the soldiers of The Bastion, hope wanes even further.
A mere scullery maid, Lourdes hears screams from her room every night. They break her heart and haunt her nightmares, and even though she doesn’t even know who they come from, she swear to find him and help him. When she does exactly that, though, Lourdes discovers she’s opened a door that she might regret and entered a world darker than she ever imagined.
I really enjoyed this book. Morgan’s style is absolutely breathtaking. It’s thick with descriptions of the world she has created (which is incredible) and the people who live in it. I scarfed this book down like Tzadkiel eating oatmeal (you’d understand that if you read Misericorde). And boy, did this leave me with a book hangover. That awful feeling of MAN, NO BOOK WILL EVER COMPARE. ugh. This is a lot to say: It had a slow start, but once I got in, it was just perfect. Chef’s kiss.
A definite 10/10!
See my full review here: https://aejohnsonwrites.wordpress.com...
In the year 2446, the world exists as a mere shell of what it used to be. The Great Catalyst tore the human race apart as the Horsemen rode. War, Pestilence, Famine… All that remains to ride is Death.
Archangel Tzadkiel, Angel of Mercy, had taken the task upon himself to find one human on the planet who understands what mercy is. Humans are a vile species, though, and as his journey nears its end, he fears he may never find that person. When he is captured by the soldiers of The Bastion, hope wanes even further.
A mere scullery maid, Lourdes hears screams from her room every night. They break her heart and haunt her nightmares, and even though she doesn’t even know who they come from, she swear to find him and help him. When she does exactly that, though, Lourdes discovers she’s opened a door that she might regret and entered a world darker than she ever imagined.
I really enjoyed this book. Morgan’s style is absolutely breathtaking. It’s thick with descriptions of the world she has created (which is incredible) and the people who live in it. I scarfed this book down like Tzadkiel eating oatmeal (you’d understand that if you read Misericorde). And boy, did this leave me with a book hangover. That awful feeling of MAN, NO BOOK WILL EVER COMPARE. ugh. This is a lot to say: It had a slow start, but once I got in, it was just perfect. Chef’s kiss.
A definite 10/10!
See my full review here: https://aejohnsonwrites.wordpress.com...
November 11, 2020
Question: What did I like about this book?
Answer: Absolutely everything!
From the book cover that immediately draws you in, to the dystopian world so eloquently described by this talented author, it’s just a pleasure to read!
Set in the future, the world is a bleak and desolate place with limited resources and the age-old struggle of power over poverty is prevalent. The main Character, Archangel Tzadkiel takes human form and accepts his quest to find a single person who can show true mercy and compassion before 100 years elapses. If he fails, the Horseman of Death will ride and run rampant around the earth.
Tzadkiel is imprisoned and tortured. His blood-curdling screams are heard by a young servant girl, Lourdes, who is drawn to find a way to help him. But how can a young girl with no status ever find a way to infiltrate herself into the nightmare of his life and help him?
Read the book and find out. You won’t be disappointed. A well earned five stars!
January 1, 2021
This book is great. Not suggesting otherwise. BUT, the beginning is painfully slow due to an extensive use of description. Once past the first few chapters, the author uses less and less description giving the plot a chance to pick up.
This book is a very creative and unique look at a post-apocalypse world and pulls from Revelation in an equally unique way.Give it a try. You will not be disappointed!
This book is a very creative and unique look at a post-apocalypse world and pulls from Revelation in an equally unique way.Give it a try. You will not be disappointed!
May 4, 2020
Pestilence, War, and Famine have ridden, changing the world forever. Times of equal rights and respect had been long forgotten. Those of wealth rule, their servants little more than property, easily swapped when one becomes too damaged to perform their duties. Tzadkiel seeks to prove there is still hope, that one person in the godforsaken world still knows compassion. Should he fail to find one within 100 years the final horseman will ride. With just a few years left desperation envelopes him. He finds himself imprisoned, tortured for sadistic pleasure and gains. He could stop it all with a word, end his torment, end the pain that has become his existence, but to do so would be to admit he has failed. So he endures, hoping to somehow find the one person who can be redemption in a place filled with darkness and despair.
Cynthia A Morgan's Misericorde is the first book in the Mercy series. For anyone who likes a read on the darker side, this will certainly be a good fit. Filled with despair, hopelessness, and an acceptance of how little one is worth, it is bound to tug on a few heartstrings as Lourdes situation becomes ever more desperate as she strives to protect those she cares for. Day after day she hears the tormented screams. Brutality and the worst of humanity are brought into picture-perfect clarity through Morgan's descriptive writing while daring to offer a glimmer of hope, a suggestion of a fleeting and small light almost lost within the darkness. Horror, degradation, and helplessness pit against the very essence of all that is good, threatening to snub out its presence forever. You will want to read on, to see what fate awaits both prisoners, one a prisoner of life, and the other a prisoner in the Tower.
I read this on KU
Cynthia A Morgan's Misericorde is the first book in the Mercy series. For anyone who likes a read on the darker side, this will certainly be a good fit. Filled with despair, hopelessness, and an acceptance of how little one is worth, it is bound to tug on a few heartstrings as Lourdes situation becomes ever more desperate as she strives to protect those she cares for. Day after day she hears the tormented screams. Brutality and the worst of humanity are brought into picture-perfect clarity through Morgan's descriptive writing while daring to offer a glimmer of hope, a suggestion of a fleeting and small light almost lost within the darkness. Horror, degradation, and helplessness pit against the very essence of all that is good, threatening to snub out its presence forever. You will want to read on, to see what fate awaits both prisoners, one a prisoner of life, and the other a prisoner in the Tower.
I read this on KU
December 15, 2020
I enjoyed this book with its intriguing premise of the Archangel trying to find the one person who understands mercy in a world that has seemingly become completely devoid of it. I saw somewhere it had a Les Miserables feel to it and that alone had me taking a closer look as Les Miserables is one of my favorite novels. Misericorde did have some of that feel with a powerful group having no mercy in their crushing of a downtrodden people. Yet it was far worse treatment than that. This group had a cruelty that took pleasure in the misery and torture they directly dispensed on this group they deemed worthless. To our horror, they dole out the worst of it on the Archangel Tzadkiel. However, we are reminded in the darkest moments what can be endured by the human spirit and what light can be found if searched for hard enough and long enough. We see it as we watch Tzadkiel and Lourdes together, not knowing how their struggle will end, but hoping they can withstand the battlefield placed before them. There were moments their agony seem to cut as deep as the blade used to further their misery. This story is not for the feign of heart. Yet neither is life, but we still continue through it because we end up finding it was worth the journey. This was an incredible read. Though it seemed dark in places because of what the characters had endured and what they may still encounter, I didn't feel hopeless at all as I left them. I look forward to reading the next book in Morgan's Mercy Series.
January 15, 2021
Highly recommended dark fantasy
This is a dark fantasy story set far in a dystopian future with touches of horror. World-building for the future is well-drawn and convincing, and humanity is paying the price for past mistakes and bad choices inflicted on the planet and its people. The ultimate price is waiting in the wings, but there is hope as the Archangel of Mercy seeks a saviour to redeem humanity, and prevent the arrival of the fourth horseman of The Apocalypse, Death. The thought-provoking story unfolds brilliantly, and certainly kept me turning the pages to find out how this fascinating tale would resolve. Well written with vivid characters and amazingly easy to imagine scenes; I enjoyed this book.
This is a dark fantasy story set far in a dystopian future with touches of horror. World-building for the future is well-drawn and convincing, and humanity is paying the price for past mistakes and bad choices inflicted on the planet and its people. The ultimate price is waiting in the wings, but there is hope as the Archangel of Mercy seeks a saviour to redeem humanity, and prevent the arrival of the fourth horseman of The Apocalypse, Death. The thought-provoking story unfolds brilliantly, and certainly kept me turning the pages to find out how this fascinating tale would resolve. Well written with vivid characters and amazingly easy to imagine scenes; I enjoyed this book.
July 28, 2020
Far in the future the face of our planet has changed. Pestilence, War, and Famine, the first three Horsemen of the Apocalypse have ridden, but the final horseman, Death, in on hold. Tzadkiel is the Archangel of Mercy, he is searching for just one human who remembers what mercy means in a world where it is pretty much every man, or woman for themselves. I thought the characters were compelling, and well written. The plot is thought provoking, and while I'm not a particularly religious person, I was intrigued and found myself completely engrossed in this book. I am actually look forward to the next books in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
December 27, 2020
Cynthia A. Morgan
MISERICORDE (Mercy Series Book One)
Shadow City - Next Chapter Imprint
249 Pages
April 2020
Fantasy / Romance
It is the distant future. 2446 and the first three Horsemen of the apocalypse have arrived. Pestilence, War, Famine. Death has agreed to wait 100 years, allowing Archangel of Mercy, Tzadkiel, the chance to find one person of true compassion. If he fails, then the human race fails and Death will ride!
This is how MISERICORDE opens. Tension from the start.
What is known as the Great Cataclysm started in 2060, as the first of the riders crossed the globe. The population dwindled after each Horseman rode. Lourdes, a scullery maid, with chestnut-red hair, found herself in a somewhat lucky predicament. In her late teens, she landed the maid job in the Bastion of Resolution, in France, a castle taken over by the Eminent Protectorate faction.
Tzadkiel, taken somewhat by surprise, is captured by the officers of the Eminent Protectorate. They realize what they have, when they have him. So begins a year-long reign of torture. The goal is to find out what makes the heavenly man tick. They know he cannot die. In human form, though, they want to learn just how much pain the man can withstand!
Her nightmare begins when she can no longer stand the screams from a man being tortured night after night. His crying out in pain can be heard from the nearby tower all night long. Every night. In a desperate attempt to help the man, she finds away to work in the same tower. The new job is far more than she bargained for, however.
Tzadkiel recognizes Lourde as a kind, and compassionate young woman. Weakened by the months of brutality, he is of little use. While normally he can heal from any wound within hours, the sustained abuse has left him close to incapable of recuperating fully. Lourde has one goal. Saving Tzadkiel at any expense. She forfeits her own safety and peace of mind to ensure the Archangel is all right.
Locked in an impregnable tower (for either getting into or out of), the two must figure out a way to escape, to survive, and to triumph!
MISERICORDE is non-stop tension. Reading the book I was compelled, enthralled, and infuriated! Morgan writes clean, crisp prose. The dialogue is taut, authentic. Her description places the reader on scene for every scene as if standing in a corner witnessing each and every horror as they unfold.
This may be the first book I read by Morgan, but it will not be my last. She has hooked me on the Mercy Series and I cannot wait to dive into the other installments!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of Wizard's Rise
A Dark Stormy Review
MISERICORDE (Mercy Series Book One)
Shadow City - Next Chapter Imprint
249 Pages
April 2020
Fantasy / Romance
It is the distant future. 2446 and the first three Horsemen of the apocalypse have arrived. Pestilence, War, Famine. Death has agreed to wait 100 years, allowing Archangel of Mercy, Tzadkiel, the chance to find one person of true compassion. If he fails, then the human race fails and Death will ride!
This is how MISERICORDE opens. Tension from the start.
What is known as the Great Cataclysm started in 2060, as the first of the riders crossed the globe. The population dwindled after each Horseman rode. Lourdes, a scullery maid, with chestnut-red hair, found herself in a somewhat lucky predicament. In her late teens, she landed the maid job in the Bastion of Resolution, in France, a castle taken over by the Eminent Protectorate faction.
Tzadkiel, taken somewhat by surprise, is captured by the officers of the Eminent Protectorate. They realize what they have, when they have him. So begins a year-long reign of torture. The goal is to find out what makes the heavenly man tick. They know he cannot die. In human form, though, they want to learn just how much pain the man can withstand!
Her nightmare begins when she can no longer stand the screams from a man being tortured night after night. His crying out in pain can be heard from the nearby tower all night long. Every night. In a desperate attempt to help the man, she finds away to work in the same tower. The new job is far more than she bargained for, however.
Tzadkiel recognizes Lourde as a kind, and compassionate young woman. Weakened by the months of brutality, he is of little use. While normally he can heal from any wound within hours, the sustained abuse has left him close to incapable of recuperating fully. Lourde has one goal. Saving Tzadkiel at any expense. She forfeits her own safety and peace of mind to ensure the Archangel is all right.
Locked in an impregnable tower (for either getting into or out of), the two must figure out a way to escape, to survive, and to triumph!
MISERICORDE is non-stop tension. Reading the book I was compelled, enthralled, and infuriated! Morgan writes clean, crisp prose. The dialogue is taut, authentic. Her description places the reader on scene for every scene as if standing in a corner witnessing each and every horror as they unfold.
This may be the first book I read by Morgan, but it will not be my last. She has hooked me on the Mercy Series and I cannot wait to dive into the other installments!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of Wizard's Rise
A Dark Stormy Review
June 6, 2020
This is an intense dystopian read set in the year 2446, three of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have already wreaked havoc on the earth and before Death, the final horseman, takes his turn, the angel Tzadkiel visits the earth with 100 years to find a human who displays genuine compassion and mercy.
In this bleak world, it takes almost the full century for him to find such a person and has to go to extraordinary lengths to find her.
The world building in this novel is rich and far reaching, the narrative flips between three timelines; the present, a year previously when Tzadkiel is first captured and the lead up to the dystopian world the characters now find themselves in. On top of that, the perspective bounces between Tzadkiel the angel and Lourdes, the servant girl.
This book was brutally violent in terms of torture and sexual assault, though the assault itself isn’t sexually graphic, the lead up and after effects are visceral. It wasn’t gratuitous but highlighted the true importance of mercy in a world that has so little.
Lourdes, the servant girl, was my favourite character. She can be quite slow on the uptake but she willingly puts herself in the path of danger to ease the suffering of others for no other reason than it being the right thing to do.
The author leaned towards formal language to set the scene in this book, which, coupled with the slower pace of some of the timelines, did make the book harder going in places but overall this book was a winner for me and I’ve already downloaded the sequel on Kindle Unlimited.
In this bleak world, it takes almost the full century for him to find such a person and has to go to extraordinary lengths to find her.
The world building in this novel is rich and far reaching, the narrative flips between three timelines; the present, a year previously when Tzadkiel is first captured and the lead up to the dystopian world the characters now find themselves in. On top of that, the perspective bounces between Tzadkiel the angel and Lourdes, the servant girl.
This book was brutally violent in terms of torture and sexual assault, though the assault itself isn’t sexually graphic, the lead up and after effects are visceral. It wasn’t gratuitous but highlighted the true importance of mercy in a world that has so little.
Lourdes, the servant girl, was my favourite character. She can be quite slow on the uptake but she willingly puts herself in the path of danger to ease the suffering of others for no other reason than it being the right thing to do.
The author leaned towards formal language to set the scene in this book, which, coupled with the slower pace of some of the timelines, did make the book harder going in places but overall this book was a winner for me and I’ve already downloaded the sequel on Kindle Unlimited.
June 4, 2020
An interesting dystopian book to read when let's face it our own world seems to have gone crazy and every event seems to be reported evermore divisively, showing the wide cracks between the haves and have-nots.
The book is set far into the future. A select few live in comfort while the vast majority live in servitude and poverty. Damage to the environment has led to limited resources which are coveted and consumed by the wealthy minority. The three horsemen of the Apocalypse have already ridden through the lands bringing pestilence, war and famine, heaping more misery on the people. The archangel of mercy, Tzadkiel has won a 100-year reprieve for the world. If he can find one person left who remembers mercy and compassion, the final horseman, Death, will not ride.
Lourdes is a young peasant girl, aware of her place in society and accepting she has little worth other than to serve. Every night she is disturbed to hear the cries of someone being punished in the tower and becomes determined to discover who the poor soul is and whether she can ease his pain in some way. Could she be the person sought by Tzadkiel? If she is, Death will be keeping a watchful eye as the 1oo-year reprieve is nearly over.
A great storyline with a message to us all about protecting our environment and the dangers of an unfair society. Well-written with relatable characters.
Recommend to readers who enjoy dystopian and fantasy novels.
The book is set far into the future. A select few live in comfort while the vast majority live in servitude and poverty. Damage to the environment has led to limited resources which are coveted and consumed by the wealthy minority. The three horsemen of the Apocalypse have already ridden through the lands bringing pestilence, war and famine, heaping more misery on the people. The archangel of mercy, Tzadkiel has won a 100-year reprieve for the world. If he can find one person left who remembers mercy and compassion, the final horseman, Death, will not ride.
Lourdes is a young peasant girl, aware of her place in society and accepting she has little worth other than to serve. Every night she is disturbed to hear the cries of someone being punished in the tower and becomes determined to discover who the poor soul is and whether she can ease his pain in some way. Could she be the person sought by Tzadkiel? If she is, Death will be keeping a watchful eye as the 1oo-year reprieve is nearly over.
A great storyline with a message to us all about protecting our environment and the dangers of an unfair society. Well-written with relatable characters.
Recommend to readers who enjoy dystopian and fantasy novels.
July 5, 2020
Overall, I liked the book and the idea behind it with the angel of mercy amidst the riding of the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse. A job well done with good descriptive detail of individuals and background of the dystopian world.
Lourdes is the name of the female protagonist...she struck me as a good, sweet Christian young woman stuck in a world full of brutality and evil. She was impossible not to like and root for while also feeling sorry for her worsening existence.
In my opinion, the author could have done better with the idea as the book is predominantly consumed with the horrendous torture of the angel of mercy. The torture was hard to read in its graphic sadistic pages. I have a strong stomach, but the author must have one twisted mind to think up what she wrote. Besides the nearly endless torture, there was something else that bothered me: the captain in charge of the imprisonment and 'treatments' of the captured angel for nearly a year suddenly has a change of heart and releases him. What? Why?
Lourdes is the name of the female protagonist...she struck me as a good, sweet Christian young woman stuck in a world full of brutality and evil. She was impossible not to like and root for while also feeling sorry for her worsening existence.
In my opinion, the author could have done better with the idea as the book is predominantly consumed with the horrendous torture of the angel of mercy. The torture was hard to read in its graphic sadistic pages. I have a strong stomach, but the author must have one twisted mind to think up what she wrote. Besides the nearly endless torture, there was something else that bothered me: the captain in charge of the imprisonment and 'treatments' of the captured angel for nearly a year suddenly has a change of heart and releases him. What? Why?
July 14, 2020
This is dystopian done right. The tone is dark, bleak, and yet there is light, a faint glimmer and one you worry for right from the first flicker. Before the final horseman, Death, is released, the angel of mercy, Tzadkiel, searches to find a human with true compassion in a world where the brutal side of humans is all that is shown. As it is looking like there is no reason to stay Death any longer, there is that flicker I mentioned. What Tzadkiel endures to this point and beyond is heartbreaking and what Lourdes faces is equally horrifying. The faint light struggles against the darkness as you read, reaching you in a deeply profound way. I was so wrapped up in the edge of the seat story that the end came up all too fast. I was pleased to see a second part is already available and look forward to reading it next.
December 7, 2020
I enjoyed this well-written, dystopian fantasy story and finished it in just a few days, so much did it draw me in. In particular it was descriptive yet not burdened by description while almost all characters, even minor characters, were multi-dimensional and believable. I do have one or two reservations, the first is minor in that the phonetic translations of French aren't really correct. I also felt the violence and torture went on for too long, and while I don't mind dark stories I skipped through some of this repetition. I got the picture I didn't need so much of it. For some readers who don't like violence this story may well be too much. On the other hand the ending was simple, unique and yet satisfying.
Overall I'm glad I read Misericorde and will look out for subsequent stories in this series, hopefully less violently graphic.
Overall I'm glad I read Misericorde and will look out for subsequent stories in this series, hopefully less violently graphic.
September 16, 2020
Riveting
This book kept me up all night. The only issue I have is the way the author wrote the pronounciations of some of the French words, but that is because I speak French as a 2nd 1st language (Mom speaks only English dad speaks French and English but was raised in French).
Misericorde is truly an unputdownable book full of action and great writing. I was never bored! I won't give away the plot but let me just say that I love Tzadkiel. He is my newest book boyfriend
This book kept me up all night. The only issue I have is the way the author wrote the pronounciations of some of the French words, but that is because I speak French as a 2nd 1st language (Mom speaks only English dad speaks French and English but was raised in French).
Misericorde is truly an unputdownable book full of action and great writing. I was never bored! I won't give away the plot but let me just say that I love Tzadkiel. He is my newest book boyfriend
August 5, 2022
I read Cynthia Morgan’s The Reviled a while back and enjoyed it tremendously. When Misericorde (Mercy Series Book One) came up on my Amazon recommendations, I knew I had to add it to my TBR list. Here are my thoughts!
Synopsis (from the author):
It's the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation's Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy - Tzadkiel - makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a world ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he's looking for... and how much will he need to sacrifice?
What I liked:
Misericorde had a great storyline! I’m not usually a fan of books with angels, but the focus was not on Tzadkiel’s angelic side, but more on the human frailties he experienced in human form. This is a dark fantasy novel, and parts of Lourdes’ plight and Tzadkiel’s suffering are difficult to read, but in the end, it is a story of hope and possibilities. Well done!
What I didn’t like:
There wasn’t much to dislike in the book, so no complaints from me!
Overall impression:
Misericorde (Mercy Series Book One) was a well-written and thought-provoking novel. Good characters, great story, and a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak world made this a book to enjoy. There are dark elements to the story, so the reader should be aware of that, but if you like dark fantasy, read this one!
My rating:
5 Stars
Synopsis (from the author):
It's the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation's Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy - Tzadkiel - makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a world ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he's looking for... and how much will he need to sacrifice?
What I liked:
Misericorde had a great storyline! I’m not usually a fan of books with angels, but the focus was not on Tzadkiel’s angelic side, but more on the human frailties he experienced in human form. This is a dark fantasy novel, and parts of Lourdes’ plight and Tzadkiel’s suffering are difficult to read, but in the end, it is a story of hope and possibilities. Well done!
What I didn’t like:
There wasn’t much to dislike in the book, so no complaints from me!
Overall impression:
Misericorde (Mercy Series Book One) was a well-written and thought-provoking novel. Good characters, great story, and a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak world made this a book to enjoy. There are dark elements to the story, so the reader should be aware of that, but if you like dark fantasy, read this one!
My rating:
5 Stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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