Review: Sisters of Mercy by Yuval Kordov
Must read for fans of mechs, body horror, metaphysical sci-fi, and demon slaying
Here’s my review of the new novella Sisters of Mercy—a standalone set in the Dark Legacies universe—by our very own developmental editor Yuval Kordov. If you enjoy what we’ve been posting, Yuval’s editorial touch has been part of shaping these great stories, as well as many more coming soon!
Sisters of Mercy is now available in ebook, softcover, and Kindle Unlimited.
Sisters of Mercy is a great standalone introduction to Kordov's Dark Legacies universe if you haven't already read the trilogy, or new depth to the God-engines for those who have.
Sisters of Mercy focuses on two God-engines - mech walkers whose AI has been replaced with mutant clones. The horror of telekinetic children born into deformed bodies becoming machines of walking death is one of the driving themes of the novella. And it gets worse for the girls: the machine that finally gives them the freedom they have craved their entire short lives will irradiate what's left of their bodies until it ultimately kills them.
Hannah-9 is newly entombed in the sepulchre that allows her to pilot the walking tank that is now her body. Rachel-3, her "sister" and mentor, is dying.
Short as it is, the novella manages to hit on a surprising number of themes. Found family, abuse survivor, faith, disability, child soldiers, an uncaring health care system - these themes and more come up as the duo travels the wasteland slaughtering demons.
Yet despite its grim themes, Sisters of Mercy is ultimately a story about yearning, about compassion, and about finding growth in the unlikeliest places through faith in each other and in something greater.
It's an incensepunk story with more depth and emotion than you'd think can fit in been the covers. Must read for fans of mechs, body horror, metaphysical sci-fi, and demon slaying!