# Serpent Valley

![Book cover of Serpent Valley](/books/covers/serpent_valley.jpg)

by [Scott Warren](/books/authors/scott_warren/)
Book 3 of [War Horses](/books/series/war_horses/)
Awards: [2023 Favorites](/blog/favorite-books-of-2023/)
★★★★☆

## Review

_Serpent Valley_, the third book in the _War Horses_ series, is another quick, action-packed read---but without the flaws
holding back its predecessors. Easily my favorite of the series so far!

The story of _Serpent Valley_ is split into two parts:

- The first, where Vandal and the techs travel on a freighter carrying antique
  mechs that they must get ready for battle before they land. They soon
  realize there's a saboteur aboard and they try uncovering the spy. The
  pacing is slower, with lots of time for character development.

- The second, after landing, is nonstop action. Vandal leads a ragtag rebel
  team battling the planetary government using the mechs he and his team fixed
  up in the first part.

Throughout the book, Vandal repairs and pilots one mech, gaining intimate
knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses. In a clever twist, he must leverage
this understanding not to push the machine to its limits against the
rebellion's enemies, but to destroy it when a traitor steals the mech and
deserts.

The plotting is tight, the pacing perfect. Unlike [_Ymir_](/books/ymir/), transitions
between plot lines flow seamlessly. The balanced mix of mystery, intrigue, and
action show that Scott Warren has really figured out his characters,
worldbuilding, and style. I can't wait for the next book: [_Dog Soldier_](/books/dog_soldier/).

## Reviews that mention _Serpent Valley_
- [_Dog Soldier_](/books/dog_soldier/)
- [_Grand Melee_](/books/grand_melee/)
- [_On Basilisk Station_](/books/on_basilisk_station/)†
- [_Sunstone Imperative_](/books/sunstone_imperative/)
- [_Surface Detail_](/books/surface_detail/)†
- [_Ymir_](/books/ymir/)

† _Mentioned via a link to the series._

## Related Books
- [_Chevalier_](/books/chevalier/) by [Scott Warren](/books/authors/scott_warren/) --- ★★☆☆☆: Chevalier is a modern reimagining of 1980’s mech sci-fi like Battletech, Gundam, and Macross. It’s a quick, action-packed read—not very deep but highly entertaining—that focuses on making mechs feel like realistic battlefield tech, not magic.
- [_Ymir_](/books/ymir/) by [Scott Warren](/books/authors/scott_warren/) --- ★★★☆☆: Ymir is the second book in the War Horses series, keeping Chevalier’s action and quick pacing while adding more backstory, character development, and a more complex plot.
- [_Dog Soldier_](/books/dog_soldier/) by [Scott Warren](/books/authors/scott_warren/) --- ★★★☆☆: Dog Soldier, by Scott Warren, is the fourth book in the War Horses series. It concludes the Cinto DaSelva campaign and further develops the setting’s backstory.