⇒ [PDF] Touch of Power An Avry of Kazan novel Book 1 eBook Maria V Snyder

Touch of Power An Avry of Kazan novel Book 1 eBook Maria V Snyder

Download As PDF : Touch of Power An Avry of Kazan novel Book 1 eBook Maria V Snyder

Touch of Power An Avry of Kazan novel Book 1 eBook Maria V Snyder

I really love Maria Snyder. Her Poison Study trilogy is one of my all-time favorite fantasy series (seriously, if you'd haven't read them, go pick them up right now). And this book, while not quite as utterly brilliant as Poison Study (again, one of my all-time favs), was a lovely read.

The story is this: in a world where a plague swept across kingdoms and devastated land after land, a young healer hides her healing powers because everyone believes that healers were the ones to blame for the plague itself--and for not healing the population from it. One night, after healing a dying child, Avry, who might just be the last healer left alive and in hiding, is caught...and then rescued by a group of men who need her to heal a king and save the kingdoms. Of course, it isn't really that simple, because in Avry's world it never is. Is the king really a good guy worth saving? Are her rescuers saviors or kidnappers?

If you haven't read Poison Study, I'd go back and read that series first (it's so friggin amazing), but if you have, don't worry - Maria Snyder won't disappoint here either.


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Touch of Power An Avry of Kazan novel Book 1 eBook Maria V Snyder Reviews

Touch of Power immediately started with our heroine, Avry, doing the right thing and almost being killed for it. In her world, healers such as she are on the run, outlawed and hunted down because of the recent plague pandemic they could not quell. Avry's been hiding out in small towns and attempting not to use her magical gift, but she simply cannot help herself when faced with the illness of a young child she knows. Once her secret is out, she's condemned to die...but wait, someone rescues her just in the nick of time. Though Avry of course takes the opportunity to live, she knows it won't be without strings attached, and they are big She's being forcefully taken to heal Ryne, king of one of the Fifteen Realms. What her captors don't know is that if she heals Ryne, she will die, and besides that, she doesn't even like the guy.

Much of Touch of Power takes place as Avry and her captors, who become her friends, travel toward the Nine Mountains so she can heal Ryne. To say that Avry is less than thrilled with leader Kerrick is an understatement; but it's equally evident that there are sparks flying between the two and that they work well together. A lot of time is spent on Avry learning the tricks of the forest and there are some side forays such as helping a girl who has been kidnapped that add to the length of the book. The best parts are the interactions between Avry, Belen, and the "monkeys" (the men helping Kerrick retrieve Avry); it's so nice to see genuine friendships develop slowly, and it gives depth to Avry's character. There is a lot of repetition in the travels staying away from Death Lilies, sleeping in caves, escaping mercenaries; while those things didn't bother me, I do wonder now if perhaps they could have somehow been varied a bit. The whole story with Avry's sister Noelle took me by surprise and I look forward to seeing how it will all play out in the future.

I loved Avry's spirited personality and her headstrong attitude and felt she was definitely the brightest link in the book. Smart female protagonists always enhance my enjoyment and Avry is no exception, with her sharp mind and outstanding sense of sarcasm. A few times I was drawn out of the story by the modern feeling of the dialogue, but since it's a fantasy, I feel the author can choose to write it as she wishes. I was not such a fan of Kerrick, however; I disliked his unwillingness to listen and definitely despised his treatment, sometimes physical, of Avry early on. It's going to take some doing before I'm 100% on board with him.

My biggest complaint, if it can be termed as such, is that it's hard to gauge the readership for this novel. Though the characters are in their twenties, they often interact and react as though they were teens. While I see this novel as appealing to all fantasy readers and most young adult readers, I wonder if there will be those who will nitpick the actions of twenty-somethings who do not seem fully adult. But Maria V. Snyder's writing fully engages and those minor concerns are lost in the overall fun and action of the story. I'm on to the second book!
Ok, I'll be honest here, I didn't like the romance in this book at all, but I love the plot, so I rounded my review out at 4 stars. As for the romance, I just didn't feel the chemistry. It was boring, and very ordinary, and I guess not every book can be an epic romance, but still, I really wish there would have been a bit more to this one. With that being said though, the plot was so dark and mysterious, and the magic system was intriguing, and the ending was such a wonderful surprise. I had no idea how things were going to all work out, and it's not too often that a book manages to surprise me.

So overall, 4 stars. It was fantastic as a fantasy, and only so/so as a romance. But definitely worth the read!
Maria V. Snyder’s debut novel, Poison Study, is quite possibly one of the best YA fantasies I’ve ever read, and I keep rereading it. So I came into Touch of Power with plenty of expectations, and it didn’t quite measure up.

That’s not to say Touch of Power was terrible, exactly. Its premise was fascinating Avry is one of the last healers in a world where healers have been blamed for starting a devastating plague. Instead of just healing someone with no consequences, a healer’s magic comes with a price–they have to assume the injuries of the patient, and heal themselves quickly.

Snyder’s storytelling skills are as strong as ever. Her impressive imagination created a world of adventure and intrigue, and I never once felt bored even though the main characters’ journey was one of Lord of the Rings proportions. The pacing was off, though. Weeks would pass normally, and then all of a sudden a couple months would go by in the same amount of pages. It was hard to keep my bearings, so eventually I just gave up and went with it.

Touch of Power isn’t on par with Poison Study because it lacks the depth of characterization and setting of the earlier novel. It also just seemed more “typical YA,” in that it was a fun read but not very thought-provoking. It didn’t stick with me long after I’d finished it like Poison Study did. Avry is a typical YA fantasy heroine she’s strong, kind, brave, etc. But she has none of the steely determination and intelligence that made me love Yelena so much. And don’t even get me started on Kerrick, Avry’s love interest. He not only pales in comparison to Poison Study‘s Valek–he’s just a raging douchebag with few redeeming qualities. I kept wondering why Avry was going on and on about him smelling like sunshine when he was backhanding her and threatening her and just generally being a dick.

All in all, Touch of Power was entertaining but didn’t meet my expectations. It just felt like it was geared toward a younger audience than Poison Study, which it may well be. It needed more development in many places, but Snyder’s storytelling abilities kept me hooked despite its flaws.

Check out this review and others on my book blog here https//ellectricbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/review-of-maria-v-snyders-touch-of-power/
I really love Maria Snyder. Her Poison Study trilogy is one of my all-time favorite fantasy series (seriously, if you'd haven't read them, go pick them up right now). And this book, while not quite as utterly brilliant as Poison Study (again, one of my all-time favs), was a lovely read.

The story is this in a world where a plague swept across kingdoms and devastated land after land, a young healer hides her healing powers because everyone believes that healers were the ones to blame for the plague itself--and for not healing the population from it. One night, after healing a dying child, Avry, who might just be the last healer left alive and in hiding, is caught...and then rescued by a group of men who need her to heal a king and save the kingdoms. Of course, it isn't really that simple, because in Avry's world it never is. Is the king really a good guy worth saving? Are her rescuers saviors or kidnappers?

If you haven't read Poison Study, I'd go back and read that series first (it's so friggin amazing), but if you have, don't worry - Maria Snyder won't disappoint here either.