Touch of Power

Holy Awesome Book Batman!

This book is astoundingly awesome! I happened upon it by accident and am so glad I did. I am a die hard Maria V. Snyder fan, I loved the Study series it was incredile. I was not as impressed with her tie in series (Glass series with Opal) as I was with the study series So i was worried about this. I was duly impressed with the story telling skills in this book. Avry's story grabs you by the shoulders and jerks you into her world for a fast paced, but not too fast (like the kind that you don't understand anything because it jumps from one thing to the next too quickly), adventure. I can't recommend this enough! Stunning!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Live To Read

This book is wow-worthy. The main character, Avry, is clever, brave, and witty. She is the readers' guide through a world where healers are loathed and killed on sight. A healer herself, Avry will impress the reader with her depth of compassion and ability to put aside her own personal emotions-even if it means her life. This world created by Snyder is a harsh one; a plague has swept through the land, killing every single person it infects. Healers are powerless against this plague, dying in exchange for the plague-stricken person. Healers are reviled because the average person in this novel suspects healers of deliberately starting the plague.


The reader is taken right into the action of the story; the author provides background knowledge along the way. Avry is captured by people who intend to trade her in as a healer for a reward. Expecting death, Avry is instead captured by a group which has a specific purpose in mind for her. They demand Avry heal a plague victim-a prince. Avry knows better, she realizes that to do so would mean her life. What will Avry decide?


As a character, Avry was wonderful. She wasn't too perfect, but she was very endearing and completely likable. Kerrick, the love interest, will likely rub the reader the wrong way-he rubs Avry the wrong way much of the book as well. Stubborn, cruel at times, and unyielding, Kerrick is not a character the reader will take an instant liking to. The other characters of the motley band are interesting, they each have very different traits that the reader will find memorable.


The events are extremely fast-paced. The characters do develop along the way, they are very dynamic and thus more interesting and fun to the reader. Readers can be extremely happy when they put this book down-there is another book in the series to look forward to! This book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A great start to a new fantasy series!

I love, love, love Maria V. Snyder¿s Poison Study (and her Inside Out) series, so was very excited to hear about her new book, Touch of Power, featuring 20 year old Avry, a healer on the run from those that would have her executed because of her power. After healing a child in the town she¿s hiding out in, she¿s arrested and sent to the guillotine, but rescued by a band of men that value her power. It doesn¿t seem to make much sense that people would want to execute a healer, does it? No, it doesn¿t, however, healers are thought to the be the cause of a plague that has decimated the human population, to the tune of about 6 million dead. That is why they want to execute healers. However, there are certain people in power that would love to have a healer at their disposal, so there is also a significant bounty on Avry¿s head. So, Avry goes on the run with the mysterious (and initially annoying) Kerrick, and his group of friends, and that¿s when the story really takes off.

See, Kerrick and Co. want her to heal someone, but this someone is a person that Avry doesn¿t have that great of an opinion of (to say the least), but who may hold the key to peace, so convincing her he¿s worth healing will be hard. Rival mercs and bounty hunters are around every corner, and that¿s not counting the deadly Death Lillies that litter the valley, but there¿s more to those than meets the eye too. Ms. Snyder has a talent for storytelling, and she manages to do it very well without a lot of the flowery prose that you see in fantasy novels. I love that, and she really has a knack for getting you to turn the pages. Avry reminded me a little of Yelena in Poison Study, but she¿s definitely very much her own woman. There¿s plenty of action and intrigue, and some twists that I honestly didn¿t see coming, also a bit of romance. Ms. Snyder¿s baddies are bad (with maybe a touch of gray, but just a touch), and her good guys are really good. This is so refreshing for me, amongst the dark fantasy full of gray characters. Don¿t get me wrong, I loves me some gray, but sometimes a story with a really strong glimmer of hope is much needed! Also, I believe Touch of Power is aimed at adults, but other than some violence and a bit of gore (and sex references, but , but no details-Avery is 20 after all), I really think teens would enjoy it as well. It¿s a great start to a new series by one of my favorite authors, and I¿ll look forward to continuing Avery¿s adventures in Scent of Magic in 2013 (yarg, but all good things, right?)

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

best books review.

Avry of Kazan is a healer at one stage there was many people like her but now she is the last of her kind. She has been running since the healers were blamed for starting the plague that killed so many people. Avry did the only thing she could run and hide.

The only problem is as a healer it's not always easy to watch people die when you know you can save them. When Avry slips up and heals a dying child you would think people would be grateful but no the town turns her in for the promise of gold and Avry is left waiting for her death.
The most shocking thing happens next she is rescued from the town but what do her rescuers what and what will it cost her.

Avry is a strong minded lead character from the start you really did feel for the character. She is one of those women you want to be. She is smart and she has hidden all this time without being court. She is strong minded even when faced with the worse. The author really does know how to make her characters stand out. There were a lot of unforgettable people in this book and at times you wished you could meet them face to face. You become attached to the people you're reading about and you don't want the adventure to stop.

The story line of the book was just brilliant it was a fantasy to remember there was the world it was based in. There was a raging war going on the common people are struggling to survive while the royals are all about winning no one seems to care about the people they are ruling. The book was packed with interesting things like the healers and magic and what people will do with their abilities.

The story worked really well and it had my interested from the very start. I loved learning about the people and the world the book was set in. There was none stop action and some of the funniest comments from characters. There was lies and back stabbing. I really did fall in love with the book.

By the end you are going to be holding your heart in your hand you might even cry but most of all your going to have the need to know what will happen next.

Maria V. Snyder is the queen of fantasy and Touch of power proves it.
5 stars.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Adicting! Definatly worth the time to read!

Adicting! Definatly worth the time to read!

I really enjoyed this book! It's the first time I've read anyth

I really enjoyed this book! It's the first time I've read anything written by the author, Maria V. Snyder, and I must say I truly appreciate her style of writing! Fantasy is one of my favorite genres and Ms. Snyder did not let me down.

The characters are developed nicely. Each has his or her own quirks that makes them unique individuals. Yes, there's a romance, but it doesn't get in the way of the story.

The story is well-paced, without being rushed, so it's easy to keep up with the action. It's an interesting premise, healers who may be guilty of spreading the plague. They must sacrifice all to heal anyone stricken with it. It reminded me of one of my favorite original Star Trek episodes where the alien species can heal, but must learn to not be afraid of the pain they take from the sick and wounded. Will Avry heal the prince? Find out for yourself, I'm not telling! It's definitely worth the read!

I loved the book but I found it in the romance section of my boo

I loved the book but I found it in the romance section of my bookstore and I don't really fell it is a romance novel more like a fantasy. Not that there wasn't love, it just wasn't what the story was about. But still definitely worth the read!

Not the best romance I'v read

I love the heroin but the guy thats in love with her treats her like scum so it was hard to get into the romance side of this, but the adventure was what made me keep reading. So for me abuse isn't romantic or charming so don't expect too much romance.

What can I say? Touch of Power is powerful! It has a little bit

What can I say? Touch of Power is powerful! It has a little bit of everything for the reader that likes to dabble in, but isn’t wed to, different genres: magic, romance, suspense, mystery, and action. As my first Maria V. Snyder novel, it really packed a punch for me and I can confidently say I will be back for more.
Touch of Power follows after a terribly plague has swept across the lands of the Fifteen Kingdoms, for which the healers, like Avry of Kazan, are blamed, and thus extinguished. She’s remained in hiding for the last three years, desperately trying not to give herself away until the compulsion to heal is too much, sending her packing before she can be caught once again. Her luck runs out however, when she’s captured and forced on an unwelcome journey to heal the very man she despises.
I really enjoyed Touch of Power. I love the fantasy genre in general, but this novel is exceptionally well-done. Maria V. Snyder has built a vivid, fascinating world, with flowing descriptions of the lands and people within it. I especially found the Peace Lilies and Death Lilies so creative and awesome! They absolutely fascinated me. It’s a book I hope never makes it to the big-screen, because anything Hollywood comes up with can’t possibly match what Snyder has created within her pages and my imagination. There is also no shortage of spunk and fun throughout the story, with snide comments, jokes and laughter. Everything is just incredibly well-balanced.
Her characters are simply amazing and full of life. Avry is our smart, spunky heroine, without having too much of both. She’s got her sarcasm down pat, and I loved that. She’s also very strong and smart (I really hate having to root for the dumb guy).
Kerrick is sexy and brooding, and I know that sexy and brooding is overplayed right now, but hey, when something fits, it fits, and nothing else would have fit Kerrick. He was also loyal to a fault, determined and and damned pain in the ass and I loved him for it.
Tohon is an excellent “bad guy.” He’s sinister and sweet in that sociopathic kind of way that leaves Snyder’s readers guessing what he’ll do next, which tickled my fancy quite a bit. I think beyond any personal vendetta, he actually does like Avry quite a bit, in his own way. Their relationship was especially dynamic and I enjoyed it.
In short, Touch of Power is awesome and I am so glad I saw it in another blogger’s IMM and nabbed it, because it was a blast to read. For MVS fans, you’ll love it; for Fantasy fans, you’ll love it!

Avry is the last of her kind. A healer who was once praised but

Avry is the last of her kind. A healer who was once praised but it now feared and hunted as being the cause of the plague. When Avry is on deaths doorstep the night before meeting her fate with the guillotine, when a crew of men come bursting into the jail and free her. The one thing they ask in return for her freedom is to heal their friend who has the plague. However, once Avry finds out who the "friend" is she is hell bent on doing anything BUT heal him. It's up to the guys to convince her but it's hard to do when you are being hunted by not only one ruler of the Fifteen Realms but two rulers.

The world Snyder creates is amazing. She really knows her way around words and can instantly take the reader into her world with ease. I was a little skeptical on reading this novel, I thought it would be a mediocre YA story but the story that the Snyder wove instantly captures you. She has the perfect balance of details without being too wordy, witty dialogue and a slow kindling romance in the background.

This story flowed a lot like Poison Study. You have a feisty heroin who is in a bind and a brooding male who is pretty much her captor. However, I enjoyed the action that this novel had as well as the addition of the gang (Flea, Vinn, Quain and Belen). With having the extra characters as well as the constant traveling and fighting, it really took a step up from the other novel. Do I even need to mention the gorgeous cover?

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful!

As a fan of the study series, I was blown away by Snyder's new world, characters, and the tale they wove. Simply magical.

Reviled for her healing gifts, Avry is kidnapped for just those skills.

Ever since the plague decimated the population of the kingdoms, Avry has searched for other living healers and her lost family. Each time she gives in to the demands of her gifts and heals someone, she has to run again.

Now, she has been kidnapped for those very gifts. She needs to heal the one king, she hates the most. Every escape attempt she makes is thwarted. When she learns what the other kings are doing, she decides that the one is stasis is the best of the two bad options she is presented with.

Along the journey, Avry will learn the source of the plague and find her beloved, younger sister; only to be betrayed by her.

Ms. Snyder writes a powerful story of what can be done with unlimiited power and the choices that those so blessed must make. Avry is forced to make a decision which could end her own life but with the knowledge that by doing so, she will leave behind a better world.

L-O-V-E-D IT!

I came across Maria a little over a year ago. I started with her Poison Series. My cousin and I both fell in love with her writing. I stopped after that, wanting to read on to the Glass Series, and maybe Inside/Out. I just never got around to it. When I first got the email with the clip of this book, I wasn't thinking about buying it. I bought out of pure impulse. And I'm so happy I did! Her writing has just gotten better and better as the years have passed, and this book blew my mind. ( Although I did call Avry;'love interest before the second chapter ) It' worth the money,and I can't wait for 2013 to roll around for the second book!

Another awesome book by Maria Snyder!

4.5 stars. I’m a fan of Maria V. Snyder. Poison Study and Inside Out are two books I absolutely love so I was excited to see that she has a new fantasy series for me to get lost in. Touch of Power is classic Snyder and it does not disappoint.

No doubt, Snyder is a master at world building. The plague ravaged Fifteen Realms is in shambles and the political leaders that are left alive are scrambling to grab as much power and territories as they can. Avry, who has been hiding and on the run for years, becomes a pawn in this political game. Throw in characters with special magical abilities and carnivorous flowers big enough to swallow a person whole and you have an unputdownable book that will keep you absolutely engaged to the end.

Speaking of characters with special abilities, Avry’s healing is very cool. She is also snarky and having the story told from her perspective is a treat. My only complaint is that at times, Avery’s narration is a bit too modern and out of place with the rest of the fantasy setting. Still, I love Avry, she is definitely another wonderful and memorable character that Ms. Snyder has created.

Kerrick is a huge jerk at the beginning of the book. He’s a brooding kill-joy and a bit of a bully at first, but thankfully, he fully redeems himself by the end. While I know I shouldn’t, I did compare him to Valek from Poison Study and while I don’t love him as much as Valek, Kerrick does have his own kind of awesome going for him. The secondary characters are very well written as well. Kerrick’s men are so lovable and the bad guy is especially pervy and awful. He is definitely the guy you love to hate.

As an escapist reader, I really enjoyed getting lost in another of Maria Snyder’s fabulous worlds. I highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers everywhere, and even if you don’t usually read fantasy, you should try Touch of Power. It’s that good!

Content: Kissing, sexual situations, implied sex (no detailed descriptions) and violence. This is not a YA novel and most of the characters, including Avry and Kerrick, are in their twenties. I don't think it is appropriate for younger teens but older, more mature teens should be fine.

Draws You In

Avry has spent the last few years on the run. In a world with filled with magic, her particular brand of talents are feared. Healers are hunted and put to death for their response to the great plague that has swept the lands. Avry cannot escape the call of helping though, and is soon imprisoned when she is caught healing a young child. Much to her surprise, Avry is broken out of jail by a band of men who seem to have their own reasons for freeing her. Now Avry has to decide whether her freedom and even her life are worth saving someone who may be able to save the world.

I have heard of Maria V. Snyder from other people, but I never read one of her books. Wow. That is all I can say. I was drawn into this book from the start, and I probably wouldn't have stopped reading if I didn't have other things to do. Everything was just so beautifully done. The pacing was fantastic- lots of action, but plenty of chances to breath and get to know the characters some more. There were moments that were hilarious, and moments that just break your heart. The world was so well developed, and that really helps you get lost in it from the very beginning. There were a couple of twists and turns, and I was definitely left wanting more in the end.

I am keeping this review a little shallow on purpose. There were so many things that I loved about this book, but a lot of the fun was in discovering them. Just know that I highly recommend this book, and it's probably in the top of the books I've read this year. I am definitely adding more books by Maria V. Snyder on my to-read list. This book was so absorbing, I didn't even know where the time had gone. It is a great book, and I can't wait to see what the next one in the series holds!

Galley provided for review.

Loved It!

This book reminded me of why I started buying books from this author.
Still have fond memories of Poison Study and this one is riht on par wih it.

Don't wait!

As always Maria V. Snyder's latest does not disappoint. I found the main character's constant struggle to not use the gifts she was born with thought provoking and the politics well written. One character was truly offensive to me and I found myself mentally yelling at the author for including him...I'm sure you'll be able to guess who he is as you read... Overall I loved the book and cant wait to see where the story goes next.

Maria does it again!

It's been over a week since I finished this book and I still get a silly grin on my face when I think about it. This book has everything I love in a book- a strong, independent heroine, a moody, brooding love interest, a set of sidekicks that are loyal and funny, a villain that makes my skin crawl, magic and lots of action and adventure. I loved being in this new world that Maria has created! I don't want to say much because I will spoil things (which is why I'm terrible at writing reviews). Just trust me on this one- if you are fan of Maria's Poison Study series you will love this book.

Another great book

Really loved this book. Wish it went into a little more detail about the lillys but im sure that it will in the second book. Cant wait for the next book.

Highly Recommend

She does it again. I loved the Study and Glass trilogies and I find that I once again love her newest book. I will be waiting on pins and needles for the next installment!