Touch of Power

Touch of Power starts off with an introduction of Avry, a healer forced into hiding, healing a child and getting turned in by the family of the child. What does she know would inevitably follow her arrest? A scheduled execution, without trial. But why all the hate? Healers are commonly believed to be the ones who started the devastating plague that destroyed the Fifteen Realms and plunged it into its current chaotic existence. But this is not the end for our healer girl. Avry is saved by a small group of people who thinks she's more useful as a healer than for bounty. And thus her journey begins.

Maria V. Snyder, I congratulate you. You drew me into the story immediately, and kept me in there. Not once did I feel like I should set it aside, that the plot could wait, that I could go read another more action-oriented story. Though, I admit, Touch of Power did have quite its share of action, it also contained a plot I would never see coming. It's truly wonderful even in the end, Snyder could add something to the book, a new factor to check into, but I wouldn't feel like, "Hey, wait a minute. That doesn't even make sense. Quit making up weird things to move the story along!" It actually corresponded with the entire story, and fit together. It made absolute sense how it could've been possible the entire time, and that the protagonist truly didn't know it was possible. Even better? No cliffhanger. You can see where the story could go on, but it feels resolved.

Avry is nearly my ideal character, symbolizing strength through suffering, but at times her strength veers towards the territory of stubborn and makes many of her decisions incredibly illogical. As well, I'd truly like to know more about her past to be able to understand and sympathize more for her loss during the plague.

Kerrick, Avry's love interest, was a bit of a jerk in the beginning. (Hint: Boys, don't chain girls you like to trees. They don't like it, trust me.) While he didn't completely redeem himself in the end, what I admire about him is his devotion to friends. He'd do anything for his little band of "Arvy-rescuers". (Don't blame me, I don't know what else to call his little group . . .)

I love talking about the villains. Tohon is no different. He's got the slightly clichéd sad childhood that drove him to commit such atrocious acts, and certainly seems like the sort of person to cook up the most gruesome of experiments. To put it more simply, he's a total slimy greaseball. And his personality mirrors the little boy who didn't get the bigger slice of birthday cake, and would in turn destroy the other little boy who did through whatever means he can.

In the end, I didn't find Touch of Power as powerful as some of her previous books, especially Poison Study but still enjoyed it very much. Touch of Power features a great cast of character and an intricate plot. I'd recommend Touch of Power to fans of fantasy.

This review was originally posted at http://lustforstories.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-touch-of-power-by-maria-v-snyder.html

I love Maria V. Snyder. I just thought I'd start with that. All of her books are so amazingly well written, and they are all set in a world of fantasy, magicians, magic and romance.

All of the characters are fabulously well written. When I was trying to think of my favourite character, I had to think about it for a bit, i loved them all! But I think that my favourite character is Avry. She was not overly strong, but just enough so that she could pull through tough times. She was also incredibly stubborn and bright and determined. I could understand exactly what she was feeling the whole way through! I find it a bit irrtating how all of Maria's males have long hair, I suppose if they live in the wilderness then it makes sense, but (no offense to all those long-haired males out there) long hair on males just doesn't feel right. That's just minor though. Just my opinion.

The romance in Snyder's books is just perfect. It's not like the heroine is swooning over her to-be partner, in fact, at the start, Avry very obviously hates Kerrick (the guy who she eventually falls in love with). And her love develops over time, after getting to know him,unlike in some other books where the heroine just loves the guy because he's handsome, even though he is a cold bastard. No. Avry hates him at first, and then after getting to know him a little, develops a slow connection with him that she doesn't even identify until later.

I love how you can never expect what is going to happen. Sometimes, if I read a book where you always know what is going to happen, I get irritated and find it really hard to finish the book. This though, was changing and twisting all the time.

The writing style is brilliant, no doubt about that.

Every part of this amazing book is brilliant, and everyone should read it. The only thing I find annoying (it has nothing to do with the book) is that the next one comes out in 2013!!! :(

I definitely recommend this to everyone, and just while we're on recommendations, I definitely recommend you all to try Snyder's other books (she's written nine, and they are all amazing.)

I love this book. All of Maria V. Snyder's books follow a single theme, fantasy kingdoms full of magic and romance. I just love these books, they capture my heart, and steal my soul. I love every single part of this book, and I love the twist about the Death Lilys.

All the characters are just simply amazing. Every single one of them grew on me. But I don't understand why Maria V. Snyder makes all the male characters have long hair, I found that annoying. But other than that, I just loved the characters, they all have their own well defined personalities that I crave in all books. My favorite was the main character, Avry. She is perfectly written, I can understand everything that she does, and I just love her so much.

I thought that the plot was so full of twists and turns that you couldn't expect what would happen. Once you thought you got what would happen in the ending, then the plot would just change dramatically. The writing style is just perfect in every aspect.

Every part of this is just simply perfect. I reckon that everyone should read this brilliant novel.