Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honoured for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos. Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader- an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own- is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-strichen prince, the leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for.
Touch of Power http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/34/ea/d1/11701_10445208_1337030836.jpg
Editor reviews
Okay, I will try to be a little bit more helpful in my review now and explain why I am such a fan girl about this book. Like the main character in the Inside Out series, the only other books I've read by Snyder thus far, Avry is an incredibly strong woman (she's 20, so a bit older) with some serious emotional scarring. Unlike her counterpart, though, Avry has a much more likable personality by nature. She is vibrant, incredibly bright and stubborn as anything (I wonder why I identify with her so much, haha).
Another consistent factor in Snyder's writing is that she is completely stellar at building up romantic tension. Without resorting to any sort of torrid descriptions of the physical reactions every time the hero does so much as touch the heroine, Snyder makes the reader swoon for the heroes as they live vicariously. Honestly. The romance sections are just so amazing, even though she doesn't go into serious detail, you feel and imagine everything.
I also love the fantasy world she created. I mean, princes + magic + dystopian background almost cannot go wrong. And she did it well. Her world feels really well thought out. The different kinds of magic, the way they interact, and the fact that science in its way remains important despite these higher powers completely blew me away with the awesome.
The drama has only just begun, and, as you already know, I will be first in line to read book two. I recommend this highly to fans of The Goose Girl, Kristin Cashore, or Snyder's other books.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Fantasy Lovers, Get Ready for AWESOMENESS
Oh my goodness. You're going to need to let me gush right now. I just love, love, love this book. Having finished, I almost want to go back to the beginning and start over or read every book Snyder has ever written. Almost from the first pages, I have just devoured this story, living in fear of the ending coming too soon (which of course it did). Book two should be out now! Waiting will be so, so painful.
Okay, I will try to be a little bit more helpful in my review now and explain why I am such a fan girl about this book. Like the main character in the Inside Out series, the only other books I've read by Snyder thus far, Avry is an incredibly strong woman (she's 20, so a bit older) with some serious emotional scarring. Unlike her counterpart, though, Avry has a much more likable personality by nature. She is vibrant, incredibly bright and stubborn as anything (I wonder why I identify with her so much, haha).
Another consistent factor in Snyder's writing is that she is completely stellar at building up romantic tension. Without resorting to any sort of torrid descriptions of the physical reactions every time the hero does so much as touch the heroine, Snyder makes the reader swoon for the heroes as they live vicariously. Honestly. The romance sections are just so amazing, even though she doesn't go into serious detail, you feel and imagine everything.
I also love the fantasy world she created. I mean, princes + magic + dystopian background almost cannot go wrong. And she did it well. Her world feels really well thought out. The different kinds of magic, the way they interact, and the fact that science in its way remains important despite these higher powers completely blew me away with the awesome.
The drama has only just begun, and, as you already know, I will be first in line to read book two. I recommend this highly to fans of The Goose Girl, Kristin Cashore, or Snyder's other books.
User reviews
Average user rating from: 3 user(s)
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
| Overall rating | 4.7 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Another fantastic story from Maria V. Snyder
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
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.)
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Reviewed by
Louisa
June 06, 2012
Last updated: November 18, 2012
Top 100 Reviewer - View all my reviews (118)
I love this book!
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.)
- Very well written characters
- Interesting plot
- Just about everything else!
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.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
I just love Maria V. Snyder!!!!!
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.
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