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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Touch of Power is a magical new fantasy novel sure to delight readers of Snyder’s previous books… so long as they don’t expect it to be Snyder’s previous books. Like many others, I fell in love with Snyder’s writing during the first pages of Poison Study, the first book in her Study series. I loved the mystery, the grittiness of the story, the mix of medieval and magic. While all of that can also be found in this story, it’s true that the story of Yelena Zaltana is hard to top, and I see many reviews that say that this book can’t hope to match up to the books Snyder has previously written. Personally, I don’t think that it needs to. I think this book can stand on it’s own and be appreciated for its own weaknesses and strengths. Maybe we are too quick to compare books to their predecessors – in this way it feels as though people treat Poison Study as Touch of Power’s big sister – instead of viewing them individually. I think that is a mistake, because it prevents people from seeing the parts of this story that do shine, even if they don’t shine quite as bright as moments from the older series.
Touch of Power is the story of Avry of Kazan. Avry’s world is one touched by a plague so severe, that even she and her fellow Healers could not stop the spread. Avry is on the run, because she is living in a world where Healers are blamed for the plague, and hunted. Avry’s kindness toward others is her weakness, and she is soon captured and awaits her execution, but healers are hard to find, and her story isn’t quite over yet. Avry sets out on a brand new adventure – not quite one of her own choosing – with the character Kerrick and his group of loveable misfits.
The characters in this novel are well developed. Avry’s voice was sarcastic but kind, which is something I love and relate to in a heroine, and this made it easy to see the world through her eyes. Her friendships with Flea, Belen, Vinn and Quian were sweet, playful and believable. I enjoyed Flea and Belen’s stories in particular. I also found the “bad guy” in this novel to be an interesting character – though I wish we could delve a little deeper into why he is the way he is. Perhaps that is to come.
I really enjoyed the world building, even if I felt it was a little slowly done. Initially I was confused, the history was given too slowly, and I felt that it would have suited the novel better to have more explanations come toward the beginning. Despite that, I was very interested in this plague riddled world that Snyder created, and turned the pages quickly. There are many mysteries surrounding the plague that I am very eager to see unravel as the series continues.
Another wonderful thing about this novel was the multiple types of magic. The magicians can be of eleven different types– forest, earth, water, fire, air, life, rock, death, moon, sun and healing. I enjoyed Kerrick’s forest magic the most. I also thought the contrast of Life/Death magics was very interesting. They are so very similar – and yet so completely different at the same time – that it is fascinating.
Now that I’ve talked about what I enjoyed, I think it’s time to discuss the one part of this novel I found problematic. This is the part that kept me from loving the book as I might have otherwise; it’s the romance. While I’ll be the first to tell you that InstaLove is not my cup of tea, it’s certainly preferable to InstaAbuse. I don’t think that a man hitting a woman is acceptable under any conditions – no matter how stressful. It made me uncomfortable that Avry seemed to be making excuses for his temper throughout the story…
“He had such good control, no wonder when he lost his temper, he exploded.”
I don’t like the “hero” being the guy who starts the story by tying the girl to a tree because she refuses to do what he wants. That’s not a leading man that I can root for. It makes little sense that she would choose to so easily love and trust someone who has hit her and tied her to a tree night after night, without at least reflecting upon the circumstances or consequences of these specific acts, and not just casting them aside as part of his personality.
Another disturbing turn of events involves another magician in the story, who is able to use his magic to affect Avry’s emotions, so that when he is touching her she is helpless to stop him from doing anything he desires, and while under the influence of the magic she even wants him in return. What’s worse is that as Avry comes out of these magical stupors where she loses control of her emotions and body, she doesn’t seem to even feel violated, or have any emotional pain connected to the acts. As a woman, this does not feel realistic to me at all. Women are still fighting for full control of their bodies to this day, and it makes no sense that the character would not feel at least slightly traumatized after these incidents, where the magician’s hands and lips have been all over her.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book with a few warnings attached regarding the sexual and physical violence that occurs. I will say that the violence/romance is such a small part of the story that, for me, it didn’t keep me from enjoying the rest of the book. If you are looking for for a book that includes a medieval magical setting, deeply flawed but still loveable characters, and an intriguing magical system, and you’re willing to overlook smaller parts of the story that may be hard to stomach, then Avry’s world may be for you.
Touch of Power is the story of Avry of Kazan. Avry’s world is one touched by a plague so severe, that even she and her fellow Healers could not stop the spread. Avry is on the run, because she is living in a world where Healers are blamed for the plague, and hunted. Avry’s kindness toward others is her weakness, and she is soon captured and awaits her execution, but healers are hard to find, and her story isn’t quite over yet. Avry sets out on a brand new adventure – not quite one of her own choosing – with the character Kerrick and his group of loveable misfits.
The characters in this novel are well developed. Avry’s voice was sarcastic but kind, which is something I love and relate to in a heroine, and this made it easy to see the world through her eyes. Her friendships with Flea, Belen, Vinn and Quian were sweet, playful and believable. I enjoyed Flea and Belen’s stories in particular. I also found the “bad guy” in this novel to be an interesting character – though I wish we could delve a little deeper into why he is the way he is. Perhaps that is to come.
I really enjoyed the world building, even if I felt it was a little slowly done. Initially I was confused, the history was given too slowly, and I felt that it would have suited the novel better to have more explanations come toward the beginning. Despite that, I was very interested in this plague riddled world that Snyder created, and turned the pages quickly. There are many mysteries surrounding the plague that I am very eager to see unravel as the series continues.
Another wonderful thing about this novel was the multiple types of magic. The magicians can be of eleven different types– forest, earth, water, fire, air, life, rock, death, moon, sun and healing. I enjoyed Kerrick’s forest magic the most. I also thought the contrast of Life/Death magics was very interesting. They are so very similar – and yet so completely different at the same time – that it is fascinating.
Now that I’ve talked about what I enjoyed, I think it’s time to discuss the one part of this novel I found problematic. This is the part that kept me from loving the book as I might have otherwise; it’s the romance. While I’ll be the first to tell you that InstaLove is not my cup of tea, it’s certainly preferable to InstaAbuse. I don’t think that a man hitting a woman is acceptable under any conditions – no matter how stressful. It made me uncomfortable that Avry seemed to be making excuses for his temper throughout the story…
“He had such good control, no wonder when he lost his temper, he exploded.”
I don’t like the “hero” being the guy who starts the story by tying the girl to a tree because she refuses to do what he wants. That’s not a leading man that I can root for. It makes little sense that she would choose to so easily love and trust someone who has hit her and tied her to a tree night after night, without at least reflecting upon the circumstances or consequences of these specific acts, and not just casting them aside as part of his personality.
Another disturbing turn of events involves another magician in the story, who is able to use his magic to affect Avry’s emotions, so that when he is touching her she is helpless to stop him from doing anything he desires, and while under the influence of the magic she even wants him in return. What’s worse is that as Avry comes out of these magical stupors where she loses control of her emotions and body, she doesn’t seem to even feel violated, or have any emotional pain connected to the acts. As a woman, this does not feel realistic to me at all. Women are still fighting for full control of their bodies to this day, and it makes no sense that the character would not feel at least slightly traumatized after these incidents, where the magician’s hands and lips have been all over her.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book with a few warnings attached regarding the sexual and physical violence that occurs. I will say that the violence/romance is such a small part of the story that, for me, it didn’t keep me from enjoying the rest of the book. If you are looking for for a book that includes a medieval magical setting, deeply flawed but still loveable characters, and an intriguing magical system, and you’re willing to overlook smaller parts of the story that may be hard to stomach, then Avry’s world may be for you.
I'm still not sure how I feel about this one. On one hand, I thought the idea was interesting, but on the other, I got bored rather quickly, and predicted most of the book.
The weird part is, I missed the Ixian world, and it's familiarity. At the same time, the reason I guessed so much was because of that world. How different is Valek from Kerrick? Especially in the end; again, which is why I was dismayed to have it end that way.
However, I loved the Yelena/Valek story. I don't know why I'm not entirely sold on the Avery/Kerrick one.
Either way, I'll be reading the sequel when it comes out. I did enjoy it, but in a backwards way. I love Maria Snyder's characters and peppy dialogue too much to not like this book. It's just not my favourite.
This was such a good book and I'm so happy because I almost missed it. I read the first three novels by M. Snyder and I loved them, then the others but no, I didn't like them so I was ambivalent about this one and I'm so happy that I was mistaken! Avry and Kerrick are so well developed characters that I'm gonna miss them a lot and I'm looking forward the end of the story and even if she remainds me Yelena she stand on her own like Kerrick does.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND MIRA FOR THE PREVIEW
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND MIRA FOR THE PREVIEW
I can't help myself. I always enjoy Ms. Snyder's books. My logical side (ahem, Logical Avery) says I shouldn't. Which is why my conscience and only give it three stars, where I'd like to give it five.
Don't get me wrong, the story telling is beautiful and fraught with adventure and intrigue. But... Why do the girls always fall for their abusers? Sure, sure... Valek saved Yelena from execution, but he also poisoned her. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Study series just as much as the next girl) And Opal ended up with the guy that tortured her and then trick-raped her. I mean... really?
And here we are again. Lovely, strong, amazing Avery falls for the guy that back-handed her and essentially tortured her by chaining her to a tree, exposing her to severe cold and starving her. What does this tell our young girls? It's okay to like a guy that treats you badly if he succeeds in breaking you down so that even the smallest kindest from him is rewarded with your trust and then love? That's a brainwashing tactic. But all is forgiven if there's love, not manipulation in his eyes? Well, sorry, but the manipulation started before there was love in his eyes. Kerrick may as well be as bad as Tohon, only instead of purposefully manipulating her through brainwashing, his actions stemmed out of cruelty before he "figured out" how he felt about her. Not good enough, in my opinion.
Now, that all being said, I truly can't help myself for loving the way the story ensnares my imagination. Despite my more feminist self wishing Avery didn't fall for Kerrick, or anyone for that matter, I'm still left satisfied with the ending. Avery is for sure a strong female lead, and I will follow her adventures, abused woman syndrome aside.
Don't get me wrong, the story telling is beautiful and fraught with adventure and intrigue. But... Why do the girls always fall for their abusers? Sure, sure... Valek saved Yelena from execution, but he also poisoned her. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Study series just as much as the next girl) And Opal ended up with the guy that tortured her and then trick-raped her. I mean... really?
And here we are again. Lovely, strong, amazing Avery falls for the guy that back-handed her and essentially tortured her by chaining her to a tree, exposing her to severe cold and starving her. What does this tell our young girls? It's okay to like a guy that treats you badly if he succeeds in breaking you down so that even the smallest kindest from him is rewarded with your trust and then love? That's a brainwashing tactic. But all is forgiven if there's love, not manipulation in his eyes? Well, sorry, but the manipulation started before there was love in his eyes. Kerrick may as well be as bad as Tohon, only instead of purposefully manipulating her through brainwashing, his actions stemmed out of cruelty before he "figured out" how he felt about her. Not good enough, in my opinion.
Now, that all being said, I truly can't help myself for loving the way the story ensnares my imagination. Despite my more feminist self wishing Avery didn't fall for Kerrick, or anyone for that matter, I'm still left satisfied with the ending. Avery is for sure a strong female lead, and I will follow her adventures, abused woman syndrome aside.
A different world than her other books, I enjoyed the character development.
Quick read, lots going on in the plot, fun characters :)
Another promising series from one of my new favorite authors! I am not usually a big fan of the fantasy genre, but the characters are very relatable, and the premises she comes up with are not so far fetched that I stop and notice (we librarians call this 'suspension of disbelief', and Snyder is really good at it!). Will be anxiously awaiting the next installment!
and She has done it again. this is an amazing beginning to a series. reminiscent of her study and glass series this takes place in a new world of magic and political intrigue. the world is amazing and the magic element id really well implemented. i love all the characters and am never quite sure what to expect. this is defiantly shaping up to be my favourite of Snyder's series so far
This was a great read - I had trouble putting it down. Avry's world is rich and interesting, with a lot of neat pieces providing the backdrop, including the eleven magical types, the geography and political structure of the Fifteen Realms, and the effects of plague and war. The mystery behind some of the magical elements and healing powers was also very compelling. I found Avry to be a great heroine, and the myriad of characters she encounters really fill out the story. This was fast-paced and had lots of action. Very enjoyable.