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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I’ve been trying to get ahold of Snyder’s “Poison Study” after hearing so many positive reviews about it. However, it’s proving to be a tricky book to find, so I thought I would pick up “Touch of Power” and see how I liked her writing. Let me say this: I have been reading fantasy novels almost religiously my whole life. It is my favorite genre, and I always love finding new fantasy authors and books to delve into. But there’s a particular sort of fantasy book I’m always a sucker for. You know- the kind with a quest that takes the characters across a world or a realm; the kind with magicians and mages and witches who have fantastic powers; where there are bizarre new creatures; forests full of dappled sunlight and strange plants...Just a really beautiful, fascinating, new world of fantasy with strong characters and plenty of adventure.
That is this book!!
Honestly, a huge chunk of the reason I liked this book was just because of the fact that I love fantasy story like this, and I fell in love with the characters. Those were the two big driving forces for me. The story was just plain FUN! There was always something happening, and the journey felt very realistic and natural. The passage of time was clear, and I really connected to each of the characters and felt like they were built up nicely.
I was super pleased that there was no “love at first sight”, or weird romantic tension, despite the fact that a romance does develop. But “develop” is the key word. The two characters who do end up with feelings for each other go through a lot of turmoil and difficult situations, and they get to know each other before any romance begins. That was so nice to see, instead of just a random insta-love relationship.
Also, Avry was such a fun and strong female lead, and I enjoyed her character growth. I saw some people wrote that she felt annoying at times, and I agree, but I also would say that that made her seem more real and showed how she changed throughout the book. Avry isn’t perfect- she gets tired quickly and isn’t some “invincible” girl, she has an attitude at times, and she makes some poor choices. In the end, however, Avry uses both her magic skills and the skills taught to her by the group and uses them in a positive and mature way.
The reason I’m holding back from 5 stars is mainly because of the writing style. Although I adored the story itself, at times the way Snyder wrote was a little casual and informal. And that’s not to say writing can’t be sometimes, but it felt very out of place in this world.
For example, Avry constantly referred to her traveling companions as “the guys”. Like “the guys walked over to me” or “the guys began making dinner” (not exact quotes, but along those lines). It just felt weird. Also, at one point the characters meet up with a woman who simply says, “Call me Mom.” MOM?? The repeated use of this word felt awkward, especially when the characters would refer to her and say things along the lines of, “We could go back to Mom” or the like.
Secondly, I thought that there could definitely be more creative imagery. This is a fantasy book, so I really wanted to see more vivid descriptions of the forests, towns, people, and magic use. Snyder tells us what is around the characters or what they see, but I felt like there was a lack of inventive imagery. An example being when Avry and Flea go into the market and Avry describes the scene:
“[...] Children dashed between legs. The general noise of voices arguing and haggling blended together into a happy, prosperous hum. I basked in to market’s energy, filling my lungs with the heady smell of fresh bread.” (page 131 in paperback ed.)
That scene of description, along with others, just felt stilted and a bit uninspired, as if Snyder were just writing a stock image of a medieval market. Although it set the scene, I just felt as if the descriptions paled in comparison to the vibrant story.
I was a teeny tiny bit miffed that the book ended as quickly as it did- I thought the last 8 chapters or so could have used more attention and fleshing out. BUT I know there is a sequel, and that being considered, it doesn’t bother me too much. If this had been a standalone I would have been very frustrated, but it’s not, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
I’ve added “Touch of Power” to my favorites shelf, too. This is one I’m going to be reading again and again. :)
That is this book!!
Honestly, a huge chunk of the reason I liked this book was just because of the fact that I love fantasy story like this, and I fell in love with the characters. Those were the two big driving forces for me. The story was just plain FUN! There was always something happening, and the journey felt very realistic and natural. The passage of time was clear, and I really connected to each of the characters and felt like they were built up nicely.
I was super pleased that there was no “love at first sight”, or weird romantic tension, despite the fact that a romance does develop. But “develop” is the key word. The two characters who do end up with feelings for each other go through a lot of turmoil and difficult situations, and they get to know each other before any romance begins. That was so nice to see, instead of just a random insta-love relationship.
Also, Avry was such a fun and strong female lead, and I enjoyed her character growth. I saw some people wrote that she felt annoying at times, and I agree, but I also would say that that made her seem more real and showed how she changed throughout the book. Avry isn’t perfect- she gets tired quickly and isn’t some “invincible” girl, she has an attitude at times, and she makes some poor choices. In the end, however, Avry uses both her magic skills and the skills taught to her by the group and uses them in a positive and mature way.
The reason I’m holding back from 5 stars is mainly because of the writing style. Although I adored the story itself, at times the way Snyder wrote was a little casual and informal. And that’s not to say writing can’t be sometimes, but it felt very out of place in this world.
For example, Avry constantly referred to her traveling companions as “the guys”. Like “the guys walked over to me” or “the guys began making dinner” (not exact quotes, but along those lines). It just felt weird. Also, at one point the characters meet up with a woman who simply says, “Call me Mom.” MOM?? The repeated use of this word felt awkward, especially when the characters would refer to her and say things along the lines of, “We could go back to Mom” or the like.
Secondly, I thought that there could definitely be more creative imagery. This is a fantasy book, so I really wanted to see more vivid descriptions of the forests, towns, people, and magic use. Snyder tells us what is around the characters or what they see, but I felt like there was a lack of inventive imagery. An example being when Avry and Flea go into the market and Avry describes the scene:
“[...] Children dashed between legs. The general noise of voices arguing and haggling blended together into a happy, prosperous hum. I basked in to market’s energy, filling my lungs with the heady smell of fresh bread.” (page 131 in paperback ed.)
That scene of description, along with others, just felt stilted and a bit uninspired, as if Snyder were just writing a stock image of a medieval market. Although it set the scene, I just felt as if the descriptions paled in comparison to the vibrant story.
I was a teeny tiny bit miffed that the book ended as quickly as it did- I thought the last 8 chapters or so could have used more attention and fleshing out. BUT I know there is a sequel, and that being considered, it doesn’t bother me too much. If this had been a standalone I would have been very frustrated, but it’s not, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
I’ve added “Touch of Power” to my favorites shelf, too. This is one I’m going to be reading again and again. :)
Just like all her other books, Maria V. Snyder did another AMAZING job on her new series! I can't wait for the next book to come out! I defiantly recommend this to everyone out there because it is one of the greatest books by the most fantasy author!
My favourite story type: a bunch of heroes on a mission, no one to trust but themselves, danger everywhere, the world is on the brink of catastrophe, and then there's love, magic, mystery and engaging characters. What's not to love?
I always long to get my hands on the newest Maria Snyder novel. With exciting premises and beautiful covers, they always look so full of promise! Unfortunately, TOUCH OF POWER was a disappointment to me. Nondescript characters and a seemingly endless adventure-plot led to an exhausting read that was overwhelming yet unfulfilling.
Good things first: as always, Snyder manages to create a new world full of political and magical intrigue. Among the plague-torn Territories and as-yet-unexplored possibilities of the various strains of magic that exist in the land, there is a lot of potential for the development of future stories. The history and workings of the world gradually unveil themselves as the plot streams along, unfurling various kingdoms, political characters, and unique magical characteristics (like the Peace and Death Lilies).
Unfortunately, the subtleties of this fantasy world feel swamped under an endless barrage of plot-related “movement.” From the very first chapter, the characters always seem on the move: they are always going from place to place, hiding from mercenaries, taking random sideplots into rescuing random people in distress, encountering figures from their past and then blazing past whatever tension could develop, and so on. Chapters and fictional time fly by with little absorption of the important things that are actually going on—what shadows from the characters’ pasts affect their present-day behaviors? What terrible things have the villains done that make them truly villainous?
Overall, TOUCH OF POWER felt like a high-tech, nonstop-action, frenetic movie, in which things explode, long treks over varied terrains occur, and people hook up. This can be a fun read for a younger reader who enjoys a story in which the characters are constantly on the move, but compared to Snyder’s other series, I still vastly prefer the excitement and subtleties of the Study books.
Good things first: as always, Snyder manages to create a new world full of political and magical intrigue. Among the plague-torn Territories and as-yet-unexplored possibilities of the various strains of magic that exist in the land, there is a lot of potential for the development of future stories. The history and workings of the world gradually unveil themselves as the plot streams along, unfurling various kingdoms, political characters, and unique magical characteristics (like the Peace and Death Lilies).
Unfortunately, the subtleties of this fantasy world feel swamped under an endless barrage of plot-related “movement.” From the very first chapter, the characters always seem on the move: they are always going from place to place, hiding from mercenaries, taking random sideplots into rescuing random people in distress, encountering figures from their past and then blazing past whatever tension could develop, and so on. Chapters and fictional time fly by with little absorption of the important things that are actually going on—what shadows from the characters’ pasts affect their present-day behaviors? What terrible things have the villains done that make them truly villainous?
Overall, TOUCH OF POWER felt like a high-tech, nonstop-action, frenetic movie, in which things explode, long treks over varied terrains occur, and people hook up. This can be a fun read for a younger reader who enjoys a story in which the characters are constantly on the move, but compared to Snyder’s other series, I still vastly prefer the excitement and subtleties of the Study books.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
★★★★★
5.00 STARS
I LOVED THIS SO SO SO SO MUCH!! I loved every part of this. The premise of the story and how the journey unfolds. I so loved the characters so much. Avry and Kerrick. Belen, the monkeys and Flea. Every single one of the them. It was so amazing how the gang's personalities greatly complements each other.
I also loved the hate-turns-into-love kind of relationship between Avry and Kerrick. There's an evident sexual tension revolving around them, even when they're bickering. Their romance was slow yet well-developed over the course of time, as their relationship showed a progress at the far end of the story. Yet it was probably necessary to develop that way because it somehow worked well. I'm actually excited to see more of them in the next books.
5.00 STARS
I LOVED THIS SO SO SO SO MUCH!! I loved every part of this. The premise of the story and how the journey unfolds. I so loved the characters so much. Avry and Kerrick. Belen, the monkeys and Flea. Every single one of the them. It was so amazing how the gang's personalities greatly complements each other.
I also loved the hate-turns-into-love kind of relationship between Avry and Kerrick. There's an evident sexual tension revolving around them, even when they're bickering. Their romance was slow yet well-developed over the course of time, as their relationship showed a progress at the far end of the story. Yet it was probably necessary to develop that way because it somehow worked well. I'm actually excited to see more of them in the next books.
4 1/2 stars (I reserve 5 for Tolkien, Tolstoy, Rowling, Lewis and Bronte). This was such a wonderful book, I could not put it down. A new way of looking at magic that is delightful.
I enjoyed this book. I just wish there was an audio book