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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
love the new take on the magical world it is a great book and i loved it
Should have checked the author more closely. This book had the same kind of promise, but deluted delivery as the previous Poison Study book I read. Bah
4.5 stars
This was a brilliant, fast-paced and action packed fantasy novel which is full of a lovable band of characters with great dynamics and chemistry.
Something that I've noticed with Maria V Snyder's books is that her writing and the plotline is always so gripping. For the majority of this book, all of our characters were travelling through woods and forests and camping in caves and this sounds so repetitive but not once did I get bored. There was always something happening and new discoveries about this world being made. The setting of the 'Fifteen Realms' was a bit of a vague one and I felt like that part of the world building wasn't high on the author's agenda but I didn't mind too much because the detail in the magic instead was amazing. I love the idea of the healers and all of the different types of 'mages', the building of the magic system was done superbly well and with so much detail. There's so much left to learn about the Death and Life Lilies which I am so excited to discover more about and exactly how the plague started.
The characters in the book were all so brilliant but my favourite part was the relationships between them all. Avry was brave, strong and smart and she was pretty bad-ass. She spent most of her time with 5 men and she didn't let them control or change her which I thought was awesome. We have the secondary characters of Belen, Flea, Quaint and Loren who I thought were amazing, they brought a lot of the humour, often quite dry, to this book. I was so shocked and upset when it was so sudden and random, it took a while to sink in. Then we have Kerrick who was a major asshole at the beginning, and I'll be honest, I didn't like him at all because he treated Avry worse than crap. I think as he started to grow on Avry and as she discovered more about him, the more I started to like him too.
I thought the romance between Avry and Kerrick was done very well. There was definitely no insta-love involved at all and it was very slow-burn. Avry gave Kerrick hell for what he treated her like at the beginning which I thought was very just, I just wish she held out for a bit longer but seeing as they both thought she was going to I can see why they got together at the end. I am excited to see where their relationship goes and how the dynamic will change between them. I am also interested to see if the dynamic between the rest of the group will change because of Avry and Kerrick.
All in all, an exciting fantasy book, what it lacks in world-building it makes up for in characters and its magic system!
This was a brilliant, fast-paced and action packed fantasy novel which is full of a lovable band of characters with great dynamics and chemistry.
Something that I've noticed with Maria V Snyder's books is that her writing and the plotline is always so gripping. For the majority of this book, all of our characters were travelling through woods and forests and camping in caves and this sounds so repetitive but not once did I get bored. There was always something happening and new discoveries about this world being made. The setting of the 'Fifteen Realms' was a bit of a vague one and I felt like that part of the world building wasn't high on the author's agenda but I didn't mind too much because the detail in the magic instead was amazing. I love the idea of the healers and all of the different types of 'mages', the building of the magic system was done superbly well and with so much detail. There's so much left to learn about the Death and Life Lilies which I am so excited to discover more about and exactly how the plague started.
The characters in the book were all so brilliant but my favourite part was the relationships between them all. Avry was brave, strong and smart and she was pretty bad-ass. She spent most of her time with 5 men and she didn't let them control or change her which I thought was awesome. We have the secondary characters of Belen, Flea, Quaint and Loren who I thought were amazing, they brought a lot of the humour, often quite dry, to this book. I was so shocked and upset when
Spoiler
Flea was killedI thought the romance between Avry and Kerrick was done very well. There was definitely no insta-love involved at all and it was very slow-burn. Avry gave Kerrick hell for what he treated her like at the beginning which I thought was very just, I just wish she held out for a bit longer but seeing as they both thought she was going to
Spoiler
dieAll in all, an exciting fantasy book, what it lacks in world-building it makes up for in characters and its magic system!
Could not put this book down. It was such a great read and am glad I am just discovering it now so I don’t have to wait for the next book to be released.
review part one
summary: liked the beginning, went downhill, then uphill, then downhill as the ending just bored me. honestly i wish we got more tohon i liked him haha. and their scenes
summary: liked the beginning, went downhill, then uphill, then downhill as the ending just bored me. honestly i wish we got more tohon i liked him haha. and their scenes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So I attempted this series. I loved The Poison Study books (most notably the first 3).
And I like the idea of a healer. And this seemed up my alley. But I was disappointed. It didn't really pull me along the way her Poison Study books did. And just felt like it was lacking. I never finished the series.
Maybe the problem is, that I started with the Poison Study so my expectations were along those lines and maybe higher...and this didn't have that same slow burn romance that I was looking for and expecting. I've seen lots of great reviews, but I've also read reviews that echoed this similar sentiment where people are saying that it didn't quite hold the candle like her other books did.
If you haven't read her books - start here. If you like this...her other other books will be more enjoyable. But at the same time, if you don't like this or get through half and you on the fence. Put it down and go read Poison Study. Because you shouldn't miss that one.
And I like the idea of a healer. And this seemed up my alley. But I was disappointed. It didn't really pull me along the way her Poison Study books did. And just felt like it was lacking. I never finished the series.
Maybe the problem is, that I started with the Poison Study so my expectations were along those lines and maybe higher...and this didn't have that same slow burn romance that I was looking for and expecting. I've seen lots of great reviews, but I've also read reviews that echoed this similar sentiment where people are saying that it didn't quite hold the candle like her other books did.
If you haven't read her books - start here. If you like this...her other other books will be more enjoyable. But at the same time, if you don't like this or get through half and you on the fence. Put it down and go read Poison Study. Because you shouldn't miss that one.
I wanted to read Maria V. Snyder book long before I was able to read in English (none of her books is translated to my native language). Fortunately, some good soul started to amateur-translate this book, unfortunately only three chapters (or something like that). That was heart-breaking of course, but now I finally get to the original. (Therefore, this doesn’t count as starting a new series, just saying…)
And I love this book, has it faults? Yes, many, but I don’t mind…
My brain that read quite a bit of epic fantasy keeps complaining that this world doesn’t have enough depth. Everything has its purpose – if a bit of world is introduced it’s going to be important. Which makes the story more predictable, I’m not saying I was able to predict everything, but I wasn’t surprised by nothing… maybe the last bit XD But on the other hand, I loved this wold, I was especially fond of death lilies, they are extremely creepy and… I am really interested where will that whole line go. The healing is great too. I would just like if there were more misleading traces, if I counted correctly there was one…
Which gets us to the characters, I really love those guys. It’s a bit confusing at first (a lot of characters hop in at once), but I get it sorted pretty early. Also, Kerrick is geniously written. I want to talk about the “slap scene”, because it’s a point of lot of controversy and I can see why. It’s never good when male love interest physically hits the female protagonist, I’m not saying it is, BUT I love that scene, because it highlights what kind of person Kerrick is. Just try to imagine it, you just spent last three years searching for a way how to save one of the closest persons in your life, who also has a potential to save the world from a megalomaniac. You sacrificed everything and yet every time you were just a little bit too late. Now, you finally get the person who can make a difference, you save her life and she tells you “no”. She isn’t even trying to be polite about it. She gives you no reason, you know that she is your last hope, but she is absolutely unreasonable. Of course, he snapped… and of course he tried to break her later. It also shows the strength of Avry’s will, she is the one who chooses her fate and she will not be bullied into it. I have to say that I love it. And the author made an incredible job of making me care for those two even if their start was extremely rocky. Also, in the light of this, every other step toward each other they do is so much more meaningful. Also, later Kerrick feels terrible for what he had done, so… it’s a yes from me.
And I love this book, has it faults? Yes, many, but I don’t mind…
Grudgingly, I admitted being Kerrick’s prisoner was my best option at this moment. Which said a lot about my life.
My brain that read quite a bit of epic fantasy keeps complaining that this world doesn’t have enough depth. Everything has its purpose – if a bit of world is introduced it’s going to be important. Which makes the story more predictable, I’m not saying I was able to predict everything, but I wasn’t surprised by nothing… maybe the last bit XD
Spoiler
You know, the peace lily healing her, is there any difference between death lilies and peace lilies at all?When we reached the door, Belen stepped in the way. 'If any harm—'
'Comes to her, you’ll rip out my arms. Got it,' Kerrick said.
'I’m serious,' Belen said.
'I know. Do you really think I’d put her in danger?'
'Not on purpose, but things happen that are out of your control.'
Kerrick gave him a tight smile. 'You mean I'm not omnipotent?'
'You're not even semi-potent.'
'Is that even a word?' Kerrick asked.
'He probably means you're impotent,' I offered.
Which gets us to the characters, I really love those guys. It’s a bit confusing at first (a lot of characters hop in at once), but I get it sorted pretty early. Also, Kerrick is geniously written. I want to talk about the “slap scene”, because it’s a point of lot of controversy and I can see why. It’s never good when male love interest physically hits the female protagonist, I’m not saying it is, BUT I love that scene, because it highlights what kind of person Kerrick is. Just try to imagine it, you just spent last three years searching for a way how to save one of the closest persons in your life, who also has a potential to save the world from a megalomaniac. You sacrificed everything and yet every time you were just a little bit too late. Now, you finally get the person who can make a difference, you save her life and she tells you “no”. She isn’t even trying to be polite about it. She gives you no reason, you know that she is your last hope, but she is absolutely unreasonable. Of course, he snapped… and of course he tried to break her later. It also shows the strength of Avry’s will, she is the one who chooses her fate and she will not be bullied into it. I have to say that I love it. And the author made an incredible job of making me care for those two even if their start was extremely rocky. Also, in the light of this, every other step toward each other they do is so much more meaningful. Also, later Kerrick feels terrible for what he had done, so… it’s a yes from me.
And clay-caked clothes are so last year.
Well this is the first Maria V Snyder book I've read and it did take a while to get into but it was okay once you set those things aside and it's not a bad book.
A summery for Touch of Power:
They destroyed her world. But she's their only hope...
Avry's power to heal the sick should earn respect in the plague-torn land of Kazan. Instead she is feared. Her kind are blamed for horrifying disease that has taken hold of the nation.
When Avry uses her forbidden magic to save a dying child, she faces the guillotine. Until a dark, mysterious man rescues her from her prison cell. His people need Avry's magic to save their dying prince. The very prince who unleashed the plague on Kazan.
Saving the prince is certain to Kill Avry-yet she already faces a violent death. Now that she choose-use her healing touch to show the ultimate mercy or die a martyr to a lost cause?
Wanted to read a different kind of fantasy book and this one seemed to fit the bill quite well but I am interested to see how this trilogy ends and will most likely start Scent of Magic once I've read some other books before hand though.
A summery for Touch of Power:
They destroyed her world. But she's their only hope...
Avry's power to heal the sick should earn respect in the plague-torn land of Kazan. Instead she is feared. Her kind are blamed for horrifying disease that has taken hold of the nation.
When Avry uses her forbidden magic to save a dying child, she faces the guillotine. Until a dark, mysterious man rescues her from her prison cell. His people need Avry's magic to save their dying prince. The very prince who unleashed the plague on Kazan.
Saving the prince is certain to Kill Avry-yet she already faces a violent death. Now that she choose-use her healing touch to show the ultimate mercy or die a martyr to a lost cause?
Wanted to read a different kind of fantasy book and this one seemed to fit the bill quite well but I am interested to see how this trilogy ends and will most likely start Scent of Magic once I've read some other books before hand though.
Giving myself permission to not continue this book/series. It’s fast-paced, but i feel it lacks depth.