Review - Touch of Power

by Maria V. Snyder
publisher: Mira
date of publication: December 20, 2011
format: eGalley
pages: 394
source: Netgalley
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored 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-stricken prince—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. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

What I Thought

Touch of Power is my first reading experience with a Maria V. Snyder novel and, I have to say, I wasn't disappointed.  This book took me back to a time when fantasy was all I ever read and reminded me just why I loved (and still love) the genre.  The story of Avry, the last healer in the 15 realms, is one full of action, sadness, betrayal, and discovery.  It is a riveting fantasy containing many of the finest points of the genre: magic, adventure, intrigue, and more.  While there are a couple of things that occurred within the pages of the book that I was appalled by, the story overall is one that I was fascinated by and couldn't get enough of.  

I loved the storyline that made up Touch of Power.  There is so much magic and adventure that I became fairly well-immersed in the tale.  The premise of healers being blamed for the spread of a plague and becoming persecuted to the point of being executed is both interesting and fresh.  Reading about the aftermath of the plague and the power struggle that commences upon its recession adds an entirely new dimension to the story, one that provided an excellent amount of information, without which the imagination wouldn't have much to work with.  In fact, the world in which the story takes place is so utterly fascinating that I wanted to know more.  The concept of Peace Lilies and their carnivorous counterparts, Death Lilies, is probably the most intriguing aspect of this world in my opinion, at least. 

While the world-building is well done, I feel compelled to make mention of a huge pet peeve of mine that I encountered while reading Touch of Power.  I understand that is is an eGalley and, as such, is likely an unproofed version, but the sheer number of typos that I came across in this book is both staggering and alarming.  I can't recall a single page where there wasn't a typographical error.  Everything from misspellings to punctuation errors to interchanged words were present and I would feel remiss if I were to ignore that in my review.  However, I tried not to let this affect my rating too much since it is a galley copy.  I do hope that the proper editing will be done prior to the book's printing, though.

The characters that make up Touch of Power are a lively gang, one which will make you chuckle at some moments and tear up at others.  Their adventure to save Prince Rhyne and thwart the efforts of the evil King Tohon is accompanied by camaraderie, humor, and loyalty.  While Kerrick, the leader of the group, does present moments of boorish behavior and, even more appallingly, unwarranted violence, he also has many interesting characteristics that set him apart from the rest of his cohorts.  Avry, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air.  This girl can take care of herself, for the most part, and is in possession of both keen intelligence and wit.  She is a selfless individual when it comes to the needs of the ill and injured, which makes her all the more wonderful as a character.  As no one is perfect, however, she does have a few traits that make her a frustrating character, at times.  Fortunately, this added to the story rather than affecting it in a negative manner.

Touch of Power is the perfect read for those looking for a fantasy novel with a touch of romance.  Please don't let my remarks upon the typos turn you away from the book.  After all, I wouldn't be much of an English major if I didn't notice and remark upon it.  I do still recommend picking up the finished version and giving it a try before you do so.  Otherwise, you will miss out on a fun, engrossing story, which would be a shame, indeed.

Obligatory legal statement: This eGalley was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.