Review - Scent of Magic

by Maria V. Snyder
publisher: Harlequin MIRA
date of publication: December 18, 2012
format: digital review copy
pages: 400
source: Netgalley

From Goodreads:

Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.

When I read Touch of Power at the end of 2011, I found myself enjoying a storyline with some wonderful characters and gripping plot but was a bit thrown off by numerous errors in the review copy.  Now that I've read Scent of Magic, however, I think it's time to get my hands on a finished copy of ToP, because SoM completely blew me away.  During a month when I had very little drive to read, Scent of Magic grabbed my attention so completely that I couldn't even think of picking up anything else until it was finished.  It is my belief that reading Touch of Power for a second time can only make it even better in my mind.

Avery grows more and more with each book that she appears in.  She is such a formidable woman that you can't help but enjoy reading about her many adventures.  Her strength also illustrates the terrifying nature behind Tohon's power over her.  That so much sway can be held over her goes to show just how menacing Tohon really is.  Add to that the rapidly improving Kerrick and a cast of fascinating characters and you have the makings of a fantastic story.

The progression of the plot centered around the lilies has become my favorite thing about this series.  As more and more is revealed about their nature and capabilities in Scent of Magic, the more I want to know about these fascinating beings.  The real impact of Peace Lilies and Death Lilies has only just begun to be hinted at and I am already astounded.  I can only imagine what is coming next.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Healer series is my first experience reading Maria V. Snyder's books, but I am completely smitten with them, so I know I will be checking out all of her other books.  With such an amazing story and a diverse cast of characters, Scent of Magic is a must for fans of the fantasy genre.  If you haven't ready anything by Maria V. Snyder yet, I would highly recommend it.  I certainly know I plan to read more!

 Buy Scent of Magic at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy 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.

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.