Touch of Power- Maria V Snyder

 Pages: 390

Published: December 20th 2011 by Mira

Genre: Fantasty/ Y.A

Format: Paperback

Acquired: My own Collection

Date Finished: December 1^st 2012

Synopsis:

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...

Thoughts on Touch of Power

 

I’m a bit skeptical when it comes to fantasy, much like classics I feel like when I sit down to read one that my brain is suddenly going to implode from the sheer complexity of it. But then there are times when it is too much not to read a fantasy book, especially one that once you start to read it becomes dangerously hard to stop. You know the kind of books that take you so far away from reality that there really is no time for the likes of showering and eating, and forget relationships-  I mean who needs them when you have the perfect read right?

I felt this way from the front cover to the end of the blurb on the back of Touch of Power. It was one of those rare meetings really. It had been sitting on my shelf until a very good friend of mine decided to show me her ARC copies that she received in the mail. After hearing about it, and looking at it for a few hours I struck upon the idea of a friendly read along, the kind that you do in school but hell more fun. No stress, no time limit [really] and just the enjoyment of sharing the experience, maybe it was the experience that made me love this book even more, but alone this book deserves the five stars I have to give it.

I am a huge fan of action from the get go, and the pacing never disappointed me throughout the entire novel. Sure there were slow parts, but even the slower parts still managed to drag me in. When it was decided we would read 3 chapters a day, sometimes over a few days it was almost torture sometimes to leave the world and come back to reality. Maria has a remarkable talent for captivating an audience and that she did in so many ways, from her outstanding writing style to the complex nature of the story itself that entangled me line a peace lily, leaving me feeling so relaxed and sated and yet so anxious and determined for Avry to succeed in her journey. 

Her world building blew my mind, explosions and sensations flooded my senses page after page and I could not get enough. The pain, fury, tension, budding love, respect, death, torment, freedom, battles- god the list goes on and she put everything I love in a book into one tight package that I still stare at for hours on ends wondering whether I should pick it up and start reading again.

Every character was wonderfully created, and I felt myself going on this journey together with all of them. The enemies made me feel compassionate, and the good guys made me fall in love and I can honestly say that I an immediate fan of Maria’s work and I cannot wait to get my hands on more books. – Like…NOW !!!  It’s rich, refreshing, unique, dangerous and addictive. If you have not dared to read Maria V Synders work, you are missing out on so much.

I would like to thank my beautiful friend Oni –The Book Mystress

I am giving this:

★★★★★

Stone Keepers