Early Review: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Touch of Power  
Author: Maria V. Snyder  
Publisher: Mira, 2011 
Genre: YA Fantasy  
Buy: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ TBD

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...

My Review:

     Avry could never see a child suffer for long, and healing them only meant she had to run away and hide again, but she would do it if it meant saving them. That’s where the story begins, with Avry healing a child and being captured. After years on the run she knows this is finally the end. Then a handsome rogue and his group of men rescue her and ask for her help in healing their prince, who is dying from the plague that decimated the entire realm. Healing a plague victim means giving up her life since she won’t be able to heal herself from that. A price Avry would gladly pay if only Prince Ryne was worthy. As they travel across the land, Avry will find things she thought lost forever. Things like friendship, family, love and even a possible cure.

     Avry is an amazing addition to Maria’s notable cast of characters from the other series. She’s stubborn, brave, and as a healer she has this natural drive to care and save people. I thought it was very original the way the healer role is taken. Usually in fiction healers might fight their magic depleted and become physically tired, but to actually transfer the wounds on their bodies! I think that makes the job of healer even more self-sacrificing. Her rescuers: Belen, Vinn, Flea, Quain are a lovable band of merry men. They made all the traveling and camping around in caves bearable. Kerrick’s earth magic was just superb. He’s like the freaking Predator camouflaging in the forest. In fact, the whole magic system is amazing and I hope more mages will appear in the future.

     Maria V Snyder has won me over before with her wonderful story telling skills, and her ninth novel is not the exception. Once you start reading you will not want to put Touch of Power down. Intriguing plot, likable characters, and a unique fantasy world, will hold your attention for hours! Touch of Power is just the beginning of what I know will be an amazing trilogy.

*I received this book via Netgalley from the publisher*

Favorite Quotes:

When Kerrick grasped my hips, his magic flowed over me, igniting a tingling warmth in places it shouldn’t.

“Why are you pulling power?” I asked.

“Am I?” He sounded surprised.

“Yes.”

“Habit, I guess. Keeping my connection with the forest just in case. Ignore it.”

Easy for him to say. He didn’t have someone leaning against his back sending him distracting vibrations.

~

“You really have a low opinion of me, don’t you?”

“No one else has backhanded me, starved me, manacled me to a tree and let me freeze each night. Therefore, I don’t have anyone else to compare you to.”

~

“Canteen, handkerchief, food…what else do you carry?”

He blushed. “Just a few essentials.”