Maria V. Snyder

Not as good as the first novel in the series, the protagonist is now a full-on Mary Sue and the author is unapologetic about it. The plot is thin, the world-building vastly less interesting than in Poison Study, the villain is the SISTER of the villain in Poison Study for um no apparent reason?, all the characters progressively get more boring and seem to be more like caricatures than actual interesting people. A lot of the interactions read like a shitty rpg session.

I will read the next novel purely because I already own it.… (més)

I always have so much fun reading Snyder's stories! From the first chapters, her tales pull me in and intrigue me. "Poison Study" was the same- a very interesting premise with cool characters and a fantasy world that always makes sense and is well developed. I FLEW through this book and am really looking forwards to continuing with the rest of the Study series.
The only downside to Snyder's writing is that I think it lacks a certain lyricism. Her writing is very direct, getting from Point A to Point B with little description or elaboration on details.
I'm hoping to see more writing style development as the series goes on, but I'll probably like them either way. :D… (més)

I’ve been trying to get ahold of Snyder’s “Poison Study” after hearing so many positive reviews about it. However, it’s proving to be a tricky book to find, so I thought I would pick up “Touch of Power” and see how I liked her writing. Let me say this: I have been reading fantasy novels almost religiously my whole life. It is my favorite genre, and I always love finding new fantasy authors and books to delve into. But there’s a particular sort of fantasy book I’m always a sucker for. You know- the kind with a quest that takes the characters across a world or a realm; the kind with magicians and mages and witches who have fantastic powers; where there are bizarre new creatures; forests full of dappled sunlight and strange plants...Just a really beautiful, fascinating, new world of fantasy with strong characters and plenty of adventure.
That is this book!!

Honestly, a huge chunk of the reason I liked this book was just because of the fact that I love fantasy story like this, and I fell in love with the characters. Those were the two big driving forces for me. The story was just plain FUN! There was always something happening, and the journey felt very realistic and natural. The passage of time was clear, and I really connected to each of the characters and felt like they were built up nicely.
I was super pleased that there was no “love at first sight”, or weird romantic tension, despite the fact that a romance does develop. But “develop” is the key word. The two characters who do end up with feelings for each other go through a lot of turmoil and difficult situations, and they get to know each other before any romance begins. That was so nice to see, instead of just a random insta-love relationship.
Also, Avry was such a fun and strong female lead, and I enjoyed her character growth. I saw some people wrote that she felt annoying at times, and I agree, but I also would say that that made her seem more real and showed how she changed throughout the book. Avry isn’t perfect- she gets tired quickly and isn’t some “invincible” girl, she has an attitude at times, and she makes some poor choices. In the end, however, Avry uses both her magic skills and the skills taught to her by the group and uses them in a positive and mature way.

The reason I’m holding back from 5 stars is mainly because of the writing style. Although I adored the story itself, at times the way Snyder wrote was a little casual and informal. And that’s not to say writing can’t be sometimes, but it felt very out of place in this world.
For example, Avry constantly referred to her traveling companions as “the guys”. Like “the guys walked over to me” or “the guys began making dinner” (not exact quotes, but along those lines). It just felt weird. Also, at one point the characters meet up with a woman who simply says, “Call me Mom.” MOM?? The repeated use of this word felt awkward, especially when the characters would refer to her and say things along the lines of, “We could go back to Mom” or the like.
Secondly, I thought that there could definitely be more creative imagery. This is a fantasy book, so I really wanted to see more vivid descriptions of the forests, towns, people, and magic use. Snyder tells us what is around the characters or what they see, but I felt like there was a lack of inventive imagery. An example being when Avry and Flea go into the market and Avry describes the scene:
“[...] Children dashed between legs. The general noise of voices arguing and haggling blended together into a happy, prosperous hum. I basked in to market’s energy, filling my lungs with the heady smell of fresh bread.” (page 131 in paperback ed.)
That scene of description, along with others, just felt stilted and a bit uninspired, as if Snyder were just writing a stock image of a medieval market. Although it set the scene, I just felt as if the descriptions paled in comparison to the vibrant story.

I was a teeny tiny bit miffed that the book ended as quickly as it did- I thought the last 8 chapters or so could have used more attention and fleshing out. BUT I know there is a sequel, and that being considered, it doesn’t bother me too much. If this had been a standalone I would have been very frustrated, but it’s not, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
I’ve added “Touch of Power” to my favorites shelf, too. This is one I’m going to be reading again and again. :)… (més)