Thank the Flea!

I actually finished this book a couple of weeks ago and am just now clarifying my feelings on it. On one hand, I loved the interaction of the key characters I've grown to love, but on the other, there were a few things that bugged me so much I needed time to think whether or not I truly enjoyed it. So here's what I thought, and take it from the point of view of someone who truly loves Snyder's writing and stories.

The story picks up with Avry and Kerrick still in battle against evil in several forms, but mostly against Tohon. It doesn't take long for the pair to become separated again, however, and that's a problem in more than one way. Avry has to decide how she can best serve the battle and that means continuing on after she's searched for Kerrick; Kerrick, meanwhile, has the forest to thank for his healing but it's got a very large condition...he can no longer leave without severe consequences. By the time the two meet up again, there's been a shift in who is the most evil with the Skeleton King pretty much taking the crown for that dubious title. There's more travel, a friend or two is found, and there is torture and illness. It's not really a lot of fun, but it makes sense as far as the storyline goes.

I found the bits with the well-documented torture to be the hardest to read and almost stomach-turning at times. That's not a huge deal, however, because there is indeed a war going on. I suppose my biggest issue is with the ending, so read no further if you want to avoid spoilerage.

I just felt that too much was left hanging. Sure, the main two bad guys were taken down, but what about Cellina? Is she going to remain a threat or will she fade off into the sunset as was implied? I also didn't like not seeing the resolution to Kerrick's situation, even if Avry did explain it. I also felt deprived of the actual scene where Avry emerges from the Lily. In truth, most of the ending felt rushed and not well-tied up. Maybe there's another book coming? It's really hard to tell, though it *seemed* as though it was the final in the trilogy.

But there's still a lot to love, including the monkeys, the relationships, and the fighting. I simply love saying "Thank the Flea!" now, and overall, I suppose I'm satisfied. I'd actually give this one a 3.5, but my enjoyment of the series rounds it up to 4.

~taminator40

Scent of Magic

Scent of Magic picks up almost exactly where Power of Touch leaves off. Kerrick and Avry are alone after Avry has survived the plague, but they won't be together for long. Both have missions of their own to accomplish, so with promises to reunite soon, they separate. Kerrick is headed north to his kingdom and Avry is headed toward Estrid's army which is waiting to engage Tohon's army. Naturally things do not go as planned; Avry infiltrates Estrid's army in disguise in order to help train them, while Kerrick ends up prisoner to the marching northern tribes. Throughout the course of the book, each one's story is told in alternating chapters as we watch tragedy, hope, and war bloom among the main characters.

I am in love with this series! Is it the best written series ever? Nope. Does it offer anything new as far as fantasy goes? Nope. But what it does do is provide an intriguing storyline with a heroine who is not waiting around to be rescued and a supporting cast that is almost as interesting as the heroine. I love Avry's voice; she's not always reasonable and at times she's downright moody, but she cares so deeply for those she loves and she tries to do the right thing always. In the book's final conflict between she and Tohon, I was cheering her on every step of the way. She's got so much heart that even if there wasn't a romantic link between she and Kerrick, I'd be hooked into reading about them because of her force of will. And while a few of the characters--ahem, Cellina--really work my last nerve at every turn, all of them are realistically flawed and well-described.

I read Scent of Magic on the heels of finishing Power of Touch, and I'm extremely glad I did so. I was able to keep the momentum going and recall the cast of characters vividly, something I fear may diminish with the third book since I have to wait until later in the year for its release. But make no mistake, I'll be there for Book Three; Maria V. Snyder has yet to let me down as an author and I'm on board with this series completely, flaws and all.

~taminator40

Touch of Power Review

Touch of Power immediately started with our heroine, Avry, doing the right thing and almost being killed for it. In her world, healers such as she are on the run, outlawed and hunted down because of the recent plague pandemic they could not quell. Avry's been hiding out in small towns and attempting not to use her magical gift, but she simply cannot help herself when faced with the illness of a young child she knows. Once her secret is out, she's condemned to die...but wait, someone rescues her just in the nick of time. Though Avry of course takes the opportunity to live, she knows it won't be without strings attached, and they are big: She's being forcefully taken to heal Ryne, king of one of the Fifteen Realms. What her captors don't know is that if she heals Ryne, she will die, and besides that, she doesn't even like the guy.

Much of Touch of Power takes place as Avry and her captors, who become her friends, travel toward the Nine Mountains so she can heal Ryne. To say that Avry is less than thrilled with leader Kerrick is an understatement; but it's equally evident that there are sparks flying between the two and that they work well together. A lot of time is spent on Avry learning the tricks of the forest and there are some side forays such as helping a girl who has been kidnapped that add to the length of the book. The best parts are the interactions between Avry, Belen, and the "monkeys" (the men helping Kerrick retrieve Avry); it's so nice to see genuine friendships develop slowly, and it gives depth to Avry's character. There is a lot of repetition in the travels: staying away from Death Lilies, sleeping in caves, escaping mercenaries; while those things didn't bother me, I do wonder now if perhaps they could have somehow been varied a bit. The whole story with Avry's sister Noelle took me by surprise and I look forward to seeing how it will all play out in the future.

I loved Avry's spirited personality and her headstrong attitude and felt she was definitely the brightest link in the book. Smart female protagonists always enhance my enjoyment and Avry is no exception, with her sharp mind and outstanding sense of sarcasm. A few times I was drawn out of the story by the modern feeling of the dialogue, but since it's a fantasy, I feel the author can choose to write it as she wishes. I was not such a fan of Kerrick, however; I disliked his unwillingness to listen and definitely despised his treatment, sometimes physical, of Avry early on. It's going to take some doing before I'm 100% on board with him.

My biggest complaint, if it can be termed as such, is that it's hard to gauge the readership for this novel. Though the characters are in their twenties, they often interact and react as though they were teens. While I see this novel as appealing to all fantasy readers and most young adult readers, I wonder if there will be those who will nitpick the actions of twenty-somethings who do not seem fully adult. But Maria V. Snyder's writing fully engages and those minor concerns are lost in the overall fun and action of the story. I'm on to the second book!

~taminator40

A Couple of Good Ones

Yep, I'm back...with two good ones to recommend! I'd love to say I've been in Hawaii or lounging in the Bahamas but the truth is, I've been battling the demons of middle school (otherwise known as our sixth grade) and spending way too much time playing on the iPad. Oh well. My two recent reads, however, are both so delicious, I'm anxious to share them with you.

First up is Outside In by Maria V. Snyder:

Trella, a former scrub in her world of Inside, has led a revolution for her fellow scrubs for more equality in their way of life. In addition, she's discovered Gateway, the door to "Outside"--(possible spoiler) which has turned out to be outer space. Now, in the sequel to Inside Out, Trella's ready for her life to resume and for others to take care of the daily running of their world. But it doesn't take long for Trella to realize that something is not only not right about the new system of governing; it's scarily wrong. What is actually lurking Outside?


Outside In grabbed me once again from the opening pages; Trella, Queen of the Pipes, is determined to discover the ceiling of Inside, but her position as leader of the rebellion keeps her in meetings and away from Riley, her newfound boyfriend. In addition, Trella finds herself spending more time with Dr. Gifford than she'd anticipated, with the possibility of of their being related hanging over them both. When bombs begin going off, Trella suspects members of the former leaders of Inside, the Trava family, and she finds her own life in danger when she tries to protect those she cares about. But when someone known as The Controllers takes over the computer system Inside, Trella and her friends realize that maybe the danger isn't just Inside...what if Outside wants in?

Ms. Snyder has written a terrific sequel to the compelling Inside Out, with Trella once again at the center of circumstances beyond her control and expectation. While Trella is battling unseen and unknown forces, she's also battling herself and her relationships with Riley, Dr. Gifford, and her friends as she comes to grips with her role Inside. Toward the end of this novel, I literally could not put it down, though I was a little disappointed with the tying up of the threads very quickly. But the terrific storytelling with its twists and its uncertainties of whom to trust more than makes up for the rushed ending. Ms. Snyder brings you Inside and makes you experience the sensations Trella experiences while managing to keep Trella real and thoroughly believable. I am very hopeful that Trella's story isn't at an end because I've come to love the world of Inside and its inhabitants. This is one fan who will be searching out more works by Ms. Snyder and hoping fervently to go back Inside once more.

Additional note: Outside In is a young adult book, and a well written one at that. The relationship between Trella and Riley is both emotional and physical, and always tasteful. The physical relationship adds depth to the characters and Ms. Snyder does not shy away from it. I found it a natural extension of their feelings and can recommend this book without hesitation to those who are ready to read about this aspect.


Now for book number two, one I'm sure you are going to hear a lot about in the coming days: Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult.

Zoe and Max Baxter have struggled with infertility for years, going thousands of dollars in debt and experiencing all sorts of trauma as they undergo IVF. At long last, Zoe becomes pregnant and seems to be carrying to term when an unthinkable tragedy occurs. In the aftermath, Max decides he just cannot do this anymore; he walks away from his marriage to Zoe, leaving her alone to pick up the pieces of her life. To add insult to injury, Zoe discovers she has cancer and must undergo a hysterectomy; without her friendship with new friend Vanessa, Zoe feels certain she would not survive. As the two women grow closer, however, it becomes evident to both that their relationship is much deeper than they had realized, and while Zoe can no longer carry the frozen embryos left behind from her marriage, Vanessa can. All that is needed is Max's consent for Zoe to use the embryos.


Max, on the other hand, finds himself struggling on his own after his divorce; a recovering alcoholic, he turns back to the bottle to cover his feelings of loss and inadequacy. When an accident causes him to re-evaluate his life, he turns to his older brother Reid and Reid's church, Eternal Glory. Eternal Glory is very conservative yet loving, and Max easily slips into its tenets and literal interpretations of the Bible. When he receives Zoe's request to use the embryos with her lesbian partner, Max just cannot feel this is God's plan and instead comes up with one of his own: he will take custody of the embryos and give them to his brother and his wife, who are also struggling iwth infertility. The court case that ensues is ugly, dragging all parties through the mud in an attempt to determine what will be the best family for the potential children.

Picoult knows how to select a hot button issue, and once again, her writing is compelling and her characters real. Having Zoe as a music therapist gives the story a unique perspective; will her stability be better for the children despite her turn into lesbianism? Picoult explores all the common ins and outs of gay issues: Are gay people born that way? If so, how is it that Zoe has not been gay before she met Vanessa? Will the children be ostracized by having same sex parents? Are church going people better options than two loving parents, one of whom is biologically related to the embryos? What is fair? Told in alternating points of view, we get to know the inner reflections of the three main characters, making judgments of their failures all the harder.

My biggest issue with Sing You Home is that it seems Zoe's side is all good, and Max's side, particularly the religious aspect, is all bad. Max himself is conflicted and at the mercy of his brother and his church, while Zoe only wants to work with troubled patients and be a mother. Much of the story is fairly predictable, with Max's legal team as over the top as any in today's headlines. Though we do find that Zoe and Vanessa have some skeletons in their respective closets, it still seems as though Ms. Picoult has gone out of her way to make conservative Christians seem foolish and gullible.

Beyond my gripe written above, however, I have to say I found the pages flying by; my sympathy for both Max and Zoe tugged at my heart because I was able to see both sides of the issue. Picoult has a gift for capturing legal scenes and the drama therein; she has obviously done her research and is able to breathe life into the human spirit. I'm not sure I buy into the final twist, but it's classic Picoult. Her writing is definitely encompassing, and her ability to anger, enthrall, surprise, and even betray the reader will keep me reading her books. Sing You Home is well written and straight out of today's headlines. 

~taminator40