Series Review: Avry of Kazan by Maria V Snyder

Series: Avry of Kazan

Author: Maria V Snyder

Books in Series: Touch of Power, Scent of Magic, Taste of Darkness

What’s it all about?

Avry’s ability to cure the sick should inspire awe and reverence in Kazan, but the outbreak of a deadly plague that killed millions changed everything. A plague that has been blamed on healers. When Avry uses her magic to save a dying child, she’s caught and faces execution until a mysterious band of rescuers help her flee her cell. They want her to save a dying prince who has the ability to heal Kazan, but it’ll kill her in return. Will she sacrifice herself to save her world?

The verdict:

Touch of Power

I picked up this book on a complete whim after it sitting on my shelf for four years and I fell head over heels with Avry, Kerrick, Flea, Balen and the monkeys. It’s been years since I binge-read an entire series that wasn’t a re-read or catch-up!

As always, Maria V Snyder has created an involving, vivid and dangerous world that I became immediately involved in. There’s never a moment in in Snyder’s novels when I wonder what’s going on or what’s happening which is something I often struggle with in fantasy - I hate that feeling of floundering. But most of all? It’s all about Kerrick’s gang. I love the banter, affection and loyalty between them and I feel for them all properly, especially the monkeys. It was just what I needed at just the right moment.

Scent of Magic

In book one I wasn’t completely sold on Avry and Kerrick’s growing feelings for each other, I was all for Avry/Belen for a long time, but after the ending of Touch of Power I was suddenly fiercely behind them. The agony of book two was in how much they were separated. The near deaths, the actual deaths, the near misses and the stress of their separation.

The stakes felt higher than ever and all of the risks to the world and the characters were more serious than ever. Seriously, some of the situations Avry got herself into made me want to throw the book across the room so I had to hunker down for hours to read instead. So good! The cliffhanger at the end of the book when Avry and Kerrick were finally reunited was cruel - I had to go straight on to Taste of Darkness.

Taste of Darkness

The finale came around and I still wasn’t getting at all tired of this series or these characters and I was genuinely sad to see it end.

There were many moments during this novel when I looked at how little was left and couldn’t figure out how everything could possibly turn out okay, but it ended perfectly. I was really pleased with how the relationships, friendships, enemies and the whole war thing turned out - and yet I totally feel like there’s scope for re-visiting this world and I really hope Maria V Snyder will go back to it one day. There’s so much to explore and so many side characters I’d love to be re-united with. Flea had one of the biggest and most significant arcs in the series and I’d love to get under his skin a little more.

All in all, a wonderfully readable and addictive fantasy trilogy that I could have followed for another 3 books. Highly recommended!

Sophie