Review: Scent of Magic by Maria V Snyder

Title: Scent of Magic {Healer #2)

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Published: Harlequin Jan 2012

Synopsis: Hunted, Killed—Survived? As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle. Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat. War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible … again. Read an Excerpt

Status: Read on December 21, 2012 — I own a copy {Courtesy Harlequin Australia}

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the first book in Maria V. Snyder’s new Healer series, when I read it last year so I was excited to receive a copy of Scent of Magic.
Beginning just a few days after the final scenes in Touch of Power, Avery, who is presumed dead, and Prince Kerrick are forced to separate. While Kerrick must return to his kingdom and rally his subjects to fight King Tohon, Avery is determined to find her sister despite the risk that she may be exposed.

Snyder shifts between Avery and Kerrick’s perspectives throughout the Scent of Magic as they pursue their different paths. Hoping to repair her relationship with her sister, a disguised Avery infiltrates Estrid’s camp by rendering her assistance to the soldiers unprepared, due to Estrid’s arrogance, to face Tohon’s living dead army. Not just content with training Estrid’s troops, Avery continues to puzzle over the role the Peace and Death Lily’s play in Tohon’s magic, eventually discovering a way to defend against the zombies but not before the camp is ambushed by Tohon and Avery is forced to capitulate to him again.

Meanwhile Kerrick returns to Alga to gather his troops to meet with Prince Ryne only to be captured when the warriors of the Northern Wildlands attack. Held prisoner, along with Danny, Kerrick is desperate to escape and rejoin Ryne and Avery, but is unable to defend himself against Winter’s Curse – a magic wielded by the tribe’s leader.

I’m not sure I liked the dual narrative approach as Avery is the stronger character for me and I was less interested in Kerrick’s journey. Avery is actively engaged in the fight against Tohon, her storyline provides plenty of action and intrigue, and reunites her with Ryne, Belen and the monkeys. In contrast, Kerrick’s storyline is passive and seemed like a stalling tactic.

While I did enjoy Scent of Magic I felt it was a weaker story than Touch of Power. There is little advancement in plot or character though the mix of action, drama and suspense as well humour and romance creates an easy to read page turner. I’m hoping that the third book, Taste of Death will prove to be stronger.

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