Scent of Magic (The Healer Series, 2) Paperback – December 18, 2012

Scent of Magic blew me away. I went into reading it with reservations. I'd fallen in love with Snyder's Magic series when I read Poison Study but felt the quality of the series decreased with every book added to it. Not so with Scent. It's the second book in the Healer series, and it is just as strong (if not more so) than its predecessor. This novel is riveting, keeping me awake late into the night. It has amazing world building, fantastic characters, and realistic progression.At the end of Touch of Power, Avery healed King Ryne, taking his sickness into herself. Since no healer had ever recovered from healing a plague victim, she is presumed dead, which means, for the first time in years, no one is hunting her. Or expecting her. She uses this opportunity to go undercover, and gather intel in Estrid's camp. She leaves Kerrick behind, disguises herself, takes up a new name, and infiltrates the camp under the guise of a trainer. She teaches troops Kerrick's technique for moving through the forest silently. This role puts her on the knifes-edge of danger. The troops don't trust her - assuming she's a spy. Jael still wants her dead. An unknown informant hides somewhere in the camp. Tohan invades her dreams every night - if he were to discover she was still alive, he'd hunt her. And any one of her friends could unwittingly expose her. She can trust no one.Meanwhile, Ryne sends Kerrick to the north to gather troops. Back in his homeland, he finds his country at war. The savage tribes of the north have invaded. Kerrick's people are losing ground, and in no position to take up arms in Ryne's cause. Kerrick must find a way to keep his kingdom safe, and return to Ryne and the woman he loves in time to rescue them from Tohan's armies.This action in Scent of Magic starts from page one, and doesn't let up. The first half of the book is full of cloak and dagger suspense, the last half focuses on all-out war. The strategies used in battle are intelligent, well thought out, and realistically executed. I could actually believe that the war was being spearheaded by two tactical geniuses - Tohan and Ryne. There are victories, and losses, and betrayals from unexpected quarters.Every character in this book is likeable, even the villain, but that's no surprise to anyone who is familiar with Snyder's work. She knows how to write characters. What made this book stand out when compared to previous series was the character development. In her earlier series, any growth the characters experienced seemed to be forgotten and lost between books. In Scent of Magic Avery and Kerrick both seem to remember the lessons they learned in the first book. They are both better versions of themselves, and they grow even more in Scent.The story progression is well structured and cohesive. Scent took the story set forth in Touch and builds on it, moves it forward convincingly. I might even go so far as to say the sequel is a more engaging than its predecessor. The stakes are higher, the consequences for failure more dire.I really can't say enough good things about this book. While Poison Study remains my favorite standalone story (since I didn't like the sequels), Healer is quickly becoming my favorite series by this author. The writing is stronger. It feels like Snyder has found her stride as an author. Her current work is well structured, and beautifully executed. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed.

I picked the absolutely worst time to read this book. You see, I was really, really busy this week with lots of pre-Christmas things to do, but I was reading this book at the same time, and oh how I wanted to drop everything so that I could devote all my time to reading. I needed to find out if Avry or Kerrick could get out of the crazy situations they kept getting into, but my schedule wouldn't allow me to read fast enough. With this second book in the Healer series, Maria V. Snyder has built on the wonderful story of Avry, the Healer, and written a book that surpassed her first in this series.I was a bit worried about this one because, in typical 2nd-book-of-a-series fashion, the two main characters of the story, Avry and Kerrick, are separated. They had finally admitted their feelings for one another. They had learned to trust each other. Ryne had been saved. It was time to work together to save the kingdoms from Tohon ... but now they are apart. It could have potentially been a problem. But Snyder simply alternates the story between the first person narration of Avry and her experiences to a third person narration about Kerrick and his experiences. It was very well done. Each segment of the story was told in such a way that I was hanging on the edge of my seat, needing to know what happened next, only to be taken to the other point-of-view. That kept me reading quickly, finding any spare minute I could in order to see what happened next.The characters in this one are just as wonderful as they were in the first book, and we get to know some new characters as well. I still love Avry. I still love Kerrick. So many characters are working so many angles that it is sometimes hard to know exactly who to trust. And right when I think I know who is trustworthy, the rug is pulled right out from under me, and I fall flat on my back. There were some awesome jaw-dropping plot twists in this one. I even threw out a few "NO WAY!"s as I read. Tohon is still a super amazing villain for this story. He is so, so bad, but he can seem so, so good. He's scary. But he isn't the only villain. And these newer villains are equally creepy in their own way. Snyder may be one of the best villain creators I have read in a long, long time. Very well written.I wanted there to be more Kerrick and Avry interaction in this one because I like them both so much, but considering the circumstances, I think that it all turned out wonderfully. And those ending chapters? That cliffhanger of an ending? And then to find out that the next book isn't expected until 2014? I think my poor heart can hardly take it. Interesting experience while I was reading these last few chapters ... while I was reading my husband was watching Inception on television, and the soundtrack to that movie went perfectly with the action of the book. My heart was racing hearing the music as I was reading the action of those final scenes. I think I'll have to listen to that soundtrack every time I reread this story.My overall verdict? Another excellent addition to the Healer series. I highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what happens next. Please let everything be okay. It's going to be okay, right? Five stars!

Zweites Buch der Trilogie um die letzte Heilerin Avry von Kazan.Nachdem Avry den zum Herrscher vorgesehenen Prinzen Ryne von der tödlichen Krankheit geheilt hat und an seiner Statt gestorben ist, erhält sie von der Friedenslilie das Leben zurück. Prinz Ryne organisiert den Widerstand gegen den bösen Lebensmagier Prinz Tohan, der Soldaten tötet und diese als Untote für sich kämpfen lässt.Der Geliebte von Avry, Prinz Merrick macht sich auf, in seinem Reich den Widerstand zu organisieren, findet allerdings in seinem jüngeren Bruder einen Widersacher. Sein Land wird von weiteren Feinden im Norden bedroht, er versucht diese für sich zu gewinnen.Avry, nun für tot gehalten, reist inkognito ins Reich von Hohepriesterin Estrid und ihrer Schwiegertochter, der mächtigen Luftmagierin Jael. Dort unterweist sie Truppen im Kampf gegen Tohan's Soldaten. Verzweifelt sucht sie nach einem Mittel gegen die untoten Truppen und begibt sich erneut in die Gewalt der Lilien.Das Buch ist sehr spannend zu lesen, die Protagonisten rennen von einem Abenteuer zum nächsten und bleiben meistens nur knapp am Leben. Avry muss eine Enttäuschung nach der anderen einstecken, rafft sich aber immer wieder auf, auch nach Folterungen und Verrat und vergibt ihren Feinden. Weil sie eine Heilerin ist! Das gibt bei mir einen Punkt Abzug, denn mit dieser Logik hätte die Heilergilde in dieser mittelalterlichen brutalen Welt nicht lange überleben können. Es passiert sehr viel, langweilig wird es nie. Obwohl es verschiedene Erzählstränge hat, sind alle interessant. Empfehlenswerte Reihe!

Read that one in only one weekend, could'nt put it away. Great following story of "Touch of Power".It tells about the struggle to defeat Tohon's army, what the Death / Pease Lily's has to do with all of it and all the relationships are caried further.Avry is in for a lot of ups and downs.I realy love this book. But the end is gruesome for the reader! I have to know how it goes on and have to wait nearly a year for the next book.

Ich hab selten ein so gutes Buch gelesen.Ich bin immer auf der Suche nach einem guten Fantasy Buch, aber mal ehrlich die Hälfte enttäuscht durch irgendeine verrückt Liebesschnulze, dass einem die Haare zu berge stehen. Okay das Buch hat auch eine Liebesgeschichte, aber die ist nicht so nervtötend wie manch andere. Kein angeschmachte.Was mich besonders fasziniert hat, sind die verschiedenen Magiearten. Hier wird die Magie in verschiedene Bereiche aufgeteilt und es ist wirklich faszinierend unter welchen Bedingungen die einzelnen Magiearten ihre Wirkung entfalten.Ich kann das Buch nur weiter empfehlen.

If one likes stories about magic, adventure and romance I advise to read this book. It is well written and I finished it in one day. Just bought the follow-ups.

WOW...I just loved the first book. Rushed right out and bought this second book. Rushed right out and bought another series by the author. Is there a third one, and if so how soon can I have it. Love the world the author has created. Could not put them down. What is the series about...healing, war, love, life. I leave it to the more erudite among the reviewers to write a long description - all I can say is GIVE ME MORE....I love it. Anne McCaffrey like in how it pulls you in.