What do you think?
Rate this book
Healer #3
Taste of Darkness
She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?
Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.
But there's a more immediate threat: The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.
Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.
Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.
But there's a more immediate threat: The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.
Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2013
329 people are currently reading
10861 people want to read
About the author
Maria V. Snyder
74 books17.4k followersWhen Maria V. Snyder was younger, she aspired to be a storm chaser in the American Midwest so she attended Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. Much to her chagrin, forecasting the weather wasn’t in her skill set so she spent a number of years as an environmental meteorologist, which is not exciting...at all. Bored at work and needing a creative outlet, she started writing fantasy and science fiction stories. Over twenty four novels and two short story collections later, Maria’s learned a thing or three about writing. She’s been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a dozen awards, and has earned her Masters of Arts degree in Writing from Seton Hill University, where she is now a faculty member.
Her favorite color is red. She loves dogs, but is allergic, instead she has a big black tom cat named…Kitty (apparently naming cats isn’t in her skill set either). Maria also has a husband and two children who are an inspiration for her writing when they aren't being a distraction. Note: She mentions her cat before her family.
When she's not writing she's either playing pickleball, traveling, or taking pictures. Being a writer, though is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study marital arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it's not working as a meteorologist.
Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at http://www.MariaVSnyder.com.
Her favorite color is red. She loves dogs, but is allergic, instead she has a big black tom cat named…Kitty (apparently naming cats isn’t in her skill set either). Maria also has a husband and two children who are an inspiration for her writing when they aren't being a distraction. Note: She mentions her cat before her family.
When she's not writing she's either playing pickleball, traveling, or taking pictures. Being a writer, though is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study marital arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it's not working as a meteorologist.
Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at http://www.MariaVSnyder.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,134 reviews
May 10, 2013
Wow - I just announced the new title for the book and here it is - already fixed!! For those who might be confused, the third Healer book was originally titled, TASTE OF DEATH, but has been changed due to a variety of reasons (see my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/mvsfans for more details) and is now TASTE OF DARKNESS.
The book is written, but I'm working on edits. So far, my husband said it's the best of my Healer books! I realize he's my husband and you're suspicious, but he doesn't normally say things like that - I get feedback on all the logic issues and plot holes and what needs work.
The book is written, but I'm working on edits. So far, my husband said it's the best of my Healer books! I realize he's my husband and you're suspicious, but he doesn't normally say things like that - I get feedback on all the logic issues and plot holes and what needs work.
November 10, 2016
“You have my heart, my soul, my life. I'm an empty shell without you.”
Taste of Darkness was the perfect conclusion to a perfect series! In this book, Avry and her boys had to make some serious choices about their loyalties and their priorities, while Ryne didn't hesitate to use them to achieve his goals, the Skeleton King slaughtered innocent people and then fed them to his armies, a new plague emerged and Tohon even frozen in a death stasis did not leave Avry alone. Did I mention the walking dead, Belen's disappearance and Kerrick's troubles with his forest magic? Surrounded by foes and spies, facing double crosses and ambushes, trying to figure out strategic military positionings and the extent of her powers, Avry of Kazan Realm came to find out whether she could really heal the world.
"But they fight in the name of the creator."
"I don't care if they fight in the name of broccoli. The goal remains the same."
The funny thing is, every power player had the same goal; bring peace to the Fifteen Realms. Some of them though wanted to crash their opponents and the means they used differed a little. The addition of the Skeleton King and the tribes completed the power puzzle and set the stakes even higher. I really admire the way Maria V. Snyder set up the chessboard, making Avry the Queen. I couldn't predict her next decision, I had a lump in my stomach throughout the book and could hear my heart beating fast and unsteadily in my chest. Kerrick and Avry had many scenes together (thank the Flea!), but Kerrick's condition made me nervous. I felt so connected with these characters, I considered them my family. I can't count the times I laughed with Quain's remarks and his banters with Loren, the times I felt warm inside with the love and the affection between the gang, and the ones I swooned over Kerrick. Oh, and the ones I wanted to feed Tohon to the Skeleton King!
I really loved the way Taste of Darkness combined romance, war, magic, friendship, sacrifices and betrayals , and even though I trembled and almost died of agony, it is my favorite book in the series! If you haven't tried Healer yet, it's about time you do!
January 5, 2014
Spoilers
Hated it, I spent the majority of the book rolling my eyes. The plot, the characters, and the writing were all poor — there was nothing remotely interesting or good about them.
-What's what: Avry thinks her abusive boyfriend is dead, obviously he's not, everyone's happy but not for long as they have to beat the one-dimensional-evul Tohon and his army of dead. That means going from one place to another, running into bad guys, fighting and then separating, and then fighting some more. Yea, it was as boring as it sounds.
-I didn't like Avry, there was nothing interesting about her at all. She was a run of the mill martyr and Mary Sue type heroine, all she cared about was saving everyone else and being oh so kind, forgiving, and generous. I despised how she was constantly apologetic and guilty, and her non-stop do goody ways grated on me. Where were her true faults and flaws? Where was her self interest? Where was her attitude? She was just a typical do goody placeholder heroine. I want a heroine that actually reads like a real life person and not some Disney princess who wants to save the world and sacrifice her self for the greater good. Ugh.
-Kerrick was still a dick, there was nothing redeemable or endearing about him. It was clear that he didn't love Avry as much as she loved him, he had feelings for her but that was only because there was no other virginal doormat girls around. I still haven't forgiven him for torturing and slapping Avry in the first book — there's no reason good enough for a man to hit an innocent defenseless woman. Yea, I didn't buy Kerrick suddenly being all nice to Avry, the next time he gets angry he'll most likely beat her again. The wanker.
-I was so frustrated with Avry being surrounded by men all the time — she was rarely around any women and the few times she was were only very brief. Also, all her loved ones and friends were men, all her important relationships were with men, and all her focus was on men. She didn't have one proper female friend that she spent time with. They were hardly any side female characters compared to the amount of male secondary characters. And the few females that were in it were either evul or helpless or had minor roles.
-Where was Ryne's supposed military genius? Everyone kept banging on about him being able to win the war and defeat Tohon with his mad skills but all he did was look at maps and come up with mediocre plans to fight Tohon. There was nothing genius about him.
-Everything was written in modern day language, which was jarring and weird for a fantasy setting. Most of the time I didn't feel like I was reading characters from a fantasy type book, the way the characters talked felt like I was reading about silly high school students.
-It annoyed me whenever Loren/Quain were referred to as the monkeys and Belen as poppa bear — the nicknames sounded idiotic.
-Avry's friends were such dicks, whenever she did something remotely questionable they'd ignore her or act like there was something evul about her. After all the sacrifices she made for them and unconditional love she'd shown them, they should have been loyal and supportive to her instead of cold and bitchy. Fuckers.
-Flea was a whiny, annoying, self-pitying git. After Kerrick he was the most rubbish character.
-Avry barely thought about her little sister (Noelle) even though she'd just died. She seemed to care more about the men she'd known for less than a year over her supposed beloved sister. I think Avry loved Flea, Loren, Quain and Belen far more than Noelle - it was sad that she so easily got over her death and forgot about her.
-I got sick of the amount of characters that were presumed dead or on death's door but somehow miraculously managed to survive. It was a ridiculous plot device to create cheap angst and melodrama.
-Practically every chapter ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. It got irritating after a while.
Such a rubbish book. I loathed pretty much everything about it — the writing, the characters, and the romance were all awful. I'm glad its over.
Hated it, I spent the majority of the book rolling my eyes. The plot, the characters, and the writing were all poor — there was nothing remotely interesting or good about them.
-What's what: Avry thinks her abusive boyfriend is dead, obviously he's not, everyone's happy but not for long as they have to beat the one-dimensional-evul Tohon and his army of dead. That means going from one place to another, running into bad guys, fighting and then separating, and then fighting some more. Yea, it was as boring as it sounds.
-I didn't like Avry, there was nothing interesting about her at all. She was a run of the mill martyr and Mary Sue type heroine, all she cared about was saving everyone else and being oh so kind, forgiving, and generous. I despised how she was constantly apologetic and guilty, and her non-stop do goody ways grated on me. Where were her true faults and flaws? Where was her self interest? Where was her attitude? She was just a typical do goody placeholder heroine. I want a heroine that actually reads like a real life person and not some Disney princess who wants to save the world and sacrifice her self for the greater good. Ugh.
-Kerrick was still a dick, there was nothing redeemable or endearing about him. It was clear that he didn't love Avry as much as she loved him, he had feelings for her but that was only because there was no other virginal doormat girls around. I still haven't forgiven him for torturing and slapping Avry in the first book — there's no reason good enough for a man to hit an innocent defenseless woman. Yea, I didn't buy Kerrick suddenly being all nice to Avry, the next time he gets angry he'll most likely beat her again. The wanker.
-I was so frustrated with Avry being surrounded by men all the time — she was rarely around any women and the few times she was were only very brief. Also, all her loved ones and friends were men, all her important relationships were with men, and all her focus was on men. She didn't have one proper female friend that she spent time with. They were hardly any side female characters compared to the amount of male secondary characters. And the few females that were in it were either evul or helpless or had minor roles.
-Where was Ryne's supposed military genius? Everyone kept banging on about him being able to win the war and defeat Tohon with his mad skills but all he did was look at maps and come up with mediocre plans to fight Tohon. There was nothing genius about him.
-Everything was written in modern day language, which was jarring and weird for a fantasy setting. Most of the time I didn't feel like I was reading characters from a fantasy type book, the way the characters talked felt like I was reading about silly high school students.
-It annoyed me whenever Loren/Quain were referred to as the monkeys and Belen as poppa bear — the nicknames sounded idiotic.
-Avry's friends were such dicks, whenever she did something remotely questionable they'd ignore her or act like there was something evul about her. After all the sacrifices she made for them and unconditional love she'd shown them, they should have been loyal and supportive to her instead of cold and bitchy. Fuckers.
-Flea was a whiny, annoying, self-pitying git. After Kerrick he was the most rubbish character.
-Avry barely thought about her little sister (Noelle) even though she'd just died. She seemed to care more about the men she'd known for less than a year over her supposed beloved sister. I think Avry loved Flea, Loren, Quain and Belen far more than Noelle - it was sad that she so easily got over her death and forgot about her.
-I got sick of the amount of characters that were presumed dead or on death's door but somehow miraculously managed to survive. It was a ridiculous plot device to create cheap angst and melodrama.
-Practically every chapter ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. It got irritating after a while.
Such a rubbish book. I loathed pretty much everything about it — the writing, the characters, and the romance were all awful. I'm glad its over.
Want to read
January 2, 2013December 2013 huh....why do you hate me Maria Snyder? Why? All I've done wrong is to love these first two books. Is that so bad? Why must you punish me? Don't say it's because secretly I like it...that is not the point! You simply cannot end Scent of Magic on THAT note and then expect me to wait a year. It's just not going to happen, it's not.
Oh, I'll tell you what I'm going to do about it! I'll break into your house and steal the manuscript from you! That's what I'll do!! *officially crosses the line from fan to weirdo*
Oh, I'll tell you what I'm going to do about it! I'll break into your house and steal the manuscript from you! That's what I'll do!! *officially crosses the line from fan to weirdo*
June 9, 2018
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Should've been a better ending*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
This review is purely for me and might contain spoilers and facts from the book to keep myself in the known at all time. It's also long and somewhat detailed.
Re-read: 09.06.2018
We're back with the last book with Avry of Kazan (21), who is a healer; she absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself by laying hands upon the injured and dying. Tohon is frozen in stasis, his second in command has taken over, the sister of said second in command has her own plans, there's a new plague, and on top of that, there's a new enemy; The Skeleton King. And that's not all, Kerrick is losing a battle. Overall, it's a good plot, interesting story, with good characters, however, I felt almost like it was a repeat of the last two combined. Also, the ending... I needed more. I wish we had gotten a better ending, a epilogue in the future so you'll know what could happen.
“You have my heart, my soul, my life. I'm an empty shell without you.”
Information about the Lilys:
↦ Get too close to a Death Lily and either the petals snatched you or the vines ensnared you and pulled you in. Once trapped, you couldn’t escape even if armed with a sharp knife. The thick and fibrous petals and leaves resisted punctures and tears.
Death Lilys moved fast for a plant, hissing a warning a second before they grabbed their victims. Once you were caught, it pricked you with two barbs and injected its toxin. One of three things happened next. You die, and it feeds off your flesh, spitting your bones out when it’s finished. Or you don’t die, it spits you out, and you suffer horribly, dying later. Then there are the very few who don’t die at all and become healers. Like Avry.
↦ On the opposite side, Peace Lilys wouldn’t capture a person or bother anyone. As far as Avry know, her and Flea were the only people they’d taken. And here was another irony—Tohon used Peace Lily serum to create his dead soldiers. The serum preserved the dead body in a fake life so they didn’t decompose. His magic did the rest, but Avry still hadn’t figured out how.
“But they fight in the name of the creator.”
“I don't care if they fight in the name of broccoli. The goal remains the same.”
Other characters:
I've put these in a spoilers tag simply because it's a long list; contains spoilers.
He stared at me with emerald-colored eyes. Spring. Which meant I’d missed...two months!
“Start talking,” I forced the words from my dry throat.
Instead, he kissed me. I returned it, raking my fingers in his hair. Sometime later we broke apart.
“Bad news?” I asked.
“Not anymore.” He smiled a killer smile and I had to kiss him again.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Young Adult) High (?) Fantasy.
Series: - Series, Book Three.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Kerrick ‘Kerry’ of Alga.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Who knows.
New Rating - 2.5/3 stars.
First read: 10.03.14
Rate: 3 stars.
August 5, 2016
Maria is one of my favourite authors - not just because of her writing - but because she is lovely person - generous to her fans and just all round nice :)
Lol that being said - if I write a review about a book - it will always be completely honest because 1. It's my personal opinion and 2. what's the point of writing a review otherwise?
I really enjoyed the first two books in the series. I was happy that Maria had kept the theme of "magic" going as she had with the Study and Glass series. I re-read the first two right before reading the third so everything was fresh in my memory.
Spoilers to follow.
What I liked about the third book.
Belen. It was nice to see his return after going missing for so long.
Flea. Flea was a well written character with depth to his personality. He experienced growth and development, he had flaws, he was likeable.
Melina. It was nice to have a character who had the chance to show that everyday people can also put the welfare of strangers ahead of themselves. Melina and her Mom were a spunky pair of women who managed without any magic at all.
Odd. (along with Ursan) - these two guys thought for themselves and then did what they thought was right - regardless of the consequences to themselves. If you are going to have a large cast of characters in a book - some of them have to be instantly likeable. Odd was.
Avry and Kerrick's romance. Just cos I'm a sucker for a love story :)
Every one of the kick-ass women who broke out of their literal religious prison. Girl power. They're doing it right.
The Ending. Happily Ever After. Can't argue with that.
What I didn't like about the book.
Chinska Mare. There were supposedly over 2,000 women kept inside a... tower prison for not being virgins (and unmarried). Some of them had (I assume) been there for years - and once you were there - you never got out. Their days consisted of getting up - eating a small bowl of white slop, kneeling down looking up for ?8 hours, eating another bowl of the same white slop then being shut up in cells. Repeat til you die. This whole thing bugged me for several reasons.
1. If 2/3 of the world's population has been wiped out by a plague - you are just NOT going to lock up your fertile females in a tower forever. You sure aren't going to take valuable female soldiers out of your army and lock them up while you are in the middle of a war.
2. 2000 women must have a LOT of relatives - there werent that many guards in that tower....
3. A human being who is locked inside a building, eating the same bowl of white slop and kneeling for hours a day is just not going to be able to fight a bunch of guards at a moments notice. They would be suffering from scurvy, ricketts, anemia, muscle wastage, not to mention a host of skin conditions (there is NO mention of any of them ever washing).
4. Apparently NONE of the male guards could be "seduced". I find that very hard... no... impossible to believe ;)
Loren & Quain and the whole "monkey" thing. Halfway through the third book I was so over the "monkey" reference. Loren was nearly 40 years old and both were grown men who had killed many times. There were so many references to them - "you've been hanging around the monkeys too long" "don't use the monkeys as role models" - I just wasn't seeing anything cheeky or endearing about a couple of grown men who bickered with each other a lot.
Cellina and Jael and Estrid. Cellina was in the book a lot considering she wasn't actually IN the book at all. Jael was in it for two seconds before she was dispatched. Estrid was rescued then decided she just didnt want to play anymore and went home!
The Skeleton King. I'm not really sure we needed another "bad guy" and I didn't quite get where he came from. He just sort of appeared on the scene.
Beheading - Aside from the Skeleton King (and what marvellous luck that a syringe full of the plague happened to land at Avry's feet) I think ALL the bad guys met their end the same way?
Odd. He just sort of disappeared at the end. I needed closure for him cos he was a good guy.
The Lilys. We never really got to the bottom of what these plants were or why they did what they did. The Death Lilys apparently grabbed anyone who got close and poisoned them. If the person survived they were released and became magical healers (so.. the Lilys were giving mankind a great gift?) on the other hand - if they died - which most did - the Lily ate them (so the Lilys are dangerous predators...?) The Peace Lilys could preserve someone who was dead... but after doing it a few times they told Avry they weren't ever going to do it again. Why not?
The whole Healing thing. By the time I got to the third book I realized just how impractical it is to "assume" the sickness and injuries of your patient. A healer heals ONE person and then spends the next two weeks writhing around semi-conscious on a bed waiting to heal - meanwhile ten other people die?
The Travelling. Wow everyone did a lot of walking! Two days journey here, a weeks journey there, three weeks this way, two weeks that way. And of course they always had to split up before doing it!!
The Ending. The final defeat of the main bad guy was just too easy and quick.
Lol that being said - if I write a review about a book - it will always be completely honest because 1. It's my personal opinion and 2. what's the point of writing a review otherwise?
I really enjoyed the first two books in the series. I was happy that Maria had kept the theme of "magic" going as she had with the Study and Glass series. I re-read the first two right before reading the third so everything was fresh in my memory.
Spoilers to follow.
What I liked about the third book.
Belen. It was nice to see his return after going missing for so long.
Flea. Flea was a well written character with depth to his personality. He experienced growth and development, he had flaws, he was likeable.
Melina. It was nice to have a character who had the chance to show that everyday people can also put the welfare of strangers ahead of themselves. Melina and her Mom were a spunky pair of women who managed without any magic at all.
Odd. (along with Ursan) - these two guys thought for themselves and then did what they thought was right - regardless of the consequences to themselves. If you are going to have a large cast of characters in a book - some of them have to be instantly likeable. Odd was.
Avry and Kerrick's romance. Just cos I'm a sucker for a love story :)
Every one of the kick-ass women who broke out of their literal religious prison. Girl power. They're doing it right.
The Ending. Happily Ever After. Can't argue with that.
What I didn't like about the book.
Chinska Mare. There were supposedly over 2,000 women kept inside a... tower prison for not being virgins (and unmarried). Some of them had (I assume) been there for years - and once you were there - you never got out. Their days consisted of getting up - eating a small bowl of white slop, kneeling down looking up for ?8 hours, eating another bowl of the same white slop then being shut up in cells. Repeat til you die. This whole thing bugged me for several reasons.
1. If 2/3 of the world's population has been wiped out by a plague - you are just NOT going to lock up your fertile females in a tower forever. You sure aren't going to take valuable female soldiers out of your army and lock them up while you are in the middle of a war.
2. 2000 women must have a LOT of relatives - there werent that many guards in that tower....
3. A human being who is locked inside a building, eating the same bowl of white slop and kneeling for hours a day is just not going to be able to fight a bunch of guards at a moments notice. They would be suffering from scurvy, ricketts, anemia, muscle wastage, not to mention a host of skin conditions (there is NO mention of any of them ever washing).
4. Apparently NONE of the male guards could be "seduced". I find that very hard... no... impossible to believe ;)
Loren & Quain and the whole "monkey" thing. Halfway through the third book I was so over the "monkey" reference. Loren was nearly 40 years old and both were grown men who had killed many times. There were so many references to them - "you've been hanging around the monkeys too long" "don't use the monkeys as role models" - I just wasn't seeing anything cheeky or endearing about a couple of grown men who bickered with each other a lot.
Cellina and Jael and Estrid. Cellina was in the book a lot considering she wasn't actually IN the book at all. Jael was in it for two seconds before she was dispatched. Estrid was rescued then decided she just didnt want to play anymore and went home!
The Skeleton King. I'm not really sure we needed another "bad guy" and I didn't quite get where he came from. He just sort of appeared on the scene.
Beheading - Aside from the Skeleton King (and what marvellous luck that a syringe full of the plague happened to land at Avry's feet) I think ALL the bad guys met their end the same way?
Odd. He just sort of disappeared at the end. I needed closure for him cos he was a good guy.
The Lilys. We never really got to the bottom of what these plants were or why they did what they did. The Death Lilys apparently grabbed anyone who got close and poisoned them. If the person survived they were released and became magical healers (so.. the Lilys were giving mankind a great gift?) on the other hand - if they died - which most did - the Lily ate them (so the Lilys are dangerous predators...?) The Peace Lilys could preserve someone who was dead... but after doing it a few times they told Avry they weren't ever going to do it again. Why not?
The whole Healing thing. By the time I got to the third book I realized just how impractical it is to "assume" the sickness and injuries of your patient. A healer heals ONE person and then spends the next two weeks writhing around semi-conscious on a bed waiting to heal - meanwhile ten other people die?
The Travelling. Wow everyone did a lot of walking! Two days journey here, a weeks journey there, three weeks this way, two weeks that way. And of course they always had to split up before doing it!!
The Ending. The final defeat of the main bad guy was just too easy and quick.
February 27, 2025
Story: 5 stars
Audio: 5 stars
Narrator: Gabra Zackman
5 "Thank the Flea" stars!!!
Review Tomorrow.
Audio: 5 stars
Narrator: Gabra Zackman
5 "Thank the Flea" stars!!!
Review Tomorrow.
January 28, 2014
:O warning spoilers
That was my face wen I finished the book
Aghhhhh I actually can't beleive I've finished it
I've been waiting a whole year and as soon as I heard it was out I screamed with delight and rushed around not mowing what to do.
But finally I did it (punching my fist up with triumph)
The skeleton king is a new interesting charecter in the book and I almost puked seeing what he does to his prisoners
Avery is a whole new person and I just love her.
When I started the book and found out Kerrik was alive I actually squealed and started dancing aroundhttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&am...
That was my face wen I finished the book
Aghhhhh I actually can't beleive I've finished it
I've been waiting a whole year and as soon as I heard it was out I screamed with delight and rushed around not mowing what to do.
But finally I did it (punching my fist up with triumph)
The skeleton king is a new interesting charecter in the book and I almost puked seeing what he does to his prisoners
Avery is a whole new person and I just love her.
When I started the book and found out Kerrik was alive I actually squealed and started dancing aroundhttps://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&am...
November 9, 2013
ARC received via NetGalley
My review in one word: disappointing.
I don't know what went wrong. Honestly. I can't decide if her writing changed completely with this book or if my standards (boy that sounds pretentious) are different. If I went back and read the first of this series would I like it as well I as remember? If I reread the Study series would I love it still? I'm hesitant to test that theory.
It just felt so sloppy. The dialogue felt so basic and at times forced to create a chuckle. But I wasn't laughing, I was getting angry or sad depending.
You know what really pissed me off? Kerrick's sudden worry that Avry had found a new lover. I mean what? Where would this sudden insecurity come from? Completely and utterly unnecessary and out of place.
This gripe probably is due to the fact that my copy was an ARC, but the transitions from Kerrick's viewpoint to Avry's were very awkward. Sometimes it seemed to do it mid-thought and I had to read the sentence over a few times to make sure I understood what just happened.
I kept going throughout the book because I wanted to see the story through and I wanted it to get better. My husband told me to stop reading if I wasn't enjoying the book, but I finished it to the end.
My review in one word: disappointing.
I don't know what went wrong. Honestly. I can't decide if her writing changed completely with this book or if my standards (boy that sounds pretentious) are different. If I went back and read the first of this series would I like it as well I as remember? If I reread the Study series would I love it still? I'm hesitant to test that theory.
It just felt so sloppy. The dialogue felt so basic and at times forced to create a chuckle. But I wasn't laughing, I was getting angry or sad depending.
You know what really pissed me off? Kerrick's sudden worry that Avry had found a new lover. I mean what? Where would this sudden insecurity come from? Completely and utterly unnecessary and out of place.
This gripe probably is due to the fact that my copy was an ARC, but the transitions from Kerrick's viewpoint to Avry's were very awkward. Sometimes it seemed to do it mid-thought and I had to read the sentence over a few times to make sure I understood what just happened.
I kept going throughout the book because I wanted to see the story through and I wanted it to get better. My husband told me to stop reading if I wasn't enjoying the book, but I finished it to the end.
August 6, 2016
2,5Stars
If I had to describe Taste of Darkness with one word, I would probably choose lacklustre.
Sadly so, and with great regret because Touch of Power was one of my favorite reads in 2012, not only that, one of my favorite fantasy book. I adored Avery and her boys. Loved the storyline and world building, but my favorite part was the character building. And we all know I am a sucker for great character driven novels. Scent of Magic was more plot driven. And one of the disappointing sequels of 2013- i chalked it up to second book syndrome. But sadly Taste of Darkness wasn't better, it was worse in my opinion.
Look if I am honest, if Touch of Power wasn't so awesome, I would have had less expectation. But then again, I think if I wouldn't have liked ToP so much I would have never finished this one.
Snyder writes really well. I love her writing style. But this time around the great dialogues felt a bit flat. They were way more fun the first time around. She definitely knows her craft and this come through in this novel as well.
Minor issue I had with the no chapter and no separation between POV situation of the ARC. I do hope this is just because it was the ARC? It would be a odd choice, and I had to every now and then read back, because the sudden change made me confused.
The character building was mainly made in the first book, there are some new developments. Flea is the biggest change, I actually loved how he grew and changed and took on the change of things. Kerrick was less stoic in this book, one of the things I found a bit annoying in Scent of Magic about him. But I found his desperation for Avery a bit grating, let's not even talk about his jealousy. Annoying deluxe. Avery was same old same old, and while her stubbornness was fun and cute in the first couple of novels- well let's just say the fun and cute factor wore off. A lot.
But in general it was fun to revisit the group- and the group has become quite a number of people. And I knew who they were despite my rather nonexistent name memory, which speaks for Snyders writing skills. And while I am being super critical about the characters, I should mention, that the character building is still pretty awesome.
The story line was well - a mash between first and the second book somewhat. Be prepared for a million and one rescue ops. I don't find them quite as enticing as I did in the first book. Then there was the "big"showdown. Which was not that big after all. And the end, while it was satisfying at some level, it was kinda well underwhelming. If I would have to describe the plot in a few words this would be it: rescue operations (like a million of it), research, arguing, friendship, fighting, discoveries and tidbits of lovey-dove- the end. In my opinion the story line was a bit all over the place, it felt like there were some event just added up and then at 90% the show down happened. By that point I was actually wondering if Snyder is planning to finish the story or writing another book. Which quite frankly I probably wouldn't have read. But then it did happen, a rather underwhelming and lacklustre experience actually. The finishing bits were actually rather nice and left me pleased. Still it took me 4days!! to work through this. Because it felt mechanic and to a degree tedious.
Which leads me to the question that plagued me from about 20% into Taste of Darkness. Why did Snyder write 3 Books?! Why not do a standalone? Why pull this over more than a 1000pages? Ok maybe two books I would understand, but three? It makes no sense, because not much is gained reading this third book. So sadly a totally underwhelming finish to a series. Though it does give you closure
A book for the fans of the author and the series. Still be warned it will take you one a ridiculous amount of rescue ops and there will be plenty of not so cute arguing.
If I had to describe Taste of Darkness with one word, I would probably choose lacklustre.
Sadly so, and with great regret because Touch of Power was one of my favorite reads in 2012, not only that, one of my favorite fantasy book. I adored Avery and her boys. Loved the storyline and world building, but my favorite part was the character building. And we all know I am a sucker for great character driven novels. Scent of Magic was more plot driven. And one of the disappointing sequels of 2013- i chalked it up to second book syndrome. But sadly Taste of Darkness wasn't better, it was worse in my opinion.
Look if I am honest, if Touch of Power wasn't so awesome, I would have had less expectation. But then again, I think if I wouldn't have liked ToP so much I would have never finished this one.
Snyder writes really well. I love her writing style. But this time around the great dialogues felt a bit flat. They were way more fun the first time around. She definitely knows her craft and this come through in this novel as well.
Minor issue I had with the no chapter and no separation between POV situation of the ARC. I do hope this is just because it was the ARC? It would be a odd choice, and I had to every now and then read back, because the sudden change made me confused.
The character building was mainly made in the first book, there are some new developments. Flea is the biggest change, I actually loved how he grew and changed and took on the change of things. Kerrick was less stoic in this book, one of the things I found a bit annoying in Scent of Magic about him. But I found his desperation for Avery a bit grating, let's not even talk about his jealousy. Annoying deluxe. Avery was same old same old, and while her stubbornness was fun and cute in the first couple of novels- well let's just say the fun and cute factor wore off. A lot.
But in general it was fun to revisit the group- and the group has become quite a number of people. And I knew who they were despite my rather nonexistent name memory, which speaks for Snyders writing skills. And while I am being super critical about the characters, I should mention, that the character building is still pretty awesome.
The story line was well - a mash between first and the second book somewhat. Be prepared for a million and one rescue ops. I don't find them quite as enticing as I did in the first book. Then there was the "big"showdown. Which was not that big after all. And the end, while it was satisfying at some level, it was kinda well underwhelming. If I would have to describe the plot in a few words this would be it: rescue operations (like a million of it), research, arguing, friendship, fighting, discoveries and tidbits of lovey-dove- the end. In my opinion the story line was a bit all over the place, it felt like there were some event just added up and then at 90% the show down happened. By that point I was actually wondering if Snyder is planning to finish the story or writing another book. Which quite frankly I probably wouldn't have read. But then it did happen, a rather underwhelming and lacklustre experience actually. The finishing bits were actually rather nice and left me pleased. Still it took me 4days!! to work through this. Because it felt mechanic and to a degree tedious.
Which leads me to the question that plagued me from about 20% into Taste of Darkness. Why did Snyder write 3 Books?! Why not do a standalone? Why pull this over more than a 1000pages? Ok maybe two books I would understand, but three? It makes no sense, because not much is gained reading this third book. So sadly a totally underwhelming finish to a series. Though it does give you closure
A book for the fans of the author and the series. Still be warned it will take you one a ridiculous amount of rescue ops and there will be plenty of not so cute arguing.
January 9, 2014
http://www.theinkgobbler.blogspot.com/
I remember reading Maria V. Snyder's "Study" series a couple years ago and finding myself completely enraptured by the crazy adventures the butt-kicking heroine went on. Which, of course, led me to devouring all of her other books with a speed faster than the Road Runner--beep beep. "Taste of Darkness" is the finale to the "Healer" series, bringing Avry's fight against Tohon and the Skeleton King to a close. Forgive me if I'm sounding a little lukewarm; I hate to say it (trust me, I really do), but I was so relieved when I finally hit the last page because the book was just so slow! Disappointment is a big, fat jerk.
Avry of Kazan has fought death and won. She survived the plague and defeated King Tohon, but when she wakes up one morning to find Kerrick gone from her bedside, Avry knows only fear. But that's not all that she has to deal with. The Skeleton King is plotting to take the Fifteen Realms for himself, and armies of the dead threaten to overwhelm Prince Ryne's forces. As virtually the last healer in the realms, Avry is needed now more than ever. Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully, or the kingdom will crumble under darkness.
I mentioned earlier that I found "Taste of Darkness" slow. And, unfortunately, I meant it. The plot of the final book in the "Healer" series is frustratingly plodding, even to the point where I ended up skimming over a good portion of the book. There really isn't much that happens in the story. In fact, it seemed as if Ms. Snyder was just using the last installment of the trilogy to wrap things up and give her readers a nice, clean ending. Having said this, wrapping things up doesn't have to be in such a lackluster manner! It's strange because I don't recall feeling this way whatsoever with the previous books in the series, yet with this last book, I was just bored out of my mind. I never got the feeling that something was at stake. Sure, I got that the Fifteen Realms would fall under the Skeleton King or Tohon's rule, but I never really felt that tension. In fact, I think one of the major problems in the storyline is that there really isn't a clearcut antagonist. It's basically Avry and her friends against the Skeleton King, Cellina and Tohon, and, because there are so many enemies, their respective threats diminished greatly. It's just such a huge disappointment, because there's some awesome potential with the series, and it had to end this way!
Another thing I noticed while reading the novel was that the writing style was a little awkward and pretty clumsy. Again, I don't know if it's always been like this and I just hadn't noticed, or if it suddenly got clumsier (chances are it's the former). For example, there were lots of sentences that could've flowed a lot more smoothly had there been a comma or two in them, since they ended up sounding like run-on sentences. Another thing is that the words and phrases used seemed a little...immature. I mean, Avry's already twenty one-years old, but her narrative voice gave me the impression that she could easily be fifteen. The same can be said about the other characters. I get that there's meant to be humourous banter, especially between the monkeys and within their group of friends, but it doesn't have to be lame. The characters weren't exactly witty, and the slightly awkward writing didn't help with that either.
I know I sound like I'm seriously bashing on this book, but I just have to say one more thing about the characters. I've always admired Ms. Snyder's heroines, because they're indubitably kickass and stubborn and compassionate and all that jazz. In "Taste of Darkness," I found that, yes, Avry was still a strong protagonist who has a good head on her shoulders, but she became pretty flat and static as a character. There wasn't any change within her, no more development that would've made her a dynamic and truly interesting main character to read about. This also ties in with the flat storyline, since there weren't many things that challenged her and pressed her to question herself and change into a stronger, better person.
Overall, "Taste of Darkness" is a rather disappointing finale to what could've been a fun fantasy series. Things just fell flat: the plot, the writing, and the characters. I'd probably give this one a miss--but I definitely recommend checking out Ms. Snyder's "Study" series! It's what had me thinking I'd found my new favourite author (though maybe not so much anymore).
Rating: 1/5
I remember reading Maria V. Snyder's "Study" series a couple years ago and finding myself completely enraptured by the crazy adventures the butt-kicking heroine went on. Which, of course, led me to devouring all of her other books with a speed faster than the Road Runner--beep beep. "Taste of Darkness" is the finale to the "Healer" series, bringing Avry's fight against Tohon and the Skeleton King to a close. Forgive me if I'm sounding a little lukewarm; I hate to say it (trust me, I really do), but I was so relieved when I finally hit the last page because the book was just so slow! Disappointment is a big, fat jerk.
Avry of Kazan has fought death and won. She survived the plague and defeated King Tohon, but when she wakes up one morning to find Kerrick gone from her bedside, Avry knows only fear. But that's not all that she has to deal with. The Skeleton King is plotting to take the Fifteen Realms for himself, and armies of the dead threaten to overwhelm Prince Ryne's forces. As virtually the last healer in the realms, Avry is needed now more than ever. Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully, or the kingdom will crumble under darkness.
I mentioned earlier that I found "Taste of Darkness" slow. And, unfortunately, I meant it. The plot of the final book in the "Healer" series is frustratingly plodding, even to the point where I ended up skimming over a good portion of the book. There really isn't much that happens in the story. In fact, it seemed as if Ms. Snyder was just using the last installment of the trilogy to wrap things up and give her readers a nice, clean ending. Having said this, wrapping things up doesn't have to be in such a lackluster manner! It's strange because I don't recall feeling this way whatsoever with the previous books in the series, yet with this last book, I was just bored out of my mind. I never got the feeling that something was at stake. Sure, I got that the Fifteen Realms would fall under the Skeleton King or Tohon's rule, but I never really felt that tension. In fact, I think one of the major problems in the storyline is that there really isn't a clearcut antagonist. It's basically Avry and her friends against the Skeleton King, Cellina and Tohon, and, because there are so many enemies, their respective threats diminished greatly. It's just such a huge disappointment, because there's some awesome potential with the series, and it had to end this way!
Another thing I noticed while reading the novel was that the writing style was a little awkward and pretty clumsy. Again, I don't know if it's always been like this and I just hadn't noticed, or if it suddenly got clumsier (chances are it's the former). For example, there were lots of sentences that could've flowed a lot more smoothly had there been a comma or two in them, since they ended up sounding like run-on sentences. Another thing is that the words and phrases used seemed a little...immature. I mean, Avry's already twenty one-years old, but her narrative voice gave me the impression that she could easily be fifteen. The same can be said about the other characters. I get that there's meant to be humourous banter, especially between the monkeys and within their group of friends, but it doesn't have to be lame. The characters weren't exactly witty, and the slightly awkward writing didn't help with that either.
I know I sound like I'm seriously bashing on this book, but I just have to say one more thing about the characters. I've always admired Ms. Snyder's heroines, because they're indubitably kickass and stubborn and compassionate and all that jazz. In "Taste of Darkness," I found that, yes, Avry was still a strong protagonist who has a good head on her shoulders, but she became pretty flat and static as a character. There wasn't any change within her, no more development that would've made her a dynamic and truly interesting main character to read about. This also ties in with the flat storyline, since there weren't many things that challenged her and pressed her to question herself and change into a stronger, better person.
Overall, "Taste of Darkness" is a rather disappointing finale to what could've been a fun fantasy series. Things just fell flat: the plot, the writing, and the characters. I'd probably give this one a miss--but I definitely recommend checking out Ms. Snyder's "Study" series! It's what had me thinking I'd found my new favourite author (though maybe not so much anymore).
Rating: 1/5
September 5, 2024
✅ Magic/powers
✅ Darker atmosphere
✅ Action and Spying
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 Plot
🆗 World-building
🆗 Romance
This book is darker, there is a lot of deaths, the Skeleton King is also more present, and he is crazy. The dead soldiers of Tohon are also there, but they are not as important as in the second book, the warfare is also evolving since Tohon is not in charge anymore. Avry and her friend must navigate through ambushes, spies, and enemies in their quest to bring peace to the 15 realms (and to kill Tohon once and for all). I’m just sad that we did not have the chance to see Belen more in this series…
The romance between Avry and Kerrick continues, even if they see each other once every 2 months. I like the romance between them and I think it adds a cute vibe to the book, but some parts were too intense: when they talk about how they couldn’t live without the other, how life has no meaning if the other die… I mean, I get that you are in love, but they met a year ago maybe, they declare their love for each other a few months ago and since then they were only able to see each other 3 or 4 times… It was a little too cheesy for my taste, considering their background together.
Still, the pace was good as always, you don’t have the time to catch your breath with this book. The only downside would be the pattern of "I disappear, and you think I’m dead but I’m not". First with Avry in the second book, then with Kerrick (more than once), then Belen and then Avry again. It was beginning to be a little repetitive and we knew what to expect, I was not anxious anymore, I knew that somehow, everybody would be fine at the end. Talking about the end, I was expecting something a little more polished… It felt as if the author knew what she wanted to do, but she had a limited number of pages to do it. It was lacking some details, some explanations maybe… It ends abruptly, with no real surprise about the outcome.
It is a good conclusion to the series, but I realize now that some details bothered me more than the first time I read it.
1. Touch of Power ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Scent of Magic ⭐⭐⭐.5
Follow me on Instagram 🙂
✅ Darker atmosphere
✅ Action and Spying
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 Plot
🆗 World-building
🆗 Romance
This book is darker, there is a lot of deaths, the Skeleton King is also more present, and he is crazy. The dead soldiers of Tohon are also there, but they are not as important as in the second book, the warfare is also evolving since Tohon is not in charge anymore. Avry and her friend must navigate through ambushes, spies, and enemies in their quest to bring peace to the 15 realms (and to kill Tohon once and for all). I’m just sad that we did not have the chance to see Belen more in this series…
The romance between Avry and Kerrick continues, even if they see each other once every 2 months. I like the romance between them and I think it adds a cute vibe to the book, but some parts were too intense: when they talk about how they couldn’t live without the other, how life has no meaning if the other die… I mean, I get that you are in love, but they met a year ago maybe, they declare their love for each other a few months ago and since then they were only able to see each other 3 or 4 times… It was a little too cheesy for my taste, considering their background together.
Still, the pace was good as always, you don’t have the time to catch your breath with this book. The only downside would be the pattern of "I disappear, and you think I’m dead but I’m not". First with Avry in the second book, then with Kerrick (more than once), then Belen and then Avry again. It was beginning to be a little repetitive and we knew what to expect, I was not anxious anymore, I knew that somehow, everybody would be fine at the end. Talking about the end, I was expecting something a little more polished… It felt as if the author knew what she wanted to do, but she had a limited number of pages to do it. It was lacking some details, some explanations maybe… It ends abruptly, with no real surprise about the outcome.
It is a good conclusion to the series, but I realize now that some details bothered me more than the first time I read it.
1. Touch of Power ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Scent of Magic ⭐⭐⭐.5
Follow me on Instagram 🙂
January 8, 2017
I really loved everything about this book such a good read.
August 23, 2021
Overall, the entire series is a fantastic read. Once, you got the idea of fantasy created by the author... It was quite a satisfying read. Despite that, often there were few things I couldn't wrap my mind around. Hence, a star less, giving the entire series a 3 star rating.
Nonetheless, as said earlier, a good read. The writing was good. Best of all, I loved the characters. Especially the secondary characters. Belen, Flea and the monkeys - Quain and Loren were the best!! They kept the story quite interesting. I doubt I will ever read it again, but I don't for a second ever regret reading the series!
Nonetheless, as said earlier, a good read. The writing was good. Best of all, I loved the characters. Especially the secondary characters. Belen, Flea and the monkeys - Quain and Loren were the best!! They kept the story quite interesting. I doubt I will ever read it again, but I don't for a second ever regret reading the series!
March 20, 2020
By this point in the series, I was fed up with the multiple Romeo Juliet type non-endings. I have lost count of how many times the hero and heroine believe each other to be dead and grieve. It completely lost its appeal after about the third time around. I had become desensitized to it, especially since, there were many chapters that were titled Karrick!
I found the entire series to be sad. By the time I reached the third book, there was not a single character that I was rooting for! Avry is portrayed as smart, selfless and noble, but all I felt was irritation at how many times she is used as a pawn for a smart woman. And as for Karrick, I never liked him. Not since the very beginning when he hits, starves, tortures and abuses Avry. And if anyone fits the bill for an anti-hero, then it's Rayne.
There are various situations and circumstances, where the main characters are hurt and/or used, but they still keep going on making the same mistakes. Take Rayne's treatment of Avry - he leaves her in the enemy camp, uses her as bait (multiple times) and Avry pouts a little, and then is happy to be his bait... again! And there is Karrick, who is also angry with Rayne's treatment of Avry but doesn't do anything about it. At all! I would think, that since Avry was the love of his life, he would at least be angrier on her behalf, or even prevent it from happening again. But no dice!
In all, I found no redeeming qualities in the main characters and wasn't sure how they were any different from the opposite team, except they were the ones that the author was writing about. It had become a chore to read this book and I felt it very difficult to finish. And did I mention the missing epilogue!
Good thing there isn't a fourth book in this series because that would have certainly been a hard pass.
I found the entire series to be sad. By the time I reached the third book, there was not a single character that I was rooting for! Avry is portrayed as smart, selfless and noble, but all I felt was irritation at how many times she is used as a pawn for a smart woman. And as for Karrick, I never liked him. Not since the very beginning when he hits, starves, tortures and abuses Avry. And if anyone fits the bill for an anti-hero, then it's Rayne.
There are various situations and circumstances, where the main characters are hurt and/or used, but they still keep going on making the same mistakes. Take Rayne's treatment of Avry - he leaves her in the enemy camp, uses her as bait (multiple times) and Avry pouts a little, and then is happy to be his bait... again! And there is Karrick, who is also angry with Rayne's treatment of Avry but doesn't do anything about it. At all! I would think, that since Avry was the love of his life, he would at least be angrier on her behalf, or even prevent it from happening again. But no dice!
In all, I found no redeeming qualities in the main characters and wasn't sure how they were any different from the opposite team, except they were the ones that the author was writing about. It had become a chore to read this book and I felt it very difficult to finish. And did I mention the missing epilogue!
Good thing there isn't a fourth book in this series because that would have certainly been a hard pass.
February 6, 2017
I started reading the Healers Trilogy expecting something similar to what the study-trilogy gave me and in part i got it in other parts I didn't. I could see the progression Snyder has made as a writer compared to the Study-Trilogy, which was nice, but there were still problems in terms of story telling.
Let me start with the characters. Avry and Kerrick are basically carbon copies of Yelena and Valek. since I loved those two, I didn't really mind, but still, the similarities were very very obvious. Also several themes of the Study-Series reappeared in this one.
The more obvious ones I already menioned in the previous reviews, more specific for this book
I did appreciate that the side characters got more profile and dimensions. Especially, Ryne was a nice addition. I was so angry with him for the way he used Avry and in consequence betrayed Kerrick and at the same time deeply impressed with his brilliance and strategic genius. I adored Great-aunt Yasmin (if I ever become this old, I want to be like her!) and I really liked the few scenes we had between Kerrick and the kids. Noak was entretaning as well.
Some major problems I had with this series/the last book:
All in all this book felt very dark, not least because of the few scenes with and about the Skeleton King, and had so much plot it could have easily filled two books. In the end Taste of Darkness left me more disturbed and unsatified than I would have hoped for.
Let me start with the characters. Avry and Kerrick are basically carbon copies of Yelena and Valek. since I loved those two, I didn't really mind, but still, the similarities were very very obvious. Also several themes of the Study-Series reappeared in this one.
The more obvious ones I already menioned in the previous reviews, more specific for this book
I did appreciate that the side characters got more profile and dimensions. Especially, Ryne was a nice addition. I was so angry with him for the way he used Avry and in consequence betrayed Kerrick and at the same time deeply impressed with his brilliance and strategic genius. I adored Great-aunt Yasmin (if I ever become this old, I want to be like her!) and I really liked the few scenes we had between Kerrick and the kids. Noak was entretaning as well.
Some major problems I had with this series/the last book:
All in all this book felt very dark, not least because of the few scenes with and about the Skeleton King, and had so much plot it could have easily filled two books. In the end Taste of Darkness left me more disturbed and unsatified than I would have hoped for.
January 6, 2014
Initial Thoughts: The best book in the series! After a slow start and trying to remember the huge cast of characters, I quickly got into this story and enjoyed it immensely. I loved the world created by the author and the book was a lot of fun to read. Full review to come...
The Review:
I've been a fan of Maria V. Snyder's Healer series for quite a while now. When the opportunity to read and review the third book came along, I jumped at the chance. The Healer series focuses on Avry, a remarkable young woman who is a healer in a land ravaged by plague and war.
In Taste of Darkness, Avry shines. She has matured since the previous books. She is no longer an outlaw, healing young children in hiding. Instead, Avry is well-respected and a source of exasperation for the men in her life: Prince Ryne and Kerrick. I loved how Avry was openly defiant of the Prince. Kerrick adores Avry, and would do anything for her. The other men in her life, the Monkeys, look up to Avry for leadership. Of course, Tohon is still around and he continues to invade Avry's dreams, taunting her.
Taste of Darkness starts off slowly. There is little recapping of the events of the previous books. I would recommend reading the books of this series in consecutive order with as little gap in time as possible. There's a huge cast of characters to keep track of, but I've come to expect that in the fantasy genre. Have patience, I think that this is the best book of the series. Taste of Darkness is an action-packed adventure, with lots of twists, turns, and betrayals.
I think what I loved about this book (and the series in general) was the intricate world created by the author. It has a middle ages feel to it, yet it touches upon biological warfare. The magic in the series in intriguing, spanning all sorts of abilities: life, healing, persuasion, and the like. Even the vegetation of this world becomes a character. Giant identical lilys, capable of swallowing a man whole have a sentient connection to the land and those characters with magical abilities. The romance aspect was there in the story, not really in the forefront, but an integral part of the story nonetheless. Oh, and a word about our villain. Tohon has got to be one of the more deliciously evil characters out there.
Taste of Darkness was an enjoyable read and a satisfying end to the series. The author is an excellent storyteller and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
The Review:
I've been a fan of Maria V. Snyder's Healer series for quite a while now. When the opportunity to read and review the third book came along, I jumped at the chance. The Healer series focuses on Avry, a remarkable young woman who is a healer in a land ravaged by plague and war.
In Taste of Darkness, Avry shines. She has matured since the previous books. She is no longer an outlaw, healing young children in hiding. Instead, Avry is well-respected and a source of exasperation for the men in her life: Prince Ryne and Kerrick. I loved how Avry was openly defiant of the Prince. Kerrick adores Avry, and would do anything for her. The other men in her life, the Monkeys, look up to Avry for leadership. Of course, Tohon is still around and he continues to invade Avry's dreams, taunting her.
Taste of Darkness starts off slowly. There is little recapping of the events of the previous books. I would recommend reading the books of this series in consecutive order with as little gap in time as possible. There's a huge cast of characters to keep track of, but I've come to expect that in the fantasy genre. Have patience, I think that this is the best book of the series. Taste of Darkness is an action-packed adventure, with lots of twists, turns, and betrayals.
I think what I loved about this book (and the series in general) was the intricate world created by the author. It has a middle ages feel to it, yet it touches upon biological warfare. The magic in the series in intriguing, spanning all sorts of abilities: life, healing, persuasion, and the like. Even the vegetation of this world becomes a character. Giant identical lilys, capable of swallowing a man whole have a sentient connection to the land and those characters with magical abilities. The romance aspect was there in the story, not really in the forefront, but an integral part of the story nonetheless. Oh, and a word about our villain. Tohon has got to be one of the more deliciously evil characters out there.
Taste of Darkness was an enjoyable read and a satisfying end to the series. The author is an excellent storyteller and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for a review copy of this book.
Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
June 25, 2016
"You have my heart, my soul, my life. I'm an empty shell without you."Actual rating is 3/5 stars.
Hell, this book felt too long and too slow. You'd think since they're in war that they'd have limited time to do important things but no. Several months passed by before things escalated. There's just too many back and forth that had me rolling my eyes and wanting it to just end. The end wasn't even that thrilling!
Sigh.
Anyway, I'm really happy with all the character growths. Avry wasn't the healer from the beginning who was afraid to get attached to anyone since she was on the run anymore. She found a family in the gang and I really enjoyed how their relationship tightened. She also became very proud of being a healer. Lastly, The other characters too undergone developments that I really enjoyed and didn't expect.
I love my ship. I loved how they cherished each moment together and also how they grew, not just as individual characters, but also as a couple. They understand each other better now and they argued less and there were more kisses.
I wasn't really satisfied with the end. I think it could have been more thrilling if it weren't dragged out too much. I've also given up hope in understanding anything about the lilies and the plague.
I know my review of the first and second book were terrible. It's actually because I can't really remember what happened and where exactly they ended. I kept on picking up the next one immediately after finishing the one I was reading, which shows just how gripping the story was despite all my rants.
All in all, it had been a fun series. Maria V. Snyder is one of the most recognized fantasy writer in the book community and while this series didn't meet my expectations, I will most definitely pick up more of her works.
October 13, 2021
This and my other reviews can be found at http://amethystbookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk/
Avry is desperate because Kerrick has gone missing after he is poisoned by Death Lily toxin. Even though she is the only one who still thinks he is alive after searching for weeks, she has to focus on her patients as a new type of plague seems to be arising. With people developing new powers, Avry wanting to fulfil her promise to mom and look after her patients, and enemies surrounding them, including the disturbing Skeleton King, will Avry and her friends be able to survive and find peace?
Taste of Darkness is the brilliant third and final book in the Healer series and is darker than the previous books. This book has lots of twists and turns, which at some points was a bit confusing, with action, romance and an edge of your seat story. However, one criticism of this book, and the rest of the series, is that is that no one stays dead, so after the third time of hearing that someone has died, you tend not to believe it.
Avry is the same as the last books as she is caring strong and selfless, but she does not want to be anyone’s puppet anymore, even Ryne’s, and wants to do what she thinks is right. Kerrick is weaker and more jealous than in the previous books but is still a good hero of this book and whilst Avry and Kerrick are together more than the last book (Thank the Flea!) I wish they were not apart as much as they were.
I love the secondary characters especially the Monkeys and Flea, and I feel they really make this book. Also the enemies are brilliant in this book, even though there feels like there are too many, and we get to meet the creepy and spine-chilling Skeleton King, who makes Tohon seem like a normal person.
I would love to see more books based in this world and I would recommend Taste of Darkness and the Healer series to fans of Maria V Snyder’s other books.
Avry is desperate because Kerrick has gone missing after he is poisoned by Death Lily toxin. Even though she is the only one who still thinks he is alive after searching for weeks, she has to focus on her patients as a new type of plague seems to be arising. With people developing new powers, Avry wanting to fulfil her promise to mom and look after her patients, and enemies surrounding them, including the disturbing Skeleton King, will Avry and her friends be able to survive and find peace?
Taste of Darkness is the brilliant third and final book in the Healer series and is darker than the previous books. This book has lots of twists and turns, which at some points was a bit confusing, with action, romance and an edge of your seat story. However, one criticism of this book, and the rest of the series, is that is that no one stays dead, so after the third time of hearing that someone has died, you tend not to believe it.
Avry is the same as the last books as she is caring strong and selfless, but she does not want to be anyone’s puppet anymore, even Ryne’s, and wants to do what she thinks is right. Kerrick is weaker and more jealous than in the previous books but is still a good hero of this book and whilst Avry and Kerrick are together more than the last book (Thank the Flea!) I wish they were not apart as much as they were.
I love the secondary characters especially the Monkeys and Flea, and I feel they really make this book. Also the enemies are brilliant in this book, even though there feels like there are too many, and we get to meet the creepy and spine-chilling Skeleton King, who makes Tohon seem like a normal person.
I would love to see more books based in this world and I would recommend Taste of Darkness and the Healer series to fans of Maria V Snyder’s other books.
February 3, 2020
Taste of Darkness is the third and final book in Maria V. Snyder’s Healer series, and it’s a great end to the series. There was plenty packed into this book, ensuring I was hooked from the first to the last page.
With Taste of Darkness, everything that has been building throughout the prior books comes together. So much happens throughout this one, constantly keeping you turning the pages. I confess, some things were predictable and I saw them coming well in advance, but not everything. There were a few nice surprises, and this certainly kept me on my toes.
I did expect a bit more from the ending, though. It felt very sudden, and I would have liked to have received a bit more about what happened after. As it was, I feel it left things somewhat open, and I’d like a bonus story or spin-off just to give me the chance to close things in my mind. Despite this, I still had a lot of fun with the book.
If you’ve enjoyed the two prior books, this is well worth the read to see how things conclude.
With Taste of Darkness, everything that has been building throughout the prior books comes together. So much happens throughout this one, constantly keeping you turning the pages. I confess, some things were predictable and I saw them coming well in advance, but not everything. There were a few nice surprises, and this certainly kept me on my toes.
I did expect a bit more from the ending, though. It felt very sudden, and I would have liked to have received a bit more about what happened after. As it was, I feel it left things somewhat open, and I’d like a bonus story or spin-off just to give me the chance to close things in my mind. Despite this, I still had a lot of fun with the book.
If you’ve enjoyed the two prior books, this is well worth the read to see how things conclude.
February 17, 2015
Official Rating 3.8 stars
This book is an stunning conclusion to the trilogy, however it still could have been better. Everything was nicely summed up, if you enjoyed the second book this one would not be a disappointment.
This book is an stunning conclusion to the trilogy, however it still could have been better. Everything was nicely summed up, if you enjoyed the second book this one would not be a disappointment.
January 4, 2014
Why do we have to wait so long?!?! I'm really upset with the way Scent of Magic ended. ;~;
4.5 stars
ETA: I loved it! A satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.
4.5 stars
ETA: I loved it! A satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.
March 27, 2015
So much love!! Can't believe it's over!
Currently reading
August 12, 2016I love Avery! I love Kerrick! This is going to be great!
April 8, 2017
great series ! Lots of characters , the plot spreads on extensive geographical areas , wonderfull and originals ideas for a great magical world .
The last book was very busy and fast , a bit too much for me , but still I enjoyed it very much .
The last book was very busy and fast , a bit too much for me , but still I enjoyed it very much .
January 25, 2014
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley.)
This is book 3 in the ‘Healer’ trilogy, and picks up where book 2 left off.
Kerrick is poisoned by a death lily, and taken by the forest. Avry has no idea what has happened to him, why she has a whole bunch of patient’s dying, or what is going on with Tohon and the Skeleton King.
Will Kerrick ever come back? Can Avry heal her patients when it seems a new plague has arisen? And can they defeat their enemies once and for all?
This was a good end to the series, and surprisingly it wasn’t all about the war.
Avry took charge in this book, and really showed her strength as both a healer and a leader. She continued to put her own life at risk to help others, and kept her faith in Kerrick, even when all seemed lost. She also put real thought into trying to solve problems, and finding the best ways to do things.
The storyline in this was pretty good, and I was pleased that it wasn’t all politics and war. I really couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Kerrick after the end of ‘Scent of Magic’, and I was happy with the way things turned out.
There was some action, and some twists, and there was also a little touch of romance. I thought that the story flowed well, and there was just enough going on to keep it interesting, but I didn’t think that it was all that exciting strangely enough.
The ending was okay, and I was happy with the way things turned out. We did get a happy ending, and things were all tied up satisfactorily.
Overall; a good end to the series.
7 out of 10.
This is book 3 in the ‘Healer’ trilogy, and picks up where book 2 left off.
Kerrick is poisoned by a death lily, and taken by the forest. Avry has no idea what has happened to him, why she has a whole bunch of patient’s dying, or what is going on with Tohon and the Skeleton King.
Will Kerrick ever come back? Can Avry heal her patients when it seems a new plague has arisen? And can they defeat their enemies once and for all?
This was a good end to the series, and surprisingly it wasn’t all about the war.
Avry took charge in this book, and really showed her strength as both a healer and a leader. She continued to put her own life at risk to help others, and kept her faith in Kerrick, even when all seemed lost. She also put real thought into trying to solve problems, and finding the best ways to do things.
The storyline in this was pretty good, and I was pleased that it wasn’t all politics and war. I really couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Kerrick after the end of ‘Scent of Magic’, and I was happy with the way things turned out.
There was some action, and some twists, and there was also a little touch of romance. I thought that the story flowed well, and there was just enough going on to keep it interesting, but I didn’t think that it was all that exciting strangely enough.
The ending was okay, and I was happy with the way things turned out. We did get a happy ending, and things were all tied up satisfactorily.
Overall; a good end to the series.
7 out of 10.
July 7, 2014
Kerrick is missing.
Avery refuses to believe he is dead, but her desperate search turns up nothing and there is still a war to be fought. So she leaves a message and continues on to help collect Death Lily toxin, treat the patients in the infirmary, and defy the Skeleton King—among other felonious villains attempting to destroy the Kingdoms.
Fortunately her instincts prove accurate. Most of the time.
Taste of Darkness is the third and final book in Maria V. Snyder’s Healer series. Practically everything in this book is a reveal so I’m afraid I can’t tell you my favorite aspects of the novel. I will say that I enjoyed Flea’s development as a character throughout the book, and the massive escape attempt was rather exciting:)
Avery refuses to believe he is dead, but her desperate search turns up nothing and there is still a war to be fought. So she leaves a message and continues on to help collect Death Lily toxin, treat the patients in the infirmary, and defy the Skeleton King—among other felonious villains attempting to destroy the Kingdoms.
Fortunately her instincts prove accurate. Most of the time.
Taste of Darkness is the third and final book in Maria V. Snyder’s Healer series. Practically everything in this book is a reveal so I’m afraid I can’t tell you my favorite aspects of the novel. I will say that I enjoyed Flea’s development as a character throughout the book, and the massive escape attempt was rather exciting:)
Want to read
March 23, 2013This is torture!!! I've read the first two books two months ago, have almost been crying that I have to wait too damn long for the third one. But eventually I was like: give yourself a few days and some more books and you'll soon get over it. But nope, after reading 13 more books I still can't forget, have to think about it every time I start a book and end it... They can just all go home with their wanna-be-kick-ass-females and their style to tell a tale. Maria Snyder, pleeease write more books and please try to get faster! If you continue to write only one book a year, I definitely will have to be reborn (and I actually don't wanna repeat this physical state...). Well, can't wait!!!
December 18, 2019
I like how it switched between Avry and Kerrick. It gave new perspective and made it more interesting. It ended rather abruptly and I thought the battle with Tohon would be more intense. I loved this book when I first read it, but I suppose time changes the perspective.
December 20, 2013
2014?!?!?! Are you kidding me?! After the way Scent of Magic ended...? :(
EDIT:
Thank god it's back to 2013 again...and that I have an ARC ;)
EDIT:
Thank god it's back to 2013 again...and that I have an ARC ;)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,134 reviews