After reading several of the same type of books back to back, I welcomed the opportunity to read something different and to review Touch of Power. And it has one of my favorite plot devices, a character with the ability to heal. In addition, I had heard very positive things about this author and hadn’t read any of her books before.

Avry of Kazan has been on the run for three years. She realizes that she risks exposure, but she can’t abide listening to the child Fawn’s cries anymore. She knows that unless she does something Fawn will die from the drowning sickness. When Avry heals, she draws the illness into her body. Even though her body heals ten times faster than a regular person, she becomes very ill after healing Fawn, underestimating how sick the little girl was.

She had planned to make an early escape because once she heals someone, the whispers start but instead succumbs to dizziness and weakness. She wakes up to pounding on the door, demanding that she surrender. Avry escapes through the back door, but is caught by the town’s watchman. Imprisoned, she now awaits execution.

The first night in prison she gets abducted by a group of knaves. Thinking that they want the gold for her capture for themselves, she is informed that they only want her to heal someone and then they will set her free. However, Avry realizes that there is nothing to keep them from turning her in for the bounty after she heals their friend.

Healers were blamed for the plague that hit the country. In attempting to heal the first victims, the healers then died, so the Healer Guild sent out a letter to members telling them not to heal individuals with certain symptoms, explaining that success was unlikely. This memo left out the fact that once they drew the disease into their body, the healers couldn’t cure themselves. When this missive comes to light, the healers are blamed and become hunted. From her companions, Avry discovers that she is the only healer left alive – everyone else has been executed. From their conversation, she determines that the individual they want her to heal has the plague. Even though it will cost her life, she is open to healing, especially if the individual is worth her life. She feels so weary of being on the run and alone especially after losing her own family.

After the plague pandemic, all forms of organized government collapsed so Avry and her companions will be traveling through areas thick with marauders and gangs. But the biggest surprise is who they want her to heal. Upon hearing his name, she makes her feelings clear; she will not heal this man and she starts making plans to escape. However, the group’s leader, Kerrick of Alga, is unwavering in his insistence that she will heal Prince Ryne of Ivdel Realm. As the group makes it way toward Prince Ryne the battle of wills continues between Kerrick and Avry, only abating as they escape bounty hunters pursuing her and other perils.

Avry is an excellent heroine. Even after three years of seeing the worst of her fellow citizens, she is still willing to put her life on the line for them. She is resourceful, strong and daring – everything a heroine should be. Kerrick as a hero didn’t appeal to me at first. When Avry first announces that she won’t heal Prince Ryne and she will rejoice in his death, Kerrick backhands her. Men hitting women anytime is not acceptable to me. Initially too, Avry is just a commodity albeit an extremely rare one, and he is only protecting her because of her ability to heal his friend. As the story progresses, he does redeem himself and become more likeable.

The secondary characters are clearly drawn, and Kerrick’s band of men definitely add to the storyline. I was less enthused about the antagonists. And yes, there are multiple ones. As the crew travel to their destination, they meet one challenge after another, sometimes escaping and sometimes not.

And for me that part of the story is what brought the grade down to a C+. It seems that the group would only flee or dodge one threat just to run into another. Plus the romance is very low key for most of the book, as the relationship between Avry and Kerrick is adversarial for a big part of the story. Almost as much time is spent detailing Avry’s growing relationship with secondary characters as with Kerrick. In addition, I found parts of the magical healing a little too strange for me.

First books in a series can be uneven since so much time can be spent in world building and characterization. And that is exactly how this book felt. I liked parts of it, but not others – leaving me unsure if I will read the next book in the series.