Avry Of Kazan Books In Order

Publication Order of Avry Of Kazan Books

Avry of Kazan is a series of science fiction and fantasy novel by Maria V Snyder. Snyder is a bestselling author whose childhood dream was to become a storm chaser hence her Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Pennsylvania State University. However, she never had the skill for weather forecasting and hence spent several years as a bored environmental meteorologist. Needing a creative outlet, she started writing science fiction and fantasy novels. Snyder published “Poison Study” her first novel in 2006. The book went on to win Best First Novel at the Compton Crook Awards. Since then she has gone on to publish numerous short stories and many more novels that have won her half a dozen awards and landed her on the New York Times bestselling list. She also went back to school at Seton Hill University from where she graduated with a Masters of Arts degree in Writing. She currently teaches Creative Writing at Seton Hill.

Maria Snyder is married and has two children that she says are a big inspiration for her novels though they can also be a huge distraction. She is also a lover of cats and has one huge one named Kitty. When she is not writing her novels she loves to do some photography, travel, play volleyball. However, she asserts that she still loves and finds writing to be the most fun thing she can do. According to Snyder, there is no better place to take glass blowing classes, fencing lessons, learn how to pick a lock, ride a horse, attend astronomy camp and study martial arts. It is a far cry from the days she was bored with meteorological studies that made her want to put a poker into her eyes.

The lead of the Avry of Kazan series by Maria V Snyder is Avry, an intelligent, strong-willed, sassy and likable character that lives to do the right thing. In the early novels she is on the verge of too much perfection but over the course of the series Snyder writes a woman that is a great role model for young women. Avry has a distinct personality that makes her not your typical Mary Sue. She has many talents and qualities such as resourcefulness, independence and being smart that makes sense in the overall arc of the story. She has to have these qualities if she is to survive in the horrible circumstances and settings that she often finds herself in. As a healer, she is self-sacrificing and in the novels we do find that she can be fallible in some situations. Moreover, she is just as short-sighted and stubborn as Kerrick her love interest. She has a love and hate relationship with Kerrick, which adds a delicious threat of tension between the two of them throughout the novels. Snyder also writes several supporting characters that are likable and help to move the story forward.

“Touch of Power” the first novel of the Avry of Kazan series introduces Avry Kazan. She is a healer with supernatural powers who can heal by taking on the illnesses and wounds of those that seek her help. However, the land is now ravaged by a deadly plague and the healers are accused of being responsible for it. As such, Avry is now a criminal with a huge bounty of her head and has to go on the run. She has been running for several years but gets caught when she heals a child that was dying and the illness makes her too weak to get away. She is prepared to face death as she gets the death penalty for being a healer. But on the night that she is to be executed, she is broken out of jail by Kerrick, a magically gifted and stubborn man. He has been looking for a healer since his fried Prince Ryne is afflicted by the plague. He thinks Avry can help heal his friend and stop full out war. However, there are some complications with his plan especially given the fact that Avry despises Ryne and by healing him, she is more likely than not going to die.

“Scent of Magic” the second novel of the series opens to Avry Kazan in a difficult position as the last healer in her world. She no longer exists in the minds of her enemies and friends alike who think she is dead. Avry needs to stop King Tohon a megalomaniacal man from gaining a stranglehold on the fifteen realms. She has to do this even as she looks for her sister and tries to make up with her. Ro add to it all, she is all alone as her sole confidant and partner Kerrick has gone back to Alga to get his countrymen to fight on their side against Tohon. She should have been hiding but she cannot do so when Tohon’s foes need her help. Avry has to teach forest skills to soldiers, infiltrate a holy army and find a way to defeat an army of the walking dead, which is one of Tohon’s most effective weapons yet. The walking dead are not easy to beat as they are a combination of human intelligence and animal strength and Avry has to do it mostly alone.

“Taste of Darkness” the third novel of the Avry of Kazan series tells of Avry who fought and won against bigger foes but now has to face fears. She had been through the plague and knows everything about trouble, hardship, and trouble. She had defeated King Tohon but then Kerrick her partner had gone missing after he was poisoned. They had been searching for him for weeks and she fears he is gone forever though she still thinks he is alive. But the more immediate threat is the fact that the Skeleton King has been plotting to become the ruler of the fifteen realms. The armies are in disarray and there are walking dead all over the place, which makes for a fertile ground for a hostile takeover. Avry needs to deal with all these, even as she deals with a new form of the plague ravaging the country. There are also many people who are developing supernatural powers. Avry is committed to take care of her patients and her mom, but with the Skeleton King and tons of enemies all around, will she and her friends be able to find peace let alone survive. She is torn between loyalty and love and with the future of the world resting with her, the decision is even more difficult.