Read Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder to get through Droughtlander

We’re all looking for ways to get through Droughtlander. Books are a good way to use up the time and Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder is my recommendation for the week.

Books are an excellent way to get through Droughtlander. They take up more hours than TV shows, especially more of the modern offerings on Netflix, Amazon Prime, cable etc. Plus, they are more often developed into a series of books that don’t rely on networks to keep them going. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder is my recommendation for Outlander fans this week.

It’s a novel that I just couldn’t put down. I did keep switching between Audible and the physical book depending on the type of time that I had — and that’s because I needed to know more. I didn’t want to finish at the next chapter but wouldn’t always be able to sit and read, so the Audible version gave me the chance to listen on the go.

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Set in an entirely fictional world, Poison Study gave us the story of Yelena, a woman who had been sentenced to death. Instead of execution, she was given the chance to become the food taster for Commander Ambrose, which quickly started her journey into a larger conspiracy, a world of magic and poisons, and spy work.

If you love the world building, this is certainly a book that you’ll enjoy. While there were times that the explantations pulled me out (the same happens for me with Outlander to be honest), most of them were important to tell the full tale. They helped to add another layer into this fantasy, almost-dystopian-like universe.

Yelena is an excellent lead protagonist, giving us a chance to learn with her. She doesn’t know about poisons and magic, meaning we get to figure things out as she does. Usually, I’m not a fan of first-person storytelling but Poison Study makes good use of is, as we learn all about the conspiracy and figure things out along with her.

It’s hard to know who to trust along the way. However, she gains friendships and figures out the alliances within the castle. The side characters are well developed, even for a first-person book, as we get to hear other people’s opinions about them.

Ari and Janco are two of my favorites, reminding me a lot of Rupert and Angus in the Outlander TV series. They’re funny, believable, and loyal to one another. Then there’s Marin, who reminds me a little of what Geillis was like to begin with (not at the end). Marin is a tough woman, who doesn’t trust easily, knows what she wants, and proves that being female doesn’t make you weak.

Irys is one of those characters you don’t know if you can trust. She’s one that you want to get to know more about along the way, though. And Valek…well, his storyline is a little more predictable than others but that doesn’t stop you from wanting to know more, especially about his ability to withstand magical abilities. And it doesn’t stop you falling in love with his and Yelena’s growing relationship.

Poison Study is much shorter than the Outlander books. The novel takes about 11 hours of Audible time compared to the 40+ hours for Diana Gabaldon’s tomes. If I’m honest, this was a good thing. There wasn’t too much time spent on unnecessary details and the plot was fast-paced, leaving me wanting more.

It is a series called The Chronicles of Ixia. I’m already ordering Magic Study, the second book, but there are many more along the way. This is a series that I’m sure fantasy lovers will enjoy.

Have you ready Poison Study? Which books do you recommend for Outlander fans? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Poison Study is available from all major book retailers and from Audible.