Poison Study

Maria V. Snyder's Study series (also known as the Poison Study series) follows Yelena Zaltana, a convicted murderer given a reprieve from execution when she is made food taster to the Commander of the militarized nation of Ixia. Her uneasy alliance with Valek, the Commander's chief of security and personal assassin, draws her into court intrigue, hidden magical ability, and the shifting politics between Ixia and its magic-embracing neighbor Sitia. The mainline novels — Poison Study, Magic Study, Fire Study, Shadow Study, Night Study, and Dawn Study — are joined by the shorter companion entries Assassin Study, Power Study, Ice Study, and Diaper Study, and the series sits within Snyder's wider Chronicles of Ixia and Sitia.