Review by Nixk -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under G...

[Nixk]

[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is a fantasy story set in a country called Voulhire. We are introduced to Galen right off. He is moving to this country to take over his uncle's business. Having experienced years of war and unrest in his country, Voulhire represents freedom and new beginnings for him. However, the new land could be glamorous only on the surface. Beneath the shine there is a vicious war between the magical and the physical world. A war started by a powerful mage called Meldorath. Is Voulhire all it is promised to be? Could it be better or will it be worse for Galen?

Being the first of the nine books in the series, I felt a great introduction was made. The first few chapters are about the reader acclimating themselves to the land and its characters. It picks off slow with a steady plot development that will ensure readers understand the setting of the story. To top it all, the author added a website with definitions that the reader can look up. He also added a map of Voulhire at the very beginning of the book. All these are convenient for readers.

The author creates a vivid new world for the reader with his descriptions. His writing style is an addictive dose that will hook readers to the very last book. I am glad the ride will be a long one with this series.

I recommend the book to fantasy buffs and lovers of historical fiction. There was use of profanities, so I would suggest an audience of teenagers, at the very least.

The only thing I found a bit lacking was the bias in gender representation. All the characters driving the plot in the book are male. It could be because of the book's setting, where female involvement in anything noteworthy only extended to the nearest male's accomplishments. This was somewhat disappointing for me. I hope the rest of the books are different on this front.

I give it a rating of 3 out of 4 because of the above reasons. Had it not been for the issue I mentioned, I would have gladly awarded it four stars. The book was edited to perfection: I found no grammatical errors or typos. I hope everyone enjoys the story as much as I did. To put it succinctly, as the old man in the book said,

"In this special kingdom, where all the tools are provided to build a perfect world, you will stand as a firsthand witness to what people do when they have no excuse to fail.This, my children, is the magnificent and terrifying kingdom of Voulhire!"

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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[Mariana Figueira]

I agree with you on the subject of gender representation, though it fits with the overall feel of medieval times, doesn't it? Either way, thank you for the great review

[Sou Hi]

I agree with you on the subject of gender representation, though it fits with the overall feel of medieval times, doesn't it? Either way, thank you for the great review

I think so, too. If the female characters have the same power as the male, it would feel more like modern days, which does not really suit the medieval setting of the series.

And thanks for your nice review, Nixk. Hope you will enjoy the sequels.