Review by NetMassimo -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival u...
Posted: 28 Nov 2019, 08:03
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is a fantasy novel set in a world where magic exists. Galen Bray is a young man who has the chance to get away from a land devastated by war after receiving an inheritance from a great uncle. He travels to Magnum Caelum, which seems a peaceful city in the kingdom of Voulhire. The Riva Rohavi rebels are barely kept from invading Voulhire and are a constant threat. On an island, an extremely powerful wizard is kept prisoner, can his jailers keep him locked up?
This is the first book of a fantasy saga. It seems a classic form of fantasy, with a setting that has a medieval flavor. It's actually a multiverse, in the sense that a universe hosts the kingdom of Voulhire's world and another universe, called Caromentis, is full of magic. Spells can open a gateway to Caromentis, take magic from it, and use it.
What impressed me in the beginning of this novel were its characters. Matthew Tysz skillfully uses details to describe their actions, moods, feelings, and emotions. Even minor characters seem alive, and the important ones have a great development.
Some subplots are started to introduce characters and different places of that fictional universe. There's more introspection than action, so the pace can be slow. My attention remained focused thanks to interesting reflections and vivid descriptions. Every page offers something interesting such as introducing a mystery, telling information about a character's backstory, telling some piece of history of a place, and so on.
The result is complex, but it can be suitable for teenagers ready for something sophisticated. Sexual references are really mild, and the occasional profanities are what an average teenager hears every day. That doesn't mean Matthew Tysz avoided difficult themes: for example, Lord Eldus investigates an alleged pedophile. All of that might be too much for pre-teens but I think it's suitable for teenagers and older readers.
Note that this novel can be considered a big prologue because it sets the subplots in motion but has no real ending. That means there's a point in reading it only if you want to go on and read its sequels. It certainly stimulated my desire to go on because I found it engaging, intriguing, and well written.
This is the first part of a bigger story, so my judgment regards in part its potential, which seems remarkable thanks to the world-building job done by Matthew Tysz. The author proved you don't need to reinvent the wheel to create and excellent product. My rating is 4 out of 4 stars because of the novel's interesting contents and the professional editing. If you're ready to start a whole fantasy saga, I recommend this one.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is a fantasy novel set in a world where magic exists. Galen Bray is a young man who has the chance to get away from a land devastated by war after receiving an inheritance from a great uncle. He travels to Magnum Caelum, which seems a peaceful city in the kingdom of Voulhire. The Riva Rohavi rebels are barely kept from invading Voulhire and are a constant threat. On an island, an extremely powerful wizard is kept prisoner, can his jailers keep him locked up?
This is the first book of a fantasy saga. It seems a classic form of fantasy, with a setting that has a medieval flavor. It's actually a multiverse, in the sense that a universe hosts the kingdom of Voulhire's world and another universe, called Caromentis, is full of magic. Spells can open a gateway to Caromentis, take magic from it, and use it.
What impressed me in the beginning of this novel were its characters. Matthew Tysz skillfully uses details to describe their actions, moods, feelings, and emotions. Even minor characters seem alive, and the important ones have a great development.
Some subplots are started to introduce characters and different places of that fictional universe. There's more introspection than action, so the pace can be slow. My attention remained focused thanks to interesting reflections and vivid descriptions. Every page offers something interesting such as introducing a mystery, telling information about a character's backstory, telling some piece of history of a place, and so on.
The result is complex, but it can be suitable for teenagers ready for something sophisticated. Sexual references are really mild, and the occasional profanities are what an average teenager hears every day. That doesn't mean Matthew Tysz avoided difficult themes: for example, Lord Eldus investigates an alleged pedophile. All of that might be too much for pre-teens but I think it's suitable for teenagers and older readers.
Note that this novel can be considered a big prologue because it sets the subplots in motion but has no real ending. That means there's a point in reading it only if you want to go on and read its sequels. It certainly stimulated my desire to go on because I found it engaging, intriguing, and well written.
This is the first part of a bigger story, so my judgment regards in part its potential, which seems remarkable thanks to the world-building job done by Matthew Tysz. The author proved you don't need to reinvent the wheel to create and excellent product. My rating is 4 out of 4 stars because of the novel's interesting contents and the professional editing. If you're ready to start a whole fantasy saga, I recommend this one.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
