Review by hailpark -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival und...
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hailpark
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Review by hailpark -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival und...
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
Matthew Tysz depicts a world of kings, lords, and magic in We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies, the first instalment in a series of gripping fantasy novels. Galen Bray takes a voyage to Magnum Caelum, a seemingly unbecoming town in Voulhire, to escape his war-torn and poverty stricken homeland and secure a better future.
While Galen tries to settle into his new home, trouble is stirring in Voulhire’s other towns. In Hillport, the newly appointed lord, Eldus, investigates the crimes committed by his predecessor. Unbeknownst to the rest of Hillport’s residents, an infamous sorcerer is lying dormant in another dimension, waiting for the perfect time to strike.
The first thing I realised when I began reading this was how charming the dialogue and descriptors were. Excluding the occasional misplaced or missing comma, it flowed like poetry—but as I was about a third of the way through the book, it got sloppier. There was an excess of ellipses, and the sentences tended to run on.
Galen, as the main character, was exceptionally lovable. The chapters from his perspective were by far the most complex in terms of characters. I found myself invested in the origins of each person he met on his journey. Especially Rowan, who serves as Galen’s guide and friend throughout Magnum Caelum. I’m excited to see how their friendship progresses in the sequels.
Steering away from Galen’s perspective for a moment, it’s equally important to talk about Eldus, who acts as the secondary protagonist. His chapters were not my favourite. It seemed odd to even include them, since Eldus and Galen aren’t connected in any way. Eldus’s chapters ended up being a poor diversion from Galen’s more interesting perspective.
Continuing the discussion of perspectives, there was an overwhelming amount—I counted at least five. It became confusing and tiring to follow along with, and it was difficult to memorise the names and locations that came with the different viewpoints. I was unsure which characters and plotlines were the main focus. Galen’s story was put on hold to make way for subplots that didn’t amount to anything.
As an introduction to the series, this book does a fantastic job at captivating its readers. I’m giving this book 3 out of 4 stars. I can see this being popular among the fantasy and YA crowd. It’s definitely piqued my interest, and I highly recommend it to followers of this genre.
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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Matthew Tysz depicts a world of kings, lords, and magic in We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies, the first instalment in a series of gripping fantasy novels. Galen Bray takes a voyage to Magnum Caelum, a seemingly unbecoming town in Voulhire, to escape his war-torn and poverty stricken homeland and secure a better future.
While Galen tries to settle into his new home, trouble is stirring in Voulhire’s other towns. In Hillport, the newly appointed lord, Eldus, investigates the crimes committed by his predecessor. Unbeknownst to the rest of Hillport’s residents, an infamous sorcerer is lying dormant in another dimension, waiting for the perfect time to strike.
The first thing I realised when I began reading this was how charming the dialogue and descriptors were. Excluding the occasional misplaced or missing comma, it flowed like poetry—but as I was about a third of the way through the book, it got sloppier. There was an excess of ellipses, and the sentences tended to run on.
Galen, as the main character, was exceptionally lovable. The chapters from his perspective were by far the most complex in terms of characters. I found myself invested in the origins of each person he met on his journey. Especially Rowan, who serves as Galen’s guide and friend throughout Magnum Caelum. I’m excited to see how their friendship progresses in the sequels.
Steering away from Galen’s perspective for a moment, it’s equally important to talk about Eldus, who acts as the secondary protagonist. His chapters were not my favourite. It seemed odd to even include them, since Eldus and Galen aren’t connected in any way. Eldus’s chapters ended up being a poor diversion from Galen’s more interesting perspective.
Continuing the discussion of perspectives, there was an overwhelming amount—I counted at least five. It became confusing and tiring to follow along with, and it was difficult to memorise the names and locations that came with the different viewpoints. I was unsure which characters and plotlines were the main focus. Galen’s story was put on hold to make way for subplots that didn’t amount to anything.
As an introduction to the series, this book does a fantastic job at captivating its readers. I’m giving this book 3 out of 4 stars. I can see this being popular among the fantasy and YA crowd. It’s definitely piqued my interest, and I highly recommend it to followers of this genre.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Pop's by M. R. Gerbo
