Review by Book Lover Jack -- We are Voulhire: A New Arri...

[Book Lover Jack]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Get ready for an epic literary adventure as you immerse yourself in the intricate, enchanting world of Matthew Tysz’s We Are Voulhire book series. We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies is the first book in this adult medieval fantasy saga, and it does not disappoint.

The realm of Voulhire, currently ruled by the great and beloved King Wilhelm; a land where politics, power, and mysterious forces at play shape the dynamics of this prosperous piece of land. The book opens up with the orphaned youth, Galen Bray. At the start of the book, Galen’s home is in the hostile and horrible Land of the Princes; a derelict country ruled by four treacherous brothers, each vying for their father’s throne; their father is the ‘Emperor of Lullabies,’ a wicked, mysterious king who many have never really seen with their eyes. So, when Galen Bray is sent for by his long-lost, dying uncle to come to the prosperous and peaceful land of Voulhire, Galen immediately jumps at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to escape this gloomy land. While in Voulhire, Galen encounters Rowan, the man that his uncle had hired to find him. Together they set out to help Galen settle down in this unfamiliar country. However, there are some evils unspeakable that lay beneath the surface of this thriving land. The supernatural and paranormal are never too far from the lives of Voulhire’s people, with its magicians known as ‘mages’ yielding nature bending powers.

We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies is a genuinely entertaining read. It is sophisticated. The characters, the plot, and the progression of the story are masterfully crafted. There are so many elements to it; the many characters, the several cities, the politics, the magic, the backstories, and so on; it is complex and entertaining, but not confusing. The author actually provides a glossary of terms for the reader, as well as a map, to help navigate through his fictional world. This story is really a political saga; several entities wielding or desiring to wield some sort of political power, whether through natural or supernatural means, dictate the dynamics at play in the novel.

I enjoyed the rich characters; their personalities and motivations came to life through the writing. It is clear by the end of this installment that it is not meant to be a standalone; it ends almost randomly and abruptly, with very little of the story being completed. I did not really enjoy this part. Because this is a standalone, there is not much of a climax that occurs; rather, a gradual buildup of action lays the foundation and leads toward the narrative of the successive installments in the series.

Even with the book’s many idiosyncratic names and unusual vocabulary, the writing remained without error; it was professionally written and edited. The several concurrent storylines are also logically structured.

The book contains profanity that is not suitable for children. In addition, parts of the narrative are a bit too dark for young audiences. This book is more suitable for adults that love the mature fantasy genre à la Game of Thrones. All in all, I find very little to fault in We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies. I give it a 4 out of 4 stars rating. Looking forward to reading the next installment.

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

Amazing review!

[Book Lover Jack]

Amazing review!

Thanks! Have you read the book?