Review by Mindful Wordsmith -- We are Voulhire: A New Ar...
Posted: 18 May 2021, 22:36
[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 an epic fantasy novel which takes us into the complex and unforgiving world of Voulhire. It's a story of political and socio-economic turmoil, war, siege, monks, magicians, fighters, brutes, and devastated families, with a thoroughly constructed world and layered characters.
Galen Bray belongs to the war-ravaged Lands of the Princes wherein what every citizen ever saw were civil wars, poverty and hunger. By a stroke of luck, he gets a chance to migrate to Voulhire, a prosperous kingdom with a rich history and fragile political stability. The present calm and security of Voulhire is threatened by evil mages and a blood-thirsty group of sadists called Riva Rohavi. Voulhire's King Wilhelm has to confront not only these sinister elements but also the head of the Mianoran Council, Midius Maido. Maido is a haughty and sneering heavyweight whose real intentions are difficult to comprehend. King Wilhelm has very few real allies and one of them is Lord Eldus Alderman. Lord Eldus takes up the responsibility of fixing the town of Hillport whose people have been physically, psychologically and financially throttled by Lord Eldus' predecessors.
Matthew Tysz has created a wonderful world full of compelling characters and charming cities. There are mages and superhuman beings in the story. Yet, the story is not overpowered by these fantastical aspects. I think this is one of the strongest points of this novel.
What I noticed and appreciated a lot about this book is how the various characters each get a moment to shine as the plot unfolds. For example, Galen isn't your typical protagonist who has superior intelligence and strength, or is driven by a goal. Galen Bray has a very passive role in the story because as a new arrival in Voulhire, he is still getting to know the people and life around him. But I liked his character because he is someone who will not tolerate injustice or cruelty. However, it remains to be seen how well his character is shaped in the next books.
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is the first of nine books in the series and hence, the reader will get to see only a handful of characters and places. In fact, not much is known beyond the kingdom of Voulhire and none of the characters are fleshed out completely. The story ended abruptly. But this only made me more curious about what happens next.
The book was professionally edited as I found only a few minor mistakes. Those mistakes did not hamper the reading experience in any way. The book contains some scenes with graphic and gruesome violence. Reading about them can cause distress to sensitive readers because of the impunity with which these acts are committed. The topic of paedophilia is a major plot point. Hence, I'll advise readers to be prepared to encounter some unsavoury bits in the story. All in all, I enjoyed reading this novel from the beginning to the end. Thus, I'll give it a perfect 4 out of 4 stars rating.
I'll recommend this book to fantasy lovers. Besides, this book will serve as a satisfying first book for those who haven't read the fantasy genre before.
******
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 an epic fantasy novel which takes us into the complex and unforgiving world of Voulhire. It's a story of political and socio-economic turmoil, war, siege, monks, magicians, fighters, brutes, and devastated families, with a thoroughly constructed world and layered characters.
Galen Bray belongs to the war-ravaged Lands of the Princes wherein what every citizen ever saw were civil wars, poverty and hunger. By a stroke of luck, he gets a chance to migrate to Voulhire, a prosperous kingdom with a rich history and fragile political stability. The present calm and security of Voulhire is threatened by evil mages and a blood-thirsty group of sadists called Riva Rohavi. Voulhire's King Wilhelm has to confront not only these sinister elements but also the head of the Mianoran Council, Midius Maido. Maido is a haughty and sneering heavyweight whose real intentions are difficult to comprehend. King Wilhelm has very few real allies and one of them is Lord Eldus Alderman. Lord Eldus takes up the responsibility of fixing the town of Hillport whose people have been physically, psychologically and financially throttled by Lord Eldus' predecessors.
Matthew Tysz has created a wonderful world full of compelling characters and charming cities. There are mages and superhuman beings in the story. Yet, the story is not overpowered by these fantastical aspects. I think this is one of the strongest points of this novel.
What I noticed and appreciated a lot about this book is how the various characters each get a moment to shine as the plot unfolds. For example, Galen isn't your typical protagonist who has superior intelligence and strength, or is driven by a goal. Galen Bray has a very passive role in the story because as a new arrival in Voulhire, he is still getting to know the people and life around him. But I liked his character because he is someone who will not tolerate injustice or cruelty. However, it remains to be seen how well his character is shaped in the next books.
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is the first of nine books in the series and hence, the reader will get to see only a handful of characters and places. In fact, not much is known beyond the kingdom of Voulhire and none of the characters are fleshed out completely. The story ended abruptly. But this only made me more curious about what happens next.
The book was professionally edited as I found only a few minor mistakes. Those mistakes did not hamper the reading experience in any way. The book contains some scenes with graphic and gruesome violence. Reading about them can cause distress to sensitive readers because of the impunity with which these acts are committed. The topic of paedophilia is a major plot point. Hence, I'll advise readers to be prepared to encounter some unsavoury bits in the story. All in all, I enjoyed reading this novel from the beginning to the end. Thus, I'll give it a perfect 4 out of 4 stars rating.
I'll recommend this book to fantasy lovers. Besides, this book will serve as a satisfying first book for those who haven't read the fantasy genre before.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
