Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies

[Lynn Maarman]

[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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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under the Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is a story about a kingdom that has all the tools for success and so is prosperous; the kingdom’s prosperity even baffles its king. The story follows Galen, an heir to a forge who escaped from the Land of Princes. As Galen discovers Voulhire and its many fascinations, we meet a range of characters that shape what lies beneath this wonderful land. We meet Wilhelm, a respected king, who is in a power struggle with the Mianora, a council responsible for preventing civil war and confirming the true heir to the throne, Meldorath a villain whose mortality gives fear to Voulhirians and whose followers are reeving havoc, and many more. This book explores the struggle between magic and religion. Both magic and religion coexist in a land that is well off where both are contributors to its prosperity. As an introductory book, it looks into the decisions made by our core characters and their reasoning behind said decisions.

My favorite thing was that as the story is developing, I had this sense of doom as the supporting characters were making their choices. Especially Galen, who is naïve but through his story we feel hope amidst everything that is going on in the rest of the book. Galen is our main character however, this book only accounts for the start of his life in Voulhire. His part in the book seemed so insignificant, yet important. He was looking for iron and in doing it he explores this unfamiliar country and makes friends whose intentions are still unknown. Whilst reading the book I had an irrational fear for his life and still have trust issues. Another thing I appreciate about the book is that even though religion plays a significant part in the story, it does not shy away from sexual freedom in the prince’s case and Midius Maido.

One thing that can be off-putting about this book is the length. Some scenes could have been shorter, but I understand the author wants us to envision this world he created as a movie. Even though the book is long, they beautifully edited that you don’t get lost along the way.

In conclusion, this is a charming story and I rate the book 4 out of 4. As someone who’s developing a powerful love for fantasy/sci-fi as a genre, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The multiverse theory was an interesting feature to bring into the story with Caromentis, the magical world, and the Cosmos, the physical world. I would recommend the book to people who love their books well written and the new world they’re venturing into, as well described. Do not read if you don’t prefer long books. If you do, enjoy!

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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[Ace John]

Glad you enjoyed the book! This book should be on my "to read" shelf, and I might select it next time. Nice review!