Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
Posted: 20 Oct 2021, 06:08
[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 epic fantasy in the grand old tradition of David Eddings or Raymond Feist. Mr. Tysz is world building on a grand scale and this first book in the series is all about introducing the reader to a new land, in a new world, with its own complex social hierarchy and, of course, its own form of magic. Delightfully, in Voulhire, magic is controlled by dance. Readers of traditional fantasy will recognize the type of world, where there are kings, lords, wizards and warriors. Horses and boats are the main forms of transport and technology is replaced by magic.
Galen, newly arrived in Voulhire from the war-torn Lands of Princes, is our guide in learning about the way Voulhire operates. He is an endearing character and I found myself interested in where his journey would take him. The story is told from the perspective of not only Galen, but also Wilhelm, King of Voulhire ; Eldus, Lord of Hillport; Midius, First Knight of Voulhire and Lord Meldorath, wizard. Galen’s is the dominant voice but all the characters are well fleshed-out and the dialogue is engaging. Mr. Tysz is a master storyteller and I was soon immersed in the intrigue and politics of Voulhire.
As is traditional in epic fantasy there is plenty of killing, via the sword and via magic and I suspect this is not a world for those looking for rainbows and unicorns. More unusually there is one use of very strong language towards the end of the book. There is also reference to pedophilia, which may be a trigger for some readers.
In the tradition of Eddings the book ends in a cliffhanger. In fact, I felt I had barely gotten to know the main characters when the book ended. Apparently this will be a nine-book series, so prepare for the long haul. I have no doubt it will be an intriguing and exciting ride.
This is original and interesting fantasy and I am intrigued enough, to choose, to invest my time in reading this series of books. On two occasions the author’s word choice jarred for me, but it is clear, this is a professionally edited story, crafted by a skilled author. I have no hesitation in giving this book 4 out of 4 stars. If you are a fan of traditional epic fantasy look no further for your next read.
******
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 epic fantasy in the grand old tradition of David Eddings or Raymond Feist. Mr. Tysz is world building on a grand scale and this first book in the series is all about introducing the reader to a new land, in a new world, with its own complex social hierarchy and, of course, its own form of magic. Delightfully, in Voulhire, magic is controlled by dance. Readers of traditional fantasy will recognize the type of world, where there are kings, lords, wizards and warriors. Horses and boats are the main forms of transport and technology is replaced by magic.
Galen, newly arrived in Voulhire from the war-torn Lands of Princes, is our guide in learning about the way Voulhire operates. He is an endearing character and I found myself interested in where his journey would take him. The story is told from the perspective of not only Galen, but also Wilhelm, King of Voulhire ; Eldus, Lord of Hillport; Midius, First Knight of Voulhire and Lord Meldorath, wizard. Galen’s is the dominant voice but all the characters are well fleshed-out and the dialogue is engaging. Mr. Tysz is a master storyteller and I was soon immersed in the intrigue and politics of Voulhire.
As is traditional in epic fantasy there is plenty of killing, via the sword and via magic and I suspect this is not a world for those looking for rainbows and unicorns. More unusually there is one use of very strong language towards the end of the book. There is also reference to pedophilia, which may be a trigger for some readers.
In the tradition of Eddings the book ends in a cliffhanger. In fact, I felt I had barely gotten to know the main characters when the book ended. Apparently this will be a nine-book series, so prepare for the long haul. I have no doubt it will be an intriguing and exciting ride.
This is original and interesting fantasy and I am intrigued enough, to choose, to invest my time in reading this series of books. On two occasions the author’s word choice jarred for me, but it is clear, this is a professionally edited story, crafted by a skilled author. I have no hesitation in giving this book 4 out of 4 stars. If you are a fan of traditional epic fantasy look no further for your next read.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
