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

[Raquel Mudryk]

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

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is the first installment in the We are Voulhire series. The story begins in Hillport where the Magistrate overthrows Lord Orlin for crimes against Hillports youth. Shortly after the Magistrate is arrested by King Wilhelm and sent away in a ship for reasons unknown. The outcome of where this ship and the Magistrate are headed remains a mystery at this time. Meanwhile, in the Land of the Princes, another king has turned his sons against each other for the claim to his throne, which in turn has created a civil war. Galen, a humble and eager refugee, escapes to start a new life by inheriting his Great Uncle's estate and legacy in Voulhire. What Galen doesn't know is that Voulhire is on the brink of its own civil war. During the book you get multiple points of view from different characters in Voulhire; Each one bringing us closer to the seedy underbelly of what Voulhire was built upon and why there is turmoil among its citizens. This book ends on a cliff-hanger with a lot of questions unanswered and will ultimately consist of nine novels in total.

I know that as a reader we are supposed to hate the antagonist. However, I felt that the main antagonist, Meldorath, was the most intriguing in the book and I look forward to learning more about this characters backstory in the sequel. One of the other perspectives I preferred was the respective protagonist Galen, who is accompanied by a quirky character named Rowan. On their journey they establish an unlikely friendship encountering multiple characters and locations which creates an easy atmosphere for each setting. The book is a slow burn and can read a tad tedious in some chapters. However, as the story unfolds you appreciate the depth and cultivation of those earlier chapters. With this being the first book in the series there is a lot of ground to cover; Most of the action doesn’t take place until the final few chapters. That being said the tempo of the book was smooth and fitting.

Areas where I struggled with the story was the era or time period in which the story takes place. They have kings, knights, lords, castles, use lanterns for light, and fight with swords, which leads you to believe that it is a medieval setting. However, they talk about hockey which was invented in 1917, and a steam automobile which was invented in 1909. I realize that the hierarchy is still around today, it is just my opinion that the time period is confused. I also felt like the general tone of some scenes needed more enthusiasm. At some times the characters were in danger, but I didn’t feel it come through. These moments felt rushed and unceremonious when they should have been more impactful.

Author Matthew Tysz did a great job at creating a fantasy world where there is magic and war. There were times where I felt a semblance to Game of Thrones with a mix of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I also felt the underground city mentioned had a very Matrix Reloaded vibe which I liked. Overall I give it 3 out of 4 stars as I enjoyed the characters and the plot, but I think there needs to be more intensity in the action scenes and some clarity on the time period the story is set in.

The book is for a teen to young adult audience. There is some swearing and some sexual references that some might find offensive. If you like stories with magic and conflict this is the series for you.

******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon