Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
Posted: 01 Apr 2022, 10:46
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
Galen Bray finally escapes the Lands of the Princes and arrives in Voulhire, a beautiful land that appears peaceful and promising for him, thanks to a man he had never met or heard of before. Who is this mysterious man who has saved Galen from the war zone he has lived in since childhood?
While Galen is busy relishing the serene environment of Voulhire and getting acquainted with the ways of the Voulhirians, unbeknownst to him, somewhere in Hillport (a small town in Voulhire), a powerful wizard violently fights his way into a castle. As if the instability at Hillport is not bad enough, after several years of hiding, a long-forgotten insurgent group, who were known for terrorising the Voulhirians, gets spotted snooping again. Who is this formidable mage forcing his way into the Hillport Castle? Why is he forcing his way into the castle? Why is he in Hillport, an impoverished farming community? Why the sudden reappearance of the rebel group? Could this be the beginning of Galen's next war nightmare? Is this the start of a growing web of conspiracy and greed for power and dominance? Or is it just some skirmishes by an attention-seeking tribe?
We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies is a masterfully crafted science fiction novel by Matthew Tysz. In every aspect, this book exceeded my expectations. From the character development to the story's settings, Matthew paid close attention to every aspect. Although I like many of the characters in this story, Meldorath Dalehei is my favourite. The man is very organised and calculative. He is so focused on his quest. He is not boastful. He does not allow himself to get carried away by the power he wields. It is as though he is always one step ahead of everyone in the narrative. I like Galen's calm and friendly demeanour. Despite having migrated to Voulhire from a warring country, he is neither aggressive nor insensitive. Witnessing war for many years humbled him. Though I like that he is kind, I hope that he will be wise enough to know when to draw a line so as not to get exploited. Rowan is sarcastic most of the time, but he is also wise. I like the growing friendship between Galen and Rowan. I just hope that their friendship remains genuine. As much as I enjoyed reading about their friendship, I could not bring myself to trust Rowan, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he has an ill-intention towards Galen. Well, I intend to find that out in the subsequent series.
This book is written from a first-person point of view as well as from a third-person omniscient point of view, and it does not focus mainly on one character. Galen's parts in the story are written from a first-person perspective, while the other characters' sections are written from a third-person omniscient point of view. Although the chapters in this book are designated for different characters at separate locations, I was never confused while reading it because the plots unfold and flow in such a way that they all seem interwoven somehow, and I intend to find out the real connections between the plots in the next sequel of the book. While reading this book, the fact that some women held high-ranking positions in a male-dominated profession such as the military and possessed skills like barbing that would generally be attributed to men did not escape my notice. It demonstrates that the author, although being a man, does not underestimate women's abilities. It goes a long way toward demonstrating his admiration and respect for women. This book's subsequent series has piqued my interest, and I cannot wait to read them.
I do not dislike anything about this book. Matthew is a very creative writer. This book is very suspenseful. It is well edited. I noted just two errors in it. As a result, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
Fans of fantasy books will enjoy this book. This book will also appeal to readers who enjoy mystery and thriller books.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Galen Bray finally escapes the Lands of the Princes and arrives in Voulhire, a beautiful land that appears peaceful and promising for him, thanks to a man he had never met or heard of before. Who is this mysterious man who has saved Galen from the war zone he has lived in since childhood?
While Galen is busy relishing the serene environment of Voulhire and getting acquainted with the ways of the Voulhirians, unbeknownst to him, somewhere in Hillport (a small town in Voulhire), a powerful wizard violently fights his way into a castle. As if the instability at Hillport is not bad enough, after several years of hiding, a long-forgotten insurgent group, who were known for terrorising the Voulhirians, gets spotted snooping again. Who is this formidable mage forcing his way into the Hillport Castle? Why is he forcing his way into the castle? Why is he in Hillport, an impoverished farming community? Why the sudden reappearance of the rebel group? Could this be the beginning of Galen's next war nightmare? Is this the start of a growing web of conspiracy and greed for power and dominance? Or is it just some skirmishes by an attention-seeking tribe?
We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies is a masterfully crafted science fiction novel by Matthew Tysz. In every aspect, this book exceeded my expectations. From the character development to the story's settings, Matthew paid close attention to every aspect. Although I like many of the characters in this story, Meldorath Dalehei is my favourite. The man is very organised and calculative. He is so focused on his quest. He is not boastful. He does not allow himself to get carried away by the power he wields. It is as though he is always one step ahead of everyone in the narrative. I like Galen's calm and friendly demeanour. Despite having migrated to Voulhire from a warring country, he is neither aggressive nor insensitive. Witnessing war for many years humbled him. Though I like that he is kind, I hope that he will be wise enough to know when to draw a line so as not to get exploited. Rowan is sarcastic most of the time, but he is also wise. I like the growing friendship between Galen and Rowan. I just hope that their friendship remains genuine. As much as I enjoyed reading about their friendship, I could not bring myself to trust Rowan, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he has an ill-intention towards Galen. Well, I intend to find that out in the subsequent series.
This book is written from a first-person point of view as well as from a third-person omniscient point of view, and it does not focus mainly on one character. Galen's parts in the story are written from a first-person perspective, while the other characters' sections are written from a third-person omniscient point of view. Although the chapters in this book are designated for different characters at separate locations, I was never confused while reading it because the plots unfold and flow in such a way that they all seem interwoven somehow, and I intend to find out the real connections between the plots in the next sequel of the book. While reading this book, the fact that some women held high-ranking positions in a male-dominated profession such as the military and possessed skills like barbing that would generally be attributed to men did not escape my notice. It demonstrates that the author, although being a man, does not underestimate women's abilities. It goes a long way toward demonstrating his admiration and respect for women. This book's subsequent series has piqued my interest, and I cannot wait to read them.
I do not dislike anything about this book. Matthew is a very creative writer. This book is very suspenseful. It is well edited. I noted just two errors in it. As a result, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
Fans of fantasy books will enjoy this book. This book will also appeal to readers who enjoy mystery and thriller books.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon