Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
Posted: 28 Nov 2022, 06:42
[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 the first instalment in a series of fantasy novels centered on the prosperous kingdom of Voulhire. It is an introductory novel that primarily introduces the various characters, gives valuable exposition on the setting, and sets up the plot for future sequels. The plot follows the stories of multiple characters and how they intertwine and interact with each other. There are three main characters in the novel: Wilhelm, the king of Voulhire; Meldorath, a powerful mage and old friend of the king who has been imprisoned for unknown crimes; and Galen, an immigrant from the war-torn country of the Land of the Princes who recently arrived in Voulhire to start a new life. The main antagonists are the Riva. They’re an ancient terrorist group that vows to go against the king’s values of peace. The book covers multiple subplots in Voulhire from the perspective of the different characters in their different locations throughout the kingdom.
On the positive side, this book was an absolute joy to read. The writing was descriptive to the point where you could imagine yourself living in this fictional world. Each character was given sufficient background information and care, leading to a well-balanced cast. Furthermore, each character had depth to them. Some had ulterior motives, and others weren’t what they seemed. None were objectively good or bad. The storyline was rather complex with multiple characters present, and I feel that the writer did a brilliant job of lightly touching on the activities of each character without the story feeling bloated. I also liked the balance between exposition and action in the story. The action scenes were brief but very colorful. Weapons and magic, plus its effect on people, were thoroughly described; it made the scene more realistic. On the other hand, there was a lot of dialogue and docile scenes, which helped build the portfolio of each character. The inclusion of a map in the opening pages was a nice touch.
On the negative side, there were some inconsistencies in the language and the time period in which the story took place. Civilians rode in horse-drawn carriages and steam engines, but they still fought using swords and bows and arrows. In addition, certain words and concepts were strange for the time period: gymnastics, calisthenics, grade school, and some more. Although barely noticeable, it was something that I had to note down since it took me out of the story.
Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a brilliant start to the series and sets up the story for future novels perfectly. It had a well-balanced and diverse cast of characters, and the world of Voulhire is a complex and eventful place. The book was exceptionally well edited and contained little to no grammatical errors in the body of work. The inconsistency in language and time period is a negative, but it's negligible seeing as the book is a fantasy novel, which doesn’t have any basis for realism.
I recommend this book to a mature audience, from teens to adults, who have an affinity for fantasy novels or books set in dystopian worlds. I also recommend the book to anyone starting out in the genre.
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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 the first instalment in a series of fantasy novels centered on the prosperous kingdom of Voulhire. It is an introductory novel that primarily introduces the various characters, gives valuable exposition on the setting, and sets up the plot for future sequels. The plot follows the stories of multiple characters and how they intertwine and interact with each other. There are three main characters in the novel: Wilhelm, the king of Voulhire; Meldorath, a powerful mage and old friend of the king who has been imprisoned for unknown crimes; and Galen, an immigrant from the war-torn country of the Land of the Princes who recently arrived in Voulhire to start a new life. The main antagonists are the Riva. They’re an ancient terrorist group that vows to go against the king’s values of peace. The book covers multiple subplots in Voulhire from the perspective of the different characters in their different locations throughout the kingdom.
On the positive side, this book was an absolute joy to read. The writing was descriptive to the point where you could imagine yourself living in this fictional world. Each character was given sufficient background information and care, leading to a well-balanced cast. Furthermore, each character had depth to them. Some had ulterior motives, and others weren’t what they seemed. None were objectively good or bad. The storyline was rather complex with multiple characters present, and I feel that the writer did a brilliant job of lightly touching on the activities of each character without the story feeling bloated. I also liked the balance between exposition and action in the story. The action scenes were brief but very colorful. Weapons and magic, plus its effect on people, were thoroughly described; it made the scene more realistic. On the other hand, there was a lot of dialogue and docile scenes, which helped build the portfolio of each character. The inclusion of a map in the opening pages was a nice touch.
On the negative side, there were some inconsistencies in the language and the time period in which the story took place. Civilians rode in horse-drawn carriages and steam engines, but they still fought using swords and bows and arrows. In addition, certain words and concepts were strange for the time period: gymnastics, calisthenics, grade school, and some more. Although barely noticeable, it was something that I had to note down since it took me out of the story.
Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a brilliant start to the series and sets up the story for future novels perfectly. It had a well-balanced and diverse cast of characters, and the world of Voulhire is a complex and eventful place. The book was exceptionally well edited and contained little to no grammatical errors in the body of work. The inconsistency in language and time period is a negative, but it's negligible seeing as the book is a fantasy novel, which doesn’t have any basis for realism.
I recommend this book to a mature audience, from teens to adults, who have an affinity for fantasy novels or books set in dystopian worlds. I also recommend the book to anyone starting out in the genre.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon