Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
Posted: 22 Feb 2023, 03:38
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
Discretion is the better part of valor. This lesson should have been drilled into the heads of castle Hillport's knights. But then, knights have a thing for honor! Or perhaps it was their underestimation of the enemy─three people stupid enough to attack a heavily guarded castle. Maybe it was the panic that comes with being caught off guard by the kind of power that only exists in stories (like this). Whatever the reason, they rushed, armor clanking, swords raised, and arrows flying, to their deaths.
Meanwhile, Galen Bray's salvation had finally arrived after twenty years of hunger, fear, and sleepless nights in his war-torn homeland. He clung to the chance of leaving the Lands of the Princes like a starving tick. You can imagine his joy when he finally stepped under the peaceful and magnificent skies of the Voulhirian town of Magnum Caelum! Of course, like you, he had no idea of the raging storm veiled by Voulhire's calmness. We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz lays it all bare.
It was a tale of new beginnings as the author introduced the political and splendid Soulhire (the kingdom's capital) and the troubled Hillport. I felt the delight in the simple Magnum Caelum, the emptiness in the rich mines of Alcovia, and the darkness in the secretive Odaiamar. Galen started learning the forge, Beth finally got a body, and the Riva Rohavi resurfaced with their pheasant feathers, dances, and a two-millennia-old quest to dismantle the kingdom. The narration was exceptionally gripping and fitting because the book is the first in the We Are Voulhire series.
The vivid description that Tysz employed in this work was one of its appealing features; I loved it the most. With an impressive imagination and attention to detail, he left nothing to chance. Instead, he described every stone, crevice, facial expression, body frame, clothing, tree, animal, and landscape. Additionally, he used imagery to let readers see and feel the characters' experiences. For instance, about alcovia, he wrote, "Lots of people were headed up and down the hills in neat lines like ants. They went up the forested hills with tools and came down with wheelbarrows." Such descriptions made it easier to put this world into perspective.
Another endearing element in the novel is humor. It was in the action, facial expressions, and witty statements that abound in this work. Thus, I was engrossed in the reading, smiling and laughing as the story unfolded.
The author executed character development perfectly by slowly building up the personas. He unearthed their past, delved into their present, and touched on their hopes and fears. Therefore, I encountered different personalities: the noble King Wilhelm, the sweetly naive Galen, the wild Rowan, and the mischievous Midias Maido, to name a few. Together with the element of magic, it showed the cultural and economic diversity in Voulhire. Additionally, this read was devoid of errors! How is that for the icing on the cake?
I loved everything about We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies. Its exceptional editing, vividness, witticism, and captivating plot have earned it five out of five stars. I recommend it to readers aged sixteen and above. People who enjoy magic, epic journeys on horseback, bloody fight scenes, and lots of laughter should understand me.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Discretion is the better part of valor. This lesson should have been drilled into the heads of castle Hillport's knights. But then, knights have a thing for honor! Or perhaps it was their underestimation of the enemy─three people stupid enough to attack a heavily guarded castle. Maybe it was the panic that comes with being caught off guard by the kind of power that only exists in stories (like this). Whatever the reason, they rushed, armor clanking, swords raised, and arrows flying, to their deaths.
Meanwhile, Galen Bray's salvation had finally arrived after twenty years of hunger, fear, and sleepless nights in his war-torn homeland. He clung to the chance of leaving the Lands of the Princes like a starving tick. You can imagine his joy when he finally stepped under the peaceful and magnificent skies of the Voulhirian town of Magnum Caelum! Of course, like you, he had no idea of the raging storm veiled by Voulhire's calmness. We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz lays it all bare.
It was a tale of new beginnings as the author introduced the political and splendid Soulhire (the kingdom's capital) and the troubled Hillport. I felt the delight in the simple Magnum Caelum, the emptiness in the rich mines of Alcovia, and the darkness in the secretive Odaiamar. Galen started learning the forge, Beth finally got a body, and the Riva Rohavi resurfaced with their pheasant feathers, dances, and a two-millennia-old quest to dismantle the kingdom. The narration was exceptionally gripping and fitting because the book is the first in the We Are Voulhire series.
The vivid description that Tysz employed in this work was one of its appealing features; I loved it the most. With an impressive imagination and attention to detail, he left nothing to chance. Instead, he described every stone, crevice, facial expression, body frame, clothing, tree, animal, and landscape. Additionally, he used imagery to let readers see and feel the characters' experiences. For instance, about alcovia, he wrote, "Lots of people were headed up and down the hills in neat lines like ants. They went up the forested hills with tools and came down with wheelbarrows." Such descriptions made it easier to put this world into perspective.
Another endearing element in the novel is humor. It was in the action, facial expressions, and witty statements that abound in this work. Thus, I was engrossed in the reading, smiling and laughing as the story unfolded.
The author executed character development perfectly by slowly building up the personas. He unearthed their past, delved into their present, and touched on their hopes and fears. Therefore, I encountered different personalities: the noble King Wilhelm, the sweetly naive Galen, the wild Rowan, and the mischievous Midias Maido, to name a few. Together with the element of magic, it showed the cultural and economic diversity in Voulhire. Additionally, this read was devoid of errors! How is that for the icing on the cake?
I loved everything about We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies. Its exceptional editing, vividness, witticism, and captivating plot have earned it five out of five stars. I recommend it to readers aged sixteen and above. People who enjoy magic, epic journeys on horseback, bloody fight scenes, and lots of laughter should understand me.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon