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[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 a fantasy novel that encompasses a world in the Middle Ages. A world with magic, deception, war, and hope. As you delve into this novel, the author sets the scene with a map of Voulhire and a detailed list of characters.

The story centres around Galen Bray, a young man who is given an amazing opportunity by his dying uncle to take over his small business in the kingdom of Voulhire. This allowed him to escape the war-filled Land of the Princes, where he'd been living in survival mode since the age of eight. Is Galen being too optimistic about the kingdom of Voulhire? What adventures may lie ahead?

Alongside Galen, there are vast plots and characters, neatly labelled in each chapter as we change points of view. The history of Voulhire is quite fascinating. We learn of the despicable acts of Lord Orlin and the calculated wrath of Lord Meldorath against the poor town of Hillport. Shaken by the events, King Wilhelm sends a trusted Lord Eldus, to rid the town of fear and help them start again. Lord Eldus is joined by his wife, Charlotte, and two children, Marshus and Isla. We follow their stories as they settle into this small town, unaware of the challenges to come.

There was a lot to enjoy about this novel. The author has a skilled way with words, helping us see a fascinating world in great detail through many characters' eyes. His descriptive style, along with the personalities of the various characters, kept me enjoying this novel. There were moments of laughter, sadness, hope, and tears as I went through the pages. For example, I loved the natural sibling relationship between Marshus and Isla, as they stayed up late talking and Marshus showed off his magic tricks, making Isla laugh. I also enjoyed the playful banter between Galen and his companion, Rowan, as they set off on adventures. The characters were detailed and personable, so each reader is sure to find their favourites. Alongside this, there was a devastating message of the dark side of humanity and how power in the wrong hands can be lethal.

I do not have anything negative to say about this novel. Some readers may find it had a slower start, but this was necessary for us to understand this complex world. It also leaves room for sequels to come.

I rate this book five out of five stars. With its captivating setting, diverse characters, and thought-provoking plot, it undoubtedly deserves the highest rating. Additionally, I found no grammatical or typographical errors, meaning it was exceptionally well edited.

I recommend this novel to lovers of fiction, dark magic, adventure, and those who want to be engrossed in a story that is unlike any other you've heard before. I do not recommend it to younger audiences due to some graphic violence.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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A world with magic, war and hope seems very interesting to me. I think it is a great book. Reading your review, adventures, wars, prince's and Kings make me want to read this novel. Your review is great and I would try the book as well. Thank you for the great review!

The Keeper Jr wrote: ↑17 Jul 2023, 05:33 A world with magic, war and hope seems very interesting to me. I think it is a great book. Reading your review, adventures, wars, prince's and Kings make me want to read this novel. Your review is great and I would try the book as well. Thank you for the great review!

Yes, it really is a great book! Please let me know if you do read it thanks so much for your kind comments

It's great to know that the author is a good story teller, as they have their way with words. It should be an interesting read and I must thank you for writing a detailed review.

King Nyebuchi wrote: ↑19 Jul 2023, 07:58 It's great to know that the author is a good story teller, as they have their way with words. It should be an interesting read and I must thank you for writing a detailed review.

Yes, they really are! Thanks so much for your kind comments

It is always nice to know when the characters are well-written and as readers we get a peek into their background lives. The story with war, happy and sad moments filled with challenges makes for an interesting read. Thanks for the detailed review.

This is one of the books I really loved. I felt as if the book transported me to Voulhire while reading. I agree with you that the author has a skilled way with words as well as your point of having a lot to enjoy in this magical world. Great review Catalina!

I am not an avid fan of books of this genre but I like how well you described the happenings in the book and what to expect from it. Welldone.

I felt like the book had too many characters and subplots that it was nearly impossible to tell who the main character was. That being said, I was immensely fascinated by the author's great worldbuilding skills and I'm hoping to read the remaining four books in the series. Thanks for this comprehensive, superbly written review.

Power can be overwhelming, and indeed, if it is in the wrong hands, causes a lot of damage, chaos, and death. I hope that Galen navigates his life well in the land of Voulhire despite its danger. I enjoyed your incredible review, Catalina! I see an overview of the book.

Seetha E wrote: ↑20 Jul 2023, 05:41 It is always nice to know when the characters are well-written and as readers we get a peek into their background lives. The story with war, happy and sad moments filled with challenges makes for an interesting read. Thanks for the detailed review.

Yes, I definitely agree! Thanks so much for your comments and for stopping by

Fawmi FJumana wrote: ↑22 Jul 2023, 09:37 This is one of the books I really loved. I felt as if the book transported me to Voulhire while reading. I agree with you that the author has a skilled way with words as well as your point of having a lot to enjoy in this magical world. Great review Catalina!

I am glad you also loved this book! Have you thought of reading the sequels?
Thanks so much for your lovely comments, Fawmi

Jay Alex wrote: ↑22 Jul 2023, 11:39 I am not an avid fan of books of this genre but I like how well you described the happenings in the book and what to expect from it. Welldone.

Fair enough! I don't usually read fantasy much either, but this one was very well done. Thanks for your lovely comments and for stopping by!

Blackstenius wrote: ↑22 Jul 2023, 11:42 I felt like the book had too many characters and subplots that it was nearly impossible to tell who the main character was. That being said, I was immensely fascinated by the author's great worldbuilding skills and I'm hoping to read the remaining four books in the series. Thanks for this comprehensive, superbly written review.

That is a fair point, I think as we go through the sequels it may focus on Galen a bit more. I hope to read them too one day! Thanks so much for your lovely comments

Hazel Mae Bagarinao wrote: ↑22 Jul 2023, 16:35 Power can be overwhelming, and indeed, if it is in the wrong hands, causes a lot of damage, chaos, and death. I hope that Galen navigates his life well in the land of Voulhire despite its danger. I enjoyed your incredible review, Catalina! I see an overview of the book.

Yes that is very true! It's a fascinating story. Thanks so much for your lovely comments, and for stopping by, Hazel