Review by Mr_Wimbaum -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival u...

[Samuel Windybank]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Land of the Princes is a destitute place and unless you are royal or in the army, you are in for a pretty rough life. Galen Bray is neither royal nor in the army. He has known nothing but war, famine, and desperation his entire life. That is until one day when a young executor tells him his hardships are finally over. Inheritance can do that. So, optimistic of a brighter future, Galen ‘jumps ship’ so to speak, and heads for Voulhire. What will this new land have in store? Will Voulhire and the town of Magnum Caelum be everything Galen hopes it to be? What will we find out as we follow in Galen's journey to Voulhire?

From the very first page of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies I felt hooked. Matthew Tysz has created an immensely thought-out world-building masterpiece. From the outset we follow Galen Bray in the first person, leading us to believe he is the ‘main character’ and driving force of the We are Voulhire series. However, throughout the book, the perspective changes to the third person and follows other characters. Characters who are, as it would seem, just as important to the narrative as Galen is. This is an aspect of the story I really enjoyed. Tysz has used the switching of perspectives to increase tension in the story and allow insights into the history of Voulhire, all without info-dumping the reader.

We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies is not only a fantastically written serious fantasy novel, it is also funny. My favourite line from the novel is: “…thing I was forging at the moment was irony, as I hadn't a clue where to begin.” To me, this just goes to show how well written the novel is. Tysz has taken the time to flesh out the characters and the world in such a way that makes the world, though filled with magic, feel real and the characters within it relatable.

I think all fantasy connoisseurs will enjoy this book. It has everything any self-proclaimed fantasy nerd loves: swords, magic, an underdog complex, mystery. There is some profanity in the book so I wouldn’t recommend it to a younger audience. There are not any erotic or sexual scenes. Overall the book felt like a YA novel, so a wide range of people will enjoy reading it.

The only criticism I have is that the story felt like more of a prologue than a complete story on its own. It is as if Tysz wrote this book as an introductory to the series as a whole. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the book and highly recommend reading it, but perhaps have the second book ready to go right away. Because of this, I rate this book a solid 4 out of 4. it really is a wonderfully written story and has left me wanting to read the series.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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[Saint Bruno]

I read this book too and agree with your analysis of it. I enjoyed reading your detailed and engaging review. Nice job!

[Honest-reviewer]

I like this series. This is a great introductory book. I’ve finished reviewing the fifth book and currently reading the sixth one. Glad you liked it too. Great review!

[FABIAN_BATS]

Definitely the most popular book at the moment. I am just eager to give it a go. Great review!

[Ellylion]

It is a prologue indeed And I too loved the narrative given from the different perspectives. Hope, you continue with the series. Thanks for a great review!

[Samuel Windybank]

I read this book too and agree with your analysis of it. I enjoyed reading your detailed and engaging review. Nice job!

Hey thanks for that! I’m reading the second book now and it’s great!

[Samuel Windybank]

I like this series. This is a great introductory book. I’ve finished reviewing the fifth book and currently reading the sixth one. Glad you liked it too. Great review!

I’m hoping I will get to read them all as well. I’ve just started the second book and it’s very gripping!

[Samuel Windybank]

Definitely the most popular book at the moment. I am just eager to give it a go. Great review!

Definitely do! You won’t be disappointed!

[Samuel Windybank]

It is a prologue indeed And I too loved the narrative given from the different perspectives. Hope, you continue with the series. Thanks for a great review!

I am continuing! Just started on the second one and I’m already loving it.

[Intel]

I read this book as well, and your review is written in a way that makes me want to go back and read it again!

[Samuel Windybank]

I read this book as well, and your review is written in a way that makes me want to go back and read it again!

Oh thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed my review. Have you read the others in the series?

[Rodel Barnachea]

Similar to you, I also immediately felt hooked when I read the first page of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies.

[Samuel Windybank]

Similar to you, I also immediately felt hooked when I read the first page of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies.

It’s a fantastic story. The second one is even better yet!

[Harty Muli]

I like the tension building in the story brought about by character switching. Nice review.

[MeganDJ]

I'm so glad you felt the same way! I'm currently reading the second book and I am not disappointed Thank you for the well-written and insightful review! Happy reading