Review by Victoria Copsey -- We are Voulhire: A New Arri...

[Victoria Copsey]

[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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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz conjures a world of magic, mystery, knights, nobility and adventure in the mind-of-the-reader. This world draws the reader in until images of powerful mages, medieval towns and mysterious characters engulf them. Like all great fantasy novels, the author crafts a complex universe and places his own original spin on classic mythological creatures. This book is the first of the We are Voulhire series, set in Tysz's detailed land of Voulhire. Much of this novel lays the foundations for a masterful story to unfold in the following books.

Our protagonist is Galen Bray, a young man who travels to Voulhire from the war-torn Lands of the Princes to take over his great-uncle’s forge. Galen traverses this new land, and the reader experiences Voulhire through the eyes of a newcomer - much like themselves. Alongside Galen’s perspective, we read about King Wilhelm and his plans for the nation; Lord Eldus, who is newly appointed in Hillport; the growing rebel force of Riva Rohavi; and the powerful, dangerous influence of Meldorath.

This book is exciting, captivating and impossible to put down. The characters and settings are expertly crafted, and I found myself hungrily turning the pages to discover more. What I liked most about this book is the author's descriptive prose, as it was full of imagery. There was a perfect balance between description and clarity. I loved the inclusion of a map of the lands, at the beginning of the book, allowing the reader to visualise the world more easily. Additionally, this book is easy to read and quite short, so the reader does not become disinterested at all.

There is almost nothing that I disliked about this book as it was wonderfully written. My only criticism was that there was a lot of exposition and little action throughout the book. However, as this is only the first book in a long series, I am certain this added level of information is appropriate for later plot development. Some may not find the frequent change in perspective to their taste, but I believe it benefits the plot as it maintains a fast, intriguing pace.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars due to its exceptional creation. This book is evidently professionally edited as I did not find any errors through it. I would recommend this book to readers who are fans of fantasy. However, due to the profanity and lightly suggestive language, I would not recommend this book to younger readers.

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

Having read the book too, I agree with your analysis and rating. Thanks for the detailed review and good job!

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

The author did a stellar job with this book. The reader is able to envision the places with ease because of the detailed and descriptive writing. Great job with the review.

[Prisallen]

This sounds like an excellent start to an exciting series. Thank you for a well-written and informative review!

[Mbrooks2518]

I loved this book too. Great review!

[Chizioboli]

Thank you for your amazing review

[riyosha]

Sounds riveting, I would love to read the book sometime. great review

[Eutoc]

I've read this book and your review really says how interesting the book is. Tho I'm yet to read the other installments

[Nmesoma]

Your review is compelling and you're right, the book was a fantastical ride.

[kdstrack]

Tysz is a talented author who keeps readers enthralled with his writing style. I liked your description of the complex universe where this story takes place. Your review motivates readers to continue reading the series. Great writing!

[Kaitlin Licato]

I really enjoyed this book as well too. I also liked the maps, like you did. Did you see the website? He gave a lot of additional information on there. I thought it was a great resource for the series as well. Good job on the review!

[markodim721]

Somehow I have the impression that the author used Europe as an inspiration for a fictional civilization. Thanks for the good review.