Review by Betty Gitonga -- We are Voulhire: A New Arriva...

[Betty Gitonga]

[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 is the first book of the We are Voulhire series. It transports us to Voulhire, the great country where prosperity, magic, science, and faith reign supreme. Galen Bray arrives in Magnum Caelum after a turbulent journey from the war-torn Land of the Princes. He sets out to do everything he can to repay this beautiful land and to carry on his uncle's job as a blacksmith. His life in the Land of the Princes centered around survival, which is in sharp contrast to Voulhire, where life is truly lived. He discovers that he must learn a great deal about his new home, and thus his journey begins.

A short distance away from Magnum Caelum is the city of Hillport. Lord Eldus and his family have recently arrived in Castle Hillport to take charge of the city and, more importantly, to bring about change. After many years as a judge in Voulhire's capital, Soulhire, Lord Eldus has just become a lord. His mission was to help the city attain economic growth and reduce poverty among its citizens. He comes at a time when the city is still recovering from the two previous lords. He comes face to face with the evils lurking in the shadows in his attempt to expose the past. What began as a simple task ends up bringing the dreaded Meldorath to life.

The chapters are written from the perspectives of the various characters. In most situations, this would disrupt the story's flow, but not in this case. From beginning to end, the reader is able to follow the plot. The masterful descriptions of Matthew Tysz bring this fictional world to life. The reader can visualize the entire Voulhire thanks to the map at the beginning of the book. He tells the story mainly in third person, with a few times in first person. All of the characters are well-developed, endearing us to them and encouraging us to care for them.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was blown away by the degree of detail and scope with which this multiverse was developed and amazed by Matthew's creativity. Much like Galen, I found myself drinking in the sights of the beautiful Voulhire. I was concerned that the story would suffer as a result of its status as an introductory novel. The descriptions and the plot, however, are intricately intertwined. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy books. I couldn't find a single flaw in the novel. It really went above and beyond my expectations. The book has been edited professionally. I sincerely believe it is a fantastic book, which is why I have given it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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[Ace John]

This seems a book I might like. You have explained it well that I know what to expect from it. Nice review!