Review by Federico Olivero -- We are Voulhire: A New Arr...
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Federico Olivero
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- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz
Review by Federico Olivero -- We are Voulhire: A New Arr...
[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 is the first book in the We are Voulhire series written by Matthew Tysz. In this first installment in the series the author introduces us to Voulhire, a powerful and prosper nation, where strength and unity are paramount qualities to be upheld. We follow the voyage of Galen Bray, a newcomer to this seemingly idyllic country, a refugee from the war-torn Land of the Princes. Down-to-earth and eager to be accepted in his newfound homeland, Galen travels to Magnum Caelum to inherit his uncle's forge. His only desire is to prove himself worthy of the incredible opportunity, and somehow repay those who had allowed him to escape his previous life of misery.
Meanwhile, Judge Eldus has just been appointed as the lord of the humble coastal town of Hillport by King Wilhelm of Voulhire. Modernizing the settlement is not going to be an easy task: signs of rebellion from the ruthless bandits Riva Rohavi start to appear in the north, and Meldorath, previous lord of Hillport and potent mage, is still deeply feared by the local population. The kingdom had declared him a heretic, and he perished in prison... or so it is said.
Matthew Tysz performs a stunning feat of world-building in this first book of the series. Many secondary character are introduced and properly fleshed-out, giving depth and vividness to the narrative. Nevertheless, what I loved the most was the passion used to describe the atmosphere and intricacy of the land itself. Voulhire appears to be too peaceful, too perfect, too unified to be true. This feeling gets under the skin and forces the reader to look closely at the gilded ornate cities and the powerful nobles that inhabit them, trying to spot the signs of rot and corruption.
The book is mostly written from a standard third-person point of view, however the perspective changes when the story is focused on Galen. The first-person point of view allows the reader to better empathize with our main character and his honest and naive vision of the world.
The novel appears to be professionally edited since virtually no errors can be found. The plot is gripping and the detailed description of the politics, economy and social conventions of Voulhire breathe life into a colorful world that leaves you wanting more. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all fantasy readers, it will be a fine addiction to your bookshelves. The clear descriptive style can make the book appealing to non-fantasy readers as well, but it may not be advisable for the youngest readers due to the violence of some scenes and also some references to pedophilia.
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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is the first book in the We are Voulhire series written by Matthew Tysz. In this first installment in the series the author introduces us to Voulhire, a powerful and prosper nation, where strength and unity are paramount qualities to be upheld. We follow the voyage of Galen Bray, a newcomer to this seemingly idyllic country, a refugee from the war-torn Land of the Princes. Down-to-earth and eager to be accepted in his newfound homeland, Galen travels to Magnum Caelum to inherit his uncle's forge. His only desire is to prove himself worthy of the incredible opportunity, and somehow repay those who had allowed him to escape his previous life of misery.
Meanwhile, Judge Eldus has just been appointed as the lord of the humble coastal town of Hillport by King Wilhelm of Voulhire. Modernizing the settlement is not going to be an easy task: signs of rebellion from the ruthless bandits Riva Rohavi start to appear in the north, and Meldorath, previous lord of Hillport and potent mage, is still deeply feared by the local population. The kingdom had declared him a heretic, and he perished in prison... or so it is said.
Matthew Tysz performs a stunning feat of world-building in this first book of the series. Many secondary character are introduced and properly fleshed-out, giving depth and vividness to the narrative. Nevertheless, what I loved the most was the passion used to describe the atmosphere and intricacy of the land itself. Voulhire appears to be too peaceful, too perfect, too unified to be true. This feeling gets under the skin and forces the reader to look closely at the gilded ornate cities and the powerful nobles that inhabit them, trying to spot the signs of rot and corruption.
The book is mostly written from a standard third-person point of view, however the perspective changes when the story is focused on Galen. The first-person point of view allows the reader to better empathize with our main character and his honest and naive vision of the world.
The novel appears to be professionally edited since virtually no errors can be found. The plot is gripping and the detailed description of the politics, economy and social conventions of Voulhire breathe life into a colorful world that leaves you wanting more. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all fantasy readers, it will be a fine addiction to your bookshelves. The clear descriptive style can make the book appealing to non-fantasy readers as well, but it may not be advisable for the youngest readers due to the violence of some scenes and also some references to pedophilia.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
