Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies

[Rocky Ellery James Tumbelaka]

[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 is the first book in the We are Voulhire series. The story follows young Galen Bray as he escapes his war-torn homeland and enters the advanced and prosperous kingdom of Voulhire. As the successor to his great uncle, Galen must learn to become a blacksmith with the help of his great uncle's executor, Rowan. Together, they started on a journey to help Galen get his bearings in this new world and become a great blacksmith. But this isn't just Galen’s story. The king of Voulhire, the lord of Hillport, the Chancellor, the fallen mage general, and the evil dancing murderers, all have their own story and goals. Galen may not see it yet, but the terror of war is stalking Voulhire and he may end up in the middle of it all.

The first thing I like about this book is the story. The author did a great job of setting up an introductory story for the series. The lore, the mysteries, the characters, and the histories, all are set up very well, making the reader more familiar with the world of Voulhire. Even without explosive action, the author can make me want to keep on reading the book because mysteries keep appearing on every page. There are a lot of plot twists and the author delivered in making this episode 1 of We are Voulhire because now I want to read episode 2.

The characters are also the highlight of this book. I found myself rooting for some of these characters, especially Lord Eldus. I wanted him to succeed in rebuilding Hillport after all the horrors it went through. Even the sneaky Chancellor, Midius Maido, I’m still not sure which side he’s on, but I don't mind seeing more of him. There are still a lot more, and their stories are far from over. Even at the end of the book, I still didn't know what part Galen would play in the overall story. But seeing he is the only one telling the story from a first-person perspective, his part will be crucial in Voulhire.

I have nothing to dislike about the book. That’s why I rated this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is also exceptionally well edited, making every page a fun read and an enjoyable experience. I can only say that the author's way of storytelling is superb and I can't wait to read the next book.

I would recommend this book to readers who love the fantasy genre and cliffhangers; seeing there are going to be nine books in this series, there will be a lot of cliffhangers to come. I also recommend it to mature young adults because of the use of profanity and sensitive subject within the book. The graphic violent scene also made it unsuitable for younger readers.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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[Hager Salem]

That's cool. What I like about fantasy books is the ability of the writer to transfer us to other worlds, it well-written.