Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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Raju Tikale
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Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
Matthew Tysz's We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies is the first book in the series. Matthew Tysz presents the reader with a world where magic, religion, and science coexist seemingly together. A young man escapes his war-torn nation and lands in Voulhire, a city known for its calm and wealth. His aim is straightforward: inherit his uncle's firm and settle down in a small town. But odd things are happening in Voulhire mysterious, horrible happenings that might turn this straightforward idea into a nightmare.
The novel introduces us to the strong kingdom of Voulhire, which is on the verge of entering a golden era and where the components of riches, culture, and technology in a rapidly changing world are not dissimilar to our own. This is a story about power and vengeance. Faith, science, and magic, each in their own covetous way, give promises of a flawless world to the residents, who are shown battling for an identity. The novel begins with the protagonist's point of view, but as it progresses, various people enter the picture, leaving the reader perplexed as to who the true protagonist is. I really liked how the author builds up to the "supposed" enemy and only presents him at the three-fourth way point. When I saw the antagonist side of the narrative, it made me question my predisposed judgment and the underlying ideas of many other key characters.
The finest stories always introduce the reader to a new environment and characters and leave them with the impression that they have known them their entire lives. The plot is fairly varied. Although Galen Bray seems to be the main character of the novel, the reader is given many views. Furthermore, the tale dynamics are thoroughly comprehended, and the reader can fully comprehend Voulhire's rich background and glimpse upcoming occurrences. I really like the diverse personality of the many individuals featured, as well as how they complement and get along with one another. I also liked how the author utilized plain everyday English; it gave me the impression that the narrative was taking place in our own reality.
I wish the author had spent more time fleshing out Galen's character; he seems to be the main protagonist, and most of the novel is given from his point of view. However, I thought him excessively innocent for someone who had endured more than two decades of miserable life in the Land of the Princes, tormented by soul-crushing poverty, loneliness, instability, and conflict. Although no particular time-frame was provided, the incidents occurred sometime before the invention of steam-powered vehicles. Surprisingly, the characters referenced gyms and ice rinks, both of which we would normally connect with today's environment. However, I thought the conversations to be uneven throughout the narrative.
I give this book 4 out of 4 stars because of its fascinating characterization, exciting twists and turns, and the fact that it is a promising entry into the fantasy genre. The book was also carefully edited since there were no grammatical or punctuation issues in it. The book contains some swearing. A detailed sequence of terrible violence is featured at the beginning of the novel, and hints of pedophilia and rape appear sometime in the middle. As a result, I would recommend this work to adult readers and those who enjoy George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.
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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Matthew Tysz's We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies is the first book in the series. Matthew Tysz presents the reader with a world where magic, religion, and science coexist seemingly together. A young man escapes his war-torn nation and lands in Voulhire, a city known for its calm and wealth. His aim is straightforward: inherit his uncle's firm and settle down in a small town. But odd things are happening in Voulhire mysterious, horrible happenings that might turn this straightforward idea into a nightmare.
The novel introduces us to the strong kingdom of Voulhire, which is on the verge of entering a golden era and where the components of riches, culture, and technology in a rapidly changing world are not dissimilar to our own. This is a story about power and vengeance. Faith, science, and magic, each in their own covetous way, give promises of a flawless world to the residents, who are shown battling for an identity. The novel begins with the protagonist's point of view, but as it progresses, various people enter the picture, leaving the reader perplexed as to who the true protagonist is. I really liked how the author builds up to the "supposed" enemy and only presents him at the three-fourth way point. When I saw the antagonist side of the narrative, it made me question my predisposed judgment and the underlying ideas of many other key characters.
The finest stories always introduce the reader to a new environment and characters and leave them with the impression that they have known them their entire lives. The plot is fairly varied. Although Galen Bray seems to be the main character of the novel, the reader is given many views. Furthermore, the tale dynamics are thoroughly comprehended, and the reader can fully comprehend Voulhire's rich background and glimpse upcoming occurrences. I really like the diverse personality of the many individuals featured, as well as how they complement and get along with one another. I also liked how the author utilized plain everyday English; it gave me the impression that the narrative was taking place in our own reality.
I wish the author had spent more time fleshing out Galen's character; he seems to be the main protagonist, and most of the novel is given from his point of view. However, I thought him excessively innocent for someone who had endured more than two decades of miserable life in the Land of the Princes, tormented by soul-crushing poverty, loneliness, instability, and conflict. Although no particular time-frame was provided, the incidents occurred sometime before the invention of steam-powered vehicles. Surprisingly, the characters referenced gyms and ice rinks, both of which we would normally connect with today's environment. However, I thought the conversations to be uneven throughout the narrative.
I give this book 4 out of 4 stars because of its fascinating characterization, exciting twists and turns, and the fact that it is a promising entry into the fantasy genre. The book was also carefully edited since there were no grammatical or punctuation issues in it. The book contains some swearing. A detailed sequence of terrible violence is featured at the beginning of the novel, and hints of pedophilia and rape appear sometime in the middle. As a result, I would recommend this work to adult readers and those who enjoy George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
