Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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Erika Storbeck
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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.]
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies. Matthew Tysz did a marvelous job when he wrote this book. I am not in the habit of reading books involving mages and magic but I am glad that I took the opportunity to read this one. The author blends the lives, traditions, and beliefs of each town and its community into a tale of intrigue with a strong element of mystery. We meet King Wilhelm who appoints Lord Eldus as the new lord of Hillport after the massacre of the staff and guards at Castle Hillport. Eldus investigates the behavior of his two predecessors to help the citizens recover from the emotional damage done by Orlin and Meldorath. The family has some unique experiences as residents of the old castle. In another part of Voulhire Galen Bray arrives from the Lands of the Princes after inheriting property from an unknown uncle. Before embarking on a new life journey as a blacksmith he makes some interesting discoveries and learns a lot from his new friend Rowan. The legendary Meldorath with his intimidating reputation is all over Voulhire. Everybody knows and fears him – dead or alive. What is the strange metal Galen has? Is it the same type of metal that was delivered to Castle Hillport? What is it used for?
All the characters maintain a strong presence throughout the entire book. Even when you read chapters about a different event, the main characters are constantly kept in the back of your mind. I admire the upholding of respect and discipline - even by the mages. The population of Voulhire is very distinct in the way they address and treat each other regardless of stature. Their general behavior should be exemplary to us as modern people.
Personally, I prefer that pages are individually numbered and have adequate spacing between paragraphs. I do, however, acknowledge and respect the style of writing as it promotes fluidity and supports the conversational tone of the book. I have not yet had the privilege to read other Voulhire-books but I only had one tiny negative thought while reading it. On page 171 the author mentions “bouts of OCD”. That seemed a bit out of place in that specific milieu as OCD was only defined and officially acknowledged in 1877.
I rate We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies 4 out of 4 stars. Editing is extremely professional. I only found one minor spelling mistake. The introduction and relationships between characters are done perfectly. Towns and scenes of nature are described as though the reader is present to appreciate the scenery while traveling through Voulhire with the different characters.
This book is suitable for readers with an open mind regarding magic. There are scenes of extreme violence but the author manages to pass from one scene to the next so fast that you will not get nightmares from it. But keep in mind that this book is the beginning of another Voulhire adventure with Galen and his friends. So be prepared for a little bit of frustration as the book does not end the way books usually do.
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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. Matthew Tysz did a marvelous job when he wrote this book. I am not in the habit of reading books involving mages and magic but I am glad that I took the opportunity to read this one. The author blends the lives, traditions, and beliefs of each town and its community into a tale of intrigue with a strong element of mystery. We meet King Wilhelm who appoints Lord Eldus as the new lord of Hillport after the massacre of the staff and guards at Castle Hillport. Eldus investigates the behavior of his two predecessors to help the citizens recover from the emotional damage done by Orlin and Meldorath. The family has some unique experiences as residents of the old castle. In another part of Voulhire Galen Bray arrives from the Lands of the Princes after inheriting property from an unknown uncle. Before embarking on a new life journey as a blacksmith he makes some interesting discoveries and learns a lot from his new friend Rowan. The legendary Meldorath with his intimidating reputation is all over Voulhire. Everybody knows and fears him – dead or alive. What is the strange metal Galen has? Is it the same type of metal that was delivered to Castle Hillport? What is it used for?
All the characters maintain a strong presence throughout the entire book. Even when you read chapters about a different event, the main characters are constantly kept in the back of your mind. I admire the upholding of respect and discipline - even by the mages. The population of Voulhire is very distinct in the way they address and treat each other regardless of stature. Their general behavior should be exemplary to us as modern people.
Personally, I prefer that pages are individually numbered and have adequate spacing between paragraphs. I do, however, acknowledge and respect the style of writing as it promotes fluidity and supports the conversational tone of the book. I have not yet had the privilege to read other Voulhire-books but I only had one tiny negative thought while reading it. On page 171 the author mentions “bouts of OCD”. That seemed a bit out of place in that specific milieu as OCD was only defined and officially acknowledged in 1877.
I rate We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies 4 out of 4 stars. Editing is extremely professional. I only found one minor spelling mistake. The introduction and relationships between characters are done perfectly. Towns and scenes of nature are described as though the reader is present to appreciate the scenery while traveling through Voulhire with the different characters.
This book is suitable for readers with an open mind regarding magic. There are scenes of extreme violence but the author manages to pass from one scene to the next so fast that you will not get nightmares from it. But keep in mind that this book is the beginning of another Voulhire adventure with Galen and his friends. So be prepared for a little bit of frustration as the book does not end the way books usually do.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Man Mission by Eytan Uliel
