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

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

Post by Markus Tsammani »

[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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Matthew Tysz has published a pitch for a fictional novel titled "We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies." The plot centered on Galen, who had fled to Voulhire in the hopes of establishing a new, tranquil life for himself there. After a long journey at sea, Galen was relieved to step back onto solid ground. This young man was a refugee from the Land of Princes, the most war-torn region on the face of the planet. To his great fortune, he had inherited a property in the prosperous and picturesque country of Voulhire from his uncle. This property would serve as his ticket out of this abomination. Galen was appreciative of the second opportunity given to him and was committed to making the most of it. He could only take in Voulhire's stunning exterior then. The most powerful wizard in human history was trapped on an island protected by an army of battleships. The island was out of Meldorath's sight, but it was not too far away. The evil wizard couldn’t wait for his arrival. Across the empire, in Riva Rohavi, furious dancing rebels were patiently waiting for their moment to slay the Voulhire civilians they had grown to loathe. Galen was naive, peaceful, and good-natured, yet he had no idea this plan existed. To earn his uncle's trust, he must undergo a transformation. Could Galen succeed in finding the peace he sought in Voulhire? You can grab the book later to absorb the full story.

What I liked most about this book was the author's manner of arrangement. Early on and into the middle, the pace was sluggish, but it worked to my advantage since it gave me time to become immersed in the world that Matthew Tysz had built. The varying points of view allowed me to get insight into Galen's mind, Eldus's integrity, and King Wilhelm's predicament, along with Galen's innocent curiosity. It was as if I was discovering this new world for the first time.

What I disliked most about this book was the author's frequent switching between the two primary plots. Not a fault in and of itself, but the author's usage of the first person in Galen's narrative was a bit disorienting. It's written in a restricted third-person perspective although that only applies to certain parts of the plot.

It's possible that the lack of a strong female protagonist was also a complaint I had about the book, but it certainly wasn't enough to lower my overall grade. None of the aforementioned things detracted from my enjoyment of the book. This is why I am giving "We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies." 5 out of 5 stars. I almost left out the fact that it was edited professionally by Matthew Tysz.

I am recommending this book to readers who love fantasy and historical fiction. Also, new readers should note that the book does not hurt any religion, even though it has spiritual themes with averagely sparse use of vulgarity.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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