Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz
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 is the first book in planned fantasy series of nine books by Matthew Tysz. The setting is a multiverse of the physical universe called the Cosmos, the magical universe called Caromentis and the spiritual universe called Alithea. The actual story takes place in the Cosmos in a kingdom called Voulhire. The main character is Galen Bray, a young man who has fled a war torn, "Into the badlands", like region to go to Voulhire. In this book he shares the spotlight with Wilhelm Arcolo, the king of Voulhire and Eldus Alderman, the newly appointed Lord of a small town.
These three characters have their journeys simultaneously, starting with Galen's escape from the Land of the Princes. Galen's journey to Voulhire is a result of him coming into some inheritance he knew nothing about. We follow him as he adjusts to his new life and tries to run his inherited business. King Wilhelm has to deal with the Riva Rohavi, a rebel faction while trying to lead the Kingdom into a golden age. His plan for this golden age involves sending Eldus to Hillport, a small town on the southern coast. Eldus has more to worry about than the economy however. He also has to help the town recover from revelations of pedophilia and horrific murders in the Lord's castle.
As expected, the book is structured like a pilot for a Television series. It carefully sets up this world and all it's complexities. The exposition is a bit much sometimes even though it does a good job of establishing the rich lore. Galen is a likeable enough main character but we don't get as much time with him as is fitting for a lead. The supporting cast of characters is excellent. Each character gets you curious about some part of the lore you don't know yet. The author has an amusing fascination with the colour red. Barely any description of colour happens without a mention of red.
While We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies follows the conventions of the fantasy genre, it never feels derivative. It always manages to stay fresh and exciting. The dialogue is mature and nuanced. This bleeds into some of the themes this book explores. The idea of the corruption of innocence is a great example. Almost all the major characters have had their innocence violated in some way and their responses turn them into the different characters they become, complete with warring philosophies. There's literally a plot point involving pedophilia. Unlike many other fantasy stories with religion, this book respects its religion, never mocking or making light of it in any meaningful way. You get the sense that the principles of this religion are steeped in the author's own beliefs. If you enjoy fantasy this book is perfect for you.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Aside from a few pacing issues and the mountains of exposition, it was a joy to read. I give it 5 out 5 stars. I was impressed that I didn't come across any errors. The book edited exceptionally well. The author clearly enjoyed writing this and you'll enjoy reading it.
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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 planned fantasy series of nine books by Matthew Tysz. The setting is a multiverse of the physical universe called the Cosmos, the magical universe called Caromentis and the spiritual universe called Alithea. The actual story takes place in the Cosmos in a kingdom called Voulhire. The main character is Galen Bray, a young man who has fled a war torn, "Into the badlands", like region to go to Voulhire. In this book he shares the spotlight with Wilhelm Arcolo, the king of Voulhire and Eldus Alderman, the newly appointed Lord of a small town.
These three characters have their journeys simultaneously, starting with Galen's escape from the Land of the Princes. Galen's journey to Voulhire is a result of him coming into some inheritance he knew nothing about. We follow him as he adjusts to his new life and tries to run his inherited business. King Wilhelm has to deal with the Riva Rohavi, a rebel faction while trying to lead the Kingdom into a golden age. His plan for this golden age involves sending Eldus to Hillport, a small town on the southern coast. Eldus has more to worry about than the economy however. He also has to help the town recover from revelations of pedophilia and horrific murders in the Lord's castle.
As expected, the book is structured like a pilot for a Television series. It carefully sets up this world and all it's complexities. The exposition is a bit much sometimes even though it does a good job of establishing the rich lore. Galen is a likeable enough main character but we don't get as much time with him as is fitting for a lead. The supporting cast of characters is excellent. Each character gets you curious about some part of the lore you don't know yet. The author has an amusing fascination with the colour red. Barely any description of colour happens without a mention of red.
While We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies follows the conventions of the fantasy genre, it never feels derivative. It always manages to stay fresh and exciting. The dialogue is mature and nuanced. This bleeds into some of the themes this book explores. The idea of the corruption of innocence is a great example. Almost all the major characters have had their innocence violated in some way and their responses turn them into the different characters they become, complete with warring philosophies. There's literally a plot point involving pedophilia. Unlike many other fantasy stories with religion, this book respects its religion, never mocking or making light of it in any meaningful way. You get the sense that the principles of this religion are steeped in the author's own beliefs. If you enjoy fantasy this book is perfect for you.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Aside from a few pacing issues and the mountains of exposition, it was a joy to read. I give it 5 out 5 stars. I was impressed that I didn't come across any errors. The book edited exceptionally well. The author clearly enjoyed writing this and you'll enjoy reading it.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
