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 by Matthew Tysz is a book focused on fantasy, how tainted it became under man's hands, and how it would then prosper as well. It tells the stories of people in its world — the privileged, the serving, and the humble — and it tells it exceptionally well. It leaves your imagination hungering for more with every scene, for more emotion, for more of its story, and your mind wondering how all this will tie or perhaps all clash and burn together, one chapter at a time. Will Galen, the protagonist, really be able to succeed and able to rise to the top before all hell breaks loose, even if he is the protagonist? Or will anarchy uprise the kingdom of Voulhire before he makes it? Does the king really care about Voulhire, or is it all an act by the old man?
The writing is flexible between points of view, maintaining consistency and intensity. It's so smooth, so crisp, flowing; I could feel the rocking of the ship Galen was travelling on, the breeze in the king's quarters with all the windows open, and the views from travelling by stallion, just the same way I could almost feel the same emotions the characters felt. The realization that Galen had, that he was alone with no family; the happiness he had from even the simplest of things, and how gently heartstruck he was by himself after looking in a mirror for the first time. This book does not pull its punches in the emotional department, and it only took a few words to make me step back and process certain quotes, the words that would flutter my heart. Galen is an amazing protagonist; he's not obnoxious, and you understand right off the bat why he acts the way he does, his reaction to what we consider normal, and his wonder with the mundane. Everything has the right place and time, and nothing is overexposed between chapters. The initial story hook is strong, reeling you without overwhelming you. Some characters we'd expect to act one way, due to status or position, act differently. The map at the start and the dictionary at the end are such small but meaningful touches, as it keeps you in the loop of what's happening where, what's what and who's who, all with ease and simplicity. It's a smooth, remarkably pleasant read, one that made me sit down and invest myself in it with focus and concentration. It's very thoroughly edited as well, I did not see any errors.
Surprisingly enough, I did not find anything in this book that would be outstandingly negative. At the very worst of what I can mention, it would be that the sentences that really made me emotional came only from one character, the protagonist. There is, however, development in other characters as well, as this is not to say they're flat or boring! Quite the opposite, it just happens to be that some of the most eye-watering moments all came from Galen's chapters, and I lived for it. This is barely a negative aspect from my point of view. It's no Don Quixote, but it sure knows what it's doing.
Perhaps boldly, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The reason why I'm giving it such a high rating is simple; it struck all the nails for me in what a fantasy-medieval book should have: a space for the physical, spiritual and magical, and the consequences in-between of humankind meddling where it shouldn't, written and executed amazingly. I see no reason to deduct a star, even with the slow development of the supporting cast.
My recommendation for We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is for those who spent their childhoods daydreaming about castles, about magic, about a fantasy world and its history, and who now crave that same world with darker tones. For anyone who enjoys creative action that utilizes anything and everything available to it, down to the more simple but meaningful moments, as simple as laying in a bed and soaking in the comfort it brings you, the wonder that completely unknown magic brings, and the shock when things go wrong — they're all only human, after all. It sparks your inner child's imagination, and your adult mind's interest one word at a time, with the dark nature of humanity and its flaws mixing with the innocent wonder of magic and fantasy. I recommend this book to a mature audience, as some of the deaths of minor characters can be intense and unsuitable for children, and there is mild profanity in the speeches of the characters now and then.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
We Are Voulhire by Matthew Tysz is a book focused on fantasy, how tainted it became under man's hands, and how it would then prosper as well. It tells the stories of people in its world — the privileged, the serving, and the humble — and it tells it exceptionally well. It leaves your imagination hungering for more with every scene, for more emotion, for more of its story, and your mind wondering how all this will tie or perhaps all clash and burn together, one chapter at a time. Will Galen, the protagonist, really be able to succeed and able to rise to the top before all hell breaks loose, even if he is the protagonist? Or will anarchy uprise the kingdom of Voulhire before he makes it? Does the king really care about Voulhire, or is it all an act by the old man?
The writing is flexible between points of view, maintaining consistency and intensity. It's so smooth, so crisp, flowing; I could feel the rocking of the ship Galen was travelling on, the breeze in the king's quarters with all the windows open, and the views from travelling by stallion, just the same way I could almost feel the same emotions the characters felt. The realization that Galen had, that he was alone with no family; the happiness he had from even the simplest of things, and how gently heartstruck he was by himself after looking in a mirror for the first time. This book does not pull its punches in the emotional department, and it only took a few words to make me step back and process certain quotes, the words that would flutter my heart. Galen is an amazing protagonist; he's not obnoxious, and you understand right off the bat why he acts the way he does, his reaction to what we consider normal, and his wonder with the mundane. Everything has the right place and time, and nothing is overexposed between chapters. The initial story hook is strong, reeling you without overwhelming you. Some characters we'd expect to act one way, due to status or position, act differently. The map at the start and the dictionary at the end are such small but meaningful touches, as it keeps you in the loop of what's happening where, what's what and who's who, all with ease and simplicity. It's a smooth, remarkably pleasant read, one that made me sit down and invest myself in it with focus and concentration. It's very thoroughly edited as well, I did not see any errors.
Surprisingly enough, I did not find anything in this book that would be outstandingly negative. At the very worst of what I can mention, it would be that the sentences that really made me emotional came only from one character, the protagonist. There is, however, development in other characters as well, as this is not to say they're flat or boring! Quite the opposite, it just happens to be that some of the most eye-watering moments all came from Galen's chapters, and I lived for it. This is barely a negative aspect from my point of view. It's no Don Quixote, but it sure knows what it's doing.
Perhaps boldly, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The reason why I'm giving it such a high rating is simple; it struck all the nails for me in what a fantasy-medieval book should have: a space for the physical, spiritual and magical, and the consequences in-between of humankind meddling where it shouldn't, written and executed amazingly. I see no reason to deduct a star, even with the slow development of the supporting cast.
My recommendation for We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is for those who spent their childhoods daydreaming about castles, about magic, about a fantasy world and its history, and who now crave that same world with darker tones. For anyone who enjoys creative action that utilizes anything and everything available to it, down to the more simple but meaningful moments, as simple as laying in a bed and soaking in the comfort it brings you, the wonder that completely unknown magic brings, and the shock when things go wrong — they're all only human, after all. It sparks your inner child's imagination, and your adult mind's interest one word at a time, with the dark nature of humanity and its flaws mixing with the innocent wonder of magic and fantasy. I recommend this book to a mature audience, as some of the deaths of minor characters can be intense and unsuitable for children, and there is mild profanity in the speeches of the characters now and then.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
