Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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Delyan Videv
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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 by Matthew Tysz
How does a merge between Game of Thrones and Harry Potter sound? We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies combines the land divided into kingdoms with the up-close vivid sorcery in a branched plot, all while conveying the lives of the characters with attention to their personality and detail. Wilhelm – stoic and burdened by responsibility, characteristics fit for his position as King of Voulhire, attempting to heal the fishermen city of Hillport, and himself, from the betrayal of his former friend Meldorath; Eldus with his noble family set out to see Hillport to its economic prowess; Galen Bray taking his second chance at life in the humble land of Magnum Caelum, granted to him by his great uncle blacksmith; all while evil awaits for a chance to strike at the kingdom of Voulhire, right as it is coming to another “golden age”.
There are several plot lines in the book, each covering its set cluster of characters. Only Galen’s plot line is in first-person, perhaps hinting at his importance to the kingdom. His sidekick, Rowen, is as helpful to the newly acquainted to the town of Magnum Caelum, as he is witty, which becomes evident in the conversations he and the imbuer Demetrius have. Rowen plays a major role in the way Galen adapts to his new life because, despite his claims he has “Plenty to do back home” when it comes to it, he chooses Galen over money(and life without a suspicious monk). In a dichotomy with this small and intimate world with its concrete challenges, the other plot lines directly involve noblemen or the peoples they rule, such as the chapters about Lord Eldus. His newly established lordship is contested by unpleasant surprises in his very castle. While keeping up appearances so as not to alarm his family and his new people, the lord performs duties long overdue to the people of Hillport – from children to marines; from calling in educated psychologists to negotiating with captains over ships for better trade, he does it all. This attention to the tedious, raw, not-so-glamorous parts of life forms a deeper connection with the reader, although in the beginning the sheer amount of information might be slightly overwhelming and the connection between the plot lines is a bit unclear. Some might argue that makes this manner of narration all the better.
A great distinction in this split-plot approach is the kingdom division of the land. Kingdoms, but also peoples. They are very distinctive in each part of Voulhire; the people of Hillport are haunted by the betrayals they endured, but they do not their reluctance to lordmen to silence their voices when Lord Eldus shows he truly intends to restore their spirit and their town; Alcovians are pragmatic miners, who would rather be scolded than lose their job and the townsmen of Magnum Caelum much resemble their houses – colorful in appearance and personality, fully in capacity to fill a tavern with laughter. Additionally, the numerous psychology terms – “daddy issues”, “OCD”, ”attachment issues”, scattered through the book create a feeling of a world close to home, further strengthening the bond between the reader and Voulhire.
There are some mysteries about this fantasy land as well. How does the relationship between the Cosmos and Caromentis function? Are the mages the only ones with otherworldly power? What fuels the hate of the Riva Rohavi? This book is a very well-rounded beginning of a series about a land where betrayal, second chances, sidekicks, magic and human collide in grand magnitude. I’d rate it 5 out of 5. It had the magical factor, reminiscent of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, the medieval castles and kingdoms of Game of Thrones and the reality of humans and relationships we experience every day.
I would recommend this book to readers who love a stray from the standard plot structure and seeing a story unravel to its fullness through a series. This is a perfect read for anyone who loves some whimsical magical fantasy world mixed with a hint of realness typical of a drama. We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is a versatile read, which can fit an array of readers, even those who do not have a soft spot for the fantasy genre.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz
How does a merge between Game of Thrones and Harry Potter sound? We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies combines the land divided into kingdoms with the up-close vivid sorcery in a branched plot, all while conveying the lives of the characters with attention to their personality and detail. Wilhelm – stoic and burdened by responsibility, characteristics fit for his position as King of Voulhire, attempting to heal the fishermen city of Hillport, and himself, from the betrayal of his former friend Meldorath; Eldus with his noble family set out to see Hillport to its economic prowess; Galen Bray taking his second chance at life in the humble land of Magnum Caelum, granted to him by his great uncle blacksmith; all while evil awaits for a chance to strike at the kingdom of Voulhire, right as it is coming to another “golden age”.
There are several plot lines in the book, each covering its set cluster of characters. Only Galen’s plot line is in first-person, perhaps hinting at his importance to the kingdom. His sidekick, Rowen, is as helpful to the newly acquainted to the town of Magnum Caelum, as he is witty, which becomes evident in the conversations he and the imbuer Demetrius have. Rowen plays a major role in the way Galen adapts to his new life because, despite his claims he has “Plenty to do back home” when it comes to it, he chooses Galen over money(and life without a suspicious monk). In a dichotomy with this small and intimate world with its concrete challenges, the other plot lines directly involve noblemen or the peoples they rule, such as the chapters about Lord Eldus. His newly established lordship is contested by unpleasant surprises in his very castle. While keeping up appearances so as not to alarm his family and his new people, the lord performs duties long overdue to the people of Hillport – from children to marines; from calling in educated psychologists to negotiating with captains over ships for better trade, he does it all. This attention to the tedious, raw, not-so-glamorous parts of life forms a deeper connection with the reader, although in the beginning the sheer amount of information might be slightly overwhelming and the connection between the plot lines is a bit unclear. Some might argue that makes this manner of narration all the better.
A great distinction in this split-plot approach is the kingdom division of the land. Kingdoms, but also peoples. They are very distinctive in each part of Voulhire; the people of Hillport are haunted by the betrayals they endured, but they do not their reluctance to lordmen to silence their voices when Lord Eldus shows he truly intends to restore their spirit and their town; Alcovians are pragmatic miners, who would rather be scolded than lose their job and the townsmen of Magnum Caelum much resemble their houses – colorful in appearance and personality, fully in capacity to fill a tavern with laughter. Additionally, the numerous psychology terms – “daddy issues”, “OCD”, ”attachment issues”, scattered through the book create a feeling of a world close to home, further strengthening the bond between the reader and Voulhire.
There are some mysteries about this fantasy land as well. How does the relationship between the Cosmos and Caromentis function? Are the mages the only ones with otherworldly power? What fuels the hate of the Riva Rohavi? This book is a very well-rounded beginning of a series about a land where betrayal, second chances, sidekicks, magic and human collide in grand magnitude. I’d rate it 5 out of 5. It had the magical factor, reminiscent of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, the medieval castles and kingdoms of Game of Thrones and the reality of humans and relationships we experience every day.
I would recommend this book to readers who love a stray from the standard plot structure and seeing a story unravel to its fullness through a series. This is a perfect read for anyone who loves some whimsical magical fantasy world mixed with a hint of realness typical of a drama. We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is a versatile read, which can fit an array of readers, even those who do not have a soft spot for the fantasy genre.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
