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

[Emily Lukens]

[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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We Are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is the first novel in the We Are Voulhire series. Tysz begins by providing a brief history of Voulhire and the Land of the Princes which helps to quickly integrate the reader into this new land. Voulhire is a kingdom in a golden era of peace ruled by an aging king. The threat of the Riva Rohavi, a rebellious organization with the ambition of Voulhire’s complete destruction, has been quiet for many years and Voulhire’s capital, Soulhire, and other major cities are thriving. The reader learns that King Wilhelm has tasked Lord Eldus and his family to help cultivate this same success in the southern city of Hillport. Hillport is a poor city which has been repressed by the misguided and harmful treatment of its previous lords. As Lord Eldus and his family settle into their new roles, a different story starts to unfold regarding Hillport’s recent tragedies.

Not far from Hillport a young man named Galen lands in Magnum Caelum after receiving an urgent request from his estranged blacksmith uncle. Galen has spent his entire life living in the war-torn Land of the Princes, a chain of four islands far off the coast of Voulhire. The thriving Voulhire is a very strange place for Galen, where citizens have the luxury of intrigue and some can even perform magic. As Galen is introduced to Voulhire by Rowan, his uncle’s executor, the reader is introduced as well.

I didn't find anything to dislike about this novel. I have given it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Tysz does a masterful job of letting the reader get to know the different characters through the plot without relying on direct and obvious dialogue. There are multiple storylines throughout the novel, but the breaks to switch between the storylines are thoughtfully done for maximum progression without making the reader feel burdened to remember minute details. The world building is excellent and on par with Raymond E. Feist and Robert Jordan. The editing was extremely thorough and I noted no errors. This is a series I will continue to read and I have the highest expectations that it will continue to impress.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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