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

[Alexandra W12]

[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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This book introduces readers to the land of Voulhire with an imaginative introduction to the politics, major characters, economics, magic, and geography of this land. Voulhire is inhabited by humans and can be visited by other beings who can appear in human bodies from other universes. The magical happenings and strong character development in this book had me hooked from page one. I give We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies five stars.

It contains a small amount of profanity and significant amounts of violence and sexual content. There are several books after this one in the series, and the author states that the initial book is more of a first glimpse into the state of Voulhire than a complete story. I think that is a fair statement, and the experience as you read through chapters written from different perspectives certainly feels otherworldly. This book has excellent villains and strong elements of political intrigue and mystery. I think some more development of the characters who inhabited the castle before the start of the main character's story would be beneficial. It is easy to get interested in the revolt, war situation, and tension between generals, lords, and kings. It is a bit difficult to place the castle in the action at the start of the story, but you realize how central the castle is toward the end. Just a few details about events and characters who aren't nobility or military leaders are available by the time you get to the end.

Galen is the central figure and finds himself returning to Voulhire after his uncle leaves him a forge as part of his inheritance. The struggle he faces as a person who has lived outside of Voulhire during a time of war, unrest, and economic uncertainty feels quite relevant and believable. He is making the permanent move to Voulhire while preparing to learn how to be a blacksmith at a time when metal is rapidly becoming more precious. The magic rocks, notable armor production secrets, and significant relationships between nobles bring to light important questions about people, their motives, and civilization.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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