Does Galen Deserve to Be the Main Character?

Use this forum to discuss the October 2020 Book of the month, "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.
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Mariana Figueira
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Re: Does Galen Deserve to Be the Main Character?

Post by Mariana Figueira »

I feel like in this first book, Galen is sort of a weak character; but by being so naive, it presents as an opportunity for his growth, so that's where I think the author is going with it, and why he was built like that.
He is used to explore Voulhire, maybe not as much as Lord Eldus and King Wilhem, but yeah, sure.
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Post by Christabel Uzoamaka »

Ana Victoria2002 wrote: 01 Oct 2020, 18:28 I felt that Galen is a character that is a bit bland for a protagonist. I like Rowan and even King Wilhem a bit more because I felt that Galen did not have a backbone. However, I think that throughout the rest of the series readers can see some character development.
I feel this way as way. He also seemed too “innocent”. But his character development was, indeed, interesting to watch.
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Christabel Uzoamaka
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Post by Christabel Uzoamaka »

Ana Victoria2002 wrote: 01 Oct 2020, 18:28 I felt that Galen is a character that is a bit bland for a protagonist. I like Rowan and even King Wilhem a bit more because I felt that Galen did not have a backbone. However, I think that throughout the rest of the series readers can see some character development.
I feel this way as well. He also seemed too “innocent”. But his character development was, indeed, interesting to watch.
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Post by Vannaskivt »

I actually really like his character and wish there was more of him in the first book. I have not read the sequels yet so perhaps we will get more? I really want him to succeed in what he does, and his back story makes him even more likable.
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Post by Valkyrie9 »

Cynthia Olyy wrote: 02 Oct 2020, 00:30 Galen is just the perfect protagonist for the story. Although the author did not fully unveil his part in the overall plot in the first book, it becomes clearer why he did that in subsequent books.
I also think he will be the perfect protagonist for this story. As I have yet to read the sequels, I can't say for sure that the author develops his character sufficiently; however, he could perhaps have spent a little more time on Galen in this first installment.
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Post by RavingReads »

To me, it felt as though Galen was always the main character. When reading his perspective, it felt like he had that curious wonder about the world and was always meant to be the focus. I know that in the first book there were a lot of characters centered, but I always enjoyed reading Galen's the most.
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Post by Liz Alice »

Although the story is said from different perspectives, it truly follows Galen's journey. It is through his eyes that Voulhire is first introduced. There are many different characters that have important roles, but they are going through an already established path. Galen's story has more room for imagination. And out of all the characters, Galen seemed more relatable.
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Post by Nmesoma »

I've read only Book one and I'm looking forward to reading the rest. I loved Galen's character in Book one, his portrayal and his naivety and general outlook on life was a big bonus to the story. I haven't read the other books in the series, but I would be disappointed if he didn't play a main role in the others as well.
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Post by Monishka Sharma »

Yes, i think so. Out of all the characters portrayed he is the kindest. He is good and know the hardships. Lord Eldus could've been a good character in upcoming war but his character ended.
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Post by K+SQUARE »

I think Galen is fit for the main character in the story. He seems to be the pivot that turns people towards other paths they would not necessarily take without him being there, just lie Demetrius left his position to work for him.
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Post by Sarah Schmidt »

Galen's past in a warring country looks like a wonderful origin story for a fantasy hero. With all the characters we've met up to this point, I think he deserves the protagonist role. It does seem like he'll affect the storyline based on all the hints dropped. I like his characterization, though it's hard to believe that with all that he's experienced in the Land of the Princes his personality isn't dark and gloomy.
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Post by dianaterrado »

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: 01 Oct 2020, 00:28 Is Galen fit for the position of the main character? Does the author use him to explore Voulhire to its depth? Can you attribute his character traits to the overall rating of the story, or does he tamper with its flow? Could a change in his characterization have caused a switch of the author's tone?

I think he fits just right. He's far from perfect but I think the author wanted the readers to experience firsthand for the first time the world with and through Galen. And this way, the readers will be more enticed with the story.
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Post by Kushina_2 »

I have recently finished reading the first book of the series and I can say that I very much like how Galen is portrayed and the character has a lot of room for development. Everything about the character stands out from the rest to me. So, yes I can definitely see Galen as the protagonist for this series.
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Post by Nikita_sharma »

Honestly, it took me quite a while for me to acknowledge that Galen could be the protagonist. While I did connect to him and Eldus the most, there were a lot of other characters who got as much, and sometimes more attention that Galen. My guess is he will evolve to be the lead as the series goes on, but in this book, there doesn't appear to be any sole lead character
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Post by angelanikkicea »

Yes, Galen deserves to be the main character. From the very start of the book, I liked how the story of his character was presented from his journey coming to the Kingdom of Voulhire. I liked that he is a very interesting character with a great character development.
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