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

[SaltyKate]

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

[rwc=id373763-125]4 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]4/4



We Are Voulhire is an enjoyable first installment of what will likely be an incredible epic series. Matthew Tysz weaves a suspenseful tale of magic, mystery, betrayal and new beginnings that is reminiscent of the early works of Robert Jordan.



There is no central character to follow in his book. Instead you will see multiple plots, craftily intertwined, giving the reader a large picture of this fantasy realm. There is a young man who is travelling from a war torn kingdom after inheriting a blacksmith forge from an uncle he never met. Upon arriving in his new home he meets and becomes friends with the executor of his uncle's estate, Rowan. Rowan is a roguish sort of fellow who seems over invested in the young mans success. Together they journey to another city to purchase material for the forge and they end up receiving some very unique material to work with.



Elsewhere, in a city called Hilltop, a battle mage and celebrated general arrests a city lord for pedophilia and promptly takes the lords place as the city's benefactor. This position doesn't last, as he is soon imprisoned himself for alleged crimes against humanity. The King claims he was put to death, but really he is just chilling on a Voulhire version of Alcatraz, surrounded by warships to prevent him from escaping. Spoiler alert! He escapes.



Finally, the small coastal city of Hilltop continues to experience more hardship. This time that hardship comes in the form of an Army that has been silent for two hundred years, who sack the town and slaughter the new lord and his family.



In the capital city of Soulhire, we are introduced to the mighty regent of the realm, King Wilhelm. Wilhelm seems like a decent leader, but his power and authority aren't just derived from his own position as king. The Mianoran Council is effectively a failsafe that is meant to prevent civil war. They are tasked with affirming the heir to the throne and have the authority to arrest the king himself. This has led to significant friction between the two men and the political tension continues to build.



It was a very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

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[i]We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies [/i]
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