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

[Siphesihle Prince]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is an exquisite introductory piece by Matthew Tysz into the magical world of the We are Voulhire series. Galen Bray is the nondescript protagonist, and his narration recounts his escape from his homeland, which has been ravaged by war due to a political power struggle. Galen has received refuge into the great kingdom of Voulhire, where a deceased relative has left him an inheritance and a legacy, but most importantly, a second chance to realize a normal life when all he has known is desperate survival. Unfortunately, Voulhire is not as pleasant as it's advertised.

A deep secret, one which can shake the kingdom to the core is concealed by the king and his court. Twice now, figures of idolization, a lord, and the most feared and respected mage in Voulhire, shockingly departed from what's ethically acceptable. While the kingdom tries to stabilise from the aftermath of these terrible scandals, signs of rebels, seemingly smelling the disorder in the air, come knocking at the boarders, all the while, the threat of civil unrest rears its head at the heart of the kingdom itself.

The story is written in variable narratives which switch from first to third person. The first person narration is a very descriptive and submersible retelling of Galen drawing us a somewhat witty yet unbiased depiction of his earlier endeavors, where Galen is initially naive and starry eyed, unaware that maneuvering in a civil society is a war of its own, and one he's not been properly baptized for. Other character's exploits are written in tidy third person.

Matthew Tysz has taken some liberties in this book that would be referred to as unconventional by traditional novel readers, which is either the book's best selling point or its Achilles heel. Firstly, the story is well seasoned with exposition. It's a historic tendency for works of fantasy to be more descriptive so as to make the fictions in the book easier to vividly picture, but in today's age, fictional fantasty is a popular and well explored genre. Almost every theme has been used extensively, so generously applying exposition to revisit old tropes is risky. Additionally, for the sake fleshing out the lore of the story, the development of the protagonist feels abandoned, especially in the first half of the book, where the story is so focused on other characters and events that Galen feels like a filler character.

Fortunately, Matthew Tysz deftly steers clear from the literal pitfalls of filler writing, and his expositions are tasteful and informative. The pacing of the story is not exactly fast, but that adds rather than subtracts, as the slow ride into the main plot allows readers to invest themselves along the way. The initial focus on other characters lays a sound foundation for us to better understand, even if it's a mere glimpse, this new fantasy world of Matthew's imagination.

I rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars.The pacing is steady, the character developments are realistic and their interactions are tangible. While some may not prefer the exposition, some definitely will appreciate the attention to details, meaning it boils down ultimately to preference. If possible, I'd give it a 3.5, but that midst leans more to a rounded 4 than a 3 on account of the book being so superbly written.

We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is a good book to peruse for a fantasy fanatic that has the good patience to not dive head first into the thick of a plotline. Here, a less overeager reader, who'll first dip their toes before sinking their feet and legs and then submerging themselves into a story, will appreciate the build up and steadily unravelled lore of the story. What is certain, is that any fan of fiction that picks up this book for reading will certainly be rewarded with a kinetic, literal exploration of a fantastical story unrestricted by reality.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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[Soraya Bayah]

You have a unique writing style that is hard to describe in words. I immensely enjoyed reading this insightful review, especially since I just finished reading this remarkable book. Thank you for the intriguing and excellent review.

[The Holy Grail]

This book was a groundbreaker! I think this book is wonderfully written. I've enjoyed reading your reviews too.

[Oreoluwa281]

I read this book and, I can say this book deserves all the recognition it's been getting. This is an amazing review.

[Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu]

We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is a good book to peruse for a fantasy fanatic that has the good patience to not dive head first into the thick of a plotline. Here, a less overeager reader, who'll first dip their toes before sinking their feet and legs and then submerging themselves into a story, will appreciate the build up and steadily unravelled lore of the story. What is certain, is that any fan of fiction that picks up this book for reading will certainly be rewarded with a kinetic, literal exploration of a fantastical story unrestricted by reality.

I couldn't agree with you more. As someone who read the book, I thought it was a perfect introduction to a series and it got me hooked to its fantasy world. Great review.

[Mbali Qalinge]

I've also read this book, and I agree that its steady pacing helps get a feel of everything and be immersed in it. It was also the perfect introduction to the We are Voulhire series, and you've described all the book's charms and what makes it different.