4 out of 4 stars
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While Matthew Tysz analogized this book to Game of Thrones, I could not relate as I haven't seen the popular show (yes we do exist). I can however, draw a parallel between this book and Lord of the Rings. Picture medieval times, some among you who are able to do magic, war ravaged towns, and an alliance between three young men (so it was four in Lord the of Rings, close enough). The author does a beautiful job spinning a tale with the main themes of who can you trust and always have hope, even in the unlikeliest of characters.
While the book is written from the perspective of multiple characters, two characters and their stories are most prominent. Galen is a young man from the Land of Princes. His estranged great uncle sends him papers to have him come to Voulhire to take over his blacksmith business. He is an unlikely heir, as Galen has no experience as a blacksmith, but maybe a magical manual and executor of his great uncle's will, Rowan,can help.
The second main character is Lord Eldus, newly appointed Lord of Hillport. He has made it his personal mission to rebuild and revitalize the city after the rein of two unsavory characters. One is dead, and unlikely to return and haunt the town, while the other's whereabouts are less certain.
I give We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies a rating of 4 out of 4. This book was out of my comfort zone and I took a chance on it as I was intrigued by the author's biography. I have a mutual appreciation for Manhattan and felt the author's previous occupations could make for interesting story writing. I felt the book was well edited and well written for a premiere novel. I really enjoyed the characters Beth and Beverly. I think they are unique and I am interested to see what their future holds in the series.
While I rate the book highly, I was frustrated with the lack of background on one of the main characters, Galen. While a great uncle and grandmother is briefly mentioned, there is nothing about a mother or father. I feel a little more development of the characters would help to engage more readers.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and action/adventure books. The book did not contain much illicit material, so it is appropriate for anyone teenage years and up. Fans of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and similar novels will enjoy this book. A core message throughout all of these is despite the death and destruction we face in our world, there is always hope.
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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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