Review by bhartikakkar -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival...
-
bhartikakkar
- Posts: 4
- Joined: 16 Mar 2019, 12:30
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 4
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bhartikakkar.html
- Latest Review: Burn Zones by Jorge P. Newbery
Review by bhartikakkar -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival...
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Set in an intriguing universe brimming with mysteries, We Are Voulhire by Matthew Tysz is first in a series of books belonging to the medieval fantasy genre.
At the outset, the reader is introduced to a character called Galen Bray, who has been exposed to inadequate living conditions for the most part of his life as a denizen of the war-torn ‘Lands of the Princes’. Things start to fall in place for the first time ever for this young man when he gets to know that he has inherited his late great uncle’s business in the prosperous state of Voulhire. Following this information, Galen finds himself on a boat to Voulhire, ready to begin his new life with the help of executor Rowan.
The kingdom of Voulhire is ruled by King Wilhelm Arcolo, during whose reign the kingdom had flourished tremendously and Voulhire’s golden age had set in. But for Voulhire, things aren’t as smooth and serene as they appear to be. Herr Eldus Alderman, the newly appointed Lord of a comparatively backward town of Voulhire called Hillport, is shouldered with the responsibility of helping Hillport catch up with the national mainstream. However, the people of Hillport have developed a sense of aversion towards the government as a consequence of apparent injustices done to them by the preceding two Lords- Lord Orlin, a ‘pedophile’, and Lord Meldorath, a powerful mage. The latter is deemed dead by the people of Voulhire when in reality, he has been confined to a castle guarded by a very pragmatic leader, Captain Barcaedi, and his team of mages. Further, a terrorist organisation named Riva Rohavi is secretly planning to make a comeback after a long period of dormancy and make things worse for the kingdom.
Will Lord Eldus, the only beacon of hope for Hillport, be able to make things better for the people? Will the public learn about the king’s lie regarding Lord Meldorath’s execution? Will the town be saved from the ill intentions of Riva? What important role does Galen Bray have to play in the kingdom of Voulhire?
We Are Voulhire progresses as two seemingly distinct tales run simultaneously- the first one corresponds to the happenings in the life of Galen Bray, and the other one describes the political setup of Voulhire and the progression of the characters such as Lord Eldus. This keeps monotony away and helps maintain the readers’ interest as they have no idea what to expect next. Another aspect of the book that contributes in keeping the audience glued is the subtle humour and witty dialogue delivery. Further, the author does a brilliant job in describing every scene intricately by employing great imagery skills.
As much as I loved the storyline, there are a few things which make this book a 3/4 for me. First off, there were a few spots in the book where diction didn’t seem to be the most appropriate; for instance, at one point in the book the word ‘affect’ had been wrongly used in place of the word ‘effect’. Secondly, as mentioned, the story contains two narratives that run in a parallel manner. As the story advances, the readers expect to come across a crossover but that doesn’t really happen. Also, the novel is written in a manner such that a new set of questions and mysteries pop up in the reader’s mind with every chapter. Towards the end, barely a couple of them are answered and we are left with a ton of cliffhangers. This can be perceived in two ways. As much as I would like to assert that this is an amazing strategy because the reader is driven by a strong urge to continue reading the whole series, I would also like to mention that it is a tiny bit frustrating because nearing the end, the readers expect to come across some sort of major conclusion for the incidents. When that doesn’t happen, characters and episodes appear to be superfluous.
In conclusion, I rate We Are Voulhire 3 out of 4 stars and would recommend the book to young adults and grown-ups interested in fantasy books. I won’t recommend it to children below 14 because the story contains a substantial amount of cussing as part of individual character’s dialogues. While it does add the necessary tinge of humour, it makes an otherwise amazing book unfit for younger people for obvious reasons.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like bhartikakkar's review? Post a comment saying so!
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Set in an intriguing universe brimming with mysteries, We Are Voulhire by Matthew Tysz is first in a series of books belonging to the medieval fantasy genre.
At the outset, the reader is introduced to a character called Galen Bray, who has been exposed to inadequate living conditions for the most part of his life as a denizen of the war-torn ‘Lands of the Princes’. Things start to fall in place for the first time ever for this young man when he gets to know that he has inherited his late great uncle’s business in the prosperous state of Voulhire. Following this information, Galen finds himself on a boat to Voulhire, ready to begin his new life with the help of executor Rowan.
The kingdom of Voulhire is ruled by King Wilhelm Arcolo, during whose reign the kingdom had flourished tremendously and Voulhire’s golden age had set in. But for Voulhire, things aren’t as smooth and serene as they appear to be. Herr Eldus Alderman, the newly appointed Lord of a comparatively backward town of Voulhire called Hillport, is shouldered with the responsibility of helping Hillport catch up with the national mainstream. However, the people of Hillport have developed a sense of aversion towards the government as a consequence of apparent injustices done to them by the preceding two Lords- Lord Orlin, a ‘pedophile’, and Lord Meldorath, a powerful mage. The latter is deemed dead by the people of Voulhire when in reality, he has been confined to a castle guarded by a very pragmatic leader, Captain Barcaedi, and his team of mages. Further, a terrorist organisation named Riva Rohavi is secretly planning to make a comeback after a long period of dormancy and make things worse for the kingdom.
Will Lord Eldus, the only beacon of hope for Hillport, be able to make things better for the people? Will the public learn about the king’s lie regarding Lord Meldorath’s execution? Will the town be saved from the ill intentions of Riva? What important role does Galen Bray have to play in the kingdom of Voulhire?
We Are Voulhire progresses as two seemingly distinct tales run simultaneously- the first one corresponds to the happenings in the life of Galen Bray, and the other one describes the political setup of Voulhire and the progression of the characters such as Lord Eldus. This keeps monotony away and helps maintain the readers’ interest as they have no idea what to expect next. Another aspect of the book that contributes in keeping the audience glued is the subtle humour and witty dialogue delivery. Further, the author does a brilliant job in describing every scene intricately by employing great imagery skills.
As much as I loved the storyline, there are a few things which make this book a 3/4 for me. First off, there were a few spots in the book where diction didn’t seem to be the most appropriate; for instance, at one point in the book the word ‘affect’ had been wrongly used in place of the word ‘effect’. Secondly, as mentioned, the story contains two narratives that run in a parallel manner. As the story advances, the readers expect to come across a crossover but that doesn’t really happen. Also, the novel is written in a manner such that a new set of questions and mysteries pop up in the reader’s mind with every chapter. Towards the end, barely a couple of them are answered and we are left with a ton of cliffhangers. This can be perceived in two ways. As much as I would like to assert that this is an amazing strategy because the reader is driven by a strong urge to continue reading the whole series, I would also like to mention that it is a tiny bit frustrating because nearing the end, the readers expect to come across some sort of major conclusion for the incidents. When that doesn’t happen, characters and episodes appear to be superfluous.
In conclusion, I rate We Are Voulhire 3 out of 4 stars and would recommend the book to young adults and grown-ups interested in fantasy books. I won’t recommend it to children below 14 because the story contains a substantial amount of cussing as part of individual character’s dialogues. While it does add the necessary tinge of humour, it makes an otherwise amazing book unfit for younger people for obvious reasons.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like bhartikakkar's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Burn Zones by Jorge P. Newbery
