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4 out of 4 stars
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Galen Bray grew up seeing civil war as an everyday occurrence. His parents died when he was young and has been living on his own since then. Good fortune came to him when he received a letter from a solicitor of a dying relative informing him of his inheritance. With high hopes for a more robust and peaceful life, Galen sets his journey to a faraway land referred to as Voulhire. He found out that he inherited a property and a business that he knew nothing about. His solicitor, Rowan, is helping him learn how to forge steel. To begin his training, they bought a black stone and needed an imbuer to appraise the type of mineral engraved on this stone. What sets this stone apart from the other minerals within the whole kingdom? What awaits Galen's fate in Voulhire?
Voulhire is totally different from what Galen grew up on. The bountiful and beautiful land is ruled by a monarch named King Wilhelm Arcolo. The influence of science, politics and magic are blended in the Voulhirian culture. There are militant groups who also wanted to conquer the land and to oust the current ruler for different reasons. One of them is Dalehei Meldorath, a powerful mage, who is locked up on an island under the king's order. Other violent insurgents referred to themselves as members of the Riva Rohavi group, who despise magic because they believe it provides power to the few elites only. Is Voulhire facing a civil war soon? How will King Wilhelm pacify his people and take control of the ongoing conflict within his kingdom?
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is a fantasy novel that has an intriguing plot, and it introduces the characters in a way that they are interrelated with one another. Some of the things described in the book are also similar to what our society is experiencing today. I appreciate the way the author enclosed a map too. It gives a clear view of the land. Readers can easily perceive and follow the characters’ journey as they travel to reach certain destinations. What I like most about this novel is how the author tries to elucidate the theory about the magical world and the physical world in simple words.
I recommend this book to people who love fantasy novels. Those who love reading or watching the Game of Thrones series will also love this book. I wonder if the We are Voulhire series have been considered to play on the big screen. Young readers above 16 years old will surely enjoy reading this novel. It will also benefit readers who like to debate on the theory of magic and physics. Also, It appears to me that this book is also well-edited.
However, I had trouble focusing on reading the characters' journey because each chapter jumped from one scenario to another that made it confusing for me to follow. Be it as it may, it is not enough reason for me to drop the book’s rating. It is just my personal preference. In addition, I do not recommend this book to religious readers due to sensitivity to issues about one’s faith. There are some topics regarding faith, philosophy, politics and universal science all throughout the story. There may be topics mentioned in this book that can be subject to debate. Again, this is a fictionalized novel, so take it for what it is. Overall, I give this book 4 out of 4 stars rating.
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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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