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4 out of 4 stars
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In Voulhire, a land of nobles, mages, rebels, and peaceful citizens, there's trouble looming on the horizon! The rise of a powerful and wicked mage, Lord Meldorath, has the whole citizens of Voulhire panic-stricken. The king of Voulhire, Wilhelm Arcolo, pacifies his followers with the news of Meldorath's death. He also appoints another lord to govern the region where Meldorath was lord before his death. But is this powerful mage dead? Time will tell!
From a war-torn land far away, a poor lad, Galen Bray, is to become the new owner of his late uncle's steel forge in Voulhire. His uncle's dying wish was for him to take over his business. Galen is happy to leave the war and abject poverty behind him and start a peaceful life in Voulhire. But just how long is this peace going to last? Perhaps it is his destiny to be in the land, but to what end? You have to read this intriguing book to find out.
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is the first book in the We are Voulhire series. It is a fantasy adventure book that will thrill anyone who reads it. I love how the book starts with a map of Voulhire: it helped me to have a clear geographical image of the entire country and its towns. I also enjoyed how the author organized the book into parts focusing on particular characters and the events around them.
Matthew uses the third-person point of view to tell most parts of the story, but in the other parts, he uses the first-person point of view (Galen's perspective). This alternating style helped me to know other events that were simultaneously unfolding in Voulhire. I love the author's writing style and enjoyed how he introduced the characters. Even with the many characters in this book, I never lost track of any of them. The characters are well-developed and unique. More so, I enjoyed the creative use of items like diaries and journals to give the backstories of some characters in this book. Good job, Mr. Tysz.
Nevertheless, I must commend the author for the use of vivid imagery in this book. His descriptions took my imagination on a wild ride, and it felt like I was physically witnessing the events in the book. I am always on the lookout for how believable the dialogues are in any book I read, and I am glad those in this book didn't disappoint. I fell in love with Rowan's character due to his witty remarks and sense of humor. I enjoyed how much he helped Galen and made him laugh at the same time. However, what I liked the most about this book was the use of simple language in it. The story just flowed seamlessly! Mr. Tysz's style makes the book easy to follow and understand while still maintaining its atmosphere of sophistication and intrigue.
Matthew Tysz's work in this title is praiseworthy! I couldn't believe how emotionally attached I became to some of the characters in it. I feared for their safety and empathized with them. The only thing I disliked about the book was how it ended. But I couldn't hold a grudge, knowing there's a sequel to the title. I, therefore, rate it 4 out of 4 stars. This book is also professionally edited and without typos. I am recommending this book to all epic fantasy readers except children due to some profanities in it.
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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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