Review by Tarbena45 -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival un...
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Tarbena45
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- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz
Review by Tarbena45 -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival un...
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies, is the first in the series of science fiction novels by Matthew Tysz.
In this brilliant novel, the author has created fantasy worlds, each of which operates under a different social and political system. On one hand, we are introduced to a world of fairness, ruled by a king with a strong moral compass. This is in contrast to worlds where the populations are exploited, and the powerful rule, using intimidation and cruelty.
We are introduced to the character of Galen Bray, who has experienced a life of terrible hardship in The Land of Princes. He is saved from this harsh existence thanks to the generosity of this great uncle, a blacksmith, who has died and left his entire estate to Galen. This inheritance is in Voulhire, a land where beauty and equality are the goals, in stark contrast to his former life. He is mesmerized by this world and is so grateful and eager to please everyone he meets, including Rowan, who managed the transition to Galen’s new life.
However, all is not as it seems in this world of light and plenty, as there are many dark forces at work, whose aims are to undermine and destroy this serene scene. The population is infiltrated by mages and wizards, who arrive from the magical world of Caromentis. Their aim is to wreak havoc and cause the downfall of the rulers of Voulhire. The action is often brutal.
In total contrast, we are transported back to the life of Galen, who is living his dream life, completely unaware of the terrible chaos happening in parts of this land.
The characters are intriguing and complex. Galen is gullible and naive and I felt anxious for him throughout the novel. Many of the characters elicited other emotions. I was wary of Rowan and his motives; I was in awe of the good King Wilhelm and scared by the awful might of the mages and wizards. In summary, the characters are amazingly vivid. They all have their own agendas, and the author is able to explore their behaviors and relate the startling effects they have on those whose paths they cross.
Lovers of science fiction would appreciate this action-packed fantasy. The story would be brilliantly portrayed on the big screen, with excitement and special effects aplenty. The novel finishes in mid-air, obviously encouraging the reader to continue with the series, as this is the first of nine books.
I award the book 3 out of 4 stars. I am not awarding it a perfect 4 as I found it confusing and heavy going in places. I found there were too many characters, place names, and plots to follow comfortably without taking notes. It all became very complicated.
I am, however, tempted to read the next book in the series. Having finished the first one and written this review, I feel as though I understand it better. I am intrigued as to whether the “goodies" are able to save the day. Although I found the story-line challenging, I will have to read on!
Are the beginnings of this Utopian society going to be completely destroyed by the dark forces?
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies, is the first in the series of science fiction novels by Matthew Tysz.
In this brilliant novel, the author has created fantasy worlds, each of which operates under a different social and political system. On one hand, we are introduced to a world of fairness, ruled by a king with a strong moral compass. This is in contrast to worlds where the populations are exploited, and the powerful rule, using intimidation and cruelty.
We are introduced to the character of Galen Bray, who has experienced a life of terrible hardship in The Land of Princes. He is saved from this harsh existence thanks to the generosity of this great uncle, a blacksmith, who has died and left his entire estate to Galen. This inheritance is in Voulhire, a land where beauty and equality are the goals, in stark contrast to his former life. He is mesmerized by this world and is so grateful and eager to please everyone he meets, including Rowan, who managed the transition to Galen’s new life.
However, all is not as it seems in this world of light and plenty, as there are many dark forces at work, whose aims are to undermine and destroy this serene scene. The population is infiltrated by mages and wizards, who arrive from the magical world of Caromentis. Their aim is to wreak havoc and cause the downfall of the rulers of Voulhire. The action is often brutal.
In total contrast, we are transported back to the life of Galen, who is living his dream life, completely unaware of the terrible chaos happening in parts of this land.
The characters are intriguing and complex. Galen is gullible and naive and I felt anxious for him throughout the novel. Many of the characters elicited other emotions. I was wary of Rowan and his motives; I was in awe of the good King Wilhelm and scared by the awful might of the mages and wizards. In summary, the characters are amazingly vivid. They all have their own agendas, and the author is able to explore their behaviors and relate the startling effects they have on those whose paths they cross.
Lovers of science fiction would appreciate this action-packed fantasy. The story would be brilliantly portrayed on the big screen, with excitement and special effects aplenty. The novel finishes in mid-air, obviously encouraging the reader to continue with the series, as this is the first of nine books.
I award the book 3 out of 4 stars. I am not awarding it a perfect 4 as I found it confusing and heavy going in places. I found there were too many characters, place names, and plots to follow comfortably without taking notes. It all became very complicated.
I am, however, tempted to read the next book in the series. Having finished the first one and written this review, I feel as though I understand it better. I am intrigued as to whether the “goodies" are able to save the day. Although I found the story-line challenging, I will have to read on!
Are the beginnings of this Utopian society going to be completely destroyed by the dark forces?
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
