Review by Datri -- We are Voulhire: Someone Else's End

[Datri]

[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: Someone Else's End" by Matthew Tysz.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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We are Voulhire: Someone Else's End by Matthew Tysz is the third book in the We Are Voulhire series.

The book starts with a legal battle concerning the subjects of a different country. We explore Voulhire further and witness extraordinary circumstances unfolding in various parts of the country. The King, along with his advisors, are written in greater detail. The factions of Riva, Mianora, and Vilendrians have opened up to conflicts, and a mysterious, external power stands to control the entire Cosmos.

The author developed the relationships between crucial characters entirely. All the emotions are fleshed out, giving depth to the characters. Galen's angst and fear upon seeing his enemy in Soulhire are in accordance with his ordeals. Demetrius has grown as a character, and we see him empathizing with Rowan on certain occasions. Meldorath, while playing a pivotal role, is not seen much throughout the story; yet his presence is felt.

Despite good characterization, Voulhire as a society never makes much sense. The style of governance seems to favour a constitutional democracy, yet the King is quite powerful. Similarly, language trends are quite advanced for a society that does not have telephones. There is evidence of gender equality and progress amidst primitive technology. Also, for all its emphasis on science, Voulhire lacks scientific progress. This is acceptable for a magic-based society; however, Voulhire's indulgence in science does not feel justified.

It seems as if the author cherry-picked elements from our history (like the concept of church, God, exotic food) and wrote a story. This again poses a problem as he uses many references understandable only to a person familiar with general human history. In order to create a unique world, as the author has tried to do, a great deal of world-building is required. He should have outlined specifics like weather, flora, and fauna. The details given in the book do not seem adequate.

The diction is quite clunky at places. Galen and Nartik provide too much exposition. There is the slight detail of a Demetrius POV in a Galen POV that I do not understand. Rowan's POV was not needed, and the conversation could have been relayed through conversation, making his scenes more interesting. The story's direction is cleared as the book seems to be progressing towards the annihilation of a perfect empire by a mysterious being.

I recommend this book to all thrill lovers who do not mind gore and violence. I would give this story 3 out of 4 stars. The book was engaging and maintained a good pace. There were several adult elements. The book was professionally edited and quite devoid of grammatical and spelling errors. However, the various issues outlined above hampered my complete absorption, thus, leaving the experience lacking.

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We are Voulhire: Someone Else's End
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