Review by WenB08 -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under...
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WenB08
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Review by WenB08 -- We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under...
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
Galen Bray has seized an opportunity to escape his traitorous homeland and become a citizen of Voulhire. As soon as he arrives, he is struck by its beauty, its people, and magic. After just one night in his new home, he is whisked away on an adventure with a man he met the night before—Rowan. They return from their travels after a short time with a mysterious (magical?) metal and an additional friend who may be able to reveal its secrets. Galen is eager to begin learning his new role as a blacksmith, and he hopes to learn the trade well enough to work with such magical metals.
Meanwhile, Lord Eldus has been appointed by King Wilhelm to improve the fishing town of Hillport. Despite the town's dark and tainted recent history, Eldus is very optimistic with his plans to improve homes, roads, healthcare, education, and trade. After a short while, even the people of Hillport seem to accept their new lord and come to share his optimism.
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies takes us on a journey into this magical kingdom through the eyes of many individuals, from Galen Bray in the south to an enemy encampment in the north—even King Wilhelm himself! Voulhire is entering its golden age, and it would appear nothing can hinder its progress. But there is always great evil lurking, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
This book is a perfect introduction to the kingdom of Voulhire. Matthew Tysz has clearly spent time not just on the stories of the characters but the appearance and feel of the land as well. Without being overly descriptive, I feel he has given me an intimate image of the Volhirian world. Reading through the eyes of Galen, who is new to Voulhire, is a beautiful way to learn of important figures, various cities, and even a brief history of the land organically. The switching of perspective to other major characters, both good and evil, allows for a glimpse into many facets of the world such as politics, the landscape, and even the parallel dimension of Caromentis—where magic comes from.
The book provides resolution on some storylines, while leaving me in anticipation as to where others may lead. Other than my desire for more, I do not have any negative comments about this novel. I simply cannot wait to read the next book and delve deeper into this magical world. It even comes with a reference guide for words that are unique to Voulhire and a map!
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is very well written, very well edited, and very intriguing. I could compare this novel to a more reasonably sized Game of Thrones novel. The world building is similar, and the setting is also relatively medieval. Voulhire, however, has a slightly more modern feel than Westeros, thanks to the widely accepted use of magic.
I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in fantasy and a well-developed magical world you could lose yourself in. Due to some graphic violence, I would not recommend this book to a reader sensitive to gore and death.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Galen Bray has seized an opportunity to escape his traitorous homeland and become a citizen of Voulhire. As soon as he arrives, he is struck by its beauty, its people, and magic. After just one night in his new home, he is whisked away on an adventure with a man he met the night before—Rowan. They return from their travels after a short time with a mysterious (magical?) metal and an additional friend who may be able to reveal its secrets. Galen is eager to begin learning his new role as a blacksmith, and he hopes to learn the trade well enough to work with such magical metals.
Meanwhile, Lord Eldus has been appointed by King Wilhelm to improve the fishing town of Hillport. Despite the town's dark and tainted recent history, Eldus is very optimistic with his plans to improve homes, roads, healthcare, education, and trade. After a short while, even the people of Hillport seem to accept their new lord and come to share his optimism.
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies takes us on a journey into this magical kingdom through the eyes of many individuals, from Galen Bray in the south to an enemy encampment in the north—even King Wilhelm himself! Voulhire is entering its golden age, and it would appear nothing can hinder its progress. But there is always great evil lurking, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
This book is a perfect introduction to the kingdom of Voulhire. Matthew Tysz has clearly spent time not just on the stories of the characters but the appearance and feel of the land as well. Without being overly descriptive, I feel he has given me an intimate image of the Volhirian world. Reading through the eyes of Galen, who is new to Voulhire, is a beautiful way to learn of important figures, various cities, and even a brief history of the land organically. The switching of perspective to other major characters, both good and evil, allows for a glimpse into many facets of the world such as politics, the landscape, and even the parallel dimension of Caromentis—where magic comes from.
The book provides resolution on some storylines, while leaving me in anticipation as to where others may lead. Other than my desire for more, I do not have any negative comments about this novel. I simply cannot wait to read the next book and delve deeper into this magical world. It even comes with a reference guide for words that are unique to Voulhire and a map!
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is very well written, very well edited, and very intriguing. I could compare this novel to a more reasonably sized Game of Thrones novel. The world building is similar, and the setting is also relatively medieval. Voulhire, however, has a slightly more modern feel than Westeros, thanks to the widely accepted use of magic.
I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in fantasy and a well-developed magical world you could lose yourself in. Due to some graphic violence, I would not recommend this book to a reader sensitive to gore and death.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Journey to your Summit by Dave Vetta
