Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies

Grace McHardy · Post by **Grace McHardy** » 20 Aug 2021, 14:45

[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]

4 out of 4 stars

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz is the introductory piece in the We are Voulhire series. In this book, the author focuses on world-building and expanding his universe for the following books. The story follows Galen, an evacuee of the ongoing war in his town, as he traverses his new life inside the nation of Voulhire. As the protagonist begins to familiarize himself with the people and customs of his new home, he begins to suspect that things may not be as they seem. Lurking beneath the façade of paradise lies dark secrets that would shake the nation of Voulhire. The storyline follows Galen as he strives to ensure the longevity of the life that he found within Voulhire. Oblivious to the tension creeping under the surface, the main character provides a much-needed change in pace as his struggles are more surface leveled compared to the other point of view.

The author provides an entire glossary filled with Voulhirian terminology to ensure that the reader fully understands certain concepts and jargon. If there is a phrase that you happened to misunderstand, chances are the definition is in the glossary. I enjoyed this as it made the story much more controlled. It did not leave these concepts to the reader’s imagination.

Through the tales of an old traveler, the author effectively detailed various cities of Voulhire, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The way the author first shows us a glimpse of his world through the mouth of an energetic elder was captivating and held my attention.

Another thing that I enjoyed in this book was the impressive world-building. The description of the sky to that of the seas provided insight into the beautiful land of Voulhire. The author clearly and meticulously set up the nation of Voulhire along with its neighboring countries. A magical realm filled with sea monsters and mythical creatures coupled with regular folks and powerful mages made this book further stand out. The magic within the story was not overpowering, which made it easier to relate and sympathize with the characters.

The story and its characters are extraordinary, and the writing was captivating. As someone that is picky when reading books, I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment cementing it amongst one of my favorite reads.

Something that I found distracting throughout the story was the constant shifts in the point of view. Each chapter followed a different character without going back-to-back. I felt like the author could have followed Galen’s point of view a bit more to develop his character.

I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars. The book was well-written and fascinating to read. There were a few errors that I saw and a couple of things that I felt were distracting. However, the story was captivating, and the way the author introduced and built on his characters was articulate. I sympathized with the heroes and the villains as the author meticulously detailed both sides of the coin.

I would recommend this book to people 16 and up as the book contains violence, and there were a few cases of profanity within the piece. At that age, the reader should understand political struggles and the various aspects of war. If you enjoy reading fiction novels that include magic, this book may also interest you.

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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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