Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
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Yan Xue Ru
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- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz
Review of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.]
Voulhire is a beautiful and prosperous land where there is a place for everyone, even for a fugitive like Galen. At a glance, it is a place where people of all sorts, mages and humans alike, live in harmony; yet a land like this only exists in dreams. Inside and outside of Voulhire, threats are looming about, constantly conjuring plans and accumulating power to take over the kingdom. The rulers of Voulhire are always keeping watch, but is it enough to keep these threats at bay?
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is a book with tons of worldbuilding. The imaginary world of Matthew Tysz is written down to the very last detail and in the most wonderful way possible. Voulhire was not only described from the perspective of the common folk but it was also built through the lenses of its king, the nobles, the outcast and their enemies. I like how some aspects of the story were not described directly, on the contrary, told from another angle. It adds more emphasis on that aspect and gives the story much more depth. In other words, the author embodies 'show don't tell' into his storytelling.
Of all the characters, one that stood out to me the most was Lord Meldorath. Although there were only a few pages directly from his point of view, he still left a lasting impression that he was powerful, wise, brave and extremely cunning. All of the people of Voulhire depicted him as a ruthless ruler and a power-hungry mage, but he was not all just that. From Beth's perspective, he was a mysterious and interesting person for her to study and admire.
The only negative aspect is that the buildup to the climax was rather boring. Sandwiched between the action-filled beginning, bloodbath ending and the occasional comedic interaction between Rowan and Galen are fillers. Some parts of it were unnecessary, for example, Lord Eldus's very long investigation into the past rulers of Hillport. It stretched out into a very long pursuit that did not help advance the plot or add much depth to the character. It felt even more out of place when the investigation ended up being fruitless after the Riva's attack.
I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. The characters and plot are interesting enough to be rated 4 out of 5, however, the middle part felt somewhat off-putting. Overall, as the first book in a series, it is a good start, enough to make me want to read the second book. I would rate the editing of this book as average, considering that there are few errors but the plot advancements and the pacing are a bit slow.
This book should be recommended to young adults or adults who are patient enough to read through the book and enjoy fantasy. This book might be a bit too graphic for younger children.
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We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Voulhire is a beautiful and prosperous land where there is a place for everyone, even for a fugitive like Galen. At a glance, it is a place where people of all sorts, mages and humans alike, live in harmony; yet a land like this only exists in dreams. Inside and outside of Voulhire, threats are looming about, constantly conjuring plans and accumulating power to take over the kingdom. The rulers of Voulhire are always keeping watch, but is it enough to keep these threats at bay?
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies is a book with tons of worldbuilding. The imaginary world of Matthew Tysz is written down to the very last detail and in the most wonderful way possible. Voulhire was not only described from the perspective of the common folk but it was also built through the lenses of its king, the nobles, the outcast and their enemies. I like how some aspects of the story were not described directly, on the contrary, told from another angle. It adds more emphasis on that aspect and gives the story much more depth. In other words, the author embodies 'show don't tell' into his storytelling.
Of all the characters, one that stood out to me the most was Lord Meldorath. Although there were only a few pages directly from his point of view, he still left a lasting impression that he was powerful, wise, brave and extremely cunning. All of the people of Voulhire depicted him as a ruthless ruler and a power-hungry mage, but he was not all just that. From Beth's perspective, he was a mysterious and interesting person for her to study and admire.
The only negative aspect is that the buildup to the climax was rather boring. Sandwiched between the action-filled beginning, bloodbath ending and the occasional comedic interaction between Rowan and Galen are fillers. Some parts of it were unnecessary, for example, Lord Eldus's very long investigation into the past rulers of Hillport. It stretched out into a very long pursuit that did not help advance the plot or add much depth to the character. It felt even more out of place when the investigation ended up being fruitless after the Riva's attack.
I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. The characters and plot are interesting enough to be rated 4 out of 5, however, the middle part felt somewhat off-putting. Overall, as the first book in a series, it is a good start, enough to make me want to read the second book. I would rate the editing of this book as average, considering that there are few errors but the plot advancements and the pacing are a bit slow.
This book should be recommended to young adults or adults who are patient enough to read through the book and enjoy fantasy. This book might be a bit too graphic for younger children.
******
We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
