We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz

We are Voulhire: A New Arrival Under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: October 4, 2018

Format: eBook

I apparently have been living under a rock, because I didn’t know who Matthew Tysz is. I now do after reading his debut novel, We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies and I look forward to reading the next books in the series. Thankfully, there are already multiple books completed so I don’t have to wait that long to dive back into the story. 

From the first chapter, readers can immediately tell that this book was proofread and edited by professionals. The main character, Galen’s first foray into forging was so immersive that I felt like I was learning right alongside him. Little details (like the use of lithium salts to turn a fire red) demonstrated how much care was put into the creation of this story. As someone who gets bored easily, I appreciate how there was never a dull moment in the story and that Tysz left me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t want to put this book down! With this book being set in a medieval time period, I kept envisioning a visual similar to that of an Arthurian tale.  

For readers who enjoyed King Lear and Macbeth by William Shakespeare, this is definitely a good choice. Tysz makes use of many of the themes that made King Lear and Macbeth so great without making it feel like he’s borrowing the exact storyline. Some of these themes include but are not limited to greed, family drama, power, fear, and paranoia. 

Anyone who is considering reading this book should be aware that this book contains a few instances of profanity and violence, as expected in the theater of war. There are no scenes in this book that are sexual or erotic in any sense whatsoever (which is definitely a plus for me).  I recommend this book to those who like fantasy novels, with intricate world creation and detailed descriptions of the events in the story that help bring the reader into the world of the characters. For most mature young adult readers, this shouldn’t be an issue. My message to adult readers who enjoy reads filled with adventure, fantasy, magic, family drama - pick the book up now and start reading! You will not be disappointed. 

I’m already looking forward to reading the next installment in the series, We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko. On a side note, I really appreciate the inclusion of a reference guide for the readers (available both in the book’s appendix and the author’s website) as that made it a lot easier to keep track of the history and people involved in the story.