Review by jardenjarden -- We are Voulhire: The Fires of ...

[jardenjarden]

[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko" by Matthew Tysz.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The evil lord has escaped his prison, unbeknownst to his captors. He retreats into the darkness as he begins to plot his dark plans for the Kingdom of Voulhire. All the while, there are others practicing the darker arts of magic; those who not only call to the magical dimension, but the spiritual as well. How will these dark figures impact the kingdom, and will Voulhire’s people be able to withstand the dangers these evil men present? Find out in Matthew Tysz’s We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko as more secrets are uncovered, magic is abused, and violence consumes the land of Voulhire.

This book is the second in the We are Voulhire series, immediately picking up where the first book left off. The story continues to follow our three main characters: Galen, a refugee, Rowan, his rescuer, and Demetrius, a new friend. They make their way to Demetrius’ hometown, Virko, in search of iron for their city. What they don’t know is that a young lord is practicing dark magic. Magic that is drawn from the spiritual world, tied to demons that want nothing more than to rule earth and feast on its occupants. How will the trio react when they discover such darkness in such a beloved city? Will they defeat the evil lord, or will they perpetuate his plan?

This book kept me on my toes throughout its entirety and there is nothing that I did not enjoy. The pacing was magnificent and left me consistently wanting to read more and more. One thing I loved about this book was the shifting points of view. Each chapter reveals another character’s story and portrays individual thoughts and motivations. This is particularly useful when discussing the villains, as by switching to their point of view, we as readers can better grasp what drives them and gain understanding as to why they feel justified in their actions.

Another thing about The Fires of Virko that I enjoyed is how Tysz introduces new characters in a way that is easy to follow and understand. By taking the main characters to a new city, many new characters are introduced. At first, I assumed that this would feel overwhelming, as when too many characters are introduced to fast, there is no real-time to make a connection or feel sympathy for those characters. Fortunately, Tysz manages to introduce the new cast in a way that made me route for, despise, and mourn them all without causing confusion.

Overall, this book was a fantastic read and I am eager to continue with the series. Hinting towards a deeper meaning is also something I appreciate, and Tysz seems to hint that even when we think we know best, our actions can have unforeseen consequences. Therefore, we should think more carefully about what we do before we do it. I would give We are Voulhire: Fires of Virko 4 out of 4 stars. This book contained a significant amount of violence as well as profane language, so I would not recommend it to a younger audience. If you like the fantasy genre or are just looking for an intense and complex story, I highly recommend this book.

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We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
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[Tonika632]

Awesome sci-fi series! I have read this one, and I loved it! Great review!

[Justine Ocsebio]

This particular installment kept me on the edge of my seat. The switching point of views was effectively done as well. I liked this review. Good job!

[Saint Bruno]

Your review makes me feel like I am missing a lot by not reading this installment yet. Thanks a lot for the amazing review and recommendation.

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your nice review. The series is getting more and more intriguing with the new characters and the developing relationships. I'm very looking forward to reading the sequels.