Review by Wamakima -- We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko

Maríe Wamakima · Post by **Maríe Wamakima** » 19 Nov 2020, 17:25

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

4 out of 4 stars

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After Galen settles down in Magnum Caelum, he realizes that he needs iron for his smithing business. He departs for Virko, the vibrant industrial city to negotiate with Lord Venden for iron supply. Rowan, his uncle's executor and Demetrius, one of the two the Eiodi's imbuers go with him on the trip. On arrival, they find the Lord, sickly and bedridden. Galen excitedly learns that the old Lord knew his uncle. Venden agrees to trade the iron, but with a last dying wish, that Demetrius cleanses his home of a bound demon.

Hans 'Folcro' Hrelek controls this demon. Folcro is a manipulative, intelligent, and withdrawn wizard. And the only son of Lord Venden. Instead of leaving the lordship to his son, Lord Venden requested his old friend Wilhelm to end the noble sovereignty in Virko. This would mean that lordship in Virko would be, “... reduced only to a title.” Folcro plans to use the demon to make sure that this succession doesn't happen smoothly. Demetrius seeks the help of Folcro's estranged childhood friend Lord Kayden to try to know more about Folcro's control of the demon. Kayden is the total opposite of his friend, as he's kind and compassionate. Demetrius learns from Kayden that Folcro is a complete sociopath with dark plans for the town, which makes his task all the more urgent. On the other side of the country, the great Meldorath waits in Hillport for the perfect time to show himself. Will the Eiodi discover him before it's too late?

We Are Voulhire: The Fires Of Virko is the second book in the series We are Voulhire. A 153 paged book, Tsyz introduces us to the town of Virko and gives us a short history of the town and its lord. We meet new characters such as the Eiodi, Lord Dragan, Kayden and Cornelius. I enjoyed reading the book from a different point of view of each character. The main themes that stood out were violence and friendship. The friendship between Galen and Demetrius is enviable. They have each other's back and know when they shouldn't overstep their boundaries. Kayden also has a deep friendship with his wife and his family retainer. I also like how the author explores Kayden's sexuality and the conflicting emotions that he struggles with every day. I applaud his effort to include the topic, especially when in reality members of the LGBTQ+ community are struggling to be seen and heard.

However, it is blatantly obvious the nonexistent presence of strong female characters. It feels like men are doing all the saving needed in Voulhire, which somehow encourages patriarchy in a society. Also, the author destroys all hope for Virko. It feels as if the citizens of Voulhire are in a constant state of doom. This gets worse towards the end of the book, which made me dread finishing it.

I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. The book has a lot of swear words, so I wouldn't recommend it to people who dislike profanity. There are also violent scenes. Fans of fantasy and thriller fiction would enjoy this short novel.

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We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
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Mariana Figueira · Post by **Mariana Figueira** » 01 Dec 2020, 13:30

Thanks for the great review, really

Maríe Wamakima · Post by **Maríe Wamakima** » 02 Dec 2020, 05:53

Thank you too, for reading!

Maríe Wamakima · Post by **Maríe Wamakima** » 02 Dec 2020, 05:54

MarianaFigueira wrote: ↑01 Dec 2020, 13:30 Thanks for the great review, really

I am glad you enjoyed the review.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 09 Dec 2020, 19:52

I enjoy more science fiction than fantasy. This one seems a bit dark for me. Thanks, though.

Raluca_Mihaila · Post by **Raluca_Mihaila** » 12 Dec 2020, 07:36

I also enjoyed this book. Keep on on reading, and the strong female characters will arrive! Job with the review!

Maríe Wamakima · Post by **Maríe Wamakima** » 15 Dec 2020, 02:48

kandscreeley wrote: ↑09 Dec 2020, 19:52 I enjoy more science fiction than fantasy. This one seems a bit dark for me. Thanks, though.

Thank you for your kind comments!

Maríe Wamakima · Post by **Maríe Wamakima** » 15 Dec 2020, 02:57

raluca_mihaila wrote: ↑12 Dec 2020, 07:36 I also enjoyed this book. Keep on on reading, and the strong female characters will arrive! Job with the review!

Really? I guess I will have to continue reading. Thank you for your kind comments!