Review by B00kN1nja -- We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
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- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko by Matthew Tysz
Review by B00kN1nja -- We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
[Following is a volunteer review of "We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko" by Matthew Tysz.]
The second installment in Matthew Tysz’s We are Voulhire series meets the expectations left by the first book. The Fires of Virko, continues to follow Galen and his companions in his journey to start up his blacksmithing shop, though the focus quickly shifts away from his blacksmithing shop when they encounter a demon bound to the understory of a prominent structure. Through the eyes of local elites, The Fires of Virko reveals the immense political reform being undergone in the industrial city of Virko. This political reform is contested by the heir to Virko, Hans Hrelek and is soon interrupted when an unexpected evil overtakes Virko. Meanwhile, the uprising in Hillport, fueled by the great Lord Meldorath, continues to gain power and is discovered by the religious leader the Eiodi, leading to a fateful confrontation.
The Fires of Virko is written in the same unique style as the first book, first person Galen chapters and third person for other character’s chapters, but features a different roster of characters than the first book. Though Galen still seems to be the main protagonist of the series, in this book they really become sidelined and the mysterious character Folcro takes the spotlight. Folcro is a member of the Virko elite, but has a very different worldview than the other elites and really his father before him.
Tysz, once again, does a fantastic job in building the complex world of Voulhire and this book covers a lot more of Voulhire’s land and politics than the last one was able to. My favorite part of this book was how well the abstract conflict between science, religion and imagination stood out. This was something that was hinted at in the first installment, but did not shine through to me. As Demitrius, Galen’s monk companion, began to take on a bigger role this conflict was observed explicitly. As well, the interaction between the Eiodi and Meldorath and exploration of the growing industrial capital expounded on this both implicitly and explicitly.
My main complaint with this book is the use of profanity and the dark turn that the plot took. One of my complaints with the first book was the profanity, and I noticed more profanity in this book than the first. The first book had some gritty elements, but the main character is very innocent, and the book had only a tinge of a dark tone. The book really turns it up a notch. The book opens with a woman nearly being raped and ends with the confrontation of a demon lord.
The book is well edited, I took note of no errors, and is equally entertaining and well written as the first book. I rate this book 4 out of 4. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book. It should be noted though that the slightly dark tone of the first book becomes very dark in this book. If the dark tone or explicitness of the first book disinterested you, it would probably be best to start a different series.
In this book there was some minor sexual content, but not explicit sexual interaction. Most sexual references are simply in dialogue shared between the characters. There is one scene in the first chapter that builds to something explicit, but is ceased before anything becomes of it. There is a moderate amount of explicit language riddled through the book. The book has an underlying theme that explores religion in social structures, but is not specifically suited for any specific religious preference.
******
We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The second installment in Matthew Tysz’s We are Voulhire series meets the expectations left by the first book. The Fires of Virko, continues to follow Galen and his companions in his journey to start up his blacksmithing shop, though the focus quickly shifts away from his blacksmithing shop when they encounter a demon bound to the understory of a prominent structure. Through the eyes of local elites, The Fires of Virko reveals the immense political reform being undergone in the industrial city of Virko. This political reform is contested by the heir to Virko, Hans Hrelek and is soon interrupted when an unexpected evil overtakes Virko. Meanwhile, the uprising in Hillport, fueled by the great Lord Meldorath, continues to gain power and is discovered by the religious leader the Eiodi, leading to a fateful confrontation.
The Fires of Virko is written in the same unique style as the first book, first person Galen chapters and third person for other character’s chapters, but features a different roster of characters than the first book. Though Galen still seems to be the main protagonist of the series, in this book they really become sidelined and the mysterious character Folcro takes the spotlight. Folcro is a member of the Virko elite, but has a very different worldview than the other elites and really his father before him.
Tysz, once again, does a fantastic job in building the complex world of Voulhire and this book covers a lot more of Voulhire’s land and politics than the last one was able to. My favorite part of this book was how well the abstract conflict between science, religion and imagination stood out. This was something that was hinted at in the first installment, but did not shine through to me. As Demitrius, Galen’s monk companion, began to take on a bigger role this conflict was observed explicitly. As well, the interaction between the Eiodi and Meldorath and exploration of the growing industrial capital expounded on this both implicitly and explicitly.
My main complaint with this book is the use of profanity and the dark turn that the plot took. One of my complaints with the first book was the profanity, and I noticed more profanity in this book than the first. The first book had some gritty elements, but the main character is very innocent, and the book had only a tinge of a dark tone. The book really turns it up a notch. The book opens with a woman nearly being raped and ends with the confrontation of a demon lord.
The book is well edited, I took note of no errors, and is equally entertaining and well written as the first book. I rate this book 4 out of 4. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book. It should be noted though that the slightly dark tone of the first book becomes very dark in this book. If the dark tone or explicitness of the first book disinterested you, it would probably be best to start a different series.
In this book there was some minor sexual content, but not explicit sexual interaction. Most sexual references are simply in dialogue shared between the characters. There is one scene in the first chapter that builds to something explicit, but is ceased before anything becomes of it. There is a moderate amount of explicit language riddled through the book. The book has an underlying theme that explores religion in social structures, but is not specifically suited for any specific religious preference.
******
We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko by Matthew Tysz
