Review of We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

[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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We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko is the second book in the We are Voulhire series of epic fantasy novels by Matthew Tysz. This book takes us to the industrial and secular city of Virko. Virko is in the middle of a major political change as Venden Hrelek, the founder and lord of Virko, has decided to end the noble sovereignty in his city. His son Hans seems unruffled by this development. But it's because he never wished to take the place of his father in the first place. He is more interested in acquiring power through unconventional means.

Our protagonist Galen, who is still trying to settle in his new home, is required to visit Virko for business needs. He is accompanied by Rowan and Demetrius. The trio discover something sinister soon after they reach the city. It's up to these three now to find a solution to this crisis. Will they succeed in this endeavour?

There are many things I liked about this book. The author has excelled, once again, in creating both a realistic locale and a convincing background in this book. In the first book, we saw Hillport, a town full of hard-working and unassuming people, which was mired in tragedies. Virko, on the other hand, is a busy and flourishing industrial hub. It has ambitious people who give precedence to wealth and materialism over magic and spirituality. The air in Virko is perpetually grey and ashy, owing to the incessant industrial activities.

The author has been consistent with how he has fleshed out the three main characters: Galen, Rowan and Demetrius. Their character motivations align with their actions perfectly. The new characters like Hans and Kayden have been handled skillfully. Lord Meldorath, amongst others, also makes an appearance from the first book. The author, however, failed to include the whereabouts of some other important characters like Marshus and Beth.

My only gripe with the book is that the villains of this story are simply invincible. Moreover, they have nothing to lose. Hence, these characters seem unrealistic and unconvincing at times. The author should have been more attentive to this aspect of the story.

There are scenes depicting sexual and physical violence in the book. The plot turns dark as hordes of people are massacred towards the end of the story. Profane words are used throughout the book. But they only appear wherever necessary.

The book seems to be professionally edited as I found only a few spelling and grammatical errors. I'll recommend it to fantasy lovers looking for an amazing new world and intriguing characters. But the plot of this book continues after the events of the first one in the series. Thus, it goes without saying that the readers will need to pick up the first outing in the series to make sense of the plot in the second book. Because this book contains many brutal and graphic scenes, young and sensitive readers are forewarned. As the positive aspects of this book far outweigh the negative ones, I'll gladly award it 4 out of 4 stars.

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We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
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[Dzejn_Crvena]

I'm really sad that I can't have this book to review right now
Demetrius is surely a fun addition to the adventures of Galen and Rowan.
I loved their interactions in the first book.
Thank you for your review.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

I'm really sad that I can't have this book to review right now
Demetrius is surely a fun addition to the adventures of Galen and Rowan.
I loved their interactions in the first book.
Thank you for your review.

I understand. It's heartbreaking. Now, no other books are available in the series for reviewing. And I've read only 2 books. Henceforth, I'll be careful enough to pick up standalone books only.
And thanks a lot for stopping by

[Janet Kimetto]

I'm eager to read this second book, I'm glad to hear that the positive aspects far outweigh the negative. One thing I did notice in the first book was that the battle scenes were more of a massacre because one party wasn't really given a fighting chance. I was really hoping that would be different in the other books. I appreciate the vast difference between the town of Virko and that of Hillport though. Thank you for such a great review!

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

I'm eager to read this second book, I'm glad to hear that the positive aspects far outweigh the negative. One thing I did notice in the first book was that the battle scenes were more of a massacre because one party wasn't really given a fighting chance. I was really hoping that would be different in the other books. I appreciate the vast difference between the town of Virko and that of Hillport though. Thank you for such a great review!

Do read the second book as and when you get the chance. But I'll reiterate that the violence here is heart-wrenching.
Thanks for your comment

[Raluca_Mihaila]

Tysz can build some incredible characters that evolve throughout the entire series. Loved reading your great review!

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

Tysz can build some incredible characters that evolve throughout the entire series. Loved reading your great review!

I agree with you.
Thanks for the kind words

[markodim721]

Matthew Tysz managed to design an entire civilization and fit everything together perfectly. It's something few writers know. Thanks for the great review.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

Matthew Tysz managed to design an entire civilization and fit everything together perfectly. It's something few writers know. Thanks for the great review.

You are right. And his characters are unique too.
Thanks for your comment

[Ldpuff]

Thanks for the review! I enjoy a good fantasy series so this sounds like something I would enjoy.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

Thanks for the review! I enjoy a good fantasy series so this sounds like something I would enjoy.

It's an amazing fantasy series. I'm sure you'll like it.
Thanks for your comment

[Ruchi Raina]

Thanks for the great review. Your comments have forewarned me that the book is a part of a series and cannot be read as a standalone. So I'll be skipping this one but I appreciate the efforts you put in your review.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

Thanks for the great review. Your comments have forewarned me that the book is a part of a series and cannot be read as a standalone. So I'll be skipping this one but I appreciate the efforts you put in your review.

I'm glad the review proved helpful.
Thanks for your comment

[Reader-247]

This series is trending right now. Sadly I m not a huge fan of Sci-fi and fantasy. Thanks for a great review though.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

This series is trending right now. Sadly I m not a huge fan of Sci-fi and fantasy. Thanks for a great review though.

That's perfectly alright. But pick up this series if and when you want to read a book in this genre.
Thanks for your kind words