Review by Creole -- We are Voulhire: The Ascension of Ak...

[Creole]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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When the Emperor of Lullabies invades your dreams, be wary. When the nefarious mage and self-proclaimed eiodi, Meldorath, wants you dead, you cower. Any other Voulhirian would be petrified by these turn of events but not our likable protagonist Galen Bray. In this installment of the We are Voulhire series, readers witness a never-before-seen side of Galen that leaves them fascinated by his courage-driven actions while being fearful for his safety.

Galen is concerned about suspiciously calm Voulhire after it has undergone vicious attacks by the likes of the Riva Rohavi and the Emperor of Lullabies. With the passing of each chaos-filled day, Galen discovers that credence in anyone is waning. He is convinced that deliverance for the nation lies deep within the dreaded Dire Vine Jungle. The trio ventures into Dire Vine to entreat the legendary five-hundred-year-old Dekan prophet, Akistry, whom they believe can assist with the deposition of Meldorath, who represents an ominous threat to the country. Galen’s trip is successful. However, the outcome is an epic battle between Akistry and Meldorath. Who will survive the conflagration? We are Voulhire: The Ascension of Akistry, by Matthew Tysz, ends with a dramatic cliffhanger, leaving readers breathlessly anticipating the subsequent expected event-filled publication.

Tysz has a way of masterfully pacing his stories, heightening the tension and excitement at just the appropriate time. In this novel, pieces of the puzzles from earlier volumes come together, rendering a deeper understanding of the actions and thoughts of evolving characters. For reasons like this, I suggest to persons wanting to read the We are Voulhire publications that they start at the beginning. The backstories and unfolding mysteries, based on various character perspectives, will make more sense.

This novel is suspenseful, and the plot is evenly paced throughout but picks up some momentum towards the end, even as the impending battle looms. The charged atmosphere in Yamon Soul, the venue for the clash, is vividly described, as were various locations and sights in Voulhire, the Dire Vine Jungle included. The extensive description of the Dekans and their culture also fascinated me. In addition, I was delighted with the writer’s humor which served in a mitigative way to balance the tension which is rife throughout the novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this volume, the fifth in the series. The only disappointment for me was the cliffhanger ending. I so wanted to know what happened to Galen. I recommend this book to adults who love knuckle-whitening, spine-tingling fantasy stories. Besides, the book seems to have been professionally edited, as only a few minor errors were discernible. These, however, will not detract from the intensity of the plot and the entertaining quality of the story. Consequently, I rate it four out of four stars.

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We are Voulhire: The Ascension of Akistry
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[Neshboy Aburi]

Your review is top-notch. It is good you mention that this book is part of a series. I will look for the previous books first thanks to your insightful review.