Review by Ivy Thuo -- We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko

[Ivy Thuo]

[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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"I want to establish an air of patriotism about Virko. I want to ensure that those of you who were here before I are willing to not only become absorbed into the order and ideals of our king, but to understand and adapt to the culture of Voulhirian law: a culture which seeks to lead by example, a culture where every man and woman knows that at every moment, whether on duty or not, they represent the king." On paper, these were to be the ideals of Virko, but on the ground it is a whole different story. This of course does not stop the innocence of the children as they wonder how one is supposed to bake cookies in heaven if there is no measure of time or whether science can replace god.

Galen and his gang go to Virko on personal business but get entangled in the city's business. There is a whole lot of sorcery and treachery going on as power is brokered by the few, with a couple of demons thrown in for good measure. Galen and crew try to assist but it is a case of too little, too late, as the events unfold. Demetrius discovers that he has just enough knowledge to be dangerous but not effective thus leading to the catastrophe of We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko. We will not blame him too much because his intentions were good and he did his best with the resources at hand. In the end the city is a mess, the massacre painful and a brand new Eodi is in charge.

This is the second book from this series and it does not disappoint. We see the thirst for power and general disregard for humanity lead to some crazy actions and because no good deed goes unpunished, the lives of good men are lost. In unity we see one can do plenty and go far, whether the actions are positive or negative and the cost of betrayal. For the most part, the story takes place in Virko although, we do travel a little to Yamon Soul, their religious capital which is also having drama of its own.

The book uses simple language, has very few typos and is well edited. The content is for a mature audience as there is profanity and quite a bit about sex although a particular preference seems to dominate: as they say in Virko 'slanted.' Some of the scenes are also gruesome so you might want to be wary. On the bright side Galen and his gang are lovable and they form a formidable team despite their little internal issues.

Matthew Tysz gets 4 out of 4 as the book is compact and interesting. I liked most the fact that from the beginning the story captivates you and you do not have to struggle to read. I liked least the excessive crude sexual innuendoes. This book can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading the first book too, as it gives an introduction to the places and people that you encounter.

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We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
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