Review by nangel04 -- We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko

[nangel04]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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In Matthew Tysz’s We Are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko, readers are thrust into Virko, the most economically thriving city in Voulhire. Naturally, it also seems to be the most corrupt, as that is what you find in a place where people vie for money and power. Galen and his companions travel to Virko in search of raw materials for Galen’s new town, and through them we are introduced to new characters Folcro and Kayden. In this second installment of We Are Voulhire, Tysz shows us the initial phase of transforming from a monarchy to a system of capitalism. As this change is put into place, the ruling lord of Virko dies, leaving his son Folcro to either accept or rebel against this change. Kayden, an old childhood friend of Folcro’s, fears the worst because he knows his old friend so well. So, when Galen’s band approaches Kayden for assistance in a matter that will help to reduce Folcro’s power, he is more than willing to help in any way he can.

Let me begin by saying that this second installment has allowed me to find a new appreciation for Tysz’s created world that I did not previously have. While I still miss that really old-world sense common to novels like this, I can see the value in the more modern aspects this world offers for the purpose of evolving from one type of society to another. The way Tysz mingles the old with the more modern is done in a way that makes it fairly easy to digest, but I am not fully drawn in by it and will need more time to acclimate.

The best thing about Tysz is his writing style. It is so easy to follow along with the storyline, which makes it easy to fall into his world. There are very few typos and no lines that force me to backtrack in order to understand what he is talking about. He also keeps a steady pace. There is no lagging, but, at the same time, there is no racing through. Like baby bear’s things, it is just right. I do have to say the magical element is being developed at a better pace in this novel than the previous one. While there are some magical elements from the last novel that make little or no appearance in this one, such as Caromentis and the woman who came from there, there are new components introduced that were interesting enough to draw me in so time was not wasted focusing on what was missing. Tysz is also quite adept in creating a slew of interesting characters. I like that readers are permitted such a variety of views into the world of Voulhire, and that there are always new characters to meet.

However, I feel like there is not enough meat on a few of the characters. Namely Galen and his two companions. The fact is, Galen is supposed to be our main character and I feel like I know Folcro and Kayden better than I know him. I would like to see Galen, Rowan, and Demetrius a little more fleshed out. More time could be spent with these characters in the way of development as well as storyline. It would be beneficial for readers to be provided with more of their backstory. Just as well, a little more involvement from them in the current storyline would be very welcome.

I rate this book three out of four stars. It intrigues me much more than the first book, which means the series is going in the right direction. Also, with the new characters introduced, I am quite anxious to read the next installment to see what happens to them. I am hoping that when I do, I will find out more about Galen and his companions as well.

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We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko
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[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your honest review. Tysz's books tend to have many characters, so the main cast will need time to develop. You may need to be a bit patient for Galen and his friends to have more screen time.

[Mariana Figueira]

I agree that Galen makes a poorly developed character, hopefully, it gets better. Thanks for the great review