Warlords of Wyrdwood, the second entry in The Forsaken Trilogy, is an explosion of ancient lore that comes to life, taking us deeper into a complicated world that suffers with misunderstandings, lack of belief, and hatred of the unknown. The natural world remains front and center with some of the most breathtaking settings I’ve read in recent memory. Barker expands the story into seven POVs and, while it can be overwhelming at times, they all add something unique to this ever expanding story. Overall, it was a solid middle entry and I look forward to seeing how the epic final chapters lead the final book.

THE BEST BITS
Setting, setting, setting - he’s a master
The world’s biggest treehouse
Seeing a myth burst into reality

ALL THE SETTINGS
I am continuously blown away by the creativity and imagination on display in Barker’s settings. He’s managed to take a forest and make it into so many unique spaces, some bringing wonder to the story, others terror and fear. We get to imagine so many nature-based things, and it’s always exciting as a reader who loves nature-based fantasy. The book introduces an entire city built into the impossibly tall trees, an underground realm complete with sunken city and terrifying monsters, and a land where time literally freezes after crossing an invisible barrier. These fantastical places are all surrounding a down-to-earth, mud-soaked medieval land of humans, making them that much more magical.

THE MOST CHARACTERS
I admittedly struggled in the first half of the book as we jumped between many characters, all in different places doing different things. Cahan remains front and center, but we see additional perspectives like Dassit, a commander in the opposing army who stumbles into the story, and Ont, the butcher-turned-monk who grows on you by the end of the story. By the middle, it all starts to make sense and I found myself looking forward to each character’s perspective. Saradis and Laha provide much needed background on the goings on of the villains, showing how dark the dark parts of this world truly are. I do think the heavy POV list worked, but I found myself struggling with Udinny’s story. I was most excited to see her perspective after the first book but it always felt so removed from the story that I had trouble following her journey. I was surprised at how much I connected with the random addition of Dassit, and found myself wanting more of the creepy Laha. I have a feeling there’s more to come for all involved in the third entry.

FANTASY MEETS HORROR
There are always monsters of some sort in Fantasy novels, dragons to overcome, dark things of magic that threaten to kill, villains who are larger than life. This book went a step beyond those typical elements, taking us down an eldritch horror pathway. There have always been elements, namely the fact that almost everything scary has tentacles of some kind, but this book really amps it up. The final chapter was a jaw dropper, leaving you wondering how this world can possibly overcome a monster of such magnitude. I look forward to seeing how Barker tugs on this thread in the final entry.

Not the series for me as the whole book was long winded and didn't pull me in. A shame as I loved the authors other works

Warlords of Wyrdwood is a highly imaginative sequel to book 1 in the Forsaken series, Gods of the Wyrdwood. In this book, we follow many different characters, including some of the Rai, the warlords of the title. I found the first half of this book a little hard going, and it was difficult to reimmerse myself in this amazingly unique world that RJ Barker has built. Once I had reoriented myself and learnt once more who each of the point of view characters was, I found myself enjoying it on a deeper level. The second half of the story had a lot more action and faster-paced sequences, which kept me reading for longer periods of time. I was glad that Udinny was back, albeit in a dead, shadowy form in a different realm from the other characters. Her chapters were more light-hearted and acted as a little relief from the vicious world of Crua. I really enjoyed the idea of her riding around on a sheep-like crownhead with a needle spear. I never quite felt the required terror of the evil god, Zorir, finding him a little difficult to visualise. The descriptions made him sound like a squid or octopus, which was not a horrific prospect for me. I think Ont was my favourite character, along with Cahan and Venn, and his tragedy was unexpected and upsetting.

4.5/5 stars! This is the second installment in the Forsaken series by R.J. Barker. Book 1 was one of my top reads of 2023, so I was super excited to get a chance to read this book. It didn't disappoint. This book picked up right where Gods of Wyrdwood left off, with the stakes exceptionally high for survivors of the finale. I loved the character development and at times would reread passages just to feel like I was living this alongside them. Looking forward to book 3.

RJ Barker's "Warlords of Wyrdwood" delivers a masterful blend of adventure and immersive worldbuilding that captivates from the first page. The richly crafted Wyrdwood setting comes alive with distinctive characters whose compelling personal journeys drive the narrative forward. Barker's signature style—combining sharp dialogue, tense action sequences, and unexpected emotional depth—is on full display throughout. The intricate power struggles between the titular warlords create a constantly shifting landscape of alliances and betrayals that keeps readers guessing until the final pages. This novel stands as another testament to Barker's storytelling prowess and cements their place among today's most imaginative fantasy writers. Highly recommended for fans of character-driven fantasy with political intrigue and distinctive worldbuilding.

Fantastic sequel. Rich, imaginative and filled with great character development. I loved it a whole lot. Cannot wait for the final installment to see how it all ends. Highly recommend

Pulls you and keeps you in the edge of your seat throughout the story and will continue to think of this book after having finished it

Thanks to Orbit Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

"I am unstoppable.
Until the moment I am not.
A shock."

**Minor spoilers for Gods of the Wyrdwood**

This is such a marvelously unique world RJ has created in this series. The lushness of the Wyrdwood, the different creatures and dangers that present themselves make for a story that you may try to figure out where it's going, chances are, you'll be as surprised as I was at the events that unfolded. There are more POV's in this middle book, the machinations between them continue and we get to see even more parts of the world as Cahan and company work to survive the existing conflict. As with the first book, Udinny continues to be a favorite character, and I loved her and Syerfu's journey to get back to Cahan. I listened to the audio and the narration is excellent. I very much look forward to the final book of the series and how all of this is going to wrap up. I am sure it will be as engrossing as the first 2 books have been.

Warlords of Wyrdwood is the 2nd instalment in R.J. Barker's Forsaken Trilogy.

Continuing where the last book left off, Warlords of Wyrdwood leads the reader deeper into the dark, complex and cruel world of Crua. We follow the already familiar cast of characters from the previous book, in addition to some new ones, as they face new challenges while struggling with moral dilemmas.

Warlords of Wyrdwood is darker and bleaker than the previous book, Gods of the Wyrdwood, however, the author still offers traces of hope throughout the book. The balance of darkness/despair and hope is exquisite and keeps the reader eager to find out how their favourite characters will overcome the challenges and struggles that they face and what will await them on the other side.

Additionally, the author's prose manages to perfectly capture the mysterious and dark atmosphere of an ancient and wyrd forest and match it to the turmoil that the characters are facing. Warlords of Wyrdwood might not be for everyone but for the readers who enjoy a dark, complex and atmospheric read with fantastic prose this series is a must read.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

3.5, but it really picked up near the end. I'm thinking/hoping this is second book syndrome.

What I liked:
- Vibes continue to be so cool. We lost out on it for most of the book but the end brought the atmosphere roaring back.
- Ont's character development was a standout part of the first book, and his arc continues in a very interesting way
- Sorha's arc is so much better than in book 1. I hate that I'm starting to like her.
- The way everything comes together is !!!!

What I didn't like:
- It dragged quite a bit, especially in the middle. Like a lot happened, but not interestingly.
- There is no longer any comic relief without alive!Udinny
- Cahan kind of takes a backseat to his own story.

I am definitely in a "let's fight gods" groove, which is fitting. "Warlords of Wyrdwood" continues RJ Barker's Forsaken trilogy.

Surviving was the first step for the village of Harn, learning to fight against people who can shoot fire is difficult. But hey bows. Unfortunately, the only "safe" direction is into the Wyrdwood, only crazy people would hide in there. Double bad news for Cahan, who doesn't want to be perceived, he is sort of responsible for these people now, and now has to lead them. To make matters worse, something wrong is in the ground, something that can eat away at Cahan's tenuous connections.

Reasons to read:
-Nature is red in tooth and claw
-Creepy af imagery with things
-Nutty region that slows down time for everything that enters it and is now used as an execution field
-Didn't expect to see them again

Cons:
-Don't go check out the weird noise in the woods, it might be an eldritch abomination

This was great. I wish this author was given more publicity. The world building is creative and satisfying. I
Definitely my favourite series of his.

This is the second second-in-series of Barker's that I've DNFed, and I think I've realized he's just not the author for me. Barker creates absolutely incredible worlds with beautifully unique creatures, sucking you in for the first book. I think his books are just extremely slow paced, and therefore are a little difficult for ADHD people like me to get into. I read almost 200 pages of this book and was just wondering when something was going to happen. Extremely well-written, just not for me.

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Barker has created a unique and intriguing world and the worldbuilding continues in the second installment of The Forsaken Trilogy. What I like most is the exceptional depiction of the forest, the creepy and the beautiful. There is a large cast of characters, some I love and others I despise yet they all fit very nicely in this epic fantasy. I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
I felt this book was a transition book in order to put the characters where they needed to be by the end for the last book. Where they are right now is extremely interesting and I'm eagerly awaiting for the next one because the ending was really well done. This book does meander a lot and I felt it could be smaller; there were a lot of filler moments in the story which made the beginning until the middle to feel a little dull (I felt the march until New Harn and Dassit's whole beginning really stretched out; it should've been way faster). From the middle of the book to the end, it was really good. The story felt stagnant in this beginning but after the middle it really hit its stride and it kept going.

Cahan felt a bit frustrating in this second book because a lot of his character development was reversed; he falls back to not trusting anyone and not wanting help nor letting anyone in. We don't see Venn as much here but the few chapters that are from her PoV are really intringuing; I also really liked Ont's and Sorha's PoV. There is also another PoV that I really liked but it's really spoiler-y to talk about. The world continues to be really brutal. But I liked the droplets of hope that were dropped throughout the story.

The lore is expanded a lot in latter sections of the book due to what happens to Cahan and the story keeps on being really unique. I liked what the author did with the gods and their story on this book.

I liked it but I felt the first book was stronger. But I'm really interested in reading the last one.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

Good news for everyone who liked *Gods of the Wyrdwood*: *Warlords of Wyrdwood* is at least as good.

The surprise ending of *Gods* plays a big part, obviously, but not in the way I expected at all. There’s a lot going on that Cahan & friends have no idea about; I had no idea either. But I enjoyed figuring it out.

The first book was very limited in perspective: we were almost entirely inside Cahan’s head, with Venn as a secondary protagonist, and occasional interludes elsewhere. This is much more of an ensemble book. We get a lot of Cahan still, and plenty of Venn, but other major perspectives include Ont (the butcher), Sorha (the ex-Rai), Saradis (yes that Saradis), and Udinny (YES!).

My one real disappointment in this book was with Venn. They don’t do all that much in this book; felt like a real stall in their story. But there’s a lot that sets things up for the next one, so I’m prepared to be patient.

Cahan remains frustratingly stubborn. I wanted more development with him & Furin, but I don’t blame RJ Barker for that; I blame Cahan. There’s a lot that goes on that is because of Cahan: his stubbornness, his personal walls, his trying to be responsible for everyone and everything. Irritating to read? Yes. Appropriate for the character he is? Absolutely. But boy do I want to smack the man.

The incredible worldbuilding continues apace. We learned so much in the first book, which led to so very many questions. We learn even more about the world of Crua in *Warlords*, and I have even more questions. Many guesses, but this is the best part of the books for me. I am so desperate to learn more about this world, its past, present, and future.

And Udinny! I don’t consider her presence a spoiler since the book literally begins with her reflecting on the events at the end of the first book, and her considerable surprise at her present situation. She’s, as always, a delight.

Last point: Thank you, RJ Barker, for including a synopsis of book 1 at the beginning of this. Every fantasy author writing a series should do this. Please?

3.5 rounded up. had pacing issues similar to the first book, not quite as strong as a story as in the first one, at least at first. it got a lot better as it went along. some developments early on seemed a little too convenient but later ones felt more like earned payoffs. how I feel about the trilogy will depend a lot on how good the 3rd book is.

I love RJ's writing, so I'll definitely read book 3 when it comes out.
But I just wasn't as into this one as I was Gods of the Wyrdwood (Forsaken #1).

Giving this a 3.5, rounding up to 4.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, as well as being a release from one of my favorite authors. The story picked up right where we left off in the first book, and I was very thankful for the recap at the beginning of the novel. I was eager to jump back into the unique world of the Wyrdwood. The worlds that Barker is able to create are so unique and I am amazed about how immersive they are, without everything being explicitly explained.

The strength of the novel was still the world as it comes to life in even more ways as the novel progresses. It is a beauty that really impacts the reader and makes them feel surrounded in the woods. The characters really change and propel the story to another level. Unfortunately it took a bit for me to really get invested in it from the beginning. The end is spectacular but I found my mind wandering a few times at the beginning of the novel, but still was eagerly devouring the story as it unwound before my eyes.

This is sure to be a thrilling series for many readers and it definitely has some twists and turns that will keep a reader guessing. There are some big events that unfold and characters that are unlikable become understood in a unique way. I eagerly await the conclusion to an interesting trilogy.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!