Like the first book, I found the worldbuilding absolutely great – this world of Crua is very unique and imaginative. I enjoyed getting back into the world of the characters, especially Cahan and Venn. I was also happy that we got to see Udinny again too. While I liked that we got more POVs it did make it hard to keep track of the plot, who was who, etc. a lot of the times. I did enjoy the some of the twists in the story that I definitely wasn’t expecting.

The only ‘negative’ thing is that I felt like the writing and how parts of the plot came together felt a little messy. I thought that there could have been a little more tightening in terms of the writing and grammar; there were many sentences where I had to go back and reread to make sense of what was being said realizing that a simple comma would have immensely helped.

I also think that some of the tension or fear for the characters that I should have felt was lacking a bit, though I do think a large part of this is because there were so many POVs and moving parts in the plot compared to the first book.

I still think this was a great sequel and I’m excited to read the third book!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Orbit for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. After reading the first novel of the trilogy, this was a novel I was most looking forwards to in 2025. RJ Barker is a master of creating immersive and whimsical worlds that are full of macabre with a touch of human emotion. The first novel of this trilogy was one of my favorite surprises of last year. From that novel, RJ Barker is now one of those must-read authors for me. I still, though, need to find time in my TBR to read his first two trilogies.

The novel takes place after the ending of the first novel with the survivors of the woodland village of Harn needing to escape ruthless enemies of magic known as the Rai. Many of these enemies, like Cahan, are bonded with the old gods that feed on the lives of the living. Those villagers that survived are needing guidance, and they look towards our reluctant hero Cahan, our hero who would have been happy to just tend to his farm and live a quiet, peaceful life, but those from his past will not allow this as they see him as a threat to their existence and way of life. Cahan who has brought to their village of Harn pain and misery feels responsible for what has happened and will do anything to protect them. The villagers of Harn will need to travel deep into the woods, a land of magic, life and death, a world few of the village have ventured in, a world full of wonder, but also full of dangers, like a forest of trees that feed off life energy if they are merely touched. To survive, the villagers will have to heed Cahan’s warning of not harming and exploiting the forest and those the forest protects, or else the forest will fight back.

Cahan knows that his followers are overmatched by those that pursue him and is worried that he will not be powerful enough to defeat them, but he begins to harness a dark energy from death and decay that may be the weapon to save the survivors of Harn. This energy, the Blue Vein, though is not something that doesn’t have risks, which Cahan will soon discover. Is it worth it to lose oneself to darkness, if it will be the salvation for others?

For those not familiar with this series, I recommend reviewing my thoughts on the first novel of the series Gods of the Wrydwood. It is always difficulty to provide a review of a second novel of a much bigger story without providing spoilers from the first book. Without going into detail, as with the first novel, the author is a master of creating an imaginative world full of interesting characters and action sequences, but more than that it is a marvel how the author develops main and minor characters and shows us their personal motivations and character arcs.

The novel is told from the POV of multiple characters. There are too many to mention in this review in detail, but here are a couple of my favorite.
First, we have Ont, who was the village butcher in Harn. After the events of the first novel, he has become a follower of Ranya, a god that provides everyone a path in life with the choice of the individual if they want to follow it. Early in the novel, he feels as if he is not worthy of being a spiritual leader for this benevolent god and is questioning his choices. His motivations are centered around family, love and community.

Second, we have Sorha whose only motivations at the beginning of the novel are hate and revenge. She despises Cahn for what he has done to her, and this feeds her existence. She is murderous, conniving, and full of blood lust. Her only reason for living is to end the life of Cahan. She is the ultimate weapon against Cahan and the villagers that Cahan has vowed to protect.

One negative with the novel is that this novel while still full of character development for readers that haven’t read the first novel readers may be loss without having a good foundation of this imaginative work the author had created if they have not read the first novel or can remember some the world-building that was done masterfully in the first novel. Also, one of my favorite characters from the first book Venn, is for the most part they are pushed to the background. There are a few POV chapters for Venn, but their story isn’t as well as developed as it was in the first novel.

Overall, with the cliffhanger ending, I look forward to the final book of the trilogy. On a personal note, I wish more readers would discover this author, as this author is a gem and deserves more of a readership. And with more of a following, readers that enjoy his works will be guaranteed many more adventures by this author in the future.

As usual, the prose was delightful. I had the impression that I was back in the scary forest or wherever we had been in Crua. I was genuinely afraid when he wanted us to be, and I felt like I was right there with them the entire time. I adore Barker's writing style because it's so specialized and unique, both in the way his sentences flow and the dialogue between his characters. I can understand why some people might find it objectionable, but I find it delightful that it is so prevalent throughout his various trilogies.

RJ Barker is an incredibly talented author. At first I did not realize this was a sequel so I went ahead and read the first one and fell in love with the book to then read this one. I believe that RJ Barker does a great job in creating a mature and complex narrative in a way that does not feel pretentious. I am always such a fan of multiple POV and I think in Barker’s sense it is written in a way that keeps the story moving and mystic Although the themes in the book are explored by most fantasy novels (class disparity, coping with trauma, etc), the characters and world building explore these themes in a unique way. . The next book should be a great end to my first trilogy by RJ Barker, and I am looking forward to it! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review and for allowing me to discover RJ Barker!

The Warlods of Wyrdwood, by R.J. Barker is book 2 in the Forsaken Series. Barker writes incredibly complex and fascinating characters, and he even more amazing world building. World building, you say? But, it's book 2! Yes, but we are introduced to two more realms and Barker weaves a story that brings all these disparate plot points together - it takes a minute - but, once it all comes together it is amazing. Multiple POV and Barker's wonderful prose make this a series worth continuing. He puts his characters through it, and you end up seeing such growth and change in them. This book did not suffer from second book syndrome and I liked it better than the first! Definitely excited for the next book! This is releasing today and I gave it 4.25 stars. Thank you to Net Galley #netgalley and Orbit books for my advance reader copy.

*** Thank you so much to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gods of the Wyrdwood was one of the biggest surprises of 2023. It was my first R.J. Barker and I was so thoroughly impressed that I went on to binge The Tide Child trilogy this year. To say I was looking forward to this installment in The Forsaken series would've been an understatement.

While it wasn't a new all-time favorite, I found it to be a worthy successor to book 1. The world was explored even more, new characters are introduced, old (favorite) characters return, and the gods interfere further. I'd say this book is a 60/40 split between character exploration and plot. The pace is slower than in book 1, but in typical R.J. Barker fashion the ending was tense for the reader and unpleasant for the characters.

I adore my little Rai Cahan. It was fun seeing how he deals with the repercussion from the fallout of the first book. It was fun seeing some unexpected characters and getting the multiple POVs. I also really like Forestals it was fun seeing more of them but i am still desperate to see more of them and of this world. I am officially obsessed with the creepy Forrest trope. And im excited to see what happens next

An epic banger that explodes out of the gate off the groundwork laid by the first book, the stakes escalate and the characters who made it past the first round go through strange and interesting trials. The world gets darker and stranger as we learn more about the Wyrdwood and the eldritch forces that lurk within, and a new POV brings a look at an all new faction that will have ramifications on the story as it progresses, despite the seeming initial disconnect. I'm hyped to see how this wraps up in the final book next year!
More detailed thoughts here: https://youtu.be/n8oGT06s2ok

An excellent follow up to what is shaping up to be one of my favorite new series of the last few years.

If you liked the first book you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

For this who haven’t tried the series I’d suggest it for fans of epic fantasy with dark worlds, good characters trying there best to survive, and fresh worldbuilding. Where power makes people cruel and dark gods lie in wait.

Following up the Gods of Wyrdwood with this second installment couldn't have been an easy task, but Barker was up for the challenge. Second books in trilogies often slump, and thankfully, that wasn't the case here. I eagerly await the end of this awesome story.

I’m just gonna say RG Baker knows how to write without a doubt. This book was so captivating. I just could not put it down. I’m very excited for book 3, and I’m so glad that the series didn’t end with book 2 because it has so much to go on. I am so excited to see what more he could bring to the stories.

Barker's world-building is impressive, though it can be a bit overwhelming at times. His vivid imagination brings to life bizarre flora, fauna, and psychedelic creatures, which makes diving into the story a bit slower for me. However, the character development is just as compelling. Several characters undergo significant growth, and I found myself both loving and hating different ones. One thing’s for sure—you’re never bored. This is a solid second installment in the trilogy.

A bit slow at the get go, but once it starts moving, it picks up and continues with the same electric pace as the first novel.

Barker has the most amazing world building, which also detracts some fun for me. He does a remarkable job creating crazy flora, fauna, and psychedelic creatures. So it takes a while to immerse myself into the story.
However the character development is just as strong. Some characters take some incredible leaps in their personalities. A few I truly hate and some I adore. You are never, ever bored here.
A very strong second book in this trilogy.
Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.

Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars

MAN, RJ Baker is an incredible writer. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first, if not more. The world is definitely the shining star of this story, but the story and pacing were also so well done. No part of this story drags or feels like a chore to get through. I loved getting to see the characters continue to grow in this sequel.

LOVED this one. The strange world, the characters...it was really fun getting to know both better after the first book. The world of this novel is its best aspect, in my opinion. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the pacing was perfect. Can't wait for the next one!

I received an eARC through Netgalley from OrbitbooksUS so thank you to the wonderful crew over there for making this happen

Welcome back to Crua! I had a wonderful blast seeing Cahan our main forester (and others) continue right after the events of God's of the Wyrdwood. I unfortunately had a bit of a hard time adjusting back to the world with the dense terminology and writing structure (and I made a note on my phone with all the MCs and fauna). It took me around the 40% mark to get back into the story but boy did I have a great time. The worldbuilding is still second to none and the story goes to a whole new level. There were elements in the latter half that reminded me a lot of the last book to Shadows of the Apt. The middle of the story picks up a lot and the ending has been insanely unique to something that I haven't read before. I'm so glad I received this ARC and cannot wait for the final installment of the Forsaken trilogy. 4.25/5

With Udinny dead and Harn village nothing more than a graveyard at best Cahan knows that to save the people that have become his people he must take them into the Wyrdwood, even if they fight him all the way. With the help of a completely changed Ont, a man now dedicated to walking Ranya's path and The Leoric, he somehow convinces them to leave. As soon as they enter the woods they realize they have been followed by the Rai and a group of Hetton and so in order to save them once again Cahan takes power, but this time he refuses to take it from the living, stealing from the dead, making him absolutely unstoppable, he annihilates their enemies. But just like with his cowl, this power demands a price, and as the weeks unfold, he realizes that the cost was for him to become the very monster he had been running from his whole life.

If I could have this ten stars, I would. This was Barker at his absolute best! The Tide Child Series is my favorite series and it will always be but when I say this is the best book Barker has written to date I mean that I'm taking into consideration that Tide Child is, in my opinion, one of the best fantasy series ever written and this was better than all three books in Tide Child. It actually almost hurts me to write that, kinda feel like I'm betraying Joron.

Barker is the undisputed king of writing not just complex characters but characters who portray realistic personal growth. There is simply not an author that I have found that does this better than him, and yet somehow, he's actually beat himself at his own game here. It's not just that we have multiple characters going through some shit here. It is how far he expanded upon the growth we saw in Tide Child with Joron. Especially with Ont and Sorha. Ont has to come to terms with so many things: the fact that he was an absolute dick, the loss of Udinny, trying so very hard to fill her shoes, and finding a woman he cares about. And he does it in a way that is so relatable. There's a lot of guilt and he recognizes that and tries to address it in a healthy manner but it doesn't always work out that way and he's conscious of this and not necessarily okay with it but he's working on it. He's got an inferiority complex that he's working through throughout the whole book, and it's just truly amazing to behold. Quite frankly inspirational. And the same with Sorha. She is such a raging ball of hate and to watch her gradually not overcome it but dissect it, address it in little pieces and then become the hero that we needed, well, she's my favorite character in the series. Cahan, surprisingly, is kind of the same as he was in the last book. A bitter, broken man, he makes so many mistakes, choosing to ignore the hands offered to him by the people that care for him, hell loves him, really. There were a couple of times I wanted to punch him in the face. That all being said, I believe with Cahan stuck in this rut, we really get to see the other characters shine, and I enjoyed that immensely.

The world building is, of course freaking amazing. And I think you're probably wondering how there could be more. Well, that's because we get introduced to two whole new realms in this already vast world that are truly awe-inspiring. And again, Barker's ability to almost project images directly into your brain of the worlds he creates is top-notch.

Finally, most importantly, the plot twists, because omg the plot twists. Every time I'm like okay yeah now I get what's going on here, I got sucker punched with something. And the best part of the way these are written is that you are so caught up in the story that it's just this genuine moment of "What did they just say!? Okay, wait! Wtf just happened!?" And look, I have one word for you: Escape. When you get there, you'll know what I'm talking about, and holy shit did that one word throw everything I thought I knew about this world right out the damn window. And yet it made perfect freaking sense.


Overall, Warlords of Wyrdwood is genuinely one of the best books I've ever read from an author who had already set the bar from which I judge all fantasy novels. I highly recommend it.

As always, thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eArc!

This is perhaps my most anticipated book of the year (2024) and it did not disappoint. It's been some time since Gods of the Wyrdwood, so I really appreciated the summary that reminded me of the struggles and the worldbuilding and how much I love this series.
Barker's prose is so unique and as someone who's read all his books, I can also say it's very pointed, a niche to the atmosphere his books provide. He manages to write the most descriptive passages, that I truly feel as if I'm in the woods or I'm in the midst of a battle. And as someone very familiar with his style of writing, I'm aware of the use of comma splices, I don't mind it. However, it. could be because it was an ARC and needed one last round of editing, but I did notice a tad bit more comma splices and grammar errors. As an ARC, though, I could ignore it, especially with the fact I was so absorbed with the story I didn't quite mind.
Our story expands further than Cahan and the Rai. We get a glimpse of the Forestals, the false Cowl-Rai, the armies of the north and the south warring with each other. We unravel more of this world and find things are not what they seem. It's genuinely my favorite plot device: where the author introduces you to a world and has you firmly established in it before completely upending reality. Barker handles it so deftly because he's just so good at introducing readers into his worlds that doesn't feel forced or repetitive. We get a whole host of new characters. I'll admit, I was like I'm so inpatient I want to know how it all connects, but when it does it's so worth the wait. The reader has to really immerse themselves in the new characters to understand their choices, and actually to understand the land of Crua and the fight between them. The horror of the incoming threat is so palpable - it genuinely sounds terrible and near impossible to defeat. Like this is real threat - something I find is lacking in fantasy these days. The characters are not immune to pain - in fact, Barker makes sure they lose over and over again and suffer unimaginable pain. I feel like Cahan is definitely the character that has suffered the most, when I think of Girton from The Wounded Kingdom trilogy or Joron from The Tide Child trilogy (and they've suffered plenty).
It was the perfect book to explore new characters, new avenues of this incredible world, and now I cannot wait for book 3 which hasn't even been announced yet. Anyone who enjoys RJ Barker will be sure to love this one as well.

Such a different type of fantasy, almost one that needs to be truly paid attention to for risk of missing even the slightest detail. I am so impressed with the progression of RJ Barker as a writer and this series continues to be a very thinking-person's fantasy with lots of layers. Wonderful magic, incredible world-building and characters who jump off the page highlight this second book. I highly recommend starting with book 1 Gods of the Wyrdwood and then ripping through this one soon after. A full review will be posted on the blog very soon!