RJ Barker is one of those writers that while it may take a bit to get invested in his stories and writing style, once you are, it pulls you in and you care so much about his beautifully written worlds and characters. A great end to a very good trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a copy of Heart of the Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker.

When I started this trilogy I wasn’t sure what to expect and I will admit that it took me a little bit to get into. However, once I did, I really enjoyed it and have looked forward to both the second and third books as they arrived.

I will be honest though, I have had a hard time deciding what I want to say about this final installment. I went in with very high expectations and am not entirely sure they were met, as much as I really wanted them to. This last book took some turns that required a lot of adjustment in terms of pacing, characterization and writing style.

While the growth that the characters experience creates its own type of magic, some of it felt a little bit flat. Life and death and “thought sharing” became a bit confusing and took me out of the story at times just trying to get through it.

The not knowing what’s real anymore and attempting to keep up started to feel like I was slogging along through many pages to try and reach a semblance of understanding, or ay sort of definitive end. I ended up feeling like the last 25% of the story was both slow and very chaotic at the same time.

I am thoroughly glad that I read it and I will absolutely continue to look for and read Barker’s work, I’m just not sure that I got from the end of this adventure what I had anticipated or hoped for.

You can definitely tell this trilogy is the work of an experienced fantasy author firing on all cylinders.

Without a doubt, my favorite part of this trilogy is the worldbuilding—so wildly creative and wonderfully weird. I need art of these horrifying forest creatures STAT ! The setting is unforgettable and completely transports you.

This finale holds onto the creeping, deliberate pace of the first two books with splashes of action and a satisfying conclusion. Recommend to fans of Jeff Vandermeer and possibly N.K. Jemisin—rich, bleak setting with layered themes and character work.

I will note that RJ Barker has a very distinctive writing style—his sentence structure and grammar often bend for flavor or rhythm. Worth sampling a chapter or two to see if it clicks for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the advance copy!

I absolutely loved the first book. But the weirdness and slow pace of this last book didn’t work for me.
Much of the story felt like I was on a LSD trip.
The journeys of the main characters took a long time to get going so the total length of the book could’ve been shorter to make the experience better.
The last 25% had most of the action to wrap up the plot and I just didn’t really care by then. I’m so disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this more as I love Barker’s other series especially Wounded Kingdom.
This was too chaotic for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

RJ Barker is an author who continually reinvents himself. Each of his series take on a different tone, setting, theme, magic system, and yet he manages to deliver brilliance no matter what he choses to try his hand at. It's the sign of an author so adept at their craft that they just have the confidence and skill to pull off whatever they conjure up in their brain. And the people who reap the rewards of this are you and I the reader.

This is the second finale in a series that I've read in the past week and both were absolute soul crushers (in a good way). HEART OF THE WYRDWOOD had me hanging on every single word through the last few chapters and when it was all over all I wanted to do was sit and reflect on the amazing story that had consumed me across every stunning entry in this fantastic trilogy.

The Forsaken trilogy could be seen as a bit of a risk for Barker. He took a lot of chances with how the story unfolds and not following the usual progression of your typical fantasy tale. But sometimes taking a risk is exactly what is called for and the reason why I love reading Barker's books is that he does often take the unorthodox route, but that's what makes his stories such a joy to read quite honestly.

We talk a lot about wanting stories in this genre that are unique and that we've never read before. it's tough to do because as with music, there are only so many guitar riffs out there and there's a tendency for repetition, whether conscious or unconscious. RJ Barker manages to stay original and come up with twists and curveballs that you never see coming. And his characters never behave the way you think they should.

I was simply blown away by HEART OF THE WYRDWOOD and recommend it to anyone looking for not your usual fantasy fare. There's a lot to love here: non-binary and wonderfully diverse characters, a magic system that is intricate and beautifully rendered, action scenes that jump off the page, and the mystical and enigmatic Wyrdwood, essentially a main character unto itself and the setting by which this exceptional series catapults your imagination through with every breathless moment. I absolutely loved this concluding book and the entire Forsaken series. If you aren't reading RJ Barker, you are missing out on one of the true masterful voices in fantasy at the moment.

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.

I first discovered this series after attending a talk with author John Gwynne, where R.J. Barker was also speaking. I was so impressed by the author. Their passion, humour, and unique energy made a lasting impression. I knew I had to pick up whatever weird and wonderful fantasy they had written, and The Forsaken Trilogy sounded like exactly that.

This is a series that rewards patience in its style. I found The Bone Ship’s Wake (book one) to be slower in places, and the beginning of Heart of the Wyrdwood also takes its time to unfold. But the payoff is worth it. You’re rewarded with a world that has been expertly crafted: layered, strange, and entirely its own. There’s a lot explained in this final book, but Barker wisely leaves some things open-ended. I’m completely okay with that, as it suits the mythic, unknowable nature of the Wyrdwood.

Heart of the Wyrdwood feels darker in tone, edging toward grimdark, while still retaining the series’ signature weirdness. Cahan’s arc is harrowing and deeply emotional, and the Wyrdwood remains as unsettling and alive as ever. The story balances brutality with beauty, introspection with action.

Barker’s prose is lyrical yet grounded. After finishing book one, I scoured the internet to find the Broken Binding editions. Book three was preordered well in advance because I was that hooked.

A truly original, character-driven fantasy that embraces the strange and the sorrowful in equal measure. Heart of the Wyrdwood is a stunning conclusion to a bold and unforgettable trilogy.

If I wanted to find the perfect final novel for a fantasy trilogy, Heart of Wyrdwood would be it. I’ve been enthralled by the series from the start and Barker somehow brought all of the little pieces of his masterfully created world together into an explosive finish that left me in awe. Every character had a major part to play in the grand scheme of the world, every decision leading to one final moment that would define the future. Each book has felt like a walk on a forest path that isn’t always clear, and this truly was the final mile, where you can see the destination just on the horizon and are excited to get there. The battles are epic, the secrets of the world are jaw-dropping, and I find myself at the end trying to contain my excitement at writing enough good things to recommend this series to anyone who loves fantasy mixed with nature mixed with characters/pages/events that matter. It should go without saying, but I will be seeking out every other book written by RJ Barker and diving in.

This book was provided to me as an ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

THE BEST BITS
A final book that gives you everything you could want in an ending
Finally understanding the Boughry
The end of Saradis - believe me, it’s solid

LET’S TALK ABOUT AN ENDING
I was honestly shocked that nothing in this final book felt extra. The author didn’t struggle to fill the pages with unnecessary conversations or plotlines - it all felt like it had been planned from the start, with each piece being put together before our eyes until it suddenly made sense. When I read an epic series, I want to see things resolved, whether it’s for good or bad. I want to know that the 1500+ pages I’ve read were leading somewhere and the author wasn’t just stringing me along. Barker more than lives up to the task and I find myself thinking back on all of the little things I didn’t quite understand from the earlier books and how they fit into the puzzle. It’s a final book that gives you an ending and gives you a deeper appreciation for the prior books.

A ROLLING STONE OF NARRATORS
When the second book in the series introduced seven narrators, I was hesitant. Most authors can handle two or three, but seven seemed unthinkable. I was sure this final book would be a confusing mishmash of stories, but somehow it all worked perfectly. You might think we don’t need to be in every corner of the world consistently until the end, and you would be wrong. I can’t stress enough how perfectly everything comes together and how much the characters complement each other. And the ending? Chef’s kiss.

THE FINAL PICTURE
This is a world I was excited to travel through with each page. It started small in a tiny village on the edge of things and ended in a world-spanning explosion of blood, darkness, and eventual healing light. Characters who were minor became major. Villains who were awful got their comeuppance. Monsters rose from the depths and every creature joined the battle for their world. Everything made sense in the end and my only frustration was that I wouldn’t be able to journey with these characters again. I couldn’t be happier with how the series ended.

Screaming in excitement I have waited so long for this book and it’s here. Such excitement and such joy and such mayham and chaoes. I can’t get enough of it

For those who have been eagerly awaiting book 3 of the Forsaken trilogy: Good news! Excellent final volume. Good work on Barker’s part wrapping everything up. It’s always hard writing a review of the last book in a series without spoilers, so apologies for this being irritatingly vague.

The scope of this trilogy came a long, long way from Cahan scraping out an existence on his farm - it’s honestly hard for me to recall how small-scale the books began. As much as things scaled up in book 2, they scaled up again at least as much in book 3.

Once again we have a shift in dominant POVs. This time around, the chief perspectives are those of Udinny, Venn, Dassit, and Sorha. We also get occasional glimpses of Saradis and, yes, Cahan, but those first four are definitely our chief protagonists.

Barker laid his groundwork carefully. Everything here built on what was learned about Crua in the first two books, but I will admit I did not expect the direction things were going to go. Barker took me completely by surprise, so well done.

The last 15% or so was very intense. I may have been hiding in various unused rooms at work today so I could finish up uninterrupted - thankfully things are quiet at work right now. And the ending felt well-earned. I have a ton of questions, and I do not expect Barker to ever answer them (if he even knows the answers), but the ending was nonetheless satisfying. All the major characters got the endings they deserved.

I want to fully thank the publisher Orbit and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I also want to thank them both for helping me discover a true fantasy master. I may need to cut back on my ARCs for a few months so I can find time to enjoy this author’s backlog.

It is always difficult with the third novel of a trilogy to not include spoilers. But if you haven’t read the first two novels of this series, I recommend you stop reading this review and read the other two installments first. It may be good to read my review of the first novel to get a taste if this series would interest you. The good news is that the series completed, so you don’t have to wait a year between each novel to enjoy this wonderful story in its entirety.

Here we have a fantasy series that while in some ways is very traditional with a band of characters coming together to fight an evil god and its minions to save the world told through many different POVs, what is refreshing where our story begins with the reluctant hero that fights to save his world, it is more the story of how a large group of characters come together out of necessity to try save their world. Cahan, without getting into spoilers, can’t be the great hero and single-handedly stop the word burning to ashes and starting anew, but it is through a large array of minor characters that have been developed over the first two installments that take the major role of fighting to save the existence of this world. Also, for a third novel, most of these minor characters find redemption for past deeds and defeats that were very emotional.

There are enough action sequences that one would expect in the final novel of a trilogy. Not one large battle, but like a good fantasy, everything does come together in a very entertaining last battle against ultimate evil.

There is also an interesting twist where the author is playing with gender, not going to mention more to those that have not started the novel yet, that was humorous and thought-provoking. We have a female character that returns to our story in the body of an aging male.

Finally, what makes this final novel so satisfying is how I didn’t realize how invested I was in so many of the characters I discovered in the first two books. The characters are well developed because we can understand and identify with their individual motivations and desires, while being imperfect and sometimes emotionally vulnerable.

Again, I am overjoyed that I had the opportunity to discover this author and look forward to reading more novels by this author in the future.

This was a mind bending and wonderful read. I didn't keep up with the book in places and since certain sections of this story needed more attention when reading them than others. I will be reading this series at some point to fully understand and enjoy it hopefully. Cahan was the central character but only featured in sort of an abstract sense to me but was still a very important part for the story. That is what is this last book really seem focused on. This world was one that was damaged and the journey to heal and bring the world in order is what this series was about. The connection between the world and the people that inhabit it and that everything is connected is something that I felt was sort of confusing but a theme that is one that needs to be understood and made a reality to find and make a better world. What he did with some of the characters in this direction was what really proved to be interesting to me at least. I wasn't sure how it would end but I am satisfied mostly with the way this story has been written and have enjoyed the journey. I have so many thoughts about this book and the series but others will hopefully pick these up and like them for the same reasons I did or maybe find things that like about this remarkable story. Thanks to author for writing great books, thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the opportunity to read yet again a very good book.

Heart of the Wyrdwood delivers a rich and atmospheric finale, weaving together dark folklore, divine chaos, and raw human resilience. RJ Barker brings haunting depth to a world on the edge of ruin, as beloved characters are tested, broken, and reforged in the face of ancient power and cruel fate. Though the pacing occasionally lingers, the lyrical writing and the forest’s eerie, mythic presence keep the tension alive. With moments of heartbreak, unexpected hope, and a final act that resonates like the echo of a prayer in the dark, this is a satisfying end to a bold and strange trilogy.

This third installment in The Forsaken trilogy is another excellent example of the brilliance of R.J. Barker! He creates wonderfully fantastic worlds and characters who struggle and battle with the very essence of life itself. His prose is exquisite and, although his stories are hopeful in tone, there is darkness in his writing that adds an extra level of entertainment and intrigue. I highly recommend reading anything by RJ Barker, but this story is something very special. Cahan du-Nahere is one of my favorite characters, in spite of some of his poor decisions in this series! He is also not the only outstanding character - Ont, Ania, Dassit, Venn, Sorha, Furin, Issofur, Tall Sera, and especially Udinny Pathfinder! Even the ‘bad guys’ are strong and fascinating characters - particularly Saradis, Vir, and Laha.

If you haven’t read The Forsaken trilogy, you should. Heart of the Wyrdwood is a wonderful conclusion to an excellent trilogy!!

Whew! What a razor blade of tension, excitement, and anticipation as you venture into the woods with our separated heroes as they try to find a way to stop what began in Books 1 and 2 of the Forsaken Trilogy. We have multiple perspectives from both sides of the conflict, but what we see is how our forces transition from desperation to despair to determination and devotion as they do their part to save their world. The characters wormed their way into my heart as I kept turning pages to see what happened next. The author keeps you on the edge of your seat as each scene plays out and ends on a cliffhanger. It was a hefty book, but you were invested and had to know what happened next. However, you don't notice because there is just too much going on, and you have to know what happens next. This is a nice series, offering a unique adventure in a well-developed world with a complex magic system unlike anything I have seen before—the harmony between the people and the woods made for a well-written symbiosis.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit Books, for the eArc. These opinions are mine.

A wonderful ending to a trilogy that really breaks from the norm I'm used to with Barker. As always though, I can rely on him to break his characters over and over again to mold them into something new. I especially love his ability to take hated characters and somehow make me love them (Sorha). The writing was beautiful as usual, casting the reader into so many different places but letting them soak into this world and really enhancing the experience. Can't recommend it enough!

A banger of a finale. I won’t lie, going into this as much as I liked the previous two books when I read them I’d started to think RJB wasn’t for me, and I was reading this largely to see how the story ends, but not only did the guy recapture my interest, he straight up blew my mind with some of the things he had in store for us with this one.

The dark god Zorir has risen, and Cahan Du Nahere has been taken. His allies have been scattered to the winds, their paths unclear and their hopes diminishing by the day as the land edges closer and closer to total destruction. But as they all answer the callings of the paths before them, the ancient forces of the Wyrdwood begin to stir, and they’ll have to hope with their awakening a way can be found to prevent the world from ending in fire.

I can’t recall the last time I’ve experienced such a total 180 with a series and an author. I literally picked up this book without any excitement, aiming to just finish the story, close the book on RJB and move on to other authors I’ve been wanting to try. And the guy drops an absolute banger that blows my mind. I’m completely confused now. Let’s get into it.

So first and foremost, the big difference between this and the previous book is that we well and truly follow a motley crew cast. Cahan may have been the main person we started this series out with, but by this book his role is absolutely minimal, and it’s a shift that works really well. By following so many different cast members instead, we get to witness the completion of multiple character development arcs, some more entertaining or relatable than others as these characters change to meet the demands of their roles in this saga.

The constant switching among them also gives us the added advantage of keeping the tension high, the pacing pretty fast paced and the mystery fascinating, creating a story that’s pretty compelling. Especially when you get to roughly the 60% mark and the revelations start to hit like lightning from the sky. Absolutely nothing you’ve read in the previous two books has prepared you for what’s revealed in this one.

RJB pulls off a spectacular feat of worldbuilding and imagination with this one, completely changing the nature of the story we think we knew and completely rewriting both the nature of the final conflict, the objectives and the end goal. It’s brilliantly handled because the teases have always been there, just not presented in a way we could understand until he decides to open our eyes. I loved it, and it immediately made me change my mind about skipping any more of his books in the foreseeable future.

So in short, the character work is well handled, and the worldbuilding/fantastical aspect of this is absolutely top shelf. The story itself is every bit as intense, action packed and dark as the previous two books have been, even more so as this is the finale and the stakes are as high as they can get. If you’ve been a fan of this story so far because of the action and intensity of the battles, or the otherworldliness of the mystical components, you’re only going to find plenty more of it in this installment.

All in all, a spectacular finale that for me delivered far beyond expectations, because I don’t know what it is but between reading the last book to starting this one, something about my interest in this series and author just completely evaporated. This book did a spectacular job of reigniting that interest, and wraps up the series on a far higher note than I ever expected to be finishing it on. A must read series, if you’re a fan of his or just into epic fantasy in general with a darker, more creative twist that normal.


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An amazing conclusion to the trilogy!! You really got a feel for the world and the magic with this one plus got to see some of the history and find out why things are the way they are. Loved all the character growth and how well developed so many character got really made the world feel lived in and thought out.
I will absolutely be reading everything RJ Barker writes! A well worth it series and read!

Heart of the Wyrdwood was such a great finale to the series. It wrapped thing up in such a satisfying way. Emotional, intense, and full of the wild, strange magic that made the trilogy so unique. Barker really stuck the landing with this one.

I couldn't wait to dive into the conclusion of the Forsaken Trilogy, and Heart of the Wyrdwood exceeded all of my expectations. The world building - much like all of Barker's books - is outstanding, and I loved getting an even deeper look into this fantastical universe. I enjoyed the brief chapters from different characters' POVs, and the fact that most ended on mini-cliff hangers made this book such a treat to read. Even more so, I felt that all the characters had satisfying finales, and loose ends within the entire series were tied up nicely.

By the time I finished the book, I wanted to immediately go back to Book 1 and start over. I'm sad that this trilogy has come to an end, but I can't wait for this to be released to the world. I'm eager to read whatever RJ Barker is cooking up next.