It took me a little while to get into Gods of the Wyrdwood. It starts off a little dense and throws a lot of information at you very quickly before it settles down and gets on with the plot. I could have done with a glossary to be honest. However, once I got to the middle point of the book, it picked up a little bit and I really started to enjoy it.

The world is really well created and very different from the worlds of Barker’s other books and I very much enjoyed this one as much as the others. The Deepforest is suitably creepy and mystical for the story but compared to the humans, it’s a lovely place.

Cahan made for a great protagonist and I very much enjoyed him as the main character. Barker has this habit of heaping torment and pain on his main characters, and I am very much into that. He definitely tortures Cahan, who is constantly being beaten up, knocked out and arrested and I loved every minute of it. It also helped that the antagonists were so damned horrible, especially Sorha, who just wouldn’t do me a favour and die, no matter how much I wanted them to. Of the other characters, I really liked Udinny and Venn intrigues me, especially with their power.

Gods of the Wyrdwood took me a while to get into but once I did I found it to be a very enjoyable read. It’s slow in the beginning, a little confusing and it does take a little time for the story to get going but once I got my head around the world and all the various parts that were confusing me, I really got into it. The world is unique and the magic system intrigues me. I enjoyed the characters, even the ones I didn’t really like and I am interested in seeing where the story goes next.

This was a ‘did not finish’ for me, I’m afraid.

There’s a fine line that an author must tread when writing high fantasy. Too much exposition and the reader becomes bogged down by info dumps which slow down the momentum of the story. Too little, however, and the reader is left floundering. The latter is the issue here. So many terms and concepts introduced with no explanation. No glossary. Not much of a plot to keep the reader engaged. I lost patience about 100 pages in.

Not a book for me.

I'm a fan of Barker's books but I didn't fully gel with this one. It's very imaginative and clever, but it felt very front loaded with the massive amounts of information you needed to know before the meat of the story really kicked off - which included an entire zoo's worth of animal names which were not creatures that had obvious real life analogues, religious and gender terms and a host of other bits and pieces. I'm not put off by long books or different languages, or by intricate world building. But this was a lot, all at once, without much of a hook to pull you in. I don't mind books that make me sing for my supper but I really didn't want to have to work as hard as I did to get into this one.



I really love the concept. This is a chosen ones story - essentially a faction which wants to get out from under the ruling, occupying race, is basically breeding a messiah. But then what happens when the 'chosen one' loses his purpose and destiny to someone else? A rival chosen one. That set up and the religious connotations made me think of how there were thirteen candidates for the role of Messiah when Yeshua (Jesus) was tapped for the position. The jockeying for power and position and the use of children to further ambition fit a bit too well. That said, this is set in what feels almost like a post apocalyptic fantasy world, where spire cities have been left behind by a race which no longer exists, the purpose of which no one really knows.



As usual the world building was stellar, even if some of the terminology was annoying (please just say hour!) A lot of the unusual animals were very cute - I want my own bonded multi eyed, crownhead (cow-sheep) herding ermine dog creature. I really loved the MC, Cahal, who was self reliant and refreshingly taciturn and grumpy. I just found the pace plodded and I never really kicked into gear with the story. However if you're looking for an immersive fantasy world with a different sort of hero's journey, then this is probably for you.

Didn't finish this one, after reading about 100 pages. Found the book hard work, and although it is undoubtedly clever it failed to keep my attention. Was a shame - I had high hopes for this one.

Took me a while to finish it but really enjoyed the characters and the world. I loved how the world building was done without spelling everything out and can't read to read the rest of the series!

Gods of the Wyrdwood is the start of a new series by R.J. Barker.

As usual it has the signature of R. J. Barker, in that it is set in a harsh world with harsh people.

The story is set in the land of Crua, a land dominated by the cloud trees of the Wyrdwood. Similar, to The Tide Child trilogy, Barker bases the economy of the land on an alternative substance, but rather than being dragon bones, this time it is wood.

The story centres around Cahan du Nahare, a forester that lives on the outer edges of the village of Harn. Cahan ekes out a living in the edges of the village, shunned for being clanless and an outsider for being different.

The other point of view is the High Leoric Kirven and her offspring Venn, Trion to the raising Cowl – Rai, the living embodiment of the cruel god Tarl – an – Gig, who is sweeping across the land with their army of Rai, subjugating the people. Kirven’s lives in the Harnspire of Harn – Larger and is basically the high ruler of the land.

One of the things that I love about R.J. Barker is that as an author he throws you into a world to discover how things work as you go along. At first, this can seem a little disconcerting as the reader will be bombarded with new terminology and lots of other information without an explanation. Barker does not hold your hand with casual info dumps and exposition to give the reader that gradual exposure to the world. He just chucks the reader in at the deep end and expects the reader to get on with it. As a reader you are thrust straight into the story without the usual nice foundations of learning about all the rudimentary bits of information that are needed to make you feel safe, and that is what I really love about Barker’s worlds. You feel unsafe as you traverse the world, which gives you an impression of how the characters feel.

I think one of the other things that I found interesting was Barker’s approach to storytelling in this book. In this book, the story telling is intersected by different stylistic approaches. Whilst most of the book is told in third person, there are these jarring intersections of a second person narrative which gives some background to a particular character. Like I said, this tells the story of one of the main characters and I imagined these little vignettes as being a concentric circle of trees that moves to the heart of the story.

The other thing is that it is told quite episodically in its structure, which I felt gave a kind of mixed tempo in its pacing as there are these mini adventures in the story that kind of reach their climax at different stages in the books before the book reaches its ‘big’ ending. Again, similarly to The Tide Child trilogy, this put me in mind of earlier SFF novels like Moorcock, and I must say that RJ Barker has always reminded me of Michael Moorcock and for me, Barker is the successor to Moorcock’s crown of writing the most inventive and original fantasy stories.

Now, we can’t have a review of an R.J. Barker book without mentioning the characters. As usual, the characters in the book are brilliant and well rounded. At times, I did find the main character Cahan a little annoying, particularly as he is always falling on his base desire of wanting to run away from each situation, which at times constricted the story. However, as the book reaches its ending his character arc becomes more prescient and I cannot wait to see how he grows further in the following books in the story. But, it is the monk Udinney, steals the show every time that she turned up. There are other characters that add to the story, but none more so than the Wyrdwood itself which has both an ominous presence throughout the story and the greatest mystery.

I also need to mention that the end of this story really stressed me out (in a good way!) and I had to take a break as the tension of the story mounts towards the end.

In the acknowledgments, Barker highlights that ‘whilst the events of the Wyrdwood seem realtively simple, but just like the seeds below the village of Harn, this is a start, and from it, something stranger and far more complex will grow’.

Well, in reply to this all I can say is bring it on.

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing this.

I started off this book and I was quite confused for a while. There’s lots of place names, religious names, character names, role names and they’re just used from the start with no explanation or easing in the the language. It took maybe 10-15 per cent of the book before this started to fall into place for me. I also felt initially like this book wasn’t going to be what I expected. I was hoping for woodland magic and mythology. It felt more political in nature early on.

However, about a third of the way through this book it became exactly what I was hoping for and through that point I was hooked. Once the story moves into the wood it became a wonderful piece of fantasy, forcing characters to challenge their pre-conceptions and understand the balance in nature. We also meet my favourite character at this point in the book.

I loved all the parts set in the wood. The creatures, the dangers, the plants, what characters do to survive. It was all a wonderfully imaginative and evocative setting.

Everything from the beginning made sense and was necessary for the later parts of the book. I did find the start a little hard going but I’m very glad I stuck with it as it all paid off.

The first half of the book had everything to become one of my all-time favorite series, but then the story and character development remained very flat. For a book that is around 600 pages long, that's a big bummer.

The strongest element of the book, and the whole reason I gave it 4 stars, is the exceptional worldbuilding. While some may argue that the forest setting is pretty common in the fantasy genre, among the fantasy books I have read, this one feels uniquely atmospheric (except probably for LOTR). The magic system, while not the most original, has something about it and its relation to the forest and all living things that fascinated me.

On the other hand, the plot was the weakest point of the book, following the path of the "reluctant hero" trope. Furthermore, the characters failed to leave an impression on me. Any attachment I started to feel toward them quickly faded, leaving me indifferent. The main character proved to be particularly infuriating, and the villain lacked depth, with an origin story as generic as the hero's.

It's been close to 3 weeks since I finished the book, and honestly, I have even forgotten almost everything except for the magic system and the ending.

Overall, there were some aspects that I didn't like, but the author hit the right spot with me and gave me an unforgettable atmospheric setting, thus my high rating.

RJ Barker has crafted such a ruthless and magical world, full of cruel gods, merciless rulers, and constant challenges to survival for both the weak and the strong. If you are an enjoyer of chunky books, forests, living magic, and atmospheric stories, this might be your next best read.

3.5 stars (rounded up)

Well, Barker clearly gave his wild imagination free rein while writing Gods of the Wyrdwood, because wow… are there some capital W Weird things going on inside these pages. Malevolent sentient forests with creepy inhabitants, flying skyrafts, giant trees and mushrooms, prophecies, chosen ones, elusive and mystical magic, old and forgotten gods, and plenty of political and religious strife; this book has truly got it all!

While this is a fantasy story of truly epic proportions, the tale feels grounded by its intimate focus on our main protagonist, Cahan du Nahere. He is a Chosen One whose destiny was stolen from him, leaving him utterly purposeless and living as a lone wolf. However, his mysterious past is catching up to him and it turns out he can’t keep running forever, especially not from himself.

In true R.J. Barker fashion, there is absolutely zero hand holding in the storytelling here. We are dropped straight into this strange and ominous world and are expected to pick up the necessary clues along the way. Barker deftly straddles the line between intrigue and confusion, leaving just enough breadcrumbs to not feel completely lost, but also never sharing more than strictly necessary.
On the one hand, I sometimes wished I’d had a glossary to make sure I was interpreting unfamiliar in-world terms correctly, but on the other hand I also loved the sense of mystery and intrigue that permeates every aspect of this novel.
If you don’t like heavy exposition or large info-dumps, then R.J. Barker is definitely the author for you.

My favourite part of this book was without a doubt the imaginative and immersive world building. This world is absolutely breathtaking and the setting of the Wyrdwood with all its creepy creatures really captured my imagination. I always love it when a setting almost feels like a character in itself, especially if it has a bit of a haunting presence, and that was definitely the case here. I felt just as unsettled as the characters themselves while exploring the woods, yet at the same time I was completely awe-struck and filled with wonder.
The magic system was also fittingly mysterious and elusive, which allowed for some very cool and surprising displays of power. I particularly loved how it is so intricately tied to religion in this world, as that only made the magic feel more mystical.

All that said, there were some things that held me back from enjoying this story as much as I had anticipated I would.
The biggest issue for me personally was the fact that I just couldn’t connect to the majority of the characters, which I realise is a very subjective quibble of mine.
They are definitely complex and well-written characters, yet for some reason I simply couldn’t get emotionally invested. I think this is largely due to Barker’s sparse and choppy writing style, which just lacked emotion for me.

Cahan is a fascinating protagonist and his moral dilemma around the use of his magical powers is understandable and interesting, but his ‘woe is me’ attitude got a bit much for me after a while.
I did like how his past, which is shrouded in mystery, was slowly revealed through some very gripping chapters written in 2nd person POV though. That close and intimate storytelling technique evoked at least a tiny thread of empathy for him within me, which I very much welcomed.

There is also a second POV character, a narcissistic ruler desperately trying to maintain her position of power, who just didn’t do much for me. The only saving grace in her chapters was her child Venn, who was by far my favourite character in this novel. Venn is Trion, one of the third-gendered people in this world, and they possess extraordinary powers. But those powers unfortunately come at a cost, as the powerful families view them as nothing more than a highly coveted commodity.
Their personal journey was absolutely harrowing and gut wrenching, but also much more compelling than anyone else’s in this entire book. I honestly wished they would’ve been the focal point of the story, because I think that would’ve established the emotional investment that I was so desperately craving.

On top of my personal little quibbles with the character work, I also just couldn’t seem to figure out what the point of the plot was supposed to be. Every time I thought the inciting incident had happened, it turned out to be just another ‘false start’, if you will. It wasn’t until the 70% mark that the ‘side questing’ was over and the actual main conflict of the story emerged, after which the pacing suddenly just cranked up to eleven. To be fair, I quite enjoyed just plodding along and exploring this alluring world in all its glory, but it did make the story feel rather aimless for a large part of it.

Now, I realise this all sounds rather negative, but I honestly still had a really good time with this book and I even ended up reading the final 250 pages in one day. There's something about Barker’s storytelling that just keeps me hooked, so even though there might have been some confusion and frustration at first, I knew that I could trust the author to make it all come together in the end.
And indeed, if you are willing to be patient and put in the time and attention that is necessary to let this story absolutely sweep you off your feet, then this will be an incredibly rewarding reading experience. The slow build up did eventually have great pay-off, which leaves me very excited to see what mind-boggling directions Barker is going to take this story next.

Overall, I think Gods of the Wyrdwood is a promising start to what is no doubt going to be a highly impressive and ambitious fantasy series.
You could definitely use this book as your jumping-off point into R.J. Barker’s works, but I think you might have a better reading experience if you are already familiar with his wild imagination and unconventional storytelling techniques from reading some of his earlier works.

Gods of the Wyrdwood is the perfect slow-burn book for anyone who is craving a refreshing and imaginative fantasy story that challenges your expectations by defying genre conventions at every possible opportunity. Honestly, what a wild, unpredictable and exciting ride!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sadly this was a DNF for me. It started well, the writing is excellent - but it quickly became a struggle. From an intriguing prologue to a social setup that seemed to take so long… the protagonist was interesting, but I felt like I’d read far more than I had! The unexplained fantasy-words didn’t help either (maybe a glossary is needed)?

Sorry, but I had to tap out. I’m sure others will enjoy more if they can slip more easily into the tale.

Gods of the Wyrdwood was one of my most anticipated reads in 2023. I’ve read some of RJ Barker‘s previous books, and I loved them all. To say I had very, very high expectations is the understatement of the decade. That I was lucky enough to get my hands on a physical ARC was just the cherry on top. And yet. I absolutely hate saying this, but Gods of the Wyrdwood didn’t work for me. I was close to DNFing at one point, but I stuck with it, and while it didn’t grow on me, I’m glad I didn’t give up. Whether I’ll stick around for book two, though… well, hard to say. The epilogue kind of made me interested. I might give the audiobook a chance as I know the amazing Jude Owusu will narrate this series too.

But back to Gods of the Wyrdwood. What always amazes me about Barker’s novels is the worldbuilding. The ease with which he can paint the setting for his characters, the details that are rich and still not in the way of enjoying the story. He clearly went all out with this forest setting, and honestly, my favorite part of this book was those chapters where Cahan and Udinny were traveling through it in pursuit of the lost boy. It made me wish the whole book was set in that dreamy and dangerous world, exploring the creatures, the fauna, and the gods. I fully expected something mythical and whimsical and heartwrenching because that’s how Barker operates usually. But the forest wasn’t the main focus of the plot, not in the way I’d have liked, anyway.

Talking of the plot, for a good portion of the book, I had no idea what the plot was supposed to be. The first half or so had this episodic feel, where the main character, Cahan, went on adventures, making friends and enemies along the way, seemingly without much aim. Although Kirven’s alternative POV chapters shed some light on a bigger picture. Especially as both she and her child, Venn is deeply involved in the main conflict. It also takes a while to find your footing at the beginning with all the terminology thrown in, but you get used to it after a while. Although, a bit more explanation about some things would have been welcome… I spent the majority of the book wondering about why Cowl-Rai is different from the other Rai who also have a cowl – although I realize that I should have paid more attention to the blurb as a Cowl-Rai is a Rai chosen specifically by the god they serve. Or that’s what I’m figuring anyway. I also wanted to learn more about the Rai, rather than just getting snippets from conversations and memories. They just…are, I guess.

We also don’t get to know much about the trion, people who are neither male nor female, they exist to be a bridge between them. I liked the concept of families consisting of more people rather than only husband and wife. There are second and third wives and husbands as well as at least one trion, taking care of the children together. At least, that’s how it worked before the new regime arose in the name of a new god, who also decided to get rid of all of the other gods and their worshippers. Crua, as you might imagine is not a peaceful place in the present. Now the trion are used and abused and massacred for “the greater good”. We can only assume it’s not going to end well for those who took part in that.

As for the characters, we have a few prominent ones – Cahan the Forester who is the main character, and probably the most boring one of them. I mean, okay, he has a troubled past, he is an introvert who likes to keep to himself and he can be hardly blamed for it after everything he went through. And yet. I felt no connection to him, I never got invested in him or his story. Opposite to him, we have Kirven, the other POV character, who is certainly much more interesting, if unlikeable. She is selfish and a touch narcissistic, not being able to see behind her narrow views. Nor does she care about what her own child tries to tell her. Venn, the child in point, is a trion, the only one who survived what was done to them. I think he can become an interesting character given the time, but I wasn’t able to make up my mind about them yet. And we have Udinny, the monk. I probably liked her best. She definitely was a bright spot in the otherwise not-so-bright world of Gods of the Wyrdwood. Too bad the chemistry between her and Cahan didn’t really work out. Also, there was this annoying thing when it came to the dialogue between these two, where names are constantly dropped in almost every sentence. It’s a pet peeve of mine that drives me crazy.

All in all, apart from the worldbuilding, nothing much worked for me. I kind of get what Barker was aiming for with this one (it has themes of found family, a message of standing up for yourself and being true to yourself even if everyone else treats you like a lesser person, etc.), but it just fell flat on all accounts. It felt like there was much more telling than showing on the whole. The pacing was odd and sometimes dragging, the characters were a bit one-dimensional and the story just didn’t pull me in as much as I wanted to despite the decidedly cool bits (the Wyrdwood and its creatures!), the sections written in the second person didn’t add enough to the whole atmosphere or the plot for that matter. If I have to summarise in one sentence, I’d say Gods of the Wyrdwood is missing a heart.

Sometimes one of your favorite authors doesn’t write your next favorite book. And you know, that’s okay with me. I’m pretty sure Gods of the Wyrdwood will find its audience, but this time it’s not me.

Gods of the Wyrdwood was my first book by Barker and, while I do think the start of the story meandered a little and maybe went a little heavy on the world building, I ended up absolutely loving it and am now desperate to get my hands on book two.

Cahan du Nahere was raised to be a savoir. The Cowl-Rai who would bring Crua into a new age, taken away from his parents and raised to destroy, his destiny was set until one day, another Cowl-Rai arrived. This one raised in the name of a different God swiftly upends Cahan's life, putting all the years of training and sacrifice to waste. 20 years later and Cahan has abandoned his old life choosing to spend his days farming on the outskirts of Harn, a small village on the edge of the Wyrdwood, but there are others who are not happy to let him live his life in peace, others who want to wipe any possible threat to the current Cowl-Rai and their God off the map, and when he is forced to reveal his true nature, he sets into place a chain of events that will reveal secrets hidden for generations and change the path of Crua forever.

Cahan du Nahere was raised to be a hero, someone to bring about the new age through fire and worship to his God, but fate and the fickleness of people had other things in mind. We find him 20 years on from his fall from grace, living a quiet somewhat peaceful life farming, Clanless and someone never accepted by the villagers of Harn, and then one day that all changes. He is someone who has forgone his past, he wants nothing to do with the Gods, or the Cowl that lives inside him and refuses to feed the power even when it could save him. His story is not a happy one and the more we learn of his past, as well as the Rai, the easier it is to empathise with his decision. Alongside Cahan, we also get chapters from the POV of Kirven, the High Leoric of Harnspire, their POV was a little confusing at first because I wasn't quite sure where they fit into the story, but you quickly come to realise that Kirven's chapters aren't there to further her story, rather give us further insights into the Rai, as well as Venn her daughter who is pivotal to the plot, someone similar to Cahan who was destined to bring death but has fought against it tooth and nail.

I enjoyed reading the story from Cahan's POV. This person who has lived his life on the edge of society, never accepted, merely tolerated, but I have to say that I feel the story was stolen by some of the side characters. Namely Udinny, a Monk who worships the God Ranya. She is the sunshine to Cahan's grump, and I enjoyed how she made him come out of his shell and start to accept his fate. Furin, the Leoric (Mayor) of Harn and the person who seeks Cahan's help and initially puts him on the path to accepting who he is. And Ania, a Forester (think Robin Hoods merry men but more bloodthirsty), someone who meets Cahan on his journey and comes to see that he is not like the other Rai she has met. These women absolutely stole the show for me, and Barker seems to have a knack for writing strong, immovable women with strong morals who aren't afraid to hit Cahan over the head when he's being stubborn. Barker somehow manages to create a bunch of characters who, at one point were more likely to kill each other, that somehow melded into one of the weirdest found families ever, but I was totally here for it.

The world was epic to say the least and Barker certainly doesn't hold your hand when it comes to the world building, instead dumping you into this fully fleshed out world trusting you will pick up the parts you need too along the way. Which I did, but I did find the first part of the book to get slightly dumpy on the history/world building front. It's a world filled with magic, but where the people who use it aren't good. The Rai have something inside them called the Cowl, something that grants them power, but asks for death in return. To feed your Cowl you must kill, and that is something that Cahan has refused to do for years. It's a dark world, filled with danger & plenty of things that could kill you, not just the Rai, and on Cahan's journey through the Wyrdwood there were certain elements that had a horror aspect to them and some scenes that had the hairs on the back of my neck rising.

Because of the amount of world building in the first part of the book, I did find the pacing was a little off, and the start of the book in general meandered a little and I struggled to grasp where it was heading but let me tell you that all of that was 100% worth it for the last part of the story which was just epic. There's mystery, danger, plot twists aplenty as well as enough battles to ensure your blood lust is sated. These scenes are horrific in parts, as well as incredibly cinematic in their description. Seeing the Rai use their powers, as well as taking lives to sustain their Cowls just brought an emotion and tension to the story and once the main plot kicked off, I found it incredibly hard to put the book down. It's a story that shows the danger of blind belief, the danger in forgetting about the past and believing that in doing so, it will forget about you.

Throughout the story Barker includes little additional chapters that add a mystery to the story, as well as adding an emotional aspect and, although I will admit to guessing where they were heading and figuring out the twist at the end of the book, his foreshadowing and plotting were both expertly done meaning that even though I had a guess, I was still shocked when it ended up being right. Despite the slow start to the story, by the end I was hooked, and I can't wait until I can get my hands on the next book.

Ill be honest, I had a difficult time getting into this. There were a lot of terms and, in particular names and titles of people within the hierarchy which were a little complicated, I had to check a couple of times to see if this was actually a sequel or whether there was a glossary of terms. It all felt a bit, baffling and by about page 30 I was sure I wouldn’t get on with the book, I was very wrong!
Before I knew it I was suddenly very emotionally invested! In a lot of fantasy books, there is a tendency to use far too many words describing appearances of people, places or scenery, filling out the story a bit. Not with this. There is so much action, so much going on so the descriptions are all fairly brief, leaving more time for conversation and actual plot. It also let my imagination do some heavy lifting, and I really enjoyed that.
The plot itself is so good. So much happens and the characters are great. Well written and very strong, not all likeable, and one in particular I wanted to reach into the pages and shake, and all very different and complex. I can definitely forgive the tough start, probably user error, because other than that, I absolutely loved it. Very much looking forward to the sequel.

In RJ Barker's "Gods of the Wyrdwood", an exhilarating surge of epic fantasy, I've found myself utterly ensnared. Barker's masterstroke lies in crafting vivid, multi-faceted characters that are as rich as Aelinor's finest tapestry. I reveled in their arcs, each a cataclysmic whirlwind, shaping the Wyrdwood realm in remarkable, unforeseen ways. The world-building is nothing short of arcane brilliance, a sprawling expanse as complex and enchanting as the Weave itself. This book is a veritable grimoire, brimming with mystical lore and daring exploits. A tale spun with the deftness of a Grand Loremaster, it's a portal into a realm where gods and mortals coexist and myth intertwines with reality. An absolute must-read for any die-hard fantasy aficionado.

I have LOVED every other RJ Barker book I have read with an unending passion and when I heard he was writing a new trilogy I got incredibly excited. When I learned this was a spooky forest book you'd better believe I got dangerously excited.
I was delighted to be able to read and review Gods of the Wyrdwood ahead of the official release so that I can tell everyone I know to get their preorders in NOW.
This world is absolutely fascinating, both the actual physical space and the woods themselves as well as the parts that the people have carved out for themselves but also the cultures and beliefs that exist within that world. I really liked that RJ Barker had thought about things like agriculture and the ways in which the seasons might affect the trade happening in this world. I definitely got the feeling that this is a world where an awful lot was left unsaid or undiscovered so be prepared to be waiting a while for some big reveals in the rest of the series.
I always love RJ Barker's protagonists and Cahan is no exception. Where Wounded Kingdom and Tide Child both had fairly young protagonists for the first book, Cahan is more of a gruff older figure who has lived a fair chunk of life, not all of it a positive experience. I am an absolute sucker for the 'old man who knows a lot about the forest' archetype and Cahan hit a lot of that so I was very pleased. I also found the antagonists and side characters had a lot of meat to them and I'll be interested to see what focus they get in the upcoming books.
I will say I think this is a book that I would enjoy even more on a reread simply because I found myself getting a bit lost at points. This may have been a product of me reading these while a tad distracted but I do know that in previous series I have got much more out of RJ Barker's writing on a reread. Thankfully this is a book I would quite happily pick up again - and soon!
Overall this book has me very excited for the rest of the series to come and I continue to be an avid fan of RJ Barker and his spooky worlds packed with interesting people.
My rating: 4 Stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Fantastic fantasy. My first by this author and I enjoyed it very much. I can not wait to read more from this author. This was fantastic as an escapism type novel. Highly recommended.

10/10, no notes.

I'm a huge fan of RJ Barker's books. He is, in my opinion, one of the best fantasy writers working today. Gods of the Wyrdwood is the first instalment in his newest trilogy, and it introduces us to

There are a number of things I expect from Barker's books:
- A brutal world but a story with a sense of optimism
- Wonderful, complex characters
- Gorgeous, atmospheric writing that you can get absolutely lost in
- Platonic relationships
- An excellent animal friend

I completely fell in love with Gods of the Wyrdwood, and if you're a fan of Barker's writing I think you will too. If you're expecting a straightforward, fast-paced fantasy adventure, this wont be the book for you. But if you love a slow burn, immersive read you must give Gods of the Wyrdwood a try.

Didn't manage to finish this one but it is Good - dont have the brain for something so big ATM - but i will recommend it in store

Another day, another first book of a trilogy. There's a lot going on in this book but somehow I just couldn't quite get to grips with it - not sure if that was the writing or the pacing - and I don't foresee myself picking up book 2 when it rolls around.

The basic premise of Gods of the Wyrdwood is that it's set in a world where there have been competing gods and we're at the tail end of the battle between their followers. It's also a world where some people have particular powers, which are unlocked by violence, and our protagonist (Cahan) is one of those. Unlike the others, he's tried to avoid using those powers until he's forced to do so, which just keeps happening despite his best efforts. For a large chunk of the book, he finds himself in command of a village full of people, some of whom actively hate him, who are about to be wiped out by others like him who have far less scruples about how they treat people.

I really liked a lot of the world-building - the whole wild wood thing isn't particularly new but it's well dealt with here - but it just didn't quite grip me. The writing was a bit staccato at times, with plenty of sentence fragments, and the English teacher in me was left wanting to smooth things out as I found it distracting. There's always a bit of a balancing act to be done around exposition v info dumping and I wonder if this book leans too far in the not-telling-the-reader-things direction instead. Some readers like to figure out what's going on but even then a few more obvious breadcrumbs might have helped a bit.

All in all, I'm not sure if I would have pressed on till the end of this book except for the fact I was reading an ARC of it. It's definitely not one where I'll be looking out for book 2, though doubtless there will be readers who absolutely love it (as that's the way of things). Not quite what works for me, though.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley. This is my honest review of the book in question.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc. RJ Barker has an amazing ability to create vibrant fantasy worlds complete with entire new ecosystems and lore. I loved the world building in the Bone Ships trilogy and I love it in this new novel. I would have liked more detail/backstory about the magic system and at times the pacing felt a little slow, but overall a very good read and I look forward to the next instalment