Warlords of Wyrdwood is the second book in the epic fantasy trilogy Forsaken, written by R.J. Barker, published by Orbit Books. A challenging and imaginative sequel to the first book that shakes us the foundation of the world in the first half to weave a new layer on top of the story for the second; weird in the Barker fashion, but highly enjoyable, with a creepy but fascinating worldbuilding that reveals part of what the forest hides.

While the first book was quite focused on Cahan and his small group, with a few characters sprinkled here and there, Barker takes the opportunity to not only further develop the Wyrdwood, that creepy, ancient, yet fascinating forest, but also the rest of Cruaa, entering even in the metaphysical plane, outlining a bigger conflict than the rebellion against the oppression of the Rai. As a consequence of this decision, we have a really challenging storyline, that asks the reader to put together the characters' arcs and the secrets of the world, embracing the weirdness in the best of senses.

Cahan continues being at the heart of the story, as he considers himself responsible for the villagers of Harm, but instead of becoming a reluctant hero, we can see him taking a really dark path, partly motivated by a certain moment, that threatens to destroy him if he goes too far; Venn is finally becoming aware of how powerful they is. Sarahis continues trying to manipulate the Rai in order to get the favour of his god, but, I think Sorha is the character that experiences the biggest transformation, tied with the reader's discovery of what lies in the borders of Cruaa. 

If the first book of the Forsaken trilogy had the forest as a mystery, this second one excels at worldbuilding, especially as we start discovering the layers that are hidden behind the trees; the plot is of much bigger scope, trying to portray a global conflict rather than the survival story of Cahan, and from the second half of the book, not even the Rai are the most dangerous threat that Cruaa has. The pacing is slower in comparison with the first book, especially as there are more pieces moving in the woods, but you just need to embrace Cruaa as reader, and trust Barker to take you into a dark but awesome novel.

Warlords of Wyrdwood is an excellent example of what an expansive sequel should be, taking the spoils of Gods of Wyrdwood to create something bigger, equally compelling but which is an absolute masterclass on worldbuilding. I can't wait to see what Barker has under the sleeve for Heart of the Wyrdwood, because I need it yesterday!