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Heart of the Wyrdwood

Contributors

By RJ Barker

Formats and Prices

Price

$19.99

Price

$25.99 CAD

From British Fantasy Award-winning author RJ Barker comes the epic conclusion to the Forsaken trilogy, set in a forest straight out of darkest folklore with outlaws fighting an evil empire and warring deities.  



Praise for Gods of the Wyrdwood
“An experienced novelist at the top of his game—this is Avatar meets Dune, on shrooms.” SFX 

“A sweeping story of destiny and redemption. Weighty, deliberate, tender and brutal, this is a big, wonderful book and an utterly involving read.” Daily Mail 

For more from RJ Barker, check out:

The Wounded Kingdom
Age of Assassins
Blood of Assassins
King of Assassins


The Tide Child Trilogy
The Bone Ships
Call of the Bone Ships
The Bone Ship’s Wake

 

  • Praise for Gods of the Wyrdwood:

    "This is a splendid fantasy work, full of RJ’s trademark invention. Highly recommended." B>Adrian Tchaikovsky 

    "At times lyrical and others stark in its depiction of battle, Gods of the Wyrdwood has all the delicious worldbuilding of a 90s fantasy you’d want to cut your teeth on but with characters & situations that resonate with modernity." B>Linden A. Lewis, author of The First Sister

    "A triple-threat of world-building, character and plot, Gods of the Wyrdwood represents the work of an experienced novelist at the top of his game. This is Avatar meets Dune—on shrooms." B>SFX Magazine

    Praise for RJ Barker:

    "A vividly realized high-seas epic that pulls you deep into its world and keeps you tangled there until the very last word." B>Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons on The Bone Ships

    "The Bone Ships is excellent. Aside from the standout writing, it's one of the most interesting and original fantasy worlds I've seen in years." B>Adrian Tchaikovsky, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author

    "I absolutely loved it. A whole lot of swashbuckling awesomeness by RJ Barker. He has crafted a fascinating world and a twisty plot, both rooted in characters I came to care about. A definite winner for me." B>John Gwynne, author of The Shadow of the Gods on The Bone Ships

    "Blood of Assassins is a brilliant and often beautiful piece of literature from one of the most talented writers out there." I>Fantasy Faction

    "Often poignant and always intriguing, Age of Assassins reveals its mysteries with the style of a magic show and the artful grace of a gifted storyteller." B>Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld on Age of Assassins

    "Outstanding. Beautifully written, perfectly paced and assured. Kept me reading well into the early hours of the morning. A wonderful first book—a wonderful book, period—that should be at the very top of your to-read list."
    James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost on Age of Assassins

On Sale
Jun 24, 2025
Page Count
512 pages
Publisher
Orbit
ISBN-13
9780316402088

RJ Barker

About the Author

RJ Barker lives in Leeds with his wife, son and “a collection of questionable taxidermy.” He grew up reading whatever he could get his hands on, and having played in a rock band before deciding he was a rubbish musician, RJ returned to his first love, fiction, to find he is rather better at that. As well as his debut epic fantasy series, the Wounded Kingdom trilogy (Age of Assassins, Blood of Assassins and King of Assassins) RJ has written short stories and historical scripts which have been performed across the country. He has the sort of flowing locks any cavalier would be proud of. RJ’s novel The Bone Ships is the winner of the British Fantasy Society’s Best Novel, aka the Robert Holdstock Award.

Learn more about this author