Wyrmeweald: Bloodhoney

Following the events of Wyrmeweald: Returner's Wealth, Micah, Eli and Thrace are waiting out the icy, fatal grip of Fullwinter in a specially equipped den. But unbeknownst to them, a lethal winter caller has been sent on their trail with the instructions: "Find them. Dig them out. Dispatch them... slowly."

While Bloodhoney is second in a trilogy, readers unfamiliar with the first book will be supplied with information when necessary and in context, and the events of the prior volume soon become clear. While several plot threads play out simultaneously, they all become intertwined leading into the third book, including further development in what sometimes feels like a superfluous love triangle. Even characters the reader will empathise with often have to do terrible things in the name of survival, reflecting their dangerous world. This relentlessly grim atmosphere can sometimes feel exhausting, but it also makes the few moments of fleeting contentment all the brighter.

Riddell's chapter illustrations complement the text perfectly. The sharp faces and elongated nature of the illustrations bring to mind the harsh feel of the Wyrmeweald wilderness and the struggle for survival that is a prominent theme in the trilogy.

The foundations of several future clashes have been laid by the end of Bloodhoney. It seems unlikely there will be a single victor -- but there will be much bloodshed ahead.