What do you think?
Rate this book
Wyrmeweald #2
Bloodhoney
From the creators of the Edge Chronicles comes the second installment in the fantastic tale of Wyrmeweald!
Winter is a dangerous time in the wyrmeweald. Once a magnificent wilderness, the home of the dragon-like wyrmes has become an icy wasteland. Brutal battles rage between the evil kith, intent on ravaging all that they can, and the wyrme-friendly kin.
Young Micah is safe in a winter den, sheltered from the intense cold, with kin Eli and the beautiful, dangerous wryme-rider Thrace. Thrace aches to leave the den and fly through the skies on her whitewyrme, but Micah knows they are safer indoors.
Meanwhile, a brutal assassin approaches, fueled by the invigorating liquor known as bloodhoney and seeking vengeance. Micah and his friends are being hunted—and nowhere in the wyrmeweald is truly safe.
Winter is a dangerous time in the wyrmeweald. Once a magnificent wilderness, the home of the dragon-like wyrmes has become an icy wasteland. Brutal battles rage between the evil kith, intent on ravaging all that they can, and the wyrme-friendly kin.
Young Micah is safe in a winter den, sheltered from the intense cold, with kin Eli and the beautiful, dangerous wryme-rider Thrace. Thrace aches to leave the den and fly through the skies on her whitewyrme, but Micah knows they are safer indoors.
Meanwhile, a brutal assassin approaches, fueled by the invigorating liquor known as bloodhoney and seeking vengeance. Micah and his friends are being hunted—and nowhere in the wyrmeweald is truly safe.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
346 people want to read
About the author
Paul Stewart
218 books914 followersPaul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers – from picture books to football stories, fantasy and horror. Together with Chris Riddell he is co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles, which has sold more than three million copies and is available in over twenty languages. They have also collaborated together on lots of other exciting books for children of all ages. The Far-Flung Adventure series includes the Gold Smarties Prize Winner Fergus Crane, and Corby Flood and Hugo Pepper, both Silver Nestle Prize Winners. Then there are the Barnaby Grimes books, two Muddle Earth adventures, and the sci-fi Scavenger and fantasy Wyrmeweald trilogies. For younger readers there is the Blobheads series, while for the very young, Paul has written several picture books, including the Rabbit and Hedgehog series, In the Dark of the Night and, his latest, Wings.
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 4, 2018
Bloodhoney was for me a bitterly disappointing book.
It began well, with Eli, Thrace and Micah trapped in a cave and the winter caller looking for them. But the moment they escaped it all went downhill.
Thrace and Micah become separated (Thank God) and Eli and Micah end up in a refuge called Deephome hidden in the mountains. Deephome is an unsettling, if extremely boring place. They spend much of the book there and nothing interesting happens until the very end, and when it does, it's very underwhelming.
I'm generally not fond of romance. I can understand why some people do but it usually holds no enjoyment for me in a book. Personally, I think the focus on romance ruined this one.
My main problem is the characters.
Thrace is not a bad character. She comes across as alien and a little frightening, which I think is good.
Cara is not a bad character either, and she learns some important lessons towards the end of the book.
Eli is a likable character, an experienced tough guy. Although his character is a little inconsistent (And also a little forgettable), I quite like him.
Micah. I hate him. I despise him. Everything that has gone wrong with this trilogy is because of him. He is the one and only reason why I dislike this book. He is tedious and infuriating to read about, always makes the wrong decision, and will automatically fall for the first girl he sees. He brings out the worst in everyone he meets. He's lazy, dull and comes across as sexually aggressive. I completely hate him, and this series would be much better with another main character instead of him.
The book wasn't entirely bad, but when you compare it to The Edge Chronicles, it's not up to much. After the first book, this one was a struggle.
It began well, with Eli, Thrace and Micah trapped in a cave and the winter caller looking for them. But the moment they escaped it all went downhill.
Thrace and Micah become separated (Thank God) and Eli and Micah end up in a refuge called Deephome hidden in the mountains. Deephome is an unsettling, if extremely boring place. They spend much of the book there and nothing interesting happens until the very end, and when it does, it's very underwhelming.
I'm generally not fond of romance. I can understand why some people do but it usually holds no enjoyment for me in a book. Personally, I think the focus on romance ruined this one.
My main problem is the characters.
Thrace is not a bad character. She comes across as alien and a little frightening, which I think is good.
Cara is not a bad character either, and she learns some important lessons towards the end of the book.
Eli is a likable character, an experienced tough guy. Although his character is a little inconsistent (And also a little forgettable), I quite like him.
Micah. I hate him. I despise him. Everything that has gone wrong with this trilogy is because of him. He is the one and only reason why I dislike this book. He is tedious and infuriating to read about, always makes the wrong decision, and will automatically fall for the first girl he sees. He brings out the worst in everyone he meets. He's lazy, dull and comes across as sexually aggressive. I completely hate him, and this series would be much better with another main character instead of him.
The book wasn't entirely bad, but when you compare it to The Edge Chronicles, it's not up to much. After the first book, this one was a struggle.
April 2, 2012
MICAH! Nooooooooooo!
Can I just say wow? Please? WOW!
Thrace, Micah and Eli have holed themselves up for the winter. But they are being hunted, hunted for a murder. The winter called is calling for them.
After some hard times, Micah and Eli end up at some caves (I forget stuff easily which makes for some really crap reviews). Everything seems happy there - the people, the food and the atmosphere. Despite all of this, Eli is not happy and wants to leave. Micah has to choose between leaving the save haven and continuing with Eli, or staying. Even though the place is perfect, something is still not quite right.
I said it, I suck at reviews. And I'm tired. Just like to say thanks to Stewart and Riddell for another amazing book :)
Can I just say wow? Please? WOW!
Thrace, Micah and Eli have holed themselves up for the winter. But they are being hunted, hunted for a murder. The winter called is calling for them.
After some hard times, Micah and Eli end up at some caves (I forget stuff easily which makes for some really crap reviews). Everything seems happy there - the people, the food and the atmosphere. Despite all of this, Eli is not happy and wants to leave. Micah has to choose between leaving the save haven and continuing with Eli, or staying. Even though the place is perfect, something is still not quite right.
I said it, I suck at reviews. And I'm tired. Just like to say thanks to Stewart and Riddell for another amazing book :)
May 28, 2012
This book takes off shortly after the events of the first book, Wyrmeweald: Returner's Wealth. Whilst you could read it independently I imagine, I would not recommend doing so; this is very much a series and really needs to be read in order.
Even more dark and brooding than the first in the series, highly visceral and gory in places, even by Stewart & Riddell standards. Indeed in a couple of places in the book, it was so gory that I felt a bit nauseous - when torture instruments are involved with master wordsmiths, you have to hang on to your lunch. Though I dare say teenagers would be fine with it, they have stronger stomachs.
Bloodhoney is an excellent book, up there with the best of the partnership of these authors. The characters, almost all of them, are well crafted, believable and interesting. There is depth to the emotion on the pages, love, lust, vengeance, sorrow, relief, uncertainty, fear, suspicion - all practically tangible.
The book progresses from an initial joint starting point, in to three distinct branches as the book progresses, all setting up situations and characters for the third, and I believe final, instalment of this planned trilogy. Which promises to be magnificent. The Immortals rounded off The Edge Chronicles series magnificently, so they can tie-up a story arc very well - it's lucky I have great patience, or I would struggle to wait!
Even more dark and brooding than the first in the series, highly visceral and gory in places, even by Stewart & Riddell standards. Indeed in a couple of places in the book, it was so gory that I felt a bit nauseous - when torture instruments are involved with master wordsmiths, you have to hang on to your lunch. Though I dare say teenagers would be fine with it, they have stronger stomachs.
Bloodhoney is an excellent book, up there with the best of the partnership of these authors. The characters, almost all of them, are well crafted, believable and interesting. There is depth to the emotion on the pages, love, lust, vengeance, sorrow, relief, uncertainty, fear, suspicion - all practically tangible.
The book progresses from an initial joint starting point, in to three distinct branches as the book progresses, all setting up situations and characters for the third, and I believe final, instalment of this planned trilogy. Which promises to be magnificent. The Immortals rounded off The Edge Chronicles series magnificently, so they can tie-up a story arc very well - it's lucky I have great patience, or I would struggle to wait!
Read
April 7, 2016Terror, adventure, and anticipation are three of many things you feel when reading Bloodhoney. This book is perfect for the everyday adventurer and is a must read for people 10+ (because of some scenes). Bloodhoney is split into two parts and follows the tale of Micha and his three friends. When Micha and his friend Eli’s winter den is destroyed the two unlucky pair stumble across Greenhaven, an underground civilisation run by a prophet. While there the duo encounter a girl called Cara which charms Micha into making him stay with her. And after a major discussion with Eli, Micha stays while his long-time friend leaves. The second part of the story follows a dragon and his rider as they try to learn the ways of the wyrmes and fight the kith, which are considered to be people like Micha and Eli. This whole story is a bit of a jumble and must be read from the beginning of the series starting with returners wealth. (back to the story) Micha is the one putting blame on himself for Eli’s departure but is soon conjured up by Cara which discussed with her father, the prophet about Micha’s stay. But everything changes when Micha discovers that Cara’s father is taking blood from everyone in a process called “the letting”. this then further leads to Eli’s return and the discovery of the keald mistress living underneath the peaceful settlement. At the end of the story everything is very peaceful and we return again to the first problem of finding a new winter den while the storm of full winter (winter) kick in. In all there are three books in the series and this is most likely my favourite by far. Again I say this is an excellence book and a must read.
November 27, 2014
I have mixed feelings about this book. As a standalone fantasy book it is really rather good but as the second in the trilogy it is a bit confused.
Continuing on from the first book, this opens with our hero Micah and his friends Eli and Thrace holed up in a cave for the winter. However, they are soon in trouble when the sinister Winter Caller finds them. The Winter Caller is a properly nasty character, almost ringwraith like, and is the real standout of the book.
The remaining three quarters sees Micah enter the apparent sanctuary of Deephome. This part reminded me of The Walking Dead, with that sense of a sanctuary hiding a dark secret. It has a great tense feel and the reveal to what the secret is was rather surprising.
However, the trouble with this idea is that we are taken away from the world of the series. Whilst I liked it, it felt a shame we were completely taken out from the dark and dangerous world full of monsters that the authors created. And given what has happened to Micah it's surprising that he acts the way he does on regards to a new character.
Throughout the book we see a few glimpses of the series' supporting characters and the outside world. These sections feel very apart from the main plot and are clearly meant to set up the third book. They are so few that I felt they could have been incorporated into the next book rather than shoved in here.
Its good and an improvement on the first book but it was one of those that I felt needed a good editor to make it live up to its potential.
Continuing on from the first book, this opens with our hero Micah and his friends Eli and Thrace holed up in a cave for the winter. However, they are soon in trouble when the sinister Winter Caller finds them. The Winter Caller is a properly nasty character, almost ringwraith like, and is the real standout of the book.
The remaining three quarters sees Micah enter the apparent sanctuary of Deephome. This part reminded me of The Walking Dead, with that sense of a sanctuary hiding a dark secret. It has a great tense feel and the reveal to what the secret is was rather surprising.
However, the trouble with this idea is that we are taken away from the world of the series. Whilst I liked it, it felt a shame we were completely taken out from the dark and dangerous world full of monsters that the authors created. And given what has happened to Micah it's surprising that he acts the way he does on regards to a new character.
Throughout the book we see a few glimpses of the series' supporting characters and the outside world. These sections feel very apart from the main plot and are clearly meant to set up the third book. They are so few that I felt they could have been incorporated into the next book rather than shoved in here.
Its good and an improvement on the first book but it was one of those that I felt needed a good editor to make it live up to its potential.
June 7, 2014
Good next book, but there were many things that made me so sad... Micah and Eli and Thrace are holed up for the winter in one of Eli's well stocked shelters, the only thing that is driving them mad is the interminably boring wait for the thaw. Little do they know just how much trouble they are about to find themselves in. There is a Keld who is a little upset about what they did to Redmyrtle and she has sent an assassin after them, a relentless killing/torture machine who is honing in on their scents. Only one thing drives the Winter Caller and that is vengeance for his mistress. Good adventure, certainly for older teens because of the violence and sex
May 31, 2020
I was expecting to enjoy this a lot more than I actually did.
This book pretty much picks up where the other one left off. The beginning definitely hints at what's to come but still doesn't spark much interest and is generally pretty dull until it gets started. Once it does get started, the plot really picks up and becomes more interesting. It did however, seem to dwell on some points more than was necessary, making it easy to lose interest part of the way through. I also felt like the way it jumped from character to character was jarring and, due to the fact that the separate plots never really joined, just felt like there were 3 separate stories in this book.
The characters remain interesting, and I enjoyed seeing Eli and Micah's relationship grow and change. Seeing Thrace and Micah part ways was good, as their relationship continued to feel forced and just off. I would, however, just like to see Micah be friends with a female character, instead of them all being romantic interests.
Overall, it was a decent read but had some pretty major flaws.
This book pretty much picks up where the other one left off. The beginning definitely hints at what's to come but still doesn't spark much interest and is generally pretty dull until it gets started. Once it does get started, the plot really picks up and becomes more interesting. It did however, seem to dwell on some points more than was necessary, making it easy to lose interest part of the way through. I also felt like the way it jumped from character to character was jarring and, due to the fact that the separate plots never really joined, just felt like there were 3 separate stories in this book.
The characters remain interesting, and I enjoyed seeing Eli and Micah's relationship grow and change. Seeing Thrace and Micah part ways was good, as their relationship continued to feel forced and just off. I would, however, just like to see Micah be friends with a female character, instead of them all being romantic interests.
Overall, it was a decent read but had some pretty major flaws.
December 27, 2018
I’m unsure, if I will ever fall in love with this series. Since middle school I’ve been a fan of the Edge-Chronicles and hoped that Wyrmeweald would turn out to be something that could match the formers quality but it doesn’t. It’s not because of the world building or the story, I just can’t seem to like the protagonist Mikah. Mikah, a farmers boy who has left his home for the harshness of the weald, is thrown into one romance after another. I don’t have a problem with romances, I quite enjoy them, but in this book and it’s predecessor they are written so badly that they destroy my immersion.
Maybe I will one day return to the weald but right now I can’t bring myself to continue with this forced romance bull... — sadly.
Edit: I was bored so despite all odds I completed this book but my final verdict doesn’t deviate from my first impression: Interesting world and story with forced relationships thrown into it.
Maybe I will one day return to the weald but right now I can’t bring myself to continue with this forced romance bull... — sadly.
Edit: I was bored so despite all odds I completed this book but my final verdict doesn’t deviate from my first impression: Interesting world and story with forced relationships thrown into it.
January 13, 2023
The second book in a trilogy. The adventures of Micah and Eli Halfwinter continues in the highland realm, an area that is wild and brutal and where you find the wyrmes, a variety of species of flying reptiles. It is a fun and easy read and I enjoyed the first enough to continue and felt the same about this one. It is listed as a young adult series, but I would say that it isn't for the too young. There is both sex and violence. The sex is pretty mild, but the violence can get pretty rough at times.
May 5, 2025
Does Micah really need a love interest in every single book? Is that the only thing he's good at? I know this series is a bit young for me, but damn I really hate this character. He doesn't learn. He only falls in love with beauty. He's just overall useless, honestly.
I fear I'm being set up for a love triangle I don't want for the third book. :/ Cara is a naive child and it almost feels predatory with Micah sweeping in.
I feel bad for Eli always having to ignore the fornicating teenagers. Poor man.
I fear I'm being set up for a love triangle I don't want for the third book. :/ Cara is a naive child and it almost feels predatory with Micah sweeping in.
I feel bad for Eli always having to ignore the fornicating teenagers. Poor man.
August 22, 2014
Review originally posted at The Otaku Librarian.
2.75 stars
I've got to say that I'm rather disappointed in this book. While it wasn't horrible or anything along those lines, it dragged. It could be due to middle book syndrome, but comparing it to the first of the series, it was somehow boring. I suppose it could be because of the season. It is winter, afterall, and nothing much happens in winter on the weald. But still. There's a horrible assassin chasing after you and for some reason, I still was bored.
Eli felt about the same and I did like Thrace, but Micah was rather wishy-washy in this book. All the strength that he built up in the first book seemed to go away and he was back to a farmer boy who just entered the weald for the first time. And the romance...meh. The level of violence within this book was about the same as the first.
The world-building seemed lost once we got to the haven. All of the gritty, horrible bits about using dragons for a natural resource...poof, we're in this magical world where everyone's fine. And I suppose that was the point of it. But it still wasn't that entertaining to read, even if is nice to think about.
I'm not saying I won't complete this series. Just that I was bored and skimmed the last fourth of it.
2.75 stars
I've got to say that I'm rather disappointed in this book. While it wasn't horrible or anything along those lines, it dragged. It could be due to middle book syndrome, but comparing it to the first of the series, it was somehow boring. I suppose it could be because of the season. It is winter, afterall, and nothing much happens in winter on the weald. But still. There's a horrible assassin chasing after you and for some reason, I still was bored.
Eli felt about the same and I did like Thrace, but Micah was rather wishy-washy in this book. All the strength that he built up in the first book seemed to go away and he was back to a farmer boy who just entered the weald for the first time. And the romance...meh. The level of violence within this book was about the same as the first.
The world-building seemed lost once we got to the haven. All of the gritty, horrible bits about using dragons for a natural resource...poof, we're in this magical world where everyone's fine. And I suppose that was the point of it. But it still wasn't that entertaining to read, even if is nice to think about.
I'm not saying I won't complete this series. Just that I was bored and skimmed the last fourth of it.
February 28, 2015
This book is a sequel to "Wyrmeweald Returner's Wealth." I enjoyed this book even though it was very different from the first book. The first book was about traveling outdoors and learning about different wyrmes, but do to the winter setting in this book, the characters are often searching for shelter. The author has created a fantastic world known as Wyrmeweald. There is a great amount of detail about the setting and his made up creatures; it is easy to picture this world. The characters are my favorite part of the book. They all have great stories and just when you think you know them, a new aspect is revealed that changes everything. This book read much slower than the first book but I would still recommend it for a great fiction book. I plan on reading the third and final book.
March 11, 2014
I'm sad to say that I'm struggling to really enjoy this series. I can see the potential, but sadly it just isn't for me. This is because I'm still so confused at the history of everything. I think that as Micah was learning about the Weald in the beginning, I, as a reader, should have learnt too, but I did not. I couldn't picture 'wyrems' because I didn't know what 'wyrmes' were; had they compared them to that of a dragon things would have been clearer.
I also think that too much is going on from too many perspectives for me to chronologically follow what is going on.
Alas, perhaps others may have another opinion.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy.
Gén
I also think that too much is going on from too many perspectives for me to chronologically follow what is going on.
Alas, perhaps others may have another opinion.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy.
Gén
February 4, 2014
More young adult dragon (wyrme) lore. Not my favorite cup of tea. However, the protagonists fall into a haven from Full Winter, Deephome, and Micah falls in love with Cara, the daughter of the Stone Prophet. When enemies break into the safe haven, Eli and Micah understand how they have withstood the onslaught of kith over the years. Needless to say, Eli and Micah destroy the evil underlaying the cave, and the end of the book finds them taking Cara out to the weald for whatever adventures they may encounter.
June 22, 2013
I've really enjoyed this series so far. Even thought I had to leave a nearly two moths before finishing it (I had borrowed it form my local library back home during the Easter break and then had to go back to uni) I picked up right where I left off without any problems or having forgotten any of the plot. I can't wait for to read the next book in the series.
I have to say the Stewart and Riddell combination is fantastic and I'm huge fan of their other works as well.
I have to say the Stewart and Riddell combination is fantastic and I'm huge fan of their other works as well.
March 18, 2014
Love the dragons and the world building! The plot suffers from "middle of the trilogy"- itis. Micah starts the book with one girlfriend and ends with another. Micah and Eli start out being hunted by a minion of the keld mistress and end by being threatened with being hunted by another minion of the keld mistress. Still, can't wait for the next book. Love this dark world and its desperate inhabitants.
November 4, 2012
It was OK but I personally think that the book before it in the series is a better book.
February 1, 2016
This was a slow paced and meandering addition, which eventually set up for book three. I can't say I enjoyed it. Welcome blueblackwyrmes.
October 7, 2013
I enjoyed this one more than the first. Good quick and easy read.
September 20, 2015
Etwas blutrünstig, aber sehr spannend!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews