The Traitor's Gambit

Wilderlore #5

by Amanda Foody

Barclay wrestles to harness his strange powers in time to save the Jungle in this heart-pounding fifth book in the New York Times bestselling Wilderlore series.

After plunging the Tundra into chaos, Audrian Keyes has set his sights on the Jungle. The new Grand Keeper resurrects an ancient order of Guardians to lure Keyes out of hiding and defeat him once and for all. But she doesn’t count on Keyes having new allies nearly as villainous as he is…

Meanwhile, Barclay Thorne has sworn never to use his wild Lore again. It’s too dangerous, and being the only one to share the strange power with Keyes scares him. But when he realizes wild Lore may be the only way to save the Jungle, Barclay has to break his promise to himself and bring his power into the open—especially since the Keeper of the Jungle’s Legendary Beast is one of his best friends.

Yet even with the best help the Grand Keeper can give him, Barclay struggles to understand and harness wild Lore. And as he and his friends grow more desperate, Barclay faces a dire What if the only person who can truly teach him what he’s capable of is Keyes himself?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Young Adult

560 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2026

About the author

Amanda Foody is the New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestselling author of All of Us Villains (with C.L. Herman), the Wilderlore series, the Shadow Game series, and more. Her work has appeared in publications including Buzzfeed, Popsugar, Culturess, and Amazon selected All of Us Villains as the Best Young Adult Book of 2021. Originally from Pennsylvania, she lives in Boston, MA with her partner and their orange tabby, Jelly Bean. When not writing, she unironically loves to cook.

The Night Compass, the fourth installment in the Wilderlore series, releases on March 5, 2024. A Fate So Cold, her next novel with C.L. Herman, follows in Fall 2024.

Reviews

[Camden Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait for it to come out!
EDIT: GREAT. NOW I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 2 YEARS FOR THE NEXT ONE.

[Amira]

Do you think we'll get Cecily on the cover? She's the only one of the six we haven't seen!

[Eleanor ( but please call me nor ) Muppet · Rating 5 out of 5]

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH can’t wait for it to come out love the series!!!❤️❤️❤️


Edit: WARRING SPOILERS!!!!!





Ok a lotttt happened during this book, Yasha has been my favorite character since we first met him, but man that’s some character development in this book!! I never suspected him doubting keys With how loyal he been.
I hope in the next book he can rekindle his friendship with the others as he has with Barclay. 🤞🩷


Let’s be honest we all saw Tadg crush on Hasu in the forth book, I saw a relationship come in the fifth book with those two, BUT I just expected handholding or something, not an full on KISS.💋



I’m glad Barclay has finally gotten a date with Z ( it’s difficult to write her full name 😭) and I’m happy she’s ok with him having wild lore.❤️‍🩹



I thought keys was evil in the fourth book, but no no no he was EVIL this book. Not only did he make ME think he was like the fun guy he was in the second book, but he also tricked Barclay, this guy is scary Manipulative.


Overall review? 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

there was scary bits there was romantic bits They were exciting bits and Yasha became our friend again, which is amazing. 🤩 Anyway I am super excited for the next book and I will definitely read it as soon as it’s out on Libby. Thank you for reading my review. 😚

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is exactly one problem with these books: they don't come out fast enough. Will Hasu summon Raajnavar?

EDIT: WE DON'T GET CECILY ON THE COVER



EDIT: DO I SEE TADG WITH GLASSES?




EDIT: some major cover analysis, what is this beast in the top right corner, and what are the rings that Hasu is throwing?

ONCE AGAIN EDIT:
Honestly, imma be 35 and living in my parents' basement by the time this series ends. Each book takes longer and longer to come out. I thought it was coming out in march but no, I have to wait two more MONTHS

EDIT ONCE THE BOOK ACTUALLY CAME OUT:
Alright, peoples, children. The total width of the books (1 and 2 softcover, the rest hardcover) is 6.7 inches. NO, DO NOT DO THAT. Look, I haven't read the book; this review is from midday on May 23, when I got the book. Total page count (Same editions as before) 1,899. Hold up, ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINTEY NINE?!?!?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[valery blaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO EXCITED, the title amazing! It makes me curious, traitor has got to be Adrian and Yasha, but a gambit in chess is when you sacrifice a piece. So is Adrian going to sacrifice Yasha and Yasha will finally come to the right side??? SO HYPED FOR THIS BOOK

Officially finished the book in a day, that’s how good it was, and loved it. The meaning of traitors gambit? 10/10. Good read was on the edge of my seat during some parts and giggling during others. I love the inner conflicts and how each character’s decisions relate to their morals and values as people.

[☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE WILDERLORE SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!

TTG is officially the best book in the series. It was so tense, so well written, the character development was so well done, I'm so happy I only had to wait a month for it because I binged the first four books for the first time last month.

I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes, Wilderlore is definitely my second favourite book series of all time, coming really close to Nevermoor (the biggest compliment I could give)

[Agita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need a moment over here

So, can we again start with how Amanda never fails me? I have read all her 12 published works and not a single book has been bad. I may have liked them all on different levels but not a single miss.

The book started off as wild as it could potentially start. My boy getting stalked by a deadly beast and in the middle of the jungle. I love how there wasn’t the part of travelling to the new part of the Wilderlands and randomly getting told “shit the Jungle is in trouble” we already knew it was gonna be in trouble.

Cyril training Barclay and Tadg was so funny and I loved it. He really is the person who would learn all theory before he applies it in practice. I love that stupid man.

Runa showing up randomly, not telling anyone, same as Viola - I was so happy the whole gang was back together. The Dooling championship coming up and the whole plan? I knew who was gonna be the surprise dooler though.

I saw people saying that Tadg started having a crush in Night Compass but I never saw it until The Traitor’s Gambit and I thought I was gaslighting myself into thinking they both have a crush in book 5 😭 But I was correct and I am so happy for this.

Rohan, I was so happy after The Ever Storms re-read to get him back, and damn was I happy but also not thrilled. 😭 He is such a brilliant character as well as that goof bonding with a Mystic beast that he struggles so much to get on with. 😂

Cecily and Barclay’s second beasts. I am so excited to get to learn more about them. I cannot wait for Shazi to bond with another beast as well as Cyril and Runa 🙂‍↔️

The thing this book had so much whimsy and pain and just angst. The arguments so many of them had. The apprentices being together at all times pretty much. Barclay running off to learn about his Wild Lore and still be like million steps behind. I hope Yasha is okay in the next one.

My baby girl Hasu deserves the world!!!! ❤️ She was outstanding in this one.

Besides the characters etc, the writing style was so good and the story progresses so well as well as the character arcs? Like damn these books couldn’t get any better? I cannot wait for book 6 and I would want it ASAP but I also understand for this to be as good as it can possibly get, Amanda needs time. If I have to wait 2 years, that is what I will wait. The way there are only 2 books left 😭

Before I leave this, Tadg was amazing in this one. But also his “you are lucky you can choose your next beast since I got no choice in my two” like he didn’t know that Barclay gonna have zero choice in choosing his second beast.

[Carls୨ৎ (Book Dragon)]

I NEED THIS BOOK LIKE I NEED AIR ( wilderlore is the definition of a "book world I would give anything to live in" for me😭 )

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

the implications………………..

[Paisley Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! It had a good plot, good twist, and the only thing I did not like was that Rohan died. Couldn’t they have killed somebody else?

[Emma Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you to Margaret K McEldery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

With a title like "The Traitor's Gambit", you know it's going to be a good one. We have intrigue, we have risks, we have a whole book romping through the jungle! And of course, a whole bunch of new lores, beasts, and discoveries about the Wilderlands. I found myself gasping with the twists (and not seeing them coming, which was super refreshing) and cheering at the action sequences. There's also SO much drama, both in the plot and between characters. And the focus on characters outside of Barclay?? Chef's kiss. The next 2 books are going to be so angsty, I swear!

I can't wait for this series to continue but also I don't want it to end!!

[Isaiah Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait!!!

[Cassandra Hamm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the wait. This book had notes of the things I loved about Harry Potter while also being something entirely new. The jungle was a fascinating setting, and this was one of the most realistic depictions of hero-studies-under-the-villain that really tested Barclay’s values and resolve and made me love Audrian too. One of my favorite series ever. But seriously, many spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk!!

One of my ships has officially sailed—love a good middle grade romance!! And Hasu and Tadg are adorable—while my other ship is showing signs of fruition. Barclay and Yasha feel like a healthy version of the Drarry ship, the enemies to lovers I never knew I wanted. I realized that Rohan’s death reminded me of Cedric Diggory and it hurts :( he didn’t deserve to die. And even in the end, he was protecting Barclay like an older brother. Barclay was so angry this book, much like Harry is in Order of the Phoenix, and he even gets to bond with a new Beast that represents his anger. I’m interested to learn more about Castor in the next book. And this was our Quidditch World Cup book, aka it involved Dooling, the in-world sport we’d heard so much about! The arenas were awesome! And of course there were many things happening behind the scenes. :D and Barclay and Zenzi did indeed fall apart, which I anticipated happening, but with much less toxicity than Harry and Cho. I appreciated that they ended things amicably. (Besides, Barclay and Yasha have way more chemistry.) The twist with Cecily protecting the tooth—and bonding with Creeps—was one I never saw coming. Graft was one of the most terrifying villains I’ve ever read—I didn’t realize flesh lore would ever actually come into the series, yuck, but this book was much darker than previous ones, as the characters are growing up and able to handle more things. Miss Saidie was also terrifying; I figured she hypnotized people but didn’t guess that she’d have bliss lore, and her backstory with Cecily made Cecily make so much more sense. I’m glad Soren returned, also; he might not be the main villain of the series, but he was such an important part of the first book. (Him becoming Beast-like was a little odd and I’m not sure I understand how the deactivator test did that to him, but it sort of makes sense?) The twist about the traitor was one I didn’t see coming, though I’ll be honest and say that I’m not sure how breaking the bond with the Chitchat actually shut down the network since the Chitchat were still alive? Hasu struggling with her bond with Raajnavar was everything I hoped it would be, and the choice she made at the end of the book to remove Raajnavar’s home was so difficult but I think was the right choice, even though the Jungle fell. And now we have a new Wilderland, the Grasslands??? Which I’m interested to read more about. And of course, our beloved traitor Yasha—finally, FINALLY, he is getting the redemption arc he deserves. I can’t wait to see what happens with him. He’s become one of my favorite characters after book four. Looking forward to our trip to the Mountains (finally, after Barclay and the crew ended up having to switch to the Tundra last minute)! I love these character and this series so much. And I’m so glad we finally got Yasha, Motya, and Audrian on the cover (albeit the back one). Now please, give us Cecily on the actual cover (not the back cover like in book three), and give us Castor on the cover too!! I need to see what Barclay’s new Beast looks like!!

Now to wait for book six. :D

[Chris Velazquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

After such a long wait, finally, the fifth Wilderlore book! I stayed up late to get it soon as it dropped on Kindle and dove right in, as I have loved this series from the start. So how was this fifth book?

I'm actually conflicted with this book. It confused me in such weird ways, namely in how a lot happens but then not a lot happens? It's so weird, I don't even know how to explain it. I loved the setting in the Jungle, such a varied Wilderland, so many cool new Beasts to see, probably the most versatile environment so far, which only made it much cooler. And even the characters are changing! Tadg now wears glasses, Hasu uses these really cool chakrams as weapons so she can now have an offensive ability in battle, and we see the six apprentices mastering their lore even more, becoming all the more powerful and developing cool skills. On top of that, we get to see Runa and Cyril further mending fences between them, and we even get the return of Rohan & Deirdre, from the third book, which made me quite happy, as they are fun characters.

There's also action, menacing new villains, subterfuge, among other things, and we get to know the villains too. That might be my main gripe with the book, though. The main thing is Barclay pretending to defect to Keyes's side to get Keyes to teach him to control wild lore, all while Barclay acts as a spy for the good guys, but while this means we get to know the villains old and new more, not to mention the return of a villainous character which was also a welcome addition, it does come with the downside that we spend a lot of time away from the main cast we've come to know and love for the series. It was a bit jarring for me, especially because I don't particularly "like" the villains, so when Barclay kept trying to find good things about them and even felt like he could always be with them, it felt so off, especially regarding Keyes himself, because Barclay knows good and damn well that this guy has no issue killing anyone to fulfill his goals and Barclay has witnessed this first-hand. Also, some characters, like Zenzi, just up and kinda got forgotten about in the long run, which bummed me out a bit, I hoped they would get more attention (and I'm still bummed we didn't get Ethel and her team back in this book)

Another gripe I had with the book is that Barclay continues to be negative, paranoid and a glass-half-empty kind of kid. You'd think five books in, he'd have more confidence, not just in himself, but in his friends too. I was also bummed that some of the kids finally wanted new Beasts, but while some characters do get new Beasts (including some surprises I did not see coming, one left me utterly floored), one of them doesn't get any Beasts this book, and Barclay himself only gets his second Beast at the end of the book. Said Beast is super cool, but we barely get to see it at all, and Barclay spends the longest time not wanting to bond with it because of seeing the Beast as "monstruous", as if that's a bad thing, especially considering some of the Beasts that people he knows have as partners, and even after they bond, Barclay barely interacts with her for the rest of the book. At least this means that in next book we'll get to know this cool Beast better and see their relationship and bond develop, I'll definitely be looking forward to that.

This is the longest book by far, and for a while, the story gets slow, though the action is fantastic, as per usual, and the new Beasts we get to meet are very cool in their own ways, plus the twists are good, and honestly, after so long of Keyes being a smarmy villain who comes across as invincible, seeing his smug veneer cracking was extremely satisfying. So, yeah, the book had some flaws I found a bit glaring, but what it does right, it does it very well. I'll give this one four stars too.

[Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a BEAST of a book (pun intended).
Can we expect 1k pages for the next one?

Jokes aside, I've really truly fallen in love with this series between books 3 and 4, and reading book 5 with this proper love for the series was such a joy.

Yasha - and Audrian, by extension - were characters we've all been waiting with bated breath to truly learn about, find out what kind of characters they are, if their personalities are the same as when our protagonists encounter them during a fight.
The book delivers so incredibly well. I enjoyed Yasha as a character - have been enjoying him - but this book easily bumped him up to one of my favorite characters in the series. (I have a soft spot for Tadg, and this book also spotlights him so well.)

Really, all of the characters, especially Cyril's apprentices get to shine, and I loved that we got to see more of them. (Cecily for the next cover, right?)
I thought Runa, Cyril, and Leopold taking more of a backseat this book (heavy on Leopold) would make our usual cast feel a little empty, but the new characters introduced - not just the Guard, but the villain characters as well - filled in the gaps beautifully.
It was a pleasure to dive into each character.

And! And! It is important to me to mention with as much praise as I can, the flawlessly seamless way nonbinary characters are weaved into the story. They/them pronouns being used in a juvenile fantasy story! As a they/them user myself, I could have raved for hours on just allowing side characters to exist, without notice or fanfare, they just exist, they're part of this world like anyone else. It's wonderful, genuinely.

Like all the books before, and as would be expected of a book aimed towards a younger audience, emotions are such an important aspect of the books, and I really loved the exploration of Barclay's emotions in this one, as well as the tense conflicts with his friends, and especially the conflict resolution towards the final half. Phenomenal work.

I thought this with the previous book, and it rings true with each book, but these books are so skillfully paced, not just within the books themselves but across the series. Every book feels drastically important, huge information is revealed, such that each book is important to the series, which sure, is a given, but I love it all the same.

I could speak at length about how much I've fallen for this series, and this book had such incredible writing and twists and turns and tension that I'd be here all night and I'd still have things to talk about.

The waiting is always the agonizing part, and while I know and always appreciate the work that goes into a book, the wait will be especially agonizing this time. And I say that with love and admiration towards the series!
Which is why, of course, I'll be there at the gates for the next one, whenever it appears!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic sequel in the Wilderlore series! I love that this is always a series I can depend on to be engaging, well-written, and progress consistently deeper into the magical lore and character development. After manyyyyy disappointing sequels in other series over the last couple years, Wilderlore by Amanda Foody and Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend are pretty much my only 2 active series left that have made it beyond 3 books without having a book completely flop and feel like they sacrificed quality for a faster publishing timeline. I don’t care how many years are between each book release…it’s infinitely preferable to read an outstanding sequel that was worth the wait vs reading a disappointing sequel within 1 year and giving up on the series!! So if Amanda Foody ever reads this review: keep doing exactly what you’re doing and don’t feel pressured to rush the process like so many other authors have been pressured to do!!!

This story took place in the Jungle, and it was amazing to see all of our characters grow in their powers, discover new beasts (the magical world-building in this series is consistently excellent!), navigate their relationships with each other, and learn more about some of the political dynamics and history of the Wilderlands (and Elsewheres) as well as Lore and Wild Lore. I appreciate that we see Barclay navigate a lot of inner conflict as well. There are no perfect saints or cartoonish villains in this series—people are much more nuanced and complex, and we can shift our opinions about characters as we progress through the story. I’m so hooked on this series and am excited to reread books 1-5 again in a year or so while we wait for book 6!!!

I’m trying to avoid spoilers but just have to say…I am so anxious to learn what happens next with Yasha!!!!!!

[Chelsea Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilderlore: The Traitor’s Gambit, by Amanda Foody, continues everything that makes the Wilderlore series such a standout in middle grade fantasy. By this point in the series, the emotional investment in Barclay and the wider cast of characters is incredibly strong, and this installment raises the stakes in ways that feel genuinely exciting. I especially appreciated how the story continues exploring Barclay’s fear surrounding his unusual powers and the complicated tension between power, responsibility, and identity. The emotional conflict feels just as important as the external danger, which gives the story a lot of heart beneath the adventure.

One of my favorite aspects of the Wilderlore books has always been the creature lore and immersive worldbuilding, and this installment continues delivering on both. The series manages to feel expansive without becoming overwhelming, and the pacing keeps younger readers fully engaged even as the story becomes more layered. There is a wonderful balance between action, humor, friendship, and emotional growth that makes these books incredibly readable. I also continue to appreciate how much the series values empathy, loyalty, and courage without ever feeling preachy.

This is absolutely a series I would hand to readers who love creature-filled fantasy adventures like Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow or How to Train Your Dragon. Amanda Foody has created a world that feels exciting to explore while still grounding everything in strong character relationships and emotional stakes. Fans of the earlier Wilderlore books will have a wonderful time returning to this world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing), for entrusting me with an ARC of this title. It is truly appreciated and always such a treat to be able to read new books and share my opinions with fellow literature lovers. Wilderlore: The Traitor’s Gambit is out and available as of May 12, 2026.

[Rafaela (dragonsandpaperbacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another really fun book in this series! I'm shocked with how underhyped it is among MG fantasy, the concept is really unique and exciting, the characters are all great, and the villain is particularly charming. I cannot wait for the next book, which I believe is the last in the series. I hope this author writes other books set in this magical world, I need more of it!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I'm reading a childrens series but they are good.

Shouldn't criticise because of that but they're very pure for 15-16 year olds, they still act like they're 11

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our family’s favorite read aloud series! Super happy with the storyline that definitely took us by surprise a lot. Note: Lots of grammatical errors and mistakes in this. Lines were repeated awkwardly on the same page which made me think it was edited via AI and not by actual people 😒

[Gelato · Rating 5 out of 5]

This world is so whimsical I wish I lived in it 😭

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join Barclay and his friends as they venture into the Jungle, a land full of dangerous Beasts, curious plants, and a major problem. Audrian Keys and his villainous new crew of allies are on a mission to destroy the Jungle and release its lore into the world. To top it all off, Barclay is struggling with a new mission, tension between his friends who have each taken their own challenges, and what to do with his wild lore. Will he keep his promise to never use it again or must he go in search of a mentor who will help him learn what he is capable of.

This was my favorite Wilderlore book, yet. I loved seeing the characters grow into new relationships and responsibilities, even if there was some teenage angst, and the world continue to expand with new Beasts, lore, cities, and even a few discoveries. Not to mention its action packed, full of dooling, heists, and maybe even a traitor or two. This series continues to be one of my top recommendations for kids looking for alternatives to Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, even Pokemon.

[Arabella Vigil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what review means but I am soooooooo exited for the traters gambit wilderlore 5,I'm almost done with book 4 it's so interesting the books just get better and better I also drew a picture but I don't know how to send it I hope your having a really good time making the book. Ps BEST BOOK EVER no book ever could beet wilderlore it's amazing I got my friend to read the first one to. Bye hope you have a good day

[Aloha4Ever · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Keys is an excellent antagonist because you’re never entirely sure if he’s right or wrong.

It was a good listen, but there were too many characters to keep track of and the book was overlong. It needed some good editing.

[Korra · Rating 5 out of 5]

IM ACTUALLY SO EXCITED FOR YOUR NEW BOOK!!!
Especially after that cliffhanger left by the fourth. Also I’m a very big fan of your books!

[Ellie Buma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book at Barnes and Noble around a week before it was set to publish, which confused me very much, however I'm loving it so far

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth the wait.

[Adisyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh I love this book so much!! I can’t decide if this one or TNC is my favorite! I’m so excited for book six!!

[˚₊‧꒰ა Dove ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG MIGHTVE BEEN ONE OF THE BEST IN THE SERIES; WORTH THE TWO YEAR WAIT!!!

[✨Cuna, Grizdor, Rohanson ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pre-release:

AHHHHHH SO EXCITED!!!!!!!