Nicholas Eames is a Canadian fantasy author best known for The Band, a series that treats mercenary groups like famous touring musicians. Its heroes have stage names, devoted fans, rival bands, celebrated careers, and reputations that often matter as much as their actual fighting ability.
Eames has published two full-length novels. Both belong to The Band universe, but each follows a different mercenary company and a different narrator.
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A third novel, Outlaw Empire, is planned. It remains unfinished and has no confirmed publication date.
The Reading Order in One Minute
Read the novels in publication order:
- Kings of the Wyld (2017): A retired mercenary named Clay Cooper reunites his legendary old band for an impossible rescue mission across a monster-filled wilderness.
- Bloody Rose (2018): Six years later, an aspiring bard joins Rose’s celebrated mercenary band and discovers the personal cost behind its fame.
- Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The planned final Band novel is expected to move the world forward again and bring together characters and descendants from the earlier books.
Kings of the Wyld is the required starting point. Bloody Rose introduces a largely new central cast, but it reveals the outcome of the first novel and returns to people, places, and conflicts established there.
What Kind of Series Is The Band?
The Band is an interconnected fantasy series rather than one uninterrupted trilogy about the same hero.
Each published novel follows a different mercenary group:
Kings of the Wyld centers on Saga, an aging band whose greatest adventures are behind them.
Bloody Rose centers on Fable, a younger band performing for crowds while searching for something more meaningful than fame.
The books share one world and a continuing history. Returning characters appear, earlier events shape later decisions, and the second novel assumes the reader understands Rose’s family and reputation.
The novels should therefore be read in publication order even though each has its own main quest.
The Band Books in Order
1. Kings of the Wyld
Kings of the Wyld (2017): Clay Cooper has settled into a quiet family life when his former bandmate Gabriel arrives with news that his daughter Rose is trapped in Castia, a city surrounded by a vast horde of monsters.
Clay once carried the shield Blackheart as a member of Saga, one of the most famous mercenary bands in the world. Saga has since fallen apart, and its former members have become prisoners of age, regret, illness, marriage, and their own reputations.
Gabriel persuades Clay to help reunite the group. Their route to Castia leads through the Heartwyld, where old enemies, dangerous creatures, rival mercenaries, and unresolved mistakes complicate a mission that may already be impossible.
This is the best Nicholas Eames starting point. It introduces the world’s mercenary culture, its mixture of monsters and music references, and the characters whose choices continue to affect Bloody Rose.
2. Bloody Rose
Bloody Rose (2018): Tam Hashford leaves her small hometown to become the bard for Fable, a famous mercenary band led by Gabriel’s daughter, Rose.
Fable travels from arena to arena, killing monsters before paying audiences. Tam initially sees the band as an escape into adventure, but life on tour exposes the strain beneath its public image.
Rose is determined to build a legend independent of her father and Saga. Her ambitions lead Fable away from familiar performances and toward a dangerous mission in the frozen north, where ancient enemies and personal divisions place the entire group at risk.
The novel takes place approximately six years after Kings of the Wyld. Read it second because Rose’s identity, her relationship with Gabriel, and the history surrounding Saga are established in the first book.
3. Outlaw Empire
Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The planned third Band novel is expected to take place years after Bloody Rose and continue the world through a new generation of mercenaries, outlaws, and returning families.
Eames has indicated that the book will draw together characters and descendants connected to the earlier novels. It is intended as the final volume of The Band series.
The manuscript was still being written in the author’s latest reliable public updates. No publication date had been confirmed as of August 5, 2026.
Retailer dates should not be treated as official. Older listings have displayed projected release years that passed without publication.
Is The Band Series Complete?
No.
Two of the planned three novels have been published:
- Kings of the Wyld (2017): Saga reunites for a final rescue mission.
- Bloody Rose (2018): Fable undertakes a new journey six years later.
- Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The planned concluding novel remains unfinished.
Kings of the Wyld tells a complete main adventure, so it can be read alone.
Bloody Rose also resolves its central expedition, but it expands the world and leaves the broader history open for the final volume.
The Best Order for New Readers
The clearest route is:
Step One: Meet Saga
Kings of the Wyld (2017): Begin with Clay Cooper because his perspective explains the mercenary world through an older hero returning to it after years away.
The novel introduces the central families and establishes why bands are treated like musicians and celebrities.
Step Two: Follow the Next Generation
Bloody Rose (2018): Continue with Tam and Fable after learning how Rose became famous and what Saga’s final mission changed.
The second novel deliberately contrasts young ambition with the aging heroes of the first book.
Step Three: Wait for the Confirmed Final Volume
Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): Read the third novel after Bloody Rose when it is completed and officially published.
No companion book is required between the second and third novels.
Can Bloody Rose Be Read First?
Bloody Rose has a new narrator and begins a new central adventure, but it is not the preferred entry point.
The book identifies Rose’s parents, discusses the consequences of Saga’s mission, and returns to characters introduced in Kings of the Wyld. Those details reveal important parts of the first novel.
Starting with Kings of the Wyld also makes the contrast between the two bands clearer. Saga consists of older legends returning for one last journey, while Fable consists of younger performers still deciding what kind of legend they want to leave.
The Band Books in Chronological Order
Chronological order and publication order are currently the same:
- Kings of the Wyld (2017): Saga reunites after years of retirement to rescue Rose from the siege of Castia.
- Bloody Rose (2018): Approximately six years later, Tam joins Rose’s band during its final tour.
- Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The third story is expected to occur about fourteen years after Bloody Rose, although details may change before publication.
There is no separate prequel novel that needs to be placed before Kings of the Wyld.
Because the sequence already moves forward through time, new readers do not need to choose between chronological and publication orders.
How Closely Are the First Two Books Connected?
The connection is significant, but the focus changes.
Shared World
Both novels take place in the same fantasy world, where mercenary companies travel like bands on tour and fight monsters for money, fame, and prestige.
Shared Families
Rose is Gabriel’s daughter and the person Saga attempts to rescue in Kings of the Wyld. She becomes the leader of Fable in Bloody Rose.
Returning Characters
Several people from the first novel appear or are discussed in the second. Their later circumstances can reveal who survived and what happened after Castia.
Different Narrators
Clay Cooper narrates the central journey in Kings of the Wyld through a close third-person perspective.
Tam Hashford provides the central viewpoint in Bloody Rose, allowing readers to experience Fable as a newcomer entering an already famous group.
Nicholas Eames Books in Publication Order
1. Kings of the Wyld
Kings of the Wyld (2017): Retired mercenaries reunite to cross the Heartwyld and rescue Gabriel’s daughter from a besieged city.
This was Eames’s debut novel and the beginning of The Band.
2. Bloody Rose
Bloody Rose (2018): A young bard joins Rose’s mercenary company and follows it on a dangerous journey beyond its usual arena performances.
This is the second Band novel and takes place several years after Kings of the Wyld.
3. Outlaw Empire
Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The intended third novel will continue The Band universe through returning families and a later generation.
It remains unpublished and has no confirmed release date.
Sacred Semantics
Sacred Semantics (2018): Two opposing spider-like societies fight a religious war over whether their shared goddess has six legs or eight.
The story appeared in Art of War, a multi-author fantasy anthology edited by Petros Triantafyllou. It combines military conflict with the absurdity of a doctrinal disagreement that has become more important than the lives destroyed by it.
Sacred Semantics is separate from The Band. It does not feature Saga, Fable, the Heartwyld, or any established characters from the novels.
The anthology can be read at any point because its stories come from different authors and unrelated continuities.
Art of War
Art of War: Anthology for Charity (2018): This multi-author collection presents fantasy stories centered on soldiers, warfare, courage, violence, and the stories societies tell about conflict.
Nicholas Eames contributes Sacred Semantics, but he is not the author of the full anthology.
The collection should not be listed as a Band installment. Readers interested only in the main Nicholas Eames novels can skip it without losing any continuity.
Wrong Kind of Righteous
Barbaric: Wrong Kind of Righteous (2023), with Michael Moreci: A self-proclaimed righteous paladin named Sir Borys and his talking weapon cross paths with Owen, Axe, and Soren in the violent fantasy world of Barbaric.
Eames co-wrote this oversized comic one-shot with Barbaric creator Michael Moreci.
The story belongs to the Barbaric comic continuity. It has no connection to Kings of the Wyld or Bloody Rose, despite sharing an interest in mercenary fantasy, talking weapons, dark humor, and destructive heroes.
Readers unfamiliar with Barbaric may understand the immediate adventure, but existing knowledge of Owen and Axe provides better context.
Barbaric Volume 3: Hell to Pay
Barbaric Volume 3: Hell to Pay (2024), by Michael Moreci with a contribution by Nicholas Eames: This collected comic volume follows Owen and his companions into a conflict involving Hell, old enemies, dangerous bargains, and the consequences of Owen’s violent past.
The collection includes the one-shot Wrong Kind of Righteous, which Eames co-wrote.
Eames did not write the entire volume by himself. It should be identified as a collaborative comic collection containing his contribution rather than as his third original novel.
It is also the most recent book-length publication carrying an Eames writing credit as of August 5, 2026.
Does Barbaric Belong to The Band Universe?
No.
The Band and Barbaric are separate fictional continuities created by different authors.
Nicholas Eames created The Band and wrote Kings of the Wyld and Bloody Rose.
Michael Moreci created and writes the main Barbaric comic series. Eames joined him to co-write Wrong Kind of Righteous, which was later included in Barbaric Volume 3.
Similar humor and fantasy imagery do not make the settings connected.
Editions That Do Not Change the Order
Kings of the Wyld Booktrack Edition
Kings of the Wyld: Booktrack Edition (Audiobook): This version adds a synchronized musical soundtrack to the narration of the original novel.
It contains the same central story as Kings of the Wyld and is not a sequel, prequel, or separate installment.
The Band Two-Book Sets
The Band Two-Book Collection: Retail sets commonly package Kings of the Wyld and Bloody Rose together.
These sets do not contain new fiction. Read the books in the normal order, beginning with Kings of the Wyld.
Alternate Covers and Regional Editions
Kings of the Wyld and Bloody Rose alternate editions: Hardcover, paperback, ebook, and international editions may have different covers, page counts, or publication dates.
The narrative order remains unchanged.
Outlaw Empire Release Status
Outlaw Empire is the planned third Band novel, but it does not have a confirmed release date.
In March 2024, Eames stated that the book was far from finished and that a listed July 2024 date was inaccurate.
In March and May 2025, he continued to describe the novel as a work in progress and said there was no release update.
No reliable announcement confirming completion, cover art, preorder information, or a publication date had appeared by August 5, 2026.
The stable listing is therefore:
Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The third Band novel remains in development and should not be assigned a speculative year.
Latest Nicholas Eames Book
Eames’s latest published full-length novel is:
Bloody Rose (2018): Tam Hashford joins Fable and follows the famous mercenary band into a mission that tests Rose’s ambitions, relationships, and public legend.
His latest book-length publication with a writing contribution is:
Barbaric Volume 3: Hell to Pay (2024): The comic collection includes Wrong Kind of Righteous, an oversized one-shot co-written by Nicholas Eames and Michael Moreci.
These categories should be kept separate. Bloody Rose is Eames’s latest original novel, while Barbaric Volume 3 is a collaborative comic collection containing one of his stories.
A Compact Nicholas Eames Bibliography
Original Novels
- Kings of the Wyld (2017): Saga reunites for an impossible journey to rescue Rose from Castia.
- Bloody Rose (2018): Tam becomes Fable’s bard and joins the band on a dangerous northern mission.
- Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The planned final Band novel remains unfinished and unscheduled.
Short Fiction
- Sacred Semantics (2018): A war between spider-like religious factions turns a doctrinal disagreement into a deadly military conflict.
Comics
- Barbaric: Wrong Kind of Righteous (2023), with Michael Moreci: Sir Borys and his talking flail enter Owen’s violent and irreverent fantasy world.
- Barbaric Volume 3: Hell to Pay (2024), by Michael Moreci with a contribution by Nicholas Eames: The collected edition includes Wrong Kind of Righteous alongside the main Hell to Pay storyline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Nicholas Eames book should I read first?
Begin with Kings of the Wyld (2017).
It introduces the Band universe, the Heartwyld, the mercenary culture, Saga, Gabriel, Clay, and Rose. Every later Band novel builds on that foundation.
How many Band books are published?
Two full-length Band novels have been published:
- Kings of the Wyld (2017): Saga reunites to save Rose.
- Bloody Rose (2018): Rose leads Fable on a later expedition.
Outlaw Empire is planned as the third book but remains unpublished.
Is Bloody Rose a direct sequel?
Yes, although it follows a different band and narrator.
It takes place about six years after Kings of the Wyld and reveals what happened to several people from the first novel.
Do Kings of the Wyld and Bloody Rose follow the same characters?
They share some characters, but their principal casts differ.
Kings of the Wyld focuses on Clay Cooper and Saga. Bloody Rose focuses on Tam Hashford, Rose, and Fable.
Can Kings of the Wyld be read as a standalone?
Yes.
The main rescue mission reaches a conclusion, although Bloody Rose continues the world and develops the next generation.
Does Bloody Rose end on a cliffhanger?
Bloody Rose completes its principal expedition and major character conflict. It still leaves the larger Band universe open for Outlaw Empire.
Is Outlaw Empire available?
No.
Outlaw Empire (Forthcoming): The novel remains unfinished and has no confirmed publication date as of August 5, 2026.
Is Outlaw Empire still planned?
Yes. Eames has continued to identify it as the third Band novel while stating that he is still writing it.
Its eventual plot, publication date, and final details should not be treated as fixed until the author and publisher announce them.
Is Sacred Semantics part of The Band?
No.
Sacred Semantics (2018): The short story is an independent fantasy tale published in the Art of War anthology.
Did Nicholas Eames write Barbaric?
He co-wrote one Barbaric story rather than creating or writing the entire series.
Wrong Kind of Righteous (2023): Eames co-wrote this one-shot with Michael Moreci. It was later collected in Barbaric Volume 3: Hell to Pay.
Is Barbaric connected to Kings of the Wyld?
No. They are separate settings with no shared continuity.
What is Nicholas Eames’s newest novel?
Bloody Rose (2018): This remains his newest published original novel as of August 5, 2026.
Will there be more than three Band novels?
The Band has been presented as a three-book series, with Outlaw Empire intended as its third and final volume.
No fourth novel has been reliably announced.
Where to Stop and Where to Continue
Readers interested only in a complete adventure can read Kings of the Wyld (2017) and stop there.
Readers who want the full published Band story should continue to Bloody Rose (2018). The second book changes narrators and bands, but it develops the same world and reveals the next stage of Rose’s life.
Sacred Semantics and the Barbaric comic material are optional, separate-continuity works. Neither is required while waiting for Outlaw Empire.
For now, the complete novel reading order is simple: Kings of the Wyld first, Bloody Rose second, and Outlaw Empire only after it receives an official publication.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.