Bloody Rose

By: Nicholas Eames

Narrated by: Katherine Fenton

A band of fabled mercenaries tour a wild fantasy landscape, battling monsters in arenas in front of thousands of adoring fans. But, a secret and dangerous gig ushers them to the frozen north, and the band is never one to waste a shot at glory.

Live fast, die young.

Tam Hashford is tired of working at her local pub, slinging drinks for world-famous mercenaries and listening to the bards sing of adventure and glory in the world beyond her sleepy hometown.

When the biggest mercenary band of all, led by the infamous Bloody Rose, rolls into town, Tam jumps at the chance to sign on as their bard. It's adventure she wants -- and adventure she gets as the crew embark on a quest that will end in one of two ways: glory or death.

It's time to take a walk on the wyld side.

"Humorous twists and pulse-ratcheting action abound in Bloody Rose, but its Eames' knack for heart-wrenching poignancy that makes his warm, wonderful fantasy so harmonious." -- NPR

For more from Nicholas Eames, check out:
Kings of the Wyld

Critic reviews

"Bloody Rose solidifies what Kings of the Wyld proved. Eames writes like a hurricane and has a voice like no one else in this genre."—Sam Sykes

"I laughed, and wept, and worried a lot, and had the most tremendous time reading Bloody Rose. Eames is a gifted and entertaining storyteller."—Kevin Hearne

"Humorous twists and pulse-ratcheting action abound in Bloody Rose, but its Eames' knack for heart-wrenching poignancy that makes his warm, wonderful fantasy so harmonious."—NPR

"Kings of the Wyld is gritty but not grim. It was a blast to read, from start to finish. The boys are getting the band back together, and woe be to anyone who stands in their way. Magic swords, broken promises, and some of the craziest action you're likely to read this side of the Wyld. Reading this book made me want to grab a sword and set off on an epic quest."
—Christopher Paolini on Kings of the Wyld

"I was a big fan of Kings of the Wyld, but I think Bloody Rose has actually topped it. Eames once again hits the perfect balance of humor and heart, irreverent references and real emotion. The characters are great, the adventure is epic, and he's slowly deepening the worldbuilding in a way that has me eager for more."—Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names

"The equivalent of a 500-page heavy metal guitar solo: loud, frenetic, unpredictable, and gripping. . . . This is a messy, glorious romp worthy of multiple encores."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"High-octane thrill ride, with one splashy action battle sequence after another, with the stakes ever-rising, until the final countdown."—B&N SF & Fantasy Blog

"George R. R. Martin meets Terry Pratchett."—Buzzfeed Books on Kings of the Wyld

"A fantastic read, a rollicking, page-turning, edge-of-your-seat road-trip of a book. Great characters, loveable rogues that I genuinely cared about and all manner of fantastical monsters. All spiced with a sly sense of humour that had me smiling throughout. Wonderful."—John Gwynne on Kings of the Wyld

"Brilliant debut novel... Eames has cranked the thrills of epic fantasy up to 11... Moreover, the plot is emotionally rewarding, original, and hilarious. Eames clearly set out to write something fun to read, and he has succeeded spectacularly."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Kings of the Wyld

"Absolutely awesome. If the Beatles held a concert tomorrow (with all the necromancy required for that to happen), it still wouldn't be as good a 'getting the band back together' story as this. Full of heroes, humor, and heart."—Jon Hollins on Kings of the Wyld

"Nicholas Eames brings brazen fun and a rock & roll sensibility to the fantasy genre."—Sebastien de Castell on Kings of the Wyld

Easy to get lost in

loved it, characters were easy to invest myself in, and I happy to see a sequel that more than lived up to its predecessor.

great fun book. not as good as his first novel

great fun book. not as good as his first novel. it is worth a read though

So much fun!

Perfect blend of drama and humor. Nicholas writes unique characters, engaged pacing and creative storytelling. The next D&D character I roll up is definitely going to be a wereskunk.

Another fantastic adventure!

Nicholas Eames once again brings his characters to life. Loved every heart pounding, heart breaking minute of this amazing experience

pays off

loved it., slow start, with a big finish. love the characters and the imagery. thanks