Whispers of the Wyrm: Reading Guide
A spoiler-free guide to Whispers of the Wyrm, Book One of The Bard and the Blade Saga, a dark fantasy by A.A. Bennette. It arrives Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
What it's about
The war is over, and nobody's quite sure what that means yet. The roads are open and the inns are full of people who'd rather not talk about it. Two travelers fall into step for their own practical reasons, and the friendship, when it comes, comes slowly and costs something.
Who's who
- HadnaA bard who signs inn registers with a single word, Drake. She carries a red-honey wood lute named Honey, and her fingertips are rough from it.
- DhaelenA swordsman who wears two blades: plain steel at the hip, and Ignivar, a dragon-bone sword he draws from over his shoulder.
Where it happens
Aurelthyr, the Inward Realm, is split into five provinces, each with its own crown and gemstone.
- CaelondorGarnet. The martial highlands.
- TharavosCitrine. Farmland that feeds everyone else.
- EiloriaAmethyst. Song, scholarship and the archive.
- VeytharEmerald. Marshes and old volcanic ground.
- MorvaneSapphire. The coast, facing the sea.
Read more on the world page.
Time and sky
The year has ten months and the week has eight days. Two moons cross the sky: red Vael, the Flame Moon, and pale Lunareth, the Memory Moon. See A Year of Ten Months and Two Moons Over the Five Crowns.
Reading order
- Book 1Whispers of the Wyrm, out Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
- Book 2The Ember and the Thread, coming soon.
Questions
Do I need to read anything before Whispers of the Wyrm?
No. Whispers of the Wyrm is Book One of The Bard and the Blade Saga, and it's written so you can start cold. Everything you need is on the page.
Is Whispers of the Wyrm a standalone or a series?
It's the first book in a series. The Bard and the Blade Saga continues with Book Two, The Ember and the Thread, which is coming soon.
When does Whispers of the Wyrm come out?
Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in hardcover, softcover and ebook.
Who is it for?
Readers who like road stories, slow-built company, music treated as real work and swords with a history. It's dark fantasy for adults, and the book is marked as containing mature content.
Where can I buy it?
Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Links are on the home page and below.
Who is the author?
A.A. Bennette writes dark fantasy and lives in Nova Scotia, Canada.