The Longest Autumn - by Amy Avery

About the Book

Book Synopsis

For fans of Ariadne, a spellbinding debut fantasy about a human who gets trapped with the god of Autumn, who brings with him life-threatening danger and a forbidden romance.

Under the right circumstances, would even a god fall?

Tirne is one of four humans rigorously selected to usher the turn of the seasons into the mortal world. Every year, she escorts the taciturn god Autumn between the godly and human realms. Autumn's seasonal stay among mortals brings cooler weather, changing leaves, and the harvest of apples and gourds until Winter takes his place.

This year, the enchanted Mirror that separates their worlds shatters after Tirne and Autumn pass through, trapping both of them in the human realm. As the endless autumn stretches on, crops begin to fail and the threat of starvation looms. Away from the magic of the gods' home, Tirne suffers debilitating headaches that return with a vengeance. Worse, Autumn's extended stay in the human realm turns him ever more mortal and vulnerable, stirring a new, forbidden attraction to Tirne.

While the priesthood scrambles to find a way to reassemble the Mirror, Tirne digs into the temple's secrets and finds an unlikely ally--or enemy--in the enigmatic sorcerer and master of poisons, Sidriel. Thrown into a world of mystery, betrayal, and espionage as she searches for the truth, might Tirne lose her morals, her hard-earned position, and the illicit spark between her and Autumn?

Review Quotes

A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT OF 2024: Gizmodo, Geek Girl Authority, Tor.com, BookRiot

"[M]any fantasy readers will enjoy the satisfying personification of the seasons and their heralds, the blossoming romances and attractions, and the slow unspooling of the mystery of the shattered portal." --Booklist

"The Longest Autumn is an absorbing and immersive novel set in a beautifully crafted fantasy world: rich in myth and magic, and woven with intrigue and passion." --Jennifer Saint, internationally bestselling author of Ariadne, Elektra, and Atalanta

"Author Amy Avery pulls from Greek mythology to create the languid, fantastical setting of The Longest Autumn... will appeal to fans of Jennifer Saint's Elektra or fantasy readers looking for something quiet and character-driven." --BookPage

"[T]he mystery is compelling and Tirne's world is richly drawn. A whodunit in fantasy form makes for a complex, original tale." --Kirkus Reviews

"Intricately plotted, atmospheric, and propulsive. Avery deftly weaves a web of complicated characters--both gods and mortals, all painfully human--tangled in a complex mystery which keeps you unsure who to trust until the last page." --Genoveva Dimova, author of Foul Days

"An utterly beautiful and unique fantasy debut! I was engrossed immediately in the fascinating and complex world... Tirne is such a fantastic character--inherently relatable in her desperation to hold onto her position as Herald, against all odds and at all costs, and her relationships with Autumn and Sidriel were deeply touching in their own ways." --Christy Healy, author of Unbound

About the Author