The city-state of Ohndarien has been a place of peace, ruled by the Children of the Seasons. Brophy is the HEIR OF AUTUMN, a young man who wants to take the Test of the Stone. He is not yet ready to take his place as the Brother of Autumn, a role currently held by Krellis, an outsider to Ohndarien but one accepted by the Heartstone. Circumstances are about to change for Brophy as he will have to either mature or lose everything he ever believed in as the past returns to haunt Ohndarien and all that Brophy holds dear.

I almost didn’t finish reading HEIR OF AUTUMN and would have missed out on what turned into a pretty good story. The opening pages focus on sexual scenes that seem gratuitous and more like a juvenile’s fantasy than true fantasy. Luckily, the story progresses from there as the personality of the characters begins emerging. However, HEIR OF AUTUMN is a story that should be read with caution for readers not interested in overtly sexual scenes, particularly scenes involving rape as both are part of the storyline.

HEIR OF AUTUMN is full of some very memorable characters. Brophy’s growth into the role of a hero is sometimes painful to witness, but it is his determination to do the right thing despite all personal costs that makes him stand out. Scythe is an enigmatic character, but one I eagerly anticipated each and every appearance. I must admit, however, that I remain deeply frustrated with Shara, even upon the story’s conclusion. The events of HEIR OF AUTUMN have put deep scars on her heart and it will be interesting to see how the authors handle her character in the second book of this series.

Reviewed by Debbie

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Posted April 2008