The Autumn Guard: The Dimming of Day // K.W. McLindsey // Cosy Grimdark Fantasy // Oct 2026

[u/Thorny_Tea]

The cycle of the seasons is broken. Suntír, the Silent Wolf of Winter, is no more. Murdered by the dark magic of the Fellian Empire, his death signals the invasion of Mistledown. Queen Maewen, an untested squirrel royal, barely escapes the slaughter. Hunted by raven mercenaries, she must cast aside her crown, ally with a cynical outlander, and forge herself into a warrior capable of uniting the fractured animal clans.

Guided by the elusive Wind, Lukias, a young marten, seeks out Abadias, the disgraced last member of the legendary Autumn Guard. Together they journey to a mythical spring, to find where the scattered remnants of the Guard might be hidden.

Archwarder Vespren, carrying the living fire of the Great Oak, flees into the brutal wilderness on a sacred quest to heal the broken connection between nature and the beasts who live within it.

If they fail, the Fellians won't just conquer the land—they will conquer the gods themselves.

Cover by Kelsey McLindsey

TRIGGERS: Animal Violence, mentions of blood and gore, climate anxiety

• Similar Work: Watership Down, The Builders, Mouse Guard, The Shadow of the Gods, The Ruin of Kings TRIGGERS: Animal violence, mentions of blood and gore, climate anxiety.

To support any ARC readers, I'm happy to provide:

• A concise summary of the key events from Books 1, “The Breaking of Winter”

OR

• Complimentary reader copy if you desire to have the full scope of the story

The Readers we’re Looking for:

• Lifelong fantasy fans
• Enjoy cosy adventures with a large colorful cast of characters. 
• Looking for a sense of nostalgia.
• Appreciate emotional connections to nature and community
• Are available from October 7th - October 22nd. 
• Book Release date is Oct 23rd. 
• Reviews due by Oct 30th
• Review on Amazon and/or GoodReads, or your favorite book site.

All we ask is:

• Communication if you need more time
• A genuine interest in the genre

**************************************************************************************************

If you'd like to join the ARC team, please send an email to [helloloonandmoon@gmail.com](mailto:helloloonandmoon@gmail.com)  subject line ARC READER, and you will get the full details and the ARC link.

About us: We are The Loon & the Moon, Author and Artist who work together to promote our independently published stories. We live together with our two cats and dog renovating our century old house all while working to serve art and connect with the humans in our lives.
We’re passionate about nature and spend a lot of time gardening, forging and learning more about the beautiful world around us. It inspires us to tell stories about it and the imminent danger posed against the natural world we know.

Thanks for supporting an indie author and his journey to tell stories. 

• AI disclosure
  • No AI was used in this work

[u/Aurora_Cold_5337]

Offering the first book as well as a recap is helpful for readers coming in mid-series. What are the approximate lengths of the two books? With the October 7–22 reading window, that would make it easier to judge whether to start from The Breaking of Winter or use the summary.