Engine of Lies

Reforging #2

by Barbara Howe

NEVER, EVER, LIE TO A WARLOCK

He never promised happily ever after, but Lucinda is still dismayed by how quickly reality intrudes on her fairy tale. Assassination attempts and lightning strikes disturb her honeymoon, but the return home brings no peace of mind. When the discovery of a magical conspiracy shakes her faith in everything she trusts, she vows to expose the Fire Warlock's most shameful secret and see justice done.

As a hot summer draws towards a violent end, Lucinda teeters between terror and rage. She'd be less angry about risking her life if she didn't suspect her husband - her hero! - intends to step aside and let her die.

292 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2018

About the author

Originally from the USA, Barbara has called New Zealand home since 2009. She lives in Wellington, where she works as a software developer in the movie industry and resides in a house overflowing with books, games, and jigsaw puzzles. After a long hiatus from creative writing, she took up writing fiction again several years ago to indulge her love of books with appealing, intelligent female characters. The Reforging series of epic fantasy novels is the result.

Reviews

[L Etz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a real page turner, I couldn’t put it down. It’s a romance together with a fantasy story in which the present is trying to fix the problems set up by the past. The main plot moves a bit slowly at the beginning but the author kept me so breathlessly interested the whole time that I didn’t realize that until well after I finished the book.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a good read! The characters are interesting and multi-dimensional. The story is compelling, making the book difficult to put down while more remains to be read.

Though this book is able to stand alone, I recommend reading the first book in the series, "The Locksmith", before reading "Engine of Lies". "The Locksmith" is, likewise, compelling.

[Roma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engine of lies continues where the locksmith left off. I enjoyed seeing the repercussions of Lucinda's actions in the first book, as well as her slowly deepending understanding of the real situation in Frankland.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the way "Engine of Lies" complicates and expands the world Barbara Howe introduces to us in "The Locksmith". Lucinda continues to be an engaging and admirable protagonist, with many strengths but realistic flaws. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes next!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a good read! The characters are interesting and multi-dimensional. The story is compelling, making the book difficult to put down while more remains to be read.

Though this book is able to stand alone, I recommend reading the first book in the series, "The Locksmith", before reading "Engine of Lies". "The Locksmith" is, likewise, compelling.

[Arthur Protin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the second book in a series of five, there is at least one plot detail that a reader might infer -- that work will be done to repair, renovate, and refurbish the interlocking spells the hold together the nation of Frankland. This reveal is not really much of a spoiler. There is always change and so the story is about the hows and whys of the changes, the nature of the changes, what or who changes; and there is where the story excels. One can almost feel the impacts, the terrors, the anguish that force the story along. So many of the characters share personality traits with the real people in my life, making those characters simultaneously familiar and original, whether loved and hated.