The second fantasy novel from J.G. Gardner is a story of two mages working at cross purposes and the dangerous lengths they will go to realize their ambitions.

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“Familiar yet strikingly original in the best of ways. The Magic of Deceit practically bubbles with alchemical energy as Esen and Thorne navigate the cruel schemes of mages and guildmasters. Gardner’s scientific acumen is on full display as he combines magic with principles of material science to create The Archive, an academic and arcane institution that feels right at home with the likes of the Roke Island school of Earthsea. Destiny and political machinations bring together the unlikely duo. One, a husband on the hunt for his kidnapped wife; the other, a mage striving to prove his worth to the world and to himself. In a nod to the classic tales of the genre, the two set out on a harrowing adventure of escapes, chases, and even a brief foray into piracy, all while a powerful practitioner of the arcane nips at their heels. Fast paced and carefully wrought, The Magic of Deceit will keep readers engaged from first to last.”

- Ryan O'Neill, author of The Darkborn Saga