Mechanical Advantage
When you try to save everybody, sometimes you save nobody – not even yourself.
When Connor Rourke, premier supernatural locksmith in the Boston area, agrees to do a favor for his mage friend – and maybe more – Elise, he has no idea what he’s signing up for. Looking for a missing professor? Sure. In London? Wait, somebody’s dead? …and then the zombies show up. Kind of. Some disagreement on that point.
Magical action, international supernatural politics, a little bit of romance… Mechanical Advantage is the second book in the Origin Key series. It’s urban fantasy with a side of snark, and it’s coming soon!
About the Author
Aaron Sher
A long time ago somebody decided that “about the author” pages were supposed to be written in the third person. I guess it makes it sound like I have a staff? Forget that.
In addition to being a fantasy author, I’m also a software engineer, a martial artist, a pretty decent cook, a very (very) amateur blacksmith and bladesmith, and—when called upon to serve—expert furniture for my cats. Not necessarily in that order.
I’ve been reading fantasy since I was a kid, which is a concerningly long time ago now, and I started writing it in the form of character backstories for my TTRPG campaigns. Some of those just might be a bit overkill; I wrote over 100k words of backstories for my current game. Maybe that will make it into a novel someday.
I live in Pittsburgh, PA in the United States with my wife and a varying but always-extravagant number of cats, fish, plants, and other miscellaneous wildlife.
The Origin Key series
"This isn’t just magic in a trench coat. It’s magic on a job site... Like the Dresden Files, but less grim and more clever... It’s like MacGyver met Harry Potter, but they both took up plumbing." - GoodReads reviewer
"I absolutely loved this book...It's a fun ride with lots of interesting takes on a magical world." - GoodReads reviewer
Don't miss it!
Get a signed copy of Applied Leverage
I will be at the Tales as Dark as Time show on July 25, 2026 in Hershey PA! I’ll have signed copies of my books along with other swag and goodies. Stop by and see me if you can!
25 July
2026
Location
Hollywood Casino 777 Hollywood Blvd, Grantville, PA 17028
