SOLVED. Fantasy Novel Involving Disinherited Prince, Half Brother and Tinker's Apprentice Girl and some sort of World Ending Device [s]

[Sara the Librarian]

Apologies but this is just littered with spoilers...

I am madly trying to finish what I believe is a British fantasy trilogy and have completely forgotten the most helpful details ie. title, any character names or much of the plot. The story centers on a young female protagonist who starts the first novel returning to the kingdom she was born in with her very ill father who is some sort of inventor or tinker and a close friend of the king. When they arrive everything is in total chaos. The king's first born has been disinherited and exiled for treason and his generally disliked because of his half breed heritage half brother is now heir apparent and the king is trying to get some sort of really terrible world ending device that the tinker/inventor either invented or was instrumental in developing to either use against his son or for some other reason. And that's pretty much all I remember.

Other possibly salient points:

1.) I think the books are British because I seem to remember having to stop reading them because the last or at least third in the series was showing no signs of actually arriving on US soil any time soon.

2.) Someone in the books was onced enslaved by a group that went by "Loup Garou" (not sure of the spelling) and that's part of why I'm having trouble finding it since searching using that phrase brings up a slew of other novels about werewolves, that's literally the only actual proper name I remember. The girl and her group encounter these guys and have to keep avoiding them.

3.) There's a point in the story (second book i think) where two people (twin boy and girl?) are sacrificed in some sort of "Wicker Man" like fashion and the new heir is in love with the girl and totally torn up when she's sacrificed.

4.) most of the first two books hinged on the girl, the new heir and another guy they either meet or who's just helping them trying to get to the first born prince and his army. In the course of the journey the girl and this unknown third party fall in love.

5.) There's a lot of focus in the first book on the girl's father trying to get the king to give the girl her "papers" so she will be able to make her own living as a tinker/inventor when he dies. The king is holding his approval of these papers over the tinker/inventor's head.

I was really, really enjoying this series and would so love to see how it all comes out. Aid me in my quest good people!!!!

[Daphne]

Looks like the trilogy starting with The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan. At least, the description of the second book The Crowded Shadows on Amazon mentions the Loup-Garou as a bunch of slavers, and it talks about two sons of the king that are fighting.

[Sara the Librarian]

You are a marvelous human being is what you are....Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[SparksofEmber]

The instant you mentioned "Loup Garou", I knew you had to mean this series. The author is from Ireland. And you are in for a treat when you get the 3rd volume. Imo, the 2nd book is the best but the last one finally answers so many questions!