The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1) by Michael Scott

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The tomb of Nicholas Flamel is empty. The greatest alchemist of his day supposedly died in 1418, but rumors continue to swirl that he continues to walk among us. Could it be true that this magician/chemist has access to the secret of eternal life? Could the Book of Abraham, which he purportedly owns, hold the key to this elixir? If it does, the theft of this single ancient volume could destroy the world as we know it. An exciting tale.

From the Publisher

He holds the secret that can end the world.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.


From the Hardcover edition.

Publishers Weekly

Twin 15-year-old siblings Sophie and Josh Newman take summer jobs in San Francisco across the street from one another: she at a coffee shop, he at a bookstore owned by Nick and Perry Fleming. In the vey first chapter, armed goons garbed in black with "dead-looking skin and... marble eyes" (actually Golems) storm the bookshop, take Perry hostage and swipe a rare Book (but not before Josh snatches its two most important pages). The stolen volume is the Codex, an ancient text of magical wisdom. Nick Fleming is really Nicholas Flamel, the 14th-century alchemist who could turn base metal into gold, and make a potion that ensures immortality. Sophie and Josh learn that they are mentioned in the Codex's prophecies: "The two that are one will come either to save or to destroy the world." Mayhem ensues, as Irish author Scott draws on a wide knowledge of world mythology to stage a battle between the Dark Elders and their hired gun—Dr. John Dee—against the forces of good, led by Flamel and the twins (Sophie's powers are "awakened" by the goddess Hekate, who'd been living in an elaborate treehouse north of San Francisco). Not only do they need the Codex back to stop Dee and company, but the immortality potion must be brewed afresh every month. Time is running out, literally, for the Flamels. Proceeding at a breakneck pace, and populated by the likes of werewolves and vampires, the novel ends on a precipice, presumably to be picked up in volume two. Ages 12-up. (May)

Children's Literature

Fifteen-year-old twins Josh and Sophie Newman are spending the summer in San Francisco with their aunt while their parents are away on yet another archaeological dig. Because they have moved so often and their parents are wrapped up in their teaching and field work, Josh and Sophie have come to rely almost exclusively on one another. This summer, they are working just across the street from each other, Josh in a bookstore and Sophie in a tea shop, trying save enough money to buy a car. One day, a black limousine pulls up in front of the bookstore and several very large men in heavy overcoats emerge. The men are seriously overdressed for the summer weather, thinks Sophie, who is watching all this from the tea shop. Suddenly, events and windows explode: the wife of the bookstore owner is kidnapped by the men from the car, an ancient metal-bound book is stolen, and Sophie and Josh must run for their lives with the bookstore owner, Nick Fleming. Incredibly, Fleming reveals that he is the famous alchemist, Nicholas Flamel. He and his kidnapped wife were born more than 500 years ago, and he was the guardian of the book that just got stolen, The Book of Abraham the Mage. Not only does the book hold the key to the survival of the human race, but Flamel believes the twins appear in its prophecies and that the thief, his arch-enemy John Dee, will stop at nothing to get his hands on them. For two children raised by scientists, the adventures that follow go from bizarre to unbelievable. They partner or battle with creatures they never imagined really existed outside of legends or computer games. Filled with a wild cast of characters, some historically-based and some based on the myths ofmany different cultures, this is a non-stop adventure that will appeal to any reader with an interest in fantasy. In this engaging tale, Michael Scott, a prolific Irish author of children's and young adult books that frequently unite elements of myth and modern times, leaves the reader eager for more.

VOYA

Nicholas Flamel is a legend. Seven hundred years ago, he was the greatest alchemist of his day because he possessed a secret formula guaranteeing him immortality. The formula is hidden in the Book of Abraham the Mage, an ancient book of magic that Flamel is sworn to protect. The book is also coveted by his most feared enemy, the evil sorcerer Dr. John Dee. Dee has forged an alliance with the Dark Elders, members of a race of godlike beings that roamed the earth long before humans. With the book in their possession, they can return the Dark Elders to power and enslave the human race. But Flamel has a secret weapon in teenaged twins Sophie and Josh, who have untapped powers that might be the only hope for the human race. This crackerjack fantasy presents a wonderful array of magical creatures: mud golems, were-creatures, and a delightfully punk female vampire warrior named Scathach. The plot zings along at a satisfying pace with enough battles and magic to satisfy the most jaded teen fantasy fans. Yet it is not just a plot-driven fantasy-Sophie and Josh are fully realized characters who engage the reader with their struggle to comprehend the terrible implications of their newfound powers. Teens who enjoy fantasy, particularly fantasy that is not burdened with endless characters and plot lines, will devour this entertaining new offering to the genre.

KLIATT

Bookseller Nicholas Flamel looks pretty good for his nearly 700 years. He owns the Book of Abraham the Mage. Filled with formulas to transform and heal, including changing ordinary metal into gold, it had instructions on how to stay alive perpetually. To keep his cover and not arouse suspicion, Flamel has worked over the centuries as a teacher, an officer, an alchemist, even a thief. Unfortunately, he still has troubles in contemporary San Francisco: his wife Perenelle has been kidnapped by his nemesis Dr. Dee, and golems have destroyed his bookstore to steal the magic-filled Codex. An unlikely pair of teenaged twins gets involved in this crisis. Josh works part-time with Nick, whom he considers a second father, and his sister Sophie works across the street as a barista. Sophie witnesses the attack, and Josh rips two pages out of the book as the golems wrestle him for it. That gesture saves the day, but the lives of Josh and Nick are now in constant danger. Furthermore, without the Book, Nick and his kidnapped wife start to age: a year each day. The twins know nothing about Nick's past or powers. Neither do the two realize that they are mentioned in the Book. Sophie has a silver aura, and Josh has a gold one; the Book states, "one will save the world and the other will destroy it." In order to help Nick, his wife and comrades, the twins are to be "awakened" to their full potential. Nick is astounded when he witnesses Sophie being transformed so that all her senses are heightened to include the world that most people do not realize: the world of spirits and other magic. Before he can be transformed too, Dee and his legions attack in full force. Although Nick's band escapes, Dee intendsto "awaken" Josh himself, to help destroy the world. Who will survive? This fantasy tale explores the issues of good and evil, which can be deceiving to the eye, as well as trust and loyalty. Some of the non-human characters are a bit hard to decipher, but the action-packed story carries the reader along willingly. The ending is just-for-the-moment with a clear sense that another volume (or two) is forthcoming. Many ends remain to be developed and tied. There's a potential movie here.

Ryan HenryCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal

Gr 6-9
Medieval alchemist Nicholas Flamel resides in modern day San Francisco as an antique bookseller, but his quiet life is turned upside down when the evil sorcerer, John Dee, arrives with his golem henchmen to abduct Flamel's wife and to steal a powerful tome, the Book of Abraham the M age. Teen twins Sophie and Josh, caught in the magical crossfire, accompany Flamel and are introduced to a mystical world of adventure neither can imagine. Michael Scott's novel (Delacorte, 2007) comes to life in this audio presentation. Narrator Denis O'Hare expertly shifts between exotic accents and conveys the urgency in the many action scenes. This title will have wide appeal to fans of fantasy literature and those interested in Medieval history, and it has enough action to hold the interest of reluctant readers. A few pop culture references will date it. Listeners will be enthralled.

Kirkus Reviews

This first in a planned series borrows characters from history, legend and mythology, but is set in modern time. The juxtaposition of our reality with magic and myth is riveting if one is willing to overlook one tiny glitch in the design. History's greatest alchemist, Nicholas Flamel, has been guardian of a magical book, The Codex, for eons. The Codex contains the secret of eternal youth and keeps the ancient, dark "Elder Race" from world dominion; representing the Elders is a devious human, Dee. Caught in the middle of the age-old struggle are teen twins Sophie and Josh. They are accidental participants in Dee's attempt to steal the Codex and destroy Flamel and his wife (but if they have been mixing this formula for eons, why do they need the recipe?) It gradually becomes clear, though, that Sophie and Josh hold potentially great powers and play an essential role in fulfilling a prophecy foretold in the Codex. The lines between good and evil blur when Sophie's magical powers are awakened, but Josh's are not. The story moves breathlessly fast, with riotous confrontations featuring beasts, Egyptian gods, witches and the walking dead. By the last page of this exhilarating journey, it's delightfully clear that the ending is merely the beginning. (Fiction. 11-15)

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