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

Oct 01, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'll try to be fair here, this is a "YA" book and it comes in telling us it's going to "play" with historical and mythological figures....and play it does. I found the book annoying and wonder at the damage we're doing to our "youths" and their knowledge of mythology, what we can learn from mythology, from the archetypal characters, thoughts, and ideas they contain.

Okay, part of rant over. There are different types of YA books. Some are more yA while others are more Ya. This is in style and exe...more I'll try to be fair here, this is a "YA" book and it comes in telling us it's going to "play" with historical and mythological figures....and play it does. I found the book annoying and wonder at the damage we're doing to our "youths" and their knowledge of mythology, what we can learn from mythology, from the archetypal characters, thoughts, and ideas they contain.

Okay, part of rant over. There are different types of YA books. Some are more yA while others are more Ya. This is in style and execution more of a Ya book with emphasis on the "Young" rather than the "adult". With it's repetitive story telling (asking something and then farther on asking it again, and again especially by the boy was a sort of constant). Then however, along with the juvenile storytelling you get attempts at "semi-adult" content that doesn't really work.

(view spoiler)

There's more and we've all played with mythology I suppose but I'm not really taken with this book. No that's a polite understatement, I'm annoyed with this book and approaching dislike. I'll go with 2 stars, but "just" or barely. Will I read the next book? Haven't decided yet.

Oh, one more thing, the book doesn't "conclude" or "end" so much as "stop". Lots I didn't care for... sorry if you liked it.

By the way..the fact that Michael Scott is a mythology scholar simply bothers me more. He is of course free to treat these figures as he wishes... I make no complaint about that. But I'm free not to enjoy the given treatment, and I don't. As I say in many cases, if you do enjoy the book then that's good for you...enjoy, not my cup of tea.

UPDATE: I'm not planning on following the book up...just letting you know. (less)

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May 23, 2011 Stephen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, audiobook, fantasy, potteresque, ya, 2006-2010

2.0 stars. I did NOT like this book. The plot was derivative, the writing was passable AT BEST and the two teenage main characters annoyed me to the point of causing actual hair loss.

pulling out hair Pictures, Images and Photos

However, the book avoided the 1 star noose based solely on some crafty ideas and oh so unused potential that I will explore once I briefly explain the plot...which should not take long as we have all seen this tired old movie before.

BRIEF TIRED OLD PLOT SUMMARY:

Sophia and Josh (two VERYannoying kids)

work at a b...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Micheline rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dnf-did-not-finish, magic-witches-wizards, urban-fantasy, young-adult

I had high hopes when I picked up this book. At the time, I was fresh off the Harry Potter series and had a bad case of 'Post-Potter Depression'. The idea of learning more about the intriguing and mythical 'Nicolas Flamel' (which I had heard of before HP) instantly captivated me, and the book blurb only added fuel to the fire. Sadly, about halfway through I had to shelf this one (DNF). I found the protagonists Sophie and Josh very flat and one-dimensional. They spent most of the time confused or...more

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Jun 08, 2007 Kris rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No one

Shelves: 2007

This book was awful. So awful, it warrants me actually putting in a review.

First of all, there isn't enough Nicholas Flamel. There is far too much of the twins that kind of become Nic's apprentices, and attatches way too much teenage exposition to them. And we don't need the two of them mentioning that their parents are archaeologists every other page. We got it the first time. Move on. And even if their parents are archaeologists, they're not necessarily going to know as much about it as they s...more This book was awful. So awful, it warrants me actually putting in a review.

First of all, there isn't enough Nicholas Flamel. There is far too much of the twins that kind of become Nic's apprentices, and attatches way too much teenage exposition to them. And we don't need the two of them mentioning that their parents are archaeologists every other page. We got it the first time. Move on. And even if their parents are archaeologists, they're not necessarily going to know as much about it as they seem too. When you're 15, you try to stay away from your parents as much as possible. And there seriously didn't need to be as much name dropping around the character of Josh (I swear to God, whenever the story was from his perspective, there was always a name dropped of a movie or a video game, and there was always mention of his laptop, his cell phone, and that he had been on the football team). And the repetition of the name dropping, or them mentioning their parent's profession, was enough to make you put a gun barrel in your mouth. It felt way too forced. Too much like he was trying to be all, "Look!! I'm one of you!!"

He turned a potentially kick-ass 2 1/2 thousand year old vampire into a lame teenager. Not a cool one, something you might have imagined Bill and Charlie Weasly being. No, she was lame ... and just happened to be able to kick ass ... cuz she was a vampire.

And some of the other gods could've been completely awesome (like Morrígan) ... but they came off kind of lame, without any real power, and seemingly easily manipulated.

Scott really could've done something awesome with this, if he had decided to do a kick ass Sword & Sorcery story (a la "Highlander: The Series"). Instead, it felt more like a teenager's attempt at High Fantasy (::cough::Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2)::cough::), and not a very good one at that. And seriously, mentioning LotR at the beginning of your book, does not a High Fantasy make. Nor does having something that's the equivalent of the Force, a good fantasy make.(less)

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Nov 14, 2011 Kat Hooper rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

The 14th century alchemyst Nicholas Flamel has the secret codex containing the recipe for the elixir of life hanging around his neck. For centuries, Dr. John Dee has been hunting for him because he wants that book. Dee has finally traced Flamel to his bookstore in 21st century California. He busts in, gets all but the last two pages of the book, and kidnaps Flamel’s wife. Now the world is in danger because Dee plans to bring the dark Elder gods to power an...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

The 14th century alchemyst Nicholas Flamel has the secret codex containing the recipe for the elixir of life hanging around his neck. For centuries, Dr. John Dee has been hunting for him because he wants that book. Dee has finally traced Flamel to his bookstore in 21st century California. He busts in, gets all but the last two pages of the book, and kidnaps Flamel’s wife. Now the world is in danger because Dee plans to bring the dark Elder gods to power and they will enslave humans. When twins Josh and Sophie witness the crime, they get dragged into the mess. Along the way, they learn that, OMG, there’s a prophecy about twins saving the world!

The most intriguing aspect of The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel is the overall worldview that Michael Scott has developed. His elder god mythology accounts for all the other known pantheons, numerous archeological discoveries, various myths and legends (e.g., vampires, ghosts, Atlantis), historical events (e.g., the flood, the great fire of London, the Irish famine), real historical figures, and even fictional characters such as Frankenstein. I’ve seen this done before and I think it’s a fun idea and has tons of educational potential for its YA audience, but I tend to become gradually annoyed as the author continues to add more and more to it until it just gets messy. I groaned out loud when Excalibur showed up and then nearly turned off the audiobook when the Witch of Endor had a New York accent and claimed to have given humans both fire and the alphabet. I have to admit, though, that the thought of the Morrigan shopping on eBay is pretty funny.

Unfortunately, this world-building seems to be the main intent of the book, so the plot and characterization suffer. The characters are only superficially developed. We’re told a lot about each of them, but by the end of the book it feels more like we’ve read their biographies than that we really got to know them. The plot mostly consists of running away, hiding, discovering prophecies, and suddenly gaining magical powers. It’s predictable and lacks intensity and excitement. Instead, there’s lots of dialogue and repetitive explanations designed to incorporate all of those disparate mythological and historical elements into the worldview.

The plot has other problems — people just don’t behave reasonably. It was hard to take The Alchemyst seriously from the very beginning when, after centuries of hiding the codex from Dr. Dee and after telling him it had been destroyed, Nicholas Flamel whips it out so he can consult it to cast a spell at Dee... What? You’ve had that little book around your neck for 600 years and you didn’t bother to learn the spell you need to cast against the enemy who’s been chasing you for that long? And then you whip it out right in front of him when you know he’s stronger than you? Unforgiveable.

The Alchemyst is likely to be enjoyable for YA readers who like learning about mythology and history — they’ll learn a lot and perhaps their zeal will make them less prone to notice the shallow plot and characters. Adults with full bookshelves will probably be less satisfied. I read the audiobook version of The Alchemyst and found that the performance of the narrator, Denis O'Hare, made this book bearable for me. His delightful accents and inflections, and his genuinely serious performance, were entertaining. I hope to read more from him in the future(less)

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Feb 21, 2009 Grace rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

To be honest I would never have read this book had I not been given it for my birthday. It was obviously one of those books that was cranked out immediately after the Harry Potter phenomenon and was unabashedly aimed toward that audience. Now don't get me wrong, I adore Harry Potter and that's probably why this sort of book irritates me. I've picked it up in the bookstore before, interested by the title and catchy cover, but after flipping through it I always put it back.
It is very similar to R...more To be honest I would never have read this book had I not been given it for my birthday. It was obviously one of those books that was cranked out immediately after the Harry Potter phenomenon and was unabashedly aimed toward that audience. Now don't get me wrong, I adore Harry Potter and that's probably why this sort of book irritates me. I've picked it up in the bookstore before, interested by the title and catchy cover, but after flipping through it I always put it back.
It is very similar to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series in that it uses old mythology and mythical figures for it's main plot. I wasn't enchanted with either of the authors approaches. The characters in The Alchemyst are flat and one dimensional and where he could have gone all out with the 700-10,000 year old beings he stuck with boring, flat interpretations. The twins were just as flat and uninteresting. After an entire book there isn't more one could say about them than: The girl is the thoughtful one who looks out for her brother and makes sure he doesn't get into trouble and the boy is the reckless one. They are also not that likable and at times irritating. I wanted to reach through and smack them when, halfway through the book, they were still insisting that they must be on Candid Camera and the whole thing was a big hoax.
The plot wasn't particularly engaging either and it seemed that every other page there had to be a big, magical battle, as if he felt the only way to keep the reader going was to put in action. Personally, I think that is a mark of an adult author who is trying to write for kids. Obviously kids can't read anything deep and are too uninterested and the only way to keep them reading is to pack the entire book with pointless battle scenes. Who needs engaging, round characters and character development? *rolls eyes* It was also very predictable and linear, with no risks or surprises.
I'm glad that I decided to read this book on an eleven hour plane ride because that way I could get it over with in a day, without having to drag it out for several. I probably won't read the rest of the series as I was, obviously, far from enchanted by the first one. (less)

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Sep 18, 2012 Charles Mholen Siloy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book started with me thinking of a whole lot of possibilities. But based on the cover alone, I thought it was going to be a deep work of literature, embellished with the old way of speaking English, and old facts I didn't know about Nicholas Flamel (who I first read in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone). But after reading the first pages, I knew it was not going to be the book I imagined. I actually thought that the modern setting was not a good idea, but I was curious as to how the plot

...more

The book started with me thinking of a whole lot of possibilities. But based on the cover alone, I thought it was going to be a deep work of literature, embellished with the old way of speaking English, and old facts I didn't know about Nicholas Flamel (who I first read in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone). But after reading the first pages, I knew it was not going to be the book I imagined. I actually thought that the modern setting was not a good idea, but I was curious as to how the plot would evolve. When the story began building on itself, I was dismayed about how some of the themes in the book stood on cliches (i.e. prophecies about saving or destroying the world, from normal to special, blah blah blah). Therefore the first pages did not engage the reader to read more because of its rich and interesting world, but merely because one wants to know how the story continues. However, as the story built up further, I actually did enjoy the start of Sophie and Josh's adventure (albeit a forced one).

It was definitely action-packed, full of lights and magic, which would look good on the big screen, and the characters' histories were shown very well, and their development is right on track. I do think that the way mythical, legendary, and historical characters were fitted together was a bit too incoherent. It makes me compare it to Rick Riordan's books like the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and the Kane Chronicles, who stayed within the bounds of a certain mythology and did not attempt to create cross-overs. Riordan's style was clean and a bit quirky, integrating the old into the new, without too much of the old. Scott's way was more or less the same, but the old was seen in the new, but not adapted, hence the over all plot of the old trying to reclaim what was theirs from the new. My point is that the connections to the different mythologies were not so refined as I would have liked (i.e. In what way is Hekate related to Bastet? In what way can a crow goddess be the niece of a cat goddess?) Maybe it's only to me the interweaving of the story does not make sense (and a bit forced).

I do, however, acknowledge the very good story telling. Many people would like the light read - there were not a lot of intricate descriptions but leaves a lot to be imagined, and that's a good thing.

The most beautiful thing about the novel, in my opinion, is the premise. There is definitely a lot to be expected in the next novels and I am looking forward to them. There may be a lot more legends to be added, a lot more questions to be answered, maybe more foes to be introduced, and many more problems Sophie and Josh may need to handle.

All in all it's a very fast-paced, exciting read, though those who are looking for much more depth in the creation of a certain 'world' of fantasy would not be too delighted. However, this book would really make a good movie, I presume, and I'll be first in line when the motion pictures do come out.

(less)

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Nov 21, 2011 Simcsa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-paranormal, supernatural-creatures, read-in-2011, witches-wizards, vampires, angels-demons-gods, not-gonna-continue-with-the-series, childhood-favorites, read-more-than-once

3.5 stars

The main problems of the series: (I read the first four books)

1. The story takes place in a few days (the first book - 2 days, the second one - 3 days...). If it continues like this, the world will be saved in what? Two weeks? The war lasts milleniums, there are centuries old people and even older creatures, yet two children (ehm.. teenagers) are going to end it in a matter of weeks?

2. As I said, characters here are usually living on the earth for some time, some of them are even ten th...more

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Feb 05, 2013 PurplyCookie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-series, fantasy, historical-fiction, young-adult, witchcraft, 1st-in-a-series, mythic-fiction

Scott uses a gigantic canvas for this riveting fantasy. The well-worn theme of saving the world from the forces of evil gets a fresh look here as he incorporates ancient myth and legend and sets it firmly, pitch-perfect, in present-day California.

At the emotional center of the tale are contemporary 15-year-old twins, Josh and Sophie, who, it turns out, are potentially powerful magicians. They are spoken of in a prophecy appearing in the ancient Book of Abraham the Mage, all but two pages of whi...more

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Apr 14, 2010 Nenangs rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-magick-scifi, indonesian, works-of-translation

I really liked it.
Begitulah tulisan kecil yang muncul dibawah empat bintang.
And I really liked it. And more. 4.5 deh...
0.5 bonus buat penerjemahan yang bagus.
Atau bisa juga dibilang diskon 0.5, karena bukan buatan bangsa indonesia *grin*.

Eeeeeniweeeei...buku pertama dari serial Nicholas Flamel karya Michael Scott ini memang luar biasa. Kemampuan pengarang menggabungkan beberapa sub-genre fantasy (ini istilah karangan saya aja, meneketehe & EGP bener apa salah), yang terdeteksi sejauh ini a...more

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Dec 19, 2008 Luann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008, fantasy, young-adult, ms-rec

I enjoyed The Alchemyst more than I thought I would. It didn't sweep me away with the "must finish this book now" feeling, but I also was never bored. Fans of Harry Potter, Fablehaven, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books, and even The Da Vinci Code will find interesting connections and similarities here. And yet Scott manages to bring something just a bit new to the table as well. I was interested to learn that many of the main characters (Nicholas Flamel, Perenelle Flamel, and Dr. John Dee) were...more

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Aug 22, 2008 Bunga Mawar rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, translated-into-indonesian, children-teens, buku-perpus-smart, buku-krl

Buku tebal tercepat yang pernah saya baca.

Bagaikan Nick Fleming, eh, Flamel bersama Josh dan Sophie Newman yang dikejar-kejar John Dee, Morrigan hingga Bastet karena menyimpan dua lembar terakhir dari Codex, buku Abraham Sang Magus, saat The Alchemyst ini saya kuasai banyak orang di luar sana yang mengejar-ngejar saya. Ini karena saya ambil dari Mahbubi (kelas 5) yang belum selesai membacanya pada Jumat siang lalu. Padahal Mahbubi juga meminjamnya dari Faisal (kelas 2) yang telah mendaftarkanny...more Buku tebal tercepat yang pernah saya baca.

Bagaikan Nick Fleming, eh, Flamel bersama Josh dan Sophie Newman yang dikejar-kejar John Dee, Morrigan hingga Bastet karena menyimpan dua lembar terakhir dari Codex, buku Abraham Sang Magus, saat The Alchemyst ini saya kuasai banyak orang di luar sana yang mengejar-ngejar saya. Ini karena saya ambil dari Mahbubi (kelas 5) yang belum selesai membacanya pada Jumat siang lalu. Padahal Mahbubi juga meminjamnya dari Faisal (kelas 2) yang telah mendaftarkannya di perpustakaan untuk masa pinjaman kedua karena dia belum selesai membacanya. Padahal lagi, Iyas (kelas 2) sudah mengantri untuk meminjamnya setelah Faisal, belum lagi Bu Latifah (Kepala SMA) nampaknya sudah berminat membacanya setelah saya. Apa boleh buat, sambil menanti kereta menuju Jakarta kemarin malam, buku ini saya kebut karena Senin besok saya sudah berjanji mengembalikannya untuk dibaca oleh Iyas. Sampai di rumah, hanya terkejar sekian halaman karena lelah dan tertidur, maka baru tadi pagi buku ini akhirnya kelar. Huuuuffff... petualangan mengejar buku perpustakaan paling dramatis... :)

Oh ya, cerita bukunya sendiri tentang apa yah? Semata sebuah petualangan berbau "magic" atau sihir kuno karena:
1) melibatkan tokoh-tokoh yang immortal, berusia ratusan hingga puluhan ribu tahun
2) mencampur berbagai mitologi,dongeng, legenda dan sejarah dalam untaian peristiwa yang konon saling berkaitan (contoh: ada sphinx dan pterodactyl "hidup" di San Fransisco. loh!)
3) selain itu, tokoh-tokoh di buku ini mampu menciptakan mahkluk tak bernyawa namun mampu dikendalikan. Dalam bahasa zaman sekarang, mereka disebut "robot", namun karena setting cerita sudah dibangun lintas waktu dan tempat, maka mahkluk2 ini disebut "golem", "lacra", "torc" dan lain-lain.

Seperti banyak cerita lain, terlalu banyak unsur kebetulan (buat saya) yang menjadikan si kembar Sophie dan Josh Newman sebagai pelaku utama cerita. Jalan ceritanya sudah cukup ramai dan seharusnya mendebarkan. Tapi entahlah, unsur mendebarkan dan emosi-emosi lainnya tidak terasa di sini. Kita seperti mendengarkan saja peristiwa demi peristiwa yang disaksikan pengarang; sangat detil dan membuat kita seperti melihatnya sendiri. Sayangnya saksi tersebut kurang berempati pada kejadian, jadi kita bisa menganggapnya sebagai peristiwa biasa.

Bukan berarti lantas saya percaya bahwa Nicholas Flamel atau John Dee benar-benar kenal William Shakespeare, yah. Sebagai sebuah kemungkinan, hal itu masuk akal, sama seperti masuk akalnya bahwa di masa Babilonia, seorang gadis pernah dijodohkan untuk menjadi permaisuri Nebukadnezar (tapi gadis itu tak harus Scathach, kan?). Kalau buku ini saya kebut, selain alasan yang sudah saya tulis di atas, alasan lainnya adalah saya menunggu kemunculan banshee yang pastinya dikenal oleh pengarang, dan Kaisar Zhu Di yang mengirim armada penjelajah dunia, hehehe...

Ternyata tidak ada di buku ini. Di buku kedua, mungkin ada tidak? :D(less)

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Aug 10, 2008 Katie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was first interested in this book for the same reason I'm sure it made the New York Times bestseller list...because it is about Nicholas Flamel, who is mentioned in the Harry Potter books, specifically in the first book about the Sorceror's Stone, as being a friend of Professor Dumbledore. Flamel was a real historical figure though who lived in the 1300's, was a scientist who practiced alchemy, and supposedly discovered the secret to eternal life (related to the sorceror's stone) as well as tu...more I was first interested in this book for the same reason I'm sure it made the New York Times bestseller list...because it is about Nicholas Flamel, who is mentioned in the Harry Potter books, specifically in the first book about the Sorceror's Stone, as being a friend of Professor Dumbledore. Flamel was a real historical figure though who lived in the 1300's, was a scientist who practiced alchemy, and supposedly discovered the secret to eternal life (related to the sorceror's stone) as well as turning coal into diamonds and common metals into gold. The myth is that he and his wife are still alive to this day, the proof of that coming from the fact that their tomb in Paris is empty. I thought this book would be interesting by not only weaving in historical facts about Flamel but also telling a fictional story about what he would be doing today if he were in fact still living. The story itself got increasingly interesting but the writing leaves much to be desired. The gentleman sitting next to me on a flight back from Philadelphia said he'd read it also and told me that it was originally written in another language and that we were reading a translation, which would explain the strange phrasing. He didn't understand how it made the bestseller list though, but I am certain it's due to the Harry Potter connection. Along with other reviewers on this site, I don't care for the constant allusions to pop culture (iPods, Bluetooth headsets, Wikipedia, etc), which will most certainly date it within a few years. And I also don't care to hear for the umpteenth time that the main characters' parents (who are only mentioned at times and not ever involved in the plot) are archaeologists, which is somehow supposed to mean something but to me seems like an irrelevant sidenote. The characters, despite the fact that they were almost all real people who historically we know existed, or they were mythical creatures whose stories have been shared through generations, were just flat and one-dimensional. I couldn't get into the story because the characters had no depth. The author could have really fleshed them out more, considering he had a lot of historical fact and details to work with, but perhaps he assumed readers would know all the characters already? Sorry, I'm not well-educated in worldwide ancient mythology! Overall, it was an okay book; I have the sequel since I had assumed I would enjoy the first book much more than I actually did, and I'm not sure if I'm going to read it or not. (less)

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Apr 11, 2008 Bonnie Gayle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sf, library-books, reviewed

Okay. I liked this book a lot more than most people who have written reviews. I feel that it's because I didn't go into it with many preconceived notions. I had hoped it would be related to Harry Potter, but when I realized it wasn't I moved on. I also didn't read the book because I was a huge fan of the real Flamel. If you read it for either of those reasons, you will most likely be disapointed.

15 year-old twins Sophie and Josh have gotten summer jobs in San Franciso. Josh works at a bookstore,...more Okay. I liked this book a lot more than most people who have written reviews. I feel that it's because I didn't go into it with many preconceived notions. I had hoped it would be related to Harry Potter, but when I realized it wasn't I moved on. I also didn't read the book because I was a huge fan of the real Flamel. If you read it for either of those reasons, you will most likely be disapointed.

15 year-old twins Sophie and Josh have gotten summer jobs in San Franciso. Josh works at a bookstore, and Sophie works across the street. One day, a group of evil men come to attack Josh's boss, and it ends up that they are headed by the evil John Dee, Elizabeth I's spy, and that Josh's boss is none other than the immortal Nicholas Flamel.

Before flattening the bookstore completely, John Dee and his henchmen steal a very old book, except for the last 2 pages, which Josh has a tight hold on. It ends up that the book is the secret to Nicholas Flamel's long LONG life, and that the last 2 pages are key, so now Josh's life is in danger, and Nicholas Flamel is aging before his eyes.

Josh, Sophie, and Flamel flee the city, with Dee in pursuit, but they soon learn that there is more to the 2 of them, Josh and Sophie, than they have ever realized, that they are special, and perhaps Flamel is not being completely honest about his reasons for wanting them to accompany him on his journey.

I felt a little confused why Nicholas Flamel couldn't make another stone, or whatever, to extend his life without the book that Dee took. You would think that he would have the method down pat during the last 600-so years.

The book does something different with magic that I'd never read before, which is link it to the 5 senses. According to the book, the reason that the average person cannot do magic is because their senses are dulled, and when the magic starts happening, there are an amazing number of smells described.

I did think the book did something dangerous, because it tied itself way too much to the present: ipod, wikipedia, Shrek, the new Spiderman. All of that is really going to date it in time. It did make good historical references, linking the story to events that happened in the past, like the potato famine, and the great fire in London. That somehow made the events in the story more believable and immediate. I also learned from the book, because the characters in it are ones I never have heard of before, like the Morrigan. It was cool that he worked, somewhat, with characters who already exist. I bet it would be easier to make them all up, but it was cool to see how they would all interact if they were together.

Like Into the Woods, which I just reviewed, I think this book would make a really excellent movie, and in fact, some of the scenes would play out better in a movie than they did in the book. I would definitely see it. There is a sequel, which is coming out soon, and I'm going to read it. The ending leaves you with a cliffhanger, so I'm glad I didn't read it when there was a long wait 'til the next book.(less)

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Jan 31, 2013 Dyanne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: cliche, author-bombed-the-book

Dear Josh,
let me start out with you. You could've been a really great kid but apparently, the author just couldn't make up his mind about you. One minute your an ordinary kid who likes superheroes and doesn't do well in school and then you become this person who has a super computer and a uber-nerdtastic knowledge? Whoa, big difference. I feel sorry for you. I really do. I get jealousy. I get envy. What I don't get is how you and Sophie never fight. Is it just that in those two days that I was e...more

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Mar 28, 2009 JoJo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: modern-fiction, children-books

I LOVED this book, although I read the second book, the magician, first. I work at a bookstore and we are allowed to loan hardcover books so long as we keep them in mint condition, to broaden our book knowledge. We didn't have this copy in hardcover, but we had the sequel in hardcover, and i didn't want to buy it if i wasn't sure if i would like it. Eventhough the second book picks up really fast, I was able to understand what was going on as the author subtly explains the plot continuation with...more I LOVED this book, although I read the second book, the magician, first. I work at a bookstore and we are allowed to loan hardcover books so long as we keep them in mint condition, to broaden our book knowledge. We didn't have this copy in hardcover, but we had the sequel in hardcover, and i didn't want to buy it if i wasn't sure if i would like it. Eventhough the second book picks up really fast, I was able to understand what was going on as the author subtly explains the plot continuation without slowing it down. To me, that's the mark of a great writer, so I didn't hesitate to buy the first book the same day I finished the sequel.

I was pleased and read through this book in 2 days, it was so exciting, and eventhough some of the ending was spoiled because characters are killed off which are mentioned in the sequel, I really feel I enjoyed the book just as much as I would have enjoyed it if I hadn't read it in reverse order. Michael Scott is an Irish writer, and has penned many high fantasy science fiction novels, where there's lots of magic, wizards, creatures of lore. He is also an expert on mythology and folklore and his knowledge adds depth to his plots/characters, and he even makes the scenarios seem almost plausible at times.

I find the story extremely humorous at some points, eventhough we have it filed under 'teen fiction' i wouldn't let that deter you if you are an adult, i think the main reason its for kids is because the main characters and protagonists throughout the series he's developing are 15 year old fraternal twins, brother and sister who have legendary sun and moon auras of the rarest colors, silver and gold. We mere mortal humani (humans) cannot see auras of course, but immortals who have special skills and "Awakened" magical abilities in the story, i.e. Nicholas Flamel, the legendary French Alchemyst from the 14th-15th cent. and his wife Perenelle can. Unfortunately, so can the 'bad guys', like the Dr. John Dee, the advisor to Queen Elizabeth I in the court of the Tudors and his masters, the Dark Elder race which predated mankind which include mythological creatures such as the Morrigan, who was the Irish Crow Goddess and Bastet, the Egyptian goddess who has the body of a beautiful young woman and the head of a cat!!

This entertaining saga is your typical good vs. evil where Flamel believes the twins are the fulfillment of a prophecy made 10,000 years before stating that they could either save or destroy the world with their powerful auras, and he's determined to mentor them and guide them in the right direction with the help of his allies- some good immortals and the handful of good elders who want to let the world remain in the hands of the humani. Unfortunately, Dr. Dee has other plans and wants to rule the world and bring the Dark Elders back as it once was, and will stop at nothing to kidnap the twins and influence them to help his agenda, along with the ancient book, the Codex, which the Flamels have been protecting through all these years. The Codex is the magical book written 10,000 years ago which contained the prophecy about the twins in the first place, and the secrets to immortality which allowed Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel to survive all these ages without looking a day older than the day they started the recipe for the potion that keeps them alive.

Its hard to explain much more of the plot without giving away spoilers, but I do recommend this to people, its so much fun. I always thought I hated science fiction, but this is really entertaining, and I can't wait for the third installment of the series, set to come out in May 2009! Woo Hoo!!!(less)

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Julia I have just started #1. I've been trying to read more fantasy because I mostly read fiction and Harry potter or golden compass over and over. So far i...more
Mar 28, 2010 07:17pm

JoJo LOL! Thanks for commenting on my book review. Have you read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon? I just whizzed through it and am reading the second book now,...more
Mar 28, 2010 08:11pm

Julia Haha sounds kinda cool, the man 200 yrs ago is not her husband or anyhting though, he's actually from the past? Is it in the Adult or YA section? I'll...more
Jun 21, 2010 07:40am

Jul 22, 2011 Stacey rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-and-young-adult, fantasy

I'm getting better at my new "don't read bad books" plan. Not that this one is "bad," exactly, so much as it is a little bit irritating. The two kids in the story are just too much. They know everything, can do everything, they're just too perfect.

And really Mr. Scott, did you have to attempt to borrow a story from every fantasy written in the last 2000 years and cram it into this one? I mean, really.

But what clinched it for me was a main character named "Scatty." Every time I read that name,...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Daniel O rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Alchemyst

the Alchemyst is a fast paced action book, it takes place in Nicholas Flemmels bookshop, when all of a sudden Dr.John Dee walks in. After awhile of fighting, Dee wins and takes the book from Josh, one of the twins. But what he doesent get is the last 2 pages of the book, the most important pages, the final summoning. Now Dee will stop at nothing to get those last 2 pages back so he can awaken the dark elders. Josh and Sophie (the other twin), are trained in the 5 magics, air, fire,...more

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Oct 18, 2012 ShAdOwBrEaK *Just*Try*And*Know*Who*I*Am* rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: will-prbly-never-finish, give-up, i-abandon-you, burn-in-hell, meh-could-ve-been-better

I have a friend. Let's call her Shell.

Shell lent me a book called "The Alchemyst" and I thought it looked oh so cool, so I accepted her offer. And then my other friend, let's call 'im Danny, said the book sucked. Dead boring. Couldn't finish it. I didn't listen to him and said "Well, I should still give the book a shot"

A few days afterwards....

An animated GIF I put together from the anime Working!!. It depicts the eldest sister Takanashi Kazue pulling the hair of the second oldest sister Takanashi Izumi, after Izumi pissed her off.

What's so good about this book? Really, I don't get it. What's there to like? No, don't answer that. It'd probably take flying pigs and a Leprechaun...more

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Jun 01, 2012 FantasyWereld rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adults

Sophie en Josh Newman zijn een tweeling en wonen in de Amerikaanse stad San Francisco. Sophie werkt in een koffiewinkel en aan de overkant van de straat werkt haar broer Josh in de boekwinkel van Nick en Perry Fleming. Zo leven zij hun leven met niets anders aan hun hoofd dan iedere andere vijftienjarige aan zijn of haar hoofd zou hebben. Maar wanneer er op een warme zomerdag opeens een stel vreemde mannen de boekwinkel van Nick en Perry Fleming binnen gaan, verandert het leven van de tweeling d...more Sophie en Josh Newman zijn een tweeling en wonen in de Amerikaanse stad San Francisco. Sophie werkt in een koffiewinkel en aan de overkant van de straat werkt haar broer Josh in de boekwinkel van Nick en Perry Fleming. Zo leven zij hun leven met niets anders aan hun hoofd dan iedere andere vijftienjarige aan zijn of haar hoofd zou hebben. Maar wanneer er op een warme zomerdag opeens een stel vreemde mannen de boekwinkel van Nick en Perry Fleming binnen gaan, verandert het leven van de tweeling drastisch. Eén van deze mannen is namelijk John Dee, een magiër van vele honderden jaren oud. De mannen die hij heeft meegenomen zijn Golems, kleimannen. Dee is naar de boekwinkel gekomen om de codex, het boek van Abraham de Magus van Nick Fleming te bemachtigen, maar Nick is niet van plan om hem het boek te geven. Josh is in de kelder aan het werk wanneer hij opeens de geur van rotte eieren en pepermunt ruikt. Als hij uit de kelder omhoog kijkt ziet hij bij zowel Nick als Dee een vreemde substantie uit hun handen ontspruiten. Nick Fleming blijkt niemand minder te zijn dan de honderden jaren oude alchemist Nicolas Flamel!

Wat volgt is een geurig en kleurig beschreven magisch gevecht. Josh komt zijn werkgever te hulp, maar hij maakt weinig verschil. Dee weet het boek af te pakken en wanneer de eveneens honderden jaren oude vrouw van Nicolas, Perenelle Flamel alias Perry Fleming, zich in het gevecht mengt wordt zij ook nog eens door Dee ontvoerd. Wanneer hij vertrokken is onthult Josh dat hij tijdens het gevecht twee bladzijden uit het boek heeft weten te scheuren. Deze bladzijden zijn van groot belang voor het aanwenden van de inhoud van het boek en door Dee tegen te werken zijn nu ook Josh en Sophie zijn vijanden geworden.

Veel actie, weinig diepgang
Michael Scott heeft ervoor gekozen om zijn verhaal met veel actie te beginnen en hij houdt dit het gehele boek vol. We leren Sophie en Josh kennen als ze aan het werk zijn in de winkel, waar slechts minuten later al de aanval plaats zal vinden op Nicolas Flamel. Na deze aanval slaan Josh, Sophie en Flamel op de vlucht met Dee en zijn kornuiten op de hielen. Die dreiging blijf je altijd voelen, maar omdat Scott nergens echt goed de tijd neemt om de tweeling enige diepgang mee te geven krijg je ook nauwelijks een binding met ze. Josh is gewoon de zeurderige, onwillige tiener en zijn zus de dappere heldin. Maar dan blijkt dat de tweeling allebei ook nog eens een zeer zeldzame aura hebben en dat ze misschien wel eens de tweeling kunnen zijn die in de voorspellingen van Abraham worden genoemd. Dit is nogal clichématig. Dit is iets wat niet perse slecht hoeft te zijn, wanneer de uitwerking nog enigszins origineel is. Maar helaas slaagt Scott er niet in om er een eigen draai aan te geven.

Wil je de volledige recensie lezen? Klik hier:
http://www.fantasywereld.nl/recensies...(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

REMEMBER: This is Fantasy. Welcome.

I experienced a world that was filled with ancient characters (both good and evil), strange creatures, and wonderfully described scenes with TONS of detail.

I met twins, a boy and girl, with pure auras who possess magical powers that once awakened will change the world. A six-hundred-year-old alchemyst who performs magic and the air around smelled like mint. His wife (possibly the same age) who is magical in different ways and befriends ghosts. A two-thousand-an...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Fae rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had been told for awhile, from multiple people, to read this book. I borrowed it from a friend on my Nook and I was really enjoying it in the beginning. Unfortunately, life circumstances I think effected my enjoyment of the rest of the book. I used the book as a distraction from everything that was going on around me and I think I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have, under different circumstances.

I really like the storyline and I think Nicholas Flamel is the most interesting character in t...more

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Jun 27, 2011 JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, 3_stars, author_irish, fantasy, fiction, middle_grade, read_in_2011, reviewed, setting_us

Josh and Sophie Newman have settled into a summer in San Francisco, living with their elderly aunt as their parents work an archaeological dig, and working summer jobs to save up for a car. But one day, a very sinister man pays a visit to the bookshop where Josh is working. The man appears to be some kind of wizard and he attacks the owner of the bookshop, who fights back--with more magic. What is going on here? The bad guy gets away with a book that seems to be valuable, but not before Josh man...more Josh and Sophie Newman have settled into a summer in San Francisco, living with their elderly aunt as their parents work an archaeological dig, and working summer jobs to save up for a car. But one day, a very sinister man pays a visit to the bookshop where Josh is working. The man appears to be some kind of wizard and he attacks the owner of the bookshop, who fights back--with more magic. What is going on here? The bad guy gets away with a book that seems to be valuable, but not before Josh manages to tear a few pages out.

The bookshop owner turns out to be the infamous alchemist, Nicholas Flamel. He lived about 600 years ago. Turns out he and his wife, Perrenelle, are immortal, and their self-imposed task was to keep the stolen book safe. In the wrong hands, the book could lead to the end of humanity. Saying that the children aren't safe now that the evil wizard knows about them, Flamel takes them with him as he sets out to get the book back.

This was good, it really was, there just wasn't anything that made it a stand out for me. I did like Scathach a lot and wish she'd had a bigger part. Hecate (spelling? I listened) intrigued me, and I loved her part of the world. The twins were a little boring. They were pretty generic teenagers. I saw the drama between them coming from miles away. Flamel--eh. There was supposed to be more to him than meets the eye, but he seemed to be pretty straightforward to me. I would have liked to have seen more of Perrenelle as well. Hmm. I think I would have liked a more female-centric storyline, now that I look back at this! The cool characters were the women and they took the back seat.

The idea behind the book was excellent, and I loved the way the author wove so many myths and legends together. I just wish that it had had a little more oomph.

The reader, Denis O'Hare, did a good job. His voices were good, and he didn't read down to his target MG/YA audience.

Oh, and San Francisco? Watch out for the Morrigan. She has trashed your city in two wildly different books I've read. She's coming for you.

Younger readers might enjoy this more than I did. I won't be continuing the series.(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Maria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, books-i-own, fantasy, ya, buddy-read

I like The Alchemyst.

I googled Nicholas Flamel. So true. Because I am intrigued by fiction inspired by people that really existed in the past. And alchemy is something I craved reading way back in high school.

The Alchemyst was hard to get into. Really hard. The first half was boring. It only got interesting when Hecate came in. And that got the action ball rolling, so to speak.

The adventure was there; so were the villains. Its hard to hate Dr. Dee when you read his POV as well, correct? And Pere...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: grades 6-8

Recommended to Sarah by: caudill book

Shelves: children-fantasy, audio

I did not enjoy this book very much. I felt as though it wasn't very well written, although it's very popular with the kids; in fact, book four, _The Necromancer_, came out recently and kids are asking for it. Because of this, I decided to listen to, at the very least, book one...and now I know that this series isn't for me.

Before I discuss the plot, I also want to mention that my dislike of the book also has to do with the reader on the audio book; I had a huge problem with him. His 'voices' fo...more I did not enjoy this book very much. I felt as though it wasn't very well written, although it's very popular with the kids; in fact, book four, _The Necromancer_, came out recently and kids are asking for it. Because of this, I decided to listen to, at the very least, book one...and now I know that this series isn't for me.

Before I discuss the plot, I also want to mention that my dislike of the book also has to do with the reader on the audio book; I had a huge problem with him. His 'voices' for each character are a bit annoying and his mispronunciation of words is simply unacceptable; "disoriented" is NOT pronounced "dis-or-ee-en-TATE-ted" ; "allied" is NOT pronounced "a-lied"...those were the ones that stuck out to me the most. I mean, come on!

Josh and Sophie are fifteen-year-old twins who get mixed up, completely by accident, with magical beings. It all starts when Josh, who works for a man named Nick Fleming, is in the store when a man comes in and attacks Nick; he forcibly takes a book from him, but Josh manages to save the last few pages. The fight between the men involve things Josh has never seen before--magical things. Josh and Nick are able to safely escape with Sophie (who saw the fight from across the street and joined them).

It turns out that Nick and his wife--who was kidnapped during the fight--are magical beings who are hundreds of years old. The book that the evil man took from Nick (whose real name is Nicholas Flamel) is a codex that is thousands of years old and holds all sorts of magical information. He tells the twins that they are in danger now that the evil man (whose name is Dr. John Dee) knows who they are; and now that he has most of the book, he will allow dark magic to rule the world.

Nicholas and his friend Scathach (who is also hundreds of years old) learn that Josh and Sophie could very well be the twins foretold in a prophecy. They all need to work together to fight the evil Dr. John Dee and his plan for a world controlled by dark magic.

This plot sounds pretty interesting, doesn't it? I mean, this is the type of book I reach for when reading children's literature; I enjoy these types of fantastical elements in a book. However, this book is just so poorly written that I couldn't get into it. I felt like it could have been shorter had it been edited some; because the omniscient narrator oscillates between Josh and Sophie depending on whether or not they are together in a particular scene, there is a repeating of facts that weren't even necessarily to understand the plot; for example, they each say a number of times that they have always had to stick together because their parents work a lot and they move a lot. Okay--after hearing one of them say it, let's move on!

Nonetheless, kids seem to like it; maybe the writing gets better in the later books; however, this reader isn't going to find out.(less)

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Jun 16, 2011 Bryce rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 13-year old me would have adored this book. This would definitely have been reread until the pages were in tatters. It has everything pubescent me loved: magic, brief lessons in mythology, normal kids discovering fantastic powers in themselves.

30-year old me has read just too many series with the same modus operandi to be over the moon about The Alchemyst. This book didn't have the charm of Harry Potter, but was leaps and bounds better than Percy Jackson.

The good and the bad:

The Bad: The plot...more

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May 18, 2011 lin-lin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, adventure, greek-norse-middle-east-mythology

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 04, 2009 Uci rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buntelan-penerbit

3,5 bintang.

Selama ini saya menganggap genre fantasi bukanlah prioritas saya saat memilih buku. Tapi ternyata beberapa buku bergenre fantasi sanggup membuat saya menunggu-nunggu jadwal membaca buku saya yang biasanya malam hari. Di antaranya buku ini.

Saya senang karena kisah dalam buku ini menggabungkan zaman modern dengan zaman dahulu kala yang terlupakan. Manusia masa kini dengan makhluk-makhluk dongeng dan mitos. Teknologi maju dengan teknologi kuno yang sama-sama canggih. Fakta sejarah deng...more

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Sep 02, 2008 Tyas rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

So here it is: a grand scheme to unify and explain all mythologies on Earth. Blame it all to a seemingly omnipotent race that has taught human virtually everything they needed to start a civilization, and has been taken as gods by some, but has been defeated so that most of them had to withdraw to other worlds, or continue living in a sorry state. But now some of them desire a comeback. That can bring dire consequences to the weaker human race. But fear not! Here comes some human beings, and a m...more So here it is: a grand scheme to unify and explain all mythologies on Earth. Blame it all to a seemingly omnipotent race that has taught human virtually everything they needed to start a civilization, and has been taken as gods by some, but has been defeated so that most of them had to withdraw to other worlds, or continue living in a sorry state. But now some of them desire a comeback. That can bring dire consequences to the weaker human race. But fear not! Here comes some human beings, and a military-freak vampire, to stop them dead in their tracks!

Well, that’s The Alchemyst in a paragraph. As fascinating as it may sound, I have to sadly say that the book is in fact rather dull.

The hardest part for me in reading The Alchemyst is that I can’t feel any sympathy, not even the slightest one, to the main characters. Probably they are supposed to look cool and powerful, but pretty ordinary at the same time. After all they’re human, right?

Well, to be frank: all the allusions to modern-day convenience (iPods, Google, Wiki, laptops, blah blah et cetera) don’t really make me relate to the twins; it instead triggers a desire in me to runaway to another side of the Earth so that I just don’t have to meet these kids who yearn for electricity plugs inside the Yggdrasil. (Don't their experience in the workfields with their parents teach them something?) Oh, they’re the kids-next-door, alright, they just want to collect some money to buy cars. It’s just that they have two extra famous archeologists as their parents. Whoa. First paleoanthropology (what with the Homo floresiensis), next Cambrian Crustaceans, and then the redwoods – and people have been complaining that us scientists are too specialists and not generalists enough. No wonder the kids are just too plain ordinary, not knowing who the heck Nicholas Flamel is, but they can name the craters of the Moon. Once again, whoa. Not exactly impossible, but not convincing enough when you follow the twins’ actions and thoughts throughout the book.

And Flamel himself – oh, the glorious Alchemyst. He’s supposed not to be a two-dimensional character, hey – all he wants is reuniting with his wife, Perry. And if what John Dee says is true, then he’s a selfish figure manipulating the people around him to help him obtaining his desires. Not two dimensional, right? No, just not adorable. And he looks like a hippy. And I don’t know how intellectual actually he is, not knowing that Dee lives in the same town as he does, when Dee owns a gigantic entertainment enterprise in SF. And I wonder what Dee will do one day when his employees finally realise that he’s not getting old.

All in all, The Alchemyst can still entertain you – and who knows the next books will be better. Probably this is just a rough start for a smooth journey ahead. In the mean time, you can read this book and weep, Woe oh you human race, you didn’t even discover fire or invent the wheel.
(less)

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Jan 23, 2008 Lesli rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just finished The Alchemyst Book one in Michael Scott's series The Secrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel. I can't wait for book two. In all seriousness, the book is not that fantastic, the beginning reads like a movie, and there are too many specific references to current pop culture, (for example, Green Day, blue tooth, iPod, etc,) but I really enjoyed reading it. I thought it brought up some interesting theories and mythology. First off its fiction, but according to the plot, every myth is...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
How cool this book is	7	28	May 23, 2013 09:31pm
Does anybody think this series should be made into films?	87	236	Apr 21, 2013 03:47pm
Addicted to YA: The Alchemyst	24	175	Apr 06, 2013 09:48am
The Filipino Group: The Alchemyst by Michael Scott (Cary, Maria, Rollie) Start Date: March 4	83	63	Mar 16, 2013 05:59pm

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

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