Friday, July 1, 2011

The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, by Michael Scott (2007)

I am legend.
     Death has no claim over me, illness cannot touch me.  Look at me now and it would be hard to put an age upon me, and yet I was born in the Year of Our Lord 1330, more than six hundred and seventy years ago.

Nicholas Flamel is the greatest alchemist of all time.  He can turn ordinary metal into gold, common stones into jewels, and he discovered the secret of eternal life.  Living in San Francisco with his wife, Perenelle, Nicholas Flamel will be 677 years old in September.

"There will come a time when the Book is taken..."

Fifteen-year old twins Sophie and Josh Newman are spending the summer working in San Francisco.  Sophie works at a coffee house and Josh works across the street at The Small Book Shop.  Unbeknownst to the twins, the owners of the book shop, Nick and Perry Flemming, are really the legendary Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. 

"...And the Queen's man is allied with the Crow..."

Nicholas and Perenelle are guardians of the most powerful book, the Book of Abraham the Mage.  The Codex holds ten thousand secrets.  In the wrong hands, the Elder Race would finally reclaim the earth and destroy humanity. 

"The the Elder will step out of the Shadows..."

Dr. John Dee, one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the world, wants the Codex.  And he'll do anything to get it. 

"...And the immortal must train the mortal. The two that are one must become the one that is all."

Now with the help of a 2,517-year old vampire, the Goddess with Three Faces, and the Witch of Endor, Nicholas, Sophie, and Nick must run for their lives and try to save the Codex from falling into the wrong hands. 

The Alchemyst is an exciting read if you enjoy fantasy, history, or action/adventure reads with great fighting scenes!  What I really enjoyed is how easy to connect to many of characters.  I also loved all of the history that is packed into the novel.

Rating:  10 out of 10 stars

To check out this book at NOLS, click HERE!

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