The Alcemist: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

[Luka13]

Has anyone ever read the first book of that series? I actually really surprised that no one had made a thread for this series yet. Anyway, it's an awesome book, and I can't wait to read the second book; which comes out this May!!

[IntricateLogic]

I'm in the process of reading it. I'm not too far [I don't remember exactly where] but it's kinda weird in the beginning. But if you say it's good, I'll keep reading.

[Luka13]

Yeah, it's pretty awesome(in my opinion). Though I have read a lot of other people's reviews saying that they hated the book. So you basically have to make up your own mind about reading the book.

[ginnypotter19]

I had no idea it was a series. I bought the book a long time ago and thought it was pretty good. I just put it away recently too.

[wandaXmaximof]

I love The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series.

I just got done reading the second book about a month ago, and thought it was amazing.

[xhanax315]

This is a series? And its called that?

[RIMH]

Truth be told, the only reason I picked up the book was because it said alchemy on the cover, and being a FullMetal Alchemist fan, decided to thumb through. I think it's very interesting and pulls you right it. I got a little confused when I was getting close to the end of the book because I thought it was just one book, not a series. I bought The Magician recently and can't wait to start reading it.

[wandaXmaximof]

Originally Posted by xhanax315

This is a series? And its called that?

Yes, it is a series, it's six books.

And no, that's just the name I gave the series, as (like with Harry Potter being called "Harry Potter and the something") these books are always "The something: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel". I just thought it would be an easy way to refer to the series.

[Spacecadet]

I just started this series I finished the Alchemyst and have moved on to the magician. I really like it so far. I think its an interesting take on magic and I love how all the characters minus Sophie and Josh can be found online and were either part of history or some kind of mythology.

[xhanax315]

Originally Posted by wandaXmaximof

Yes, it is a series, it's six books.

And no, that's just the name I gave the series, as (like with Harry Potter being called "Harry Potter and the something") these books are always "The something: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel". I just thought it would be an easy way to refer to the series.

Oh okay. I've been wanting to read them, but I just haven't. I've been too obsorbed in DH lately.....

[magenta_cx]

I really enjoy reading his books and it's also very exciting to see an important character in history. I can't wait untill his next book will come out!!!

[Kat_Suki]

Oh, I've read them, they're great books. Though truthfully, they do start off kinda dull and you've got to slog on but if you stick to it, they really pick up and the action becomes amazingly intense.

Michael Scott is doing a set of six novels devoted to the story of the twins:

The Alchemyst and The Magician are currently released...personally, the title of the first book I believe is a nod to Flamel (the alchemist) and the second a nod to Dr. John Dee {the magician }

The other four are to be titled:
The Sorceress {I'm guessing a nod to Perenelle}; The Necromancer {could mean Hel, ruler of the underworld}, The Warlock {? maybe Josh}, The Enchantress {? maybe Sophie}

You know the World Tree? Well, when reading this I kept picturing the Mallorn tree from Lord of the Rings...anyway, in many mythos {I'm pulling from Norse} Yggdrasil stretched between nine realms:

Asgard {this was the upper shadowrealm that Dee inadvertantly destroyed when he killed the World Tree, not sure who the ruler of it is/was and if there's a connection to one of the elemental swords}. Valhalla is located within this realm, so does that mean Odin is the ruler? We know that there was a 'lance' that is associate with this mythos, the broken lance/spear and connected to the death of Baldr in the Prose of Edda {Curtana = the symbolically broken sword known as the Sword of Mercy or Edward the Confessor's Sword}.

Niflheim {this was the lower shadowrealm that Dee inadvertantly destroyed when he killed the World Tree, the realm of Hel, connected to the mythical sword Mistelteimn}

If Hel, goddess/ruler of Niflheim did escape then she's gonna be gunning for Dee. She is associated with the mythical sword Misteltein...which Flamel did happen to mention as one of the four elemental swords: Fire, Ice, Earth, Water...

Then there's the sword mythos tied in as well. Four Swords, one we saw wielded by Dee, and one we know can be wielded by Josh because he used it quite effectively against the Nidhogg...this is said to "Clarent" the sword that mortally wounded King Arthur. The sword of is the Fire Element just as the Sword of Ice is Excalibur, Arthur's other sword given him by the Lady of the Lake.

The 'trigger tats' are interesting too. Sophia can now control fire and her trigger is the symbol of the sun, a dot within a circle, but this is also the alchemical symbol for 'gold'. Flamel has a 'trigger tat' too, he does "earth magic" and his tat is the alchemical symbol for 'terra' or earth, a circle with a cross inside it. Symbols.
Okay, now I'm embarrassed because I'm showing what a geek I am.

[Psyche3]

Originally Posted by Kat_Suki

Okay, now I'm embarrassed because I'm showing what a geek I am.

Don't be embarrassed, I think it's cool. I have some studying to do later on all those names and places, now!

I LOVE this series, and I'm chomping at the bit for the next book. I love Sophie and Josh, Nicholas and Perenelle. Dee is delciously twisted and evil, and all the little details are right up my alley.

[Kat_Suki]

Originally Posted by Psyche3

Don't be embarrassed, I think it's cool. I have some studying to do later on all those names and places, now!

I LOVE this series, and I'm chomping at the bit for the next book. I love Sophie and Josh, Nicholas and Perenelle. Dee is delciously twisted and evil, and all the little details are right up my alley.

Thanks!

I had fun geeking out while making notes and looking up old mythologies and hunting down legends on mythical/legendary swords. I even took the four signs of the basic elements and discovered you could create the Star of David out of them, simply by overlapping the symbols.

I thought it would be really cool if Sophie has a fire tat, and Nick has an earth tat, that Josh end up with a water tat, and Perry the air tat...and each of them get the opposing sword, so everything stayed in balance.

The way the books read, it sounds like Danutalis was lost during 'Ragnorok' and now an Elder is trying to undo it; or is an Elder trying to cause Ragnorok?

[kuroi_shi]

... I saw the books in Chapters yesterday... I was intrigued... If you guys think it's good, I might pick it up myself..

[Spacecadet]

Originally Posted by kuroi_shi

... I saw the books in Chapters yesterday... I was intrigued... If you guys think it's good, I might pick it up myself..

I highly recommend this series, especially if you are looking for more magic to wet your appetite with. Not to mention there is lots of room for speculation in this series.

If you guys like this series, and like theorizing about it i recommend you visit the new fan forum and website (the links are in my signature) being developed for it. The author even comes on the forums and answers questions occasionally.

[Kat_Suki]

Hey, thanks for that link, Spacecadet, it confirmed my suspicions about the title of Book 3.

Originally Posted by Kat_Suki

The Sorceress {I'm guessing a nod to Perenelle};

According to the blurb released on 11/9 clearly states it:

Spoiler: show

"Do not attempt to capture or imprison Perenelle. Do not talk to her, bargain with her or reason with her. Kill her on sight. The Sorceress is infinitely more dangerous than the Alchemyst."

I'm loving the new cover art as well, though it does seem to have the symbol for waterbenders from Avatar the Last Airbender...well, the twins are supposed to be learning water magic, so it does make sense to use a symbol for water, but it's not the alchemical symbol for water which appears as , an inverted triangle.

[HMN]

I just finished the Magician. I thought it was great. The author can't write these books fast enough. I highly recommend the Alchemist and the Magician. This is one of those series that kids and adults can both enjoy.

I'm glad the next book is the Sorceress because I'm really curious about Perenelle. They kept eluding to her being the strong one of the couple, the incredible memory...

My only criticism is how often we are reminded that Josh is jealous of his sister Sophie in book 2.

Spoiler: show

However now that he is awakened I guess that will change, but then I think we'll hear about how they are now different more.

I just learned that this is a 6 book series, which is driving me a little crazy because that means I have to wait 3 or 4 more books to find out what this prophecy means!

[Kat_Suki]

Originally Posted by HMN

My only criticism is how often we are reminded that Josh is jealous of his sister Sophie in book 2.

I think that's a necessary plot point especially after Mars mentioned his twin sons Romulus and Remus. Twi and La; yin and yang; push and pull; sun and moon; love and hate. Someone got to the original twins and manilpulated them into tearing Danu Talis apart and ending the age of the Elders. We see Dee consistently trying to manipulate Josh and we see how his jealousy allows him to be vunerable to that exploitation and how the changes now have begun a small wedge between he and his sister.

It's interesting that the sun is the "greater work" and the moon is the "lesser work" yet Sophie was the first and Josh the last, in birth order.

[Spacecadet]

Originally Posted by Kat_Suki

I think that's a necessary plot point especially after Mars mentioned his twin sons Romulus and Remus. Twi and La; yin and yang; push and pull; sun and moon; love and hate. Someone got to the original twins and manilpulated them into tearing Danu Talis apart and ending the age of the Elders. We see Dee consistently trying to manipulate Josh and we see how his jealousy allows him to be vunerable to that exploitation and how the changes now have begun a small wedge between he and his sister.

I think Josh's jealousy stems from the fact that being the younger twin he often feels like he has to live up to Sophie. I think the jealousy also lends to the prophecy, One to Unite and one to destroy.

Originally Posted by Kat_Suki

It's interesting that the sun is the "greater work" and the moon is the "lesser work" yet Sophie was the first and Josh the last, in birth order.

And i think that makes sense if you go along with the jealousy idea, Josh always feels like he has to work harder to live up to Sophie, whereas things like common sense come more naturally to Sophie requiring her not to have to work as hard.