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    The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
    Unavailable
    The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
    Unavailable
    The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

    Written by Michael Scott

    Narrated by Denis O' Hare

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Nicholas Flamel appeared in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter-but did you know he really lived? And he might still be alive today! Discover the truth in Michael Scott's New York Times bestselling series the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel with The Alchemyst, book one.

    The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330.

    The legend: Nicholas Flamel discovered the secret of eternal life.

    The records show that he died in 1418.

    But his tomb is empty.

    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.

    "[A] A riveting fantasy…While there is plenty here to send readers rushing to their encyclopedias…those who read the book at face value will simply be caught up in the enthralling story. A fabulous read."-SLJ, Starred

    Read the whole series!
    The Alchemyst
    The Magician
    The Sorceress
    The Necromancer
    The Warlock
    The Enchantress

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 22, 2007
    ISBN9780739355831
    Unavailable
    The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
    Author

    Michael Scott

    Michael Scott, OBE, is a writer and broadcaster with a training in botany and education, and a special interest in Scottish mountain flowers. He has run many adult education classes on wild flowers and leads natural history courses and study tours. He is Scottish Officer of the conservation charity Plantlife and edits Scottish Environment News.

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    Reviews for The Alchemyst

    4/5

    1,645 ratings120 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Rereading this series because I never read the last two books when they were published. I still really enjoyed this book. I love the mix of history and myth.
    • 3/5
      I just finished listening to this and it was entertaining in a Harry Potter-ish sort of way. I'll probably listen to the rest of the series.
    • 4/5
      Not so good as I remember it from long-ago reading of the paperback. I don't know whether that is because the vocal characterisation didn't fit my memory of the characters, or because I have now read/listened to a much wider range of adult novels in this genre. The narrator is good, but maybe not to my taste.
    • 3/5
      This reads like a movie script. Which is fine, I guess, except if I wanted to watch a movie, I wouldn't be reading a book. A couple of teens get mixed up in a centuries-old feud between immortals over a book that ensures their immortality. Assorted mythological figures show up. The boy teen gets tempted to join the enemy. There is fighting. The end of the book leads right into the second volume, which I haven't read and don't really care about. I might have enjoyed this when I was younger, or before I'd read a lot of YA fantasy, but by and large this was pretty forgettable.
    • 2/5
      This was a cute story for a younger audience. The action seemed too random and uncohesive. I'm not reading the next one in this series.
    • 4/5
      Not the first time I’ve read this book, and certainly not the last, I’m reminded just how wonderfully Michael Scott weaves history and mythology together. He spins arcane legends like Atlantis and the gods of Egypt and Greece into everyday fare I can’t help but feast on. Centered around a set of prophesied teenage twins in the early years of the twenty first century, this story stretches out over the course of three days and turns their once blissfully peaceful life upside down while thrusting Josh and Sophie Newman into a terrifying and lethal new world. The first of six splendid fictional stories that leave the reader open to consider the reality of magic and our ignorance of it, “The Alchemyst” is a must read for fans of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings seeking a book a little closer to home.
    • 2/5
      . I liked the writing but honestly could not get into the story. I tried a few times and then moved on. It just wasn't for me but I could see where others would dig it.
    • 4/5
      Loved the mix of historical w/ mythology w/ coming of age. Definitely continuing on in the series.
    • 3/5
      Not a great introduction to the series. The twins aren't particularly interesting, it's obvious that they're setting up for the brother to betray the sister, Nicholas and his wife aren't very well fleshed out so I have difficulty caring for either of them, the antagonists are boring. I hope this series improves.
    • 5/5
      The Alchemyst by Michael Scott centers around the immortal alchemist Nicholas Flamel, two modern teens and an ancient text that could destroy the world. Twins, Josh and Sophie, are living a completely normal life until the bookshop where Josh works for Nick Flemming is ransacked and an important book is stolen -except for two pages Josh manages to hold on to. On that day, they learn Mr. Flemming is nearly 600 years old and is really Mr. Nicholas Flamel. They learn that magic is real and the myths that involve it are true as well. And they learn that Mr. Flamel has an enemy who will stop at nothing to get those two pages. To keep the pages safe, Nicholas and the twins embark on a journey to magical places and seek help from mystical beings. Whatever happens, their lives will never be the same.I gave this book four and a half stars because it is a fast paced adventure that involved magic and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. As I read it, it felt so real that it seemed like I was watching a movie or playing a video game. Because of these elements I think The Alchemyst would appeal to either boys or girls. I also enjoyed how historical events (like the London Fire of 1666) were explained by Nicholas Flamel. He said many of them were caused by magic. Even though I know this isn't true, it was interesting to consider these creative explanations. The only thing this book lacked was a complete ending. I feel I must read the next book in the series for a resolution.
    • 3/5
      Immortal Nick Fleming which is his secret identity name, who's real name is Nicholas Flemel has been trying to protect a book that was named the codex. This book is extremely important and powerful. But if Nicholas failed to protect the very important codex and let the dark elders and other bad guys to get it the the world would be destroyed. Nickolas Flemel must take the codex back from the the dark elders. He goes on adventures trying to get the codex back with twins Josh and Sophie. There is a lot of magic, sorcery, and dark magic in this book. As well as some odd things like men made out of clay. This wasn't my favorite book. But, it wasn't that bad of a book. There was, like i said, a lot of magic, sorcery, and dark magic. This book, as well as many other books was slow at the beginning. I might read the rest of the series. But I am not so sure just yet. Other people might like it, but i just wasn't that into the book.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book so much. It was set at a nice pace and it told me a little about historical people. And based on the other reviews only some people well like this book if you don't really like it at all you won't get into it.
    • 5/5
      Excellent plot, intriguing characters... this one had me hooked from the first page, and had me excited about the next one! Scott is both accurate and informed with his use of myth and lore, and weaves a web of intrigue that just makes you say, "WOW!"
    • 3/5
      I expected a lot from this book (I do have the whole series already!). It was just okay, it was a bit Percy Jackson but a lot more dragging. It was not that exciting. The battle at Hekate's Shadowrealm was lacking. I love the plot but not just how it was executed.
    • 3/5
      This is a fun, adventure following two twins (Sophie and Josh) and Nicholas Flamel (The Alchemyst). This story contains a lot of mythology and history and is a fun way to learn about both. I'd recommend the series if you're looking for something quick and easy!
    • 4/5
      Unique and interesting characters, in some places a little darker than I like my fantasy, but well done
    • 3/5
      I was told by a customer that this was one of the best books she'd ever read. I would have to disagree with her on that point. The book was certainly entertaining, but the characters bothered me. I didn't feel any connection to sophie, josh, flamel, or scatatch. They seemed very generic to me. Sophie ad josh were just your typical 15 year old sister and brother. There wasn't anything complex, or special, or fantastic about them. Overall, they were pretty boring. So, even though the story was interesting, I don't know if it was great enough to make me continue with the series. I was really hoping to find some characters I could fall in love with, ones that would make me want to keep reading because they were witty, intelligent, or bold, and sophie and josh just didn't deliver that. I think great characters are key to a series because readers are following those characters over thhe course of what may be several years. I think this is why I can't find a fantasy series that tops harry potter, but I'll keep searching until I do. I don't mean to discourage anyone from reading this, because like I said it is action packed and entertaining.
    • 2/5
      I remember rereading some of Michael Scott's earlier novels last summer and feeling disappointed. They just didn't hold the magic I'd seen in them when I was younger. I don't know if these books would or not, if I was younger, but my first comment on The Alchemyst was "I'm so far unimpressed", and I could close the book with the same feeling, too. I don't really care enough to hunt down the next book, not while I have so much else to read.

      It could be interesting. I quite like mash-ups of tonnes of different mythology. This just left me cold, though. The Morrigan likes ebay and is addicted to online strategy games. Hecate lives in a copy of Yggdrasil. Scathach is a vampire (of sorts) and prefers to be called Scatty. Etc. I don't mind mythology meeting modern technology, either, but this... Every couple of paragraphs it had to mention laptops or email or ipods.

      You could sort of call this book "fast-paced", if by that you mean "one never-ending fight scene, with lots of special effects".

      It completely lacks subtlety. Exposition is ladled on thickly, and not a chapter can go by without a reference to how much the twins love each other. The kids aren't just the son and daughter of an archaeologist, no, they know loads of stuff about mythology and the names of craters of the moon (and yet still don't know what Yggdrasil or Hecate or anything is). They're not just special, they're super special, with solid gold and silver auras. Etc.

      Not for me, I think.
    • 1/5
      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, my mind substituted "Poopy." After a few dozen repetitions of that, I simply had no choice but to call it quits.

      Poopy.

      Edit: I was going to give this 2 stars, because it wasn't awful. But how can I give a book anything more than one star when it makes me think of poop on every page?
    • 5/5
      re-reading again whilst I read the last one.
    • 3/5
      I am... torn on this book. On the one hand, the premise really spoke to me, all the magic and ancient gods and alchemy. Plus, hello gorgeous cover all up in my face at every single Barnes and Noble I drop in. I just feel like it fell a bit short. At the heart, this is a YA novel, and it reads like a YA novel. Similar to the Percy Jackson series for me - something I want to love, but only kind of like. However, since the novel ends on a cliffhanger, I feel compelled to read the second.
    • 2/5
      My god, the product placements and brand references in this book were over the top. Everything was Bluetooth this and Wiki that. Every time it happened it pulled me right out of the story. Finally I stopped reading.
    • 1/5
      I am enormously frustrated by the amount of wasted potential in this book. The bones of the plot are good; Scott's takes on mythology and magic are enough different to hold interest and add something new to the fantasy scene. As an example, I've always been fascinated by auras and I love how Scott used them. The action starts right away and draws you in, but then the rest of the book drags between the actual battle scenes.

      Unfortunately, the writing is awful. If I hadn't been listening to the book I might not have noticed or minded as much, but audio often highlights the faults of a text. The biggest problem was the mind-numbing repetition. For instance, Scott tells us through several different characters about 20 times that the awakening ceremony is dangerous and perhaps deadly, but when the awakening ceremony actually happens Josh is horrified and astounded when Hecate tells him that the awakening ceremony is dangerous and perhaps deadly - despite the fact that everyone has been telling him this all along - it's not been hidden at all. Another example, all the way on the seventh CD, Scott is beginning sections with Josh or Sophie's full names: "Josh Newman blah, blah blah" when there are no other characters named Josh or Sophie in the book - we're more than 75% of the way through the book - last names are really not required at this point.

      Beyond the repetition issue, the character motivations are not well depicted - when Josh and Sophie decide to run away in the middle of the night, why is that exactly? Also, why does everyone take so long to get on board with the awakening thing? I felt from the first time it was mentioned that this was going to be inevitable, so Scott either needed to present a viable alternative plan or make it happen faster. It was really frustrating to feel like with a sharper editor this could have been a really good book - I think it partly fell victim to the call for "long" or "thick" books that has come with Harry Potter's popularity when there's just not enough story here to justify the page count.

      The narration was fine (although not great - I'd even hesitate about good) in and of itself, but not good enough to overcome the weaknesses in the writing. Listened to Listening Library edition narrated by Denis O'Hare.

      I will continue to recommend the series to kids who like fantasy or are curious about Nicolas Flamel after his brief mention in Harry Potter, but I will steer them away from the audio and I will not be continuing with the series myself.
    • 4/5
      Don't listen to Deanna, this book is actually awesome.

      I think it's an excellent choice for kids who started off reading Harry Potter but maybe the later books have a bit too much violence and stuff for them.
    • 2/5
      Meh. It never grabbed me. I think its just not my style. The narrator kept taking over to explain to me what the characters were thinking or feeling. Lots of "he would never tell her, but he was actually afraid of rabbits, which was why he had not gotten out of the car when the rabbits arrived," or "he remembered the first time they met," often followed by several pages of flashback explaining why he was afraid or what happened when they met. Also a lot of jumping back and forth between characters in different locations.

      It really broke up the narrative, to the point where I had a hard time staying engaged with it, because I would just get interested in what was going on and then we'd be having a flashback or be off to visit someone else, and I'd have to wait for the next chapter to find out how the things I had just got interested in turned out.

      I started to imagine the characters standing around like statues staring in different directions while a voice over narrated the various flashbacks and inner dialogues. Aaand then they move again. But wait, meanwhile across town...

      There were things here that were clever and interesting but in the end I just couldn't stay connected.
    • 5/5
      Really excellent read. The author, who is an authority on different myths and folklore, has weaved together different myths, beliefs, and legends from many different sources into the storyline. The story has elements of da Vinci code secrets, the different myths, and also real people, places, and events that make it crackle right along. Anyone who enjoys fantasy reads will enjoy.
    • 4/5
      When Sophie and Josh first meet Nick and Perry, they don't realize who they really are. It isn't until a otherwordly fight in Nick's bookshop that Sophie and Josh learn the truth - they are Nicholas and Perrinel Flammel, the world's best alchemyst and his wife, who have been alive for over 700 years. When Perrinel is taken, Nicholas and the twins must find allies and fight foes from the the "elder race" - those creatures who first inhabited the earth and long ago taught humans to make fire, amongst other things. I enjoyed the way that magical stories and ideas all melded together to create a new plot - very similar to the way that Rowling and Colfer call upon various myths and legends to supply their stories' creatures. Readers will be familiar with enough of the legend behind the book that they will feel as if it could possibly be true...
    • 3/5
      Twins Sophie and Josh Newman find themselves at the heart of an age-old legend that threatens to destroy the world. Along the way, they meet some really unusual characters, some who will help them, others who want to hurt them, and a few that might be in between.This was a fun read. For those who enjoyed Harry Potter or the Percy Jackson books, I would have no hesitation this series.
    • 4/5
      Background: Nick Flamel is not who he says he is, not just a bookstore owner, but an immortal alchemyst. Josh and Sophie are just teenagers working their summer jobs, when they get wrapped up in the unbelievable world that surrounds Nick. Thought to be the twins of an ancient legend they begin their journey and the fight to save humanity from the evil Dr. D and the Elders.Review: I have been putting off reading this series and now I feel stupid that I waited so long. This first book was very good and it made me want to jump right into the next one. Sophie is very likable and put together, while her brother Josh is impatient and constantly nagging, so they play well off of one another.When Sophie starts to get treated differently it becomes clear that Josh is super jealous of his twin's abilities and it is a good lead in to the next book. I think the idea of having all myths and legends based in truth for this book is great. The twins come in to contact with some crazy things, immortals, magic, beasts that have not existed in centuries, and many other things. It's a fantasy, mystery, and adventure all wrapped into one book and the story never lets you down.The story alternates between various groups of people, sometimes the twins with Nick, sometimes Dr.D and also Perenelle who is Nick's Wife.Great 1st book, almost done with book 2, also full of adventure!
    • 5/5
      The Alchemyst tells the story of the immortal Nicholas Flamel. Nicholas and his wife Pernelle have been looking for the legendary twins for centuries. The legendary twins are in a ancienty profecy that states that they will save the world form the dark elders. The dark elder are called by many names. They are most commonly known as gods. Greek gods, Norse gods, Celtic gods etc. Josh and Sophie Neweman are the twins of legend, but they don't know it, yet. Josh has a summer job working in Nicholas's book store while Sophie works across the street. One day a mysterious man walks in to the book store. The man's name isDr. John Dee, an immortal working for the elders. John Dee destroys Nicholas's shop looking for the Codex (book that will bring the dark elders back into the world). John Dee steals the book, but Josh rips out the last two vital pages without John Dee knowing. John Dee also kidnaps Pernelle and keeps her prisoner on Alcatraz. Know Sophie and Josh are know introduced into the world of magic and there is no going back to normal. Now with the help of Nicholas, Josh and Sophie must learn all foour magics and stop the dark elders.This book had mythological creatures living in the modern world. The action through out the book was amazing. The characters had a lot of sense of humor in the book. This made the book more enjoyable to read. Nobody wants a book without humor! There are many other magic books like Harry Potter, but if you give this series a chance, you can clearly see that this series is like nothing you have ever read before. The only thing I don't like is that the book is told from everyone's point of view. It's told through Sophie's point of view, Josh's, John Dee's, Pernelle's and even a rat's. I recomend this book to anyone who like humor/action/magic books.