• The Alchemyst

  • The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 1
  • By: Michael Scott
  • Narrated by: Denis O'Hare
  • Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (4,848 ratings)

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The Alchemyst  By  cover art

The Alchemyst

By: Michael Scott
Narrated by: Denis O'Hare
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Publisher's summary

Nicholas Flamel appeared in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter - but did you know he really lived? And his secrets aren't safe! Discover the truth in book one of the New York Times best-selling series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel's tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives.

Nicholas Flamel is the greatest Alchemyst to ever live. The records show that he died in 1418, but what if he's actually been making the elixir of life for centuries?

The secrets to eternal life are hidden within the book he protects - the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed, and in the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. And that's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it.

There is one hope. If the prophecy is true, Sophie and Josh Newman have the power to save everyone. Now they just have to learn to use it.

“The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel has everything you loved about Harry Potter, including magic, mystery, and a constant battle of good versus evil.” (Bustle)

A New York Times best-selling series
A USA Today best seller
A Kids' Indie Next List Selection
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
An ILA Young Adult Choice Book
An ILA Children’s Choice Winner

©2007 Michael Scott (P)2007 Random House Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

“[A] riveting fantasy . . . fabulous read.” (School Library Journal, starred)

“Readers will be swept up.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred)

“An exciting and impeccably thought-out fantasy, well-suited for those left in the lurch by Harry Potter’s recent exeunt.” (Booklist)

What listeners say about The Alchemyst

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,485
  • 4 Stars
    1,310
  • 3 Stars
    664
  • 2 Stars
    228
  • 1 Stars
    161
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,106
  • 4 Stars
    830
  • 3 Stars
    356
  • 2 Stars
    69
  • 1 Stars
    53
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,957
  • 4 Stars
    843
  • 3 Stars
    398
  • 2 Stars
    143
  • 1 Stars
    104

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Children's Novel......Maybe!

I thought this sounded like a great book since I am into fantasy and mythology like Lord of the Rings and Eragon. Not that I would compare this book to any of those titles but when I heard "Welcome to Audible Kids" when I started the book on my MP3 player I may have blushed just slightly (I'm 49). Turns out the book is fantastic and so is the reader. I like to think I am of above average intelligence and this book entertained me and left me wanting more and just did not seem at all to be a children's novel. It is rare that a writer can write something that appeals to old and young alike but that is what you will find here. I love the characters and the voices are handled nicely by the narrator. I highly recommend it and the two that follow it as well.

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196 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

High Fantasty in a modern world setting

Harry Potter fans would like this book, I think. There's the magic of Potter, but most of it takes place in present day California. Lots of action mixed with a mystery about the past. The narrator's ability to create different voices is amazing!

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69 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting

I enjoyed the book, but felt that it was geared more toward a younger reader (young adult/teenager). Perhaps that's because two of the major characters are themselves teenagers. I greatly preferred the George RR Martin "Song of Ice and Fire" series - which is definitely geared to adults, and I've preferred (so far) the John Twelve Hawkes "Traveler" series. The Alchemyst reads too much like a fairy tale (so far). I do plan to listen to the next one to see if my opinion changes.

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39 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

An interesting tale for 10-year olds

I could have rated it as a 4 if they had mentioned the book was written for 10-year olds. It was just too silly/childish for me to enjoy. However I do enjoy books like Harry Potter, CS Lewis's Narnia adventures, Eragon, and L.A. Meyer's Bloody Jack series, so I am not a young-adult-fiction snob. So out of loyalty to my fellow Audible book listeners I felt inclined to warn you of my assessment of this book's intended audience.

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35 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love it. Buy it. Just remember - youthful direct

This series may or may not be intended for teenagers or the youth. It is a nice fun series. I am a seriously avid reader, and finish a novel per week. I picked up the first book in the series for my daughter. I ran out of books and picked it up. I have read all of them now. They are fun.
The series has characters that are well wrritten and believable. The goals and problems are very truthful. Michael Scott has to have or had a few teenagers because he has them down pretty well in the books.
Now don't think you are about to read a literary masterpiece but the stories have heart, soul, well planned themes and flow, and realistic well described characters. I love a good book and these are just that. GOOD BOOKS

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34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Chocked full of action

This book has you on the move from the first page, and doesn't stop to the last page. Michael Scott, Keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole book. And when you're driving, that's not a bad thing. I'd recommend this book to anyone of any age. I await more audible books from this author.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Fun But Predictable

Somewhat typical messaiahs to save the world from evil theme but with some original characters, some imaginative villians, and page turner action. Fun but nothing that feels really new or to original.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • GH
  • 07-25-12

A lure to hook you on the series -- It Does!

Welcome to the world of Nicholas Flamal. This is a fitting lure to hook you into the six book series. The author uses faints and foreshadowing to keep the reader in a continual quandary of emotion and ut ohs. This work has heavy helping of fantasy mixed into the ordinary world. But a killer fantasy has to be either so over the top no one cares about the laws of what we consider real or offer fantasy with a possible life connection to the world as we know it – tenuous as it might be. Scott does the later – he paints a world of creatures, magic and legend that has threads of the distant plausible. This first book will appeal to a reader of any age. So far it's like The Hobbit meets the Traveler by John Twelve Oaks. I highly suggest you read it. I am off to the second installment.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Mistake

I suppose teens might like this, though expect they'd enjoy it more in a movie, to better experience the pyrotechnics and special effects. That's really all there was to it. I guess I liked Denis O'Hare's voice in the sample, and had just finished a couple of really good books featuring twins and history-based witchcraft and mythology tales. This is nothing like those. I'm embarrassed that I actually bought this, but felt it would be a public service to strongly caution other mature adults against making the same mistake.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

the alchemyst

This book is not awful, not bad, but certainly not good - it's a stewpot. The author repeats himself a lot and uses the same analogies over and over. "like the "his tongue was too big for his mouth"... or "he had the same thought than his twin".. I got it after the first two times... twins tend to think alike. The author was influenced by Lord of the Rings and other mystical book one might have read. Not much originality, if you ask me.

I bought this book because it was on sale, I would NEVER spend a full credit or anything over $8.00 on any of the sequels. The narrator did a good job.

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13 people found this helpful