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

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)

Fabulous

Wonderfully written. The combination of historical and mythical features is entertaining. Highly recommend Percy Jackson Fans looking for a new series.

Good story, fun characters.

A very enjoyable first volume. Easy to follow, lots of action and magic set in modern times. A great book for all ages.

Intriguing!

This is a really fun book that is suited for teens and adults. The narration is really well performed and the story is original and intriguing. It is action packed and gorey at time with vivid descriptions of the chaos so children should definitely not listen to this. I loved the blend of real history with mythology and all types of magical creatures. The author came up with an original concept that kept me rivited to the story. My only dissapointment is the lack of closure for the book. It requires the next books to find a satisfying ending.

this narrator

This narrator is exceptional! I think I would listen to any book he narrates because he pulls you into the story really, really, really well. And this is a really good story.

Amazing Narrator; Great Story

I read this entire series when I was younger, and I got an urge to go back to the nostalgia of my favorite YA series. I was wary, because not everything in YA stands up to the test of time to be enjoyable as an adult. But this is.

A narrator can make or break an audiobook. And let me tell you, Dennis O'Hare MAKES this. He does a wonderful job of giving the characters unique accents and tones, and makes them FEEL like different characters, rather than just a robotic reading of words on a page. He makes them feel real, and that is absolutely incredible with a book like this one.

I haven't checked yet, but I hope he narrated the rest of the series too. It wouldn't feel right done by someone else.

Intriguing towards the end.

Story started off kinda slow but towards the end, it started picking up nicely 👌 encouraging me to pick up the next book.

Great Read.

This book kept me engaged. I will be purchasing it for my students. Can't wait!

Mindless, but enjoyable.

Not really much depth in this series...it reads very much like a TV show.

That said, sometimes you are in the mood for TV! I am an older reader, so I might be a bit skewed. Maybe my review would be different if I was a teen.

If you are looking for something to pass the time on vacation or a road trip this series would be a good one.

Not a bad start.

I like the story and the narrator is OK. There's a couple points in the book where the author is trying to be descriptive. He just makes it too long and goes overboard. Overall good enough for me to give book 2A try

Fantastic all the way!!

Engaging and mesmerizing, sometimes I'd feel like I was watching a movie and completely forget i was listening to a book.