The Amber Garden

The Alchemists’ Council, Book 3

By: Cynthea Masson

Narrated by: Sharon Taylor

The stunning and beautifully crafted conclusion to the Alchemists’ Council series.

In the third installment of the Alchemists’ Council trilogy, eternal conflicts between the Council and Rebel Branch escalate. Secrets about time-travel manipulation are revealed, uncomfortable truths about alchemical children are discovered, and Council dimension itself begins to disintegrate. Amid this fallout, the Amber Garden dissolves, conjoined pairs suffer torturous separation, alchemists die in the process, and Cedar is banished to the outside world where she endures a living death within her conjoined partner.

Efforts of both alchemists and rebels to resolve the dissolution of Council and Flaw dimensions prove futile. People of the outside world experience ever-increasing political turmoil and the risk of environmental collapse. Mercifully, the alchemists have woven a thread of hope into an alchemically inscribed book, which they release into the outside world with the purpose of attracting new Initiates to Council. At first, Initiate Virginia appears to be a disrespectful interloper with whom Jaden loathes to work. However, their combined scribal efforts prove astoundingly powerful - so much so that they are sent through time to inscribe critical messages into ancient manuscripts. Events associated with one such manuscript lead Cedar to propose a solution to the dimensional fallout: All remaining alchemists must permanently vacate Council dimension.

©2020 Cynthea Masson (P)2020 ECW Press

Critic reviews

“The Amber Garden and the two earlier titles are highly original, full of complex and intricate worldbuilding with a complicated plot that spans centuries and involves time travel and multiple circular timelines.” (Canadian Review of Materials)

“Written in dense prose well-suited to this style of large-scale fantastic history, The Amber Garden has a pleasing narrative inevitability that heads toward a not-entirely expected conclusion. The alchemical texts, the efforts of scribes to make necessary alterations, all the details of Council and Flaw dimensions - along with the underlying concerns about free will - are a compelling foundation for the story.” (Booklist)