Michael Scott – The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series
It is Magic May and the publishers are about to release (22nd May?) Irish author Michael Scott’s 6th book (The Enchantress) in this series, so it is an appropriate time to talk about this fantasy/magic series. I started this series a few years ago with the second book The Magician,the sequel to The Alchemyst and have since read the series in order.
The main characters are Sophie and Josh Newman, teenage twins who have been working at summer jobs in San Francisco. Josh at a book store and Sophie at a coffee shop across the road. In The Alchemyst, Sophie and Josh have find out that the bookstore’s owner is the medieval alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel and that they are magical twins who need their powers awakened. They come up against John Dee (the Magician of Book 2) and are transported by a magical leygate from San Francisco to Paris along with the 14th century alchemist Nicholas Flamel and the immortal warrior maiden Scathach. The siblings are heralded as the twins of legend with silver and gold auras and find themselves in the midst of a centuries-old battle involving legendary beings, magicians who are hundreds of years old, and the Codex, the Book of Abraham the Mage that holds the secrets of life and death. Dr. John Dee, a magician/astrologer from the court of Queen Elizabeth I, has imprisoned Flamel’s wife Perenelle on Alcatraz Island. Dee calls on Niccolo Machiavelli, another historical figure who has achieved immortality, to aid him in capturing Flamel and the twins. When the Comte de Saint-Germain and his wife, Joan of Arc, join the battle on the side of Flamel, sparks truly begin to fly. At the heart of this struggle is Josh’s jealousy of his sister’s powers and his impatience to have his own “awakening,” a happening that will have far-reaching consequences (adapted from random house summary) and so the series continues with other figures joining the fray.
I am not fond of mythical fantasy, but I liked the first four books in the series for the way Scott used historical figures, including those mentioned, as well as Shakespeare and Billy the Kid. At times, I needed to reread to pick up the clues and subtleties associated with different characters and their actions. So, with this in mind, I will reread the 5th book (The Warlock) before starting The Enchantress after May 22nd!
Useful links
Michael Scott’s Webpage http://www.dillonscott.com/the-secrets-of-the-immortal-nicholas-flamel/
Random House Teachers’ Guide for The Magician http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385733588&view=tg
Teacher Librarian Help 
Discussion
Comments are closed.