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Book Three in the New York Times bestselling series.
Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.
But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.
If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane.
School Library Journal, July 2009: "This book is a must-read for fans of the series"
Booklist.com, April 24, 2009: "Immersively imagined, this series remains a great choice to fill the post-Potter vacuum"
VOYA, October 2009: "Teens familiar with the previous two books or fans of adventure fantasies like Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series will eat this one up."
Michael Scott is an authority on mythology and folklore. You can visit him at www.dillonscott.com. He lives in Dublin, Ireland.
“I think I see them.”
The young man in the green parka standing directly beneath the huge circular clock in St. Pancras station took the phone away from his ear and checked a blurred image on the screen. The English Magician had sent the image: the picture was grainy, the colors washed and faded, and it looked liked it had been taken from an overhead security camera. It showed an older man with short gray hair, accompanied by two blond-haired teens, climbing onto a train.
Rising up on his toes, the young man swiveled his head, looking for the trio he’d glimpsed. For a moment, he thought he’d lost them in the milling crowd, but even if he had, they wouldn’t get far: one of his sisters was downstairs; another was in the street outside, watching the entrance.
Now, where had the old man and the teenagers gone?
Narrow, pinched nostrils opened wide as the young man sorted through the countless scents in the station. He identified and dismissed the mixed stink of too many humani, the myriad perfumes and deodorants, the gels and pastes, the greasy odor of fried food from the station’s restaurants, the richer aroma of coffee and the metallic oily tang of the train engines and carriages. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back.
The odors he was seeking were older, wilder, unnatural. . . .
There!
Mint: just the merest suggestion.
Orange: no more than the vaguest hint.
Vanilla: little more than a trace.
Hidden behind small rectangular sunglasses, blue-black eyes opened wide and his head swiveled, following the gossamer threads of scent through the vast train station. He had them now!
The gray-haired older man, wearing black jeans and a scuffed leather jacket, was striding down the station concourse directly toward him. There was a small overnight case in his left hand. He was followed by the two teenagers, alike enough to be brother and sister. The boy was taller than the girl, and they were both wearing backpacks.
The young man snapped a quick picture with his cell phone camera and sent it to Dr. John Dee. Although he had nothing but contempt for the English Magician, there was no point in making an enemy of him. Dee was the agent of the most dangerous of all the Elders.
Pulling the hood of his parka over his head, he turned away as the trio drew level with him, and dialed his sister, who was waiting downstairs. “It’s definitely Flamel and the twins,” he murmured into the phone, speaking the ancient language that had eventually become Gaelic. “They’re heading in your direction. We’ll take them when they get onto the Euston Road.”
The young man in the hooded parka set off after the Alchemyst and the American twins. He moved easily through the early-afternoon crowd, looking like just another teenager, anonymous and unnoticed in his sloppy jeans, scuffed sneakers and overlarge coat, his head and face concealed by the hood, his eyes invisible behind the sunglasses.
Despite his form, the young man had never been remotely human. He and his sisters had first come to this land when it was still joined to the European continent, and for generations they had been worshipped as gods. He bitterly resented being ordered about by Dee–who was, after all, nothing more than a humani. But the English Magician had promised the hooded boy a delectable prize: Nicholas Flamel, the legendary Alchemyst. Dee’s instructions were clear; he and his sisters could have Flamel, but the twins must not be touched. The boy’s thin lips twisted. His sisters would take the boy and girl, while he would have the honor of killing Flamel. A coal-black tongue licked cracked dry lips. He and his sisters would feast for weeks. And, of course, they would keep the tastiest morsels for Mother.
Nicholas Flamel slowed, allowing Sophie and Josh to catch up with him. Forcing a smile, he pointed to the thirtyfoot- tall bronze statue of a couple embracing beneath the clock. “It’s called The Meeting Place,” he said loudly, and then added in a whisper, “We’re being followed.” Flamel grasped Josh’s arm with iron-hard fingers. “Don’t even think about turning around.”
“Who?” Sophie asked.
“What?” Josh said tightly. He was feeling nauseated; his newly Awakened senses were overwhelmed by the scents and sounds of the train station. The light was so sharp he wished he had a pair of sunglasses to shield his eyes.
“ ‘What?’ is the better question,” Nicholas said grimly. He raised a finger to point up to the clock, as if he were talking about it. “I’m not sure what it is,” he admitted. “Something ancient. I felt it the moment we stepped off the train.”
“Felt it?” Josh asked.
“A tingle, like an itch. My aura reacted to the aura of whoever–whatever–is here. When you have a little more control of your own auras, you’ll be able to do the same.” Tilting her head back, as if she were admiring the latticework of the metal-and-glass ceiling, Sophie slowly turned.
Crowds swirled around them. Most seemed to be locals, though there were plenty of tourists, many stopping to have their photographs taken in front of The Meeting Place or the huge clock. No one seemed to be paying them any particular attention.
“What can we do?” Josh asked. “I can boost Sophie’s powers. . . .”
“No,” Flamel snapped. “You can only use your powers as an absolute last resort. As soon as you activate your aura, it will alert every Elder, Next Generation and immortal within a ten-mile radius, and here, just about every immortal you encounter is allied to the Dark Elders. Also, in this land, it could awaken others, creatures best left sleeping.”
“But you said we’re being followed,” Sophie protested.
“That means Dee knows we’re here.”
Flamel urged the twins to the left, away from the statue, hurrying them toward the exit. “I would imagine there are watchers in every airport, seaport and railway station across Europe. Although Dee might have suspected that we were heading to London, the instant either of you activates your aura, he’ll know for certain.”
Piny
Posted Mon Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I Also Recommend:
I was walking the aisles in Barnes & Noble and was surprised to see the third book in the Flamel Series. It was an intense read that I could not put down. It kept me on the edge of my bed every night. I highly recommend the entire series for teen readers.
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Aug 27 00:00:00 EDT 2009
The Sorceress
By Michael Scott
Pub. Date: May 2009
5 out of 5 stars
PG-13 - Violence
Recommended
Nicholas Flamel was able to get the twins, Josh and Sophie, out of Paris, France, but it seems only to bring them to an even more dangerous place, London. In a city that Dee and the Dark Elders completely control, every corner hides a person that may finally be able to capture them, or worse. kill them. They are not helpless though, with Sophie already trained in two elemental magics, Nick's knowledge, and Josh's sword, but any presence of their auras will alert everyone in the city to their location. Even if the twins survive the streets of London, they may not survive the encounter with the Water magic teacher. For Nicholas has been hiding the fact from them that this man is completely and utterly insane.
The Sorceress isn't only an action-adventure fantasy for teen boys, but also a thrilling, mysterious ride for all ages and genders.
Not only is The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series exciting, but also great books to use in the classroom. Many characters are based on historical figures. You could easily use these books as interest builders for history class. Even Science, Math, and Physics classes could be aided in teaching students by these books. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series uses Intelligent Fighting tactics. The characters aren't just bashing the bad guys on the head with hammers, but using physics, gravity, common sense, distance estimation, probabilities, erosion, and more to take out the bad guys. These are all things that are taught in school, but not always met with interest from students. These books could turn that around!
A fourth of all the sentences started with either he, she, or they. Though that is not a very sophisticated writing technic, it doesn't impinge my love of the books at all
The Sorceress kept me on my tiptoes the whole time. Each chapter had a different cliffhanger, so it was impossible to stop reading! Someone should really add an advertisement page after each chapter, because seriously, I was waiting for the commercials to begin. Also, every character, be them minor, major, hero, or villian, had to face their different dilemmas in their own narrated chapters. I never knew who would be in the next chapter, or when we would get back to a different one. Warning, you will not be able to put this book down!
Date Reviewed: May 20th, 2009
For more book reviews and book information check out my blog at www.inthecurrent.blogspot.com
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Kristafee
Posted Sat Sep 05 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I Also Recommend:
My husband and I started reading the series a few months back and we couldn't wait for The Sorceress to come out. He devoured it in about a week. I love how Michael Scott mixes myths and legends from all across history and cultures with modern time and issues. The plight of Sofie and Josh are just as engaging and suspenseful as the predicament Nicholas and Parry are in. We can't wait for The Necromancer to be published.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I would reccommend this book to all ages. I suggest reading the first two first, though.
The worst thing about this book and all in the series, is waiting for the next one to come out.
Definitely read them!! :-)
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Jun 20 00:00:00 EDT 2009
Like The Alchemist and The Magician, the first two books in this series by Michael Scott, The Sorceress is a real page turner. Scott weaves his extensive knowledge of folklore and mythology thoughout the books, creating an exciting story with interesting characters. I stayed up late several nights reading. I'd say to myself, "All right, I'll go to bed at the end of this chapter," only to have it end with a cliffhanger so I'd have to read on. And I'm 52 years old! My best friend's 15 year old son and I had a race to see who could finish The Sorceress first. (He won.) We can't wait for The Necromancer to be released.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.These are fast-paced can't put it down until your finished kind of books, and this edition to the series is no exception. However, I find myself wanting a lot more from them and the world that Scott is creating. Don't get me wrong, I really do love these books, but I have a lot of general qualms with them. I want more magic, and I want to know how the magic is being created. When we all were transported to Hogwarts, there was an explanation of how the magic worked throughout the world, which had very particular rules about what one can do when and how long it takes to acquire that knowledge. So, ok, I know that Scott is not trying to recreate the Potter world, but it would be nice to know what rules the magic of this world operates from. The best explanation that we get at any point from either of the twins is, "I don't know, somehow you just know how to do it." I think this is a travesty and is missing out on a crucial element of drawing us into the story. How are they developing these abilities? How do they feel as they're creating the magic? Every once in a while we get a peek into the whole thing, but it's not nearly often enough. Even the other immortals have cool spells that I'd like to get a little more depth on. Most of the time, they simply say, a shaman taught me this, or I learned this from Circe. You learned what from Circe? Is it a spell that you say? How are you creating the magic? Anyway, past all that, it's a fun read and, in my opinion, more engaging than the first two. Josh and Sophie have generally become less whiney and are starting to jump into this whole being special and having magical abilities thing. Also, not to spoil it, but there's an interesting plot twist that happens right at the end of the book. -Lindsey Miller, lindseyslibrary
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Dec 25 00:00:00 EST 2012
TWO THUMBS UP!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2012
This series is awesome! Read it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2012
Looking forward to the rest of the series. Couldn't put it down.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2012
Read it once and just had to read it again
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Jan 26 00:00:00 EST 2012
I love this series! I have enjoyed every step of the journey the twins and the Flamels have been on. I tore through the first three books in the series in a weeks time, not being able to put the books down. I am on the forth and am enjoying that one. This is a great series, a must have if you like the world of magic!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 2011
Good book for people that like fasntasy and action books
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri May 28 00:00:00 EDT 2010
Though i loved the first books in the series, The Sorcerres has the same old plotline of the other two, without anything new. Josh and Sophie get chased by monsters, they meet imortals, they fight yet another battle with yet another half-human, half-animal elder, and they get another superpower. All jumbled together in the impossible time frame of one day. Plus, does Michael Scott have to tell us everything that's happening to every character every second no matter how boring their plot line is? But i gotta admitt, the ending is pretty cool
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I stumbled across this series and got hooked within the first few chapters. In this third book more creatures of old and legendary men and women come to light. Michael Scott has done something unique and brilliant with the twins Josh and Sophie gradually losing innocence and maturing with each new mythic and lethal experience. Nicholas Flamel seeming all the more human as his flaws become more apparent. The slow approach of ancient nightmares. All this keeps you on your toes and pining for more as each chapter ends, and despite how the chapters switch perspectives from one character to another the transition never feels out of place. Somehow despite all the myth and wonder that Michael has put into these books you never lose sight of the fact that they are in our world. The plot throws interesting curves and manages to keep its reveals dramatic and unexpected even now in the third book. However, it is not difficult or challenging to follow. So those looking for a hard read would be better off looking elsewhere. As mentioned before the characters are all unique and Michael shows another side to historic figures all the while respecting their origins. Josh and Sophie remain in the spotlight as more choices and responsibilities are put on them, and despite different perspectives they always desire to protect one another. This remains the crucial human element in a book of non-human creatures. Nicholas Flamel is also shown as having weaknesses and this makes him more relatable as a character.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Jun 13 00:00:00 EDT 2009
Oftentimes a series will falter but, in my estimation, Scott's Flamel books have yet to do so. Sorceress has some boring passages of back story that are typical of this format, but not a surfeit. Scott's knowledge of myth and folklore are evident...you'll find all sorts of creatures here and from all corners of the world. He keeps the focus on action, moving between characters and scenes by chapters. I don't feel that his characterization is stellar, especially concerning the twins. I'm more drawn in by the magic and mayhem than by their plight, but there is enough going on to keep me turning the pages to find out what's going on in spite of the fact that I'm not highly drawn to the characters emotionally.
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Apr 05 00:00:00 EDT 2013
The Sorceress is the 3rd book in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. I highly recommend this book for sit-down-and-relax reading and also plane-riding, as it has a lot of mystery, adventure, and action. This book is fun and excited and, in my opinion, great for rereads.
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Posted Tue Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 2013
However, as a previous reviewer noted, there IS some conflicting information. Don't let that stop you from reading the series, though!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Mon Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2013
The whole series is
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged....however, so I have found so often with this series, there is conflicting information. Towards the end of the book, Scott states that Flamel took the twins to the Witch of Endor to be awakened. However, we all know he took them to Hekate. This type of error is inexcusable, and I'm not sure why newly printed copies of this book have not been corrected.
Aside from that major error/annoyance, the story was amazing. This was my favorite story in the series yet, which is why it pains me that I am only able to give it a four. Otherwise, I highly recommend this book!!!
Anonymous
Posted Mon Jan 07 00:00:00 EST 2013
He has.
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Overview
Book Three in the New York Times bestselling series.
Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.
But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still ...