Summary from Amazon:
Fans of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series will be breathless in anticipation of this thrilling penultimate chapter in Sophie and Josh’s adventures.
The twins of prophecy have finally been divided. The end is near.
In Alcatraz, Machiavelli and Billy the Kid are following the Elders’ plans to unleash the monsters of Alcatraz on the city of San Francisco, triggering the end of the Humani race.
In the Shadowrealm, warriors –including Scathach and Palamedes– have been summoned to travel back in time to destroy the lost city of Danu Talis. The island must fall to save the modern world.
In San Francisco, Josh has chosen a side – and he will not stand with his sister, Sophie, or the Alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel. He has chosen to fight alongside John Dee and the mysterious Virginia Dare.
Sophie must find her twin before the battle begins. If she fails, all is lost forever...
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So you might remember me going all fan-girl-crazy over Michael Scott last September. His series, The Secrets Of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, is one of the best series out there. Action-packed, filled with fascinating mythology and bringing together some of the most interesting historical figures, the story is an adventure you won't regret taking!
I won't be able to prevent writing spoilers for the previous books, but check out my reviews of (in the order) The Alchemist, The Magician, The Sorceress and The Necromancer.
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Sophie and Josh have gone a long way from their summer jobs in a bookshop and a coffee shop. They have learned that Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle are alive and well for people having lived several hundred years on this planet. Together, the twins have gone through adventures that they never thought possible. They also learned how to trust each other and their bond has been repeatedly tested through their journey. It's the break of this bond which characterises The Magician the most. Josh's jealousy for Sophie's powers has grown steadily through the books but it finally exceeds his love for his twin sister during The Necromancer where he chooses to side with the evil John Dee over Nicholas Flamel.
It was heart-breaking to read in the previous book and I started The Magician a bit afraid to read even more of the twins' falling out. They are a most adorable pair and I couldn't bear seeing them apart!
The book follows the various groups of people, Scathach, Joan of Arc, Shakespeare and others in Danu Talis on one side, then Sophie, Perenelle and the others in San Francisco trying to locate Josh, John Dee and Virginia Flare hidden in the same city.
In this book you will discover new characters and you will re-discover old characters under a new light (one of which is clearly "OMG wow"). As the righteousness of the fight becomes less and less obvious, the loyalties between characters start to deteriorate and each walks on a thin line to try to get out of this fight victorious, if not simply alive.
If the first three books in the series had a lot more light-hearted action, the last books in the series get darker and more ominous as a sense of urgency and lethal danger appears through the pages. We also get a glimpse of more serious subjects such as the balance between powers or the consequences of one's actions. The books get darker as their audiences gets older and I really loved seeing this evolution in the characters and the plot.
The parts of the story taking place in Danu Talis are absolutely fantastic. We learn a lot more about the genesis of the story but we also see how things were before.
We get a lot more answers in this book, but it obviously is the most frustrating book in the series as all the questions will be answered in the next - and last - book! It is really tough on the nerves as things start to completely unravel but others raise even more questions!
ALSO - You cannot even begin to imagine my face when the last page of the book held the most "No way - I can't believe this is happening" cliffhanger the world has ever seen and that I realised I would have to wait an entire year to read the rest.
Had I not been personally affected by it, I probably would have found it brilliant. But still. How am I supposed to go through 12 months?!!
This is one of the most fascinating fantasy series I've read. The story is brilliantly plotted and the premise is amazing. If you haven't read the books yet, you should definitely go for them! It is perfect for younger and older readers as well as for either boys and girls. I am a huge fan of this series and I've found the books so rewarding that I really can't wait to read the last one and then start the series all over again to see all the details I am sure I missed!
Thank you to RHCB for sending me this fantastic sequel to The Necromancer!
The Warlock by Michael Scott | 2011 | From the publisher
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