Michael Scott is an Irish author with more than 100 titles to his name. Mr. Scott began his career by writing books of Irish folklore for adult and young readers. His book, The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, was published in May 2007 by Delacorte Press/Random House (ISBN 978-0-385-73600-8). This young adult fantasy novel reached #2 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
The Historical Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel were historical figures. Nicholas was born around 1330. He was a bookseller in Paris. According a book about alchemy published in the 1600s , Nicholas found a mysterious book, called the Book of Abraham the Mage, which led Nicholas and Perenelle to spend the rest of their lives translating and exploring its alchemical mysteries. According to legend, the Book of Abraham contained formulas for immortality and the conversion of metal into gold, among other secrets.
After Nicholas’s death, a criminal dug up Nicholas’s grave to find the legendary Flamel treasure. He was surprised by both the lack of gold and the lack of a body in the grave. This added to the legend that Nicholas had discovered the secret to immortality.
In addition to Michael Scott’s books, references to Flamel in literature include Exposition of the Hierogliphicall Figures (1612), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831), the Harry Potter series (1997-2007) and The Da Vinci Code (2003). For more details, see the Wikipedia entry on Nicholas Flamel.
Michael Scott’s Story
Michael Scott draws on the historical character of Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel, as well as alchemist John Dee, and historical events such as the Great Fire of London in 1666 to set his own story. The Alchemyst begins when the San Francisco bookshop where fifteen-year-old Josh Newman and his boss work is magically attacked by John Dee and a small army of golems. Although he goes by the name “Nick Fleming,” Josh’s boss is actually Nicholas Flamel, who is the keeper of the Book of Abraham, which Dee wants. Josh’s twin sister, Sophie, and Perry Fleming (aka Perrenelle Flamel) rush over from the coffee shop across the street in time to help distract the golems, but Perry and most of the ancient book are taken by Dee during the conflict.
Once Nicholas escapes with the twins and a few pages of the Book of Abraham, he begins to teach the twins about the magical world. According to Nicholas, before humans, the world was ruled by a group of beings referred to as the Elder Race. The Elders were the basis for mythological gods and goddesses, as well as legendary heroes. Dee is now working for a group of Elders who wish to reclaim their world dominance, called the Dark Elders
Nicholas believes that Josh and Sophie are more than just teens who accidentally ended up in the middle of his war with Dee. Instead, Nicholas is convinced that the twins are destined to fulfill a prophesy in the Book of Abraham to either save or destroy the world. Because of this belief, his primary goal is to keep the twins safe and awaken their magical potential. To accomplish these goals, he introduces the twins to other Elders, including a stay at Hekate’s living tree house. Ultimately, the twins’ fate at the end of The Alchemyst is only part of the battle between Dee and Nicholas, between the Dark Elders and other Elders, and good and evil.
The Alchemyst Series
According to the publisher’s website, The Alchemyst is the first book in a longer series. The second book, The Magician, was published in May 2008 and the third book, The Sorceress is scheduled for release in May 2009. New Line Productions have taken an option to produce movies based on the Alchemyst Series. The first movie is currently scheduled for a release during 2009.
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