The Magician: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this second book in the series has about the same amount of sword fighting and monster battles as the first -- all of it is suspenseful but not gory. The teen twins with magical powers who are at the center of the story are in almost constant danger. There are some scary scenes in underground caves with giant spiders and creatures that feed off fear and panic. One main character vanishes and is feared dead. Two others can control fire.
Families can talk about all of the historical and mythological characters and objects in the story. What is Machiavelli famous for? What else do you know about Excalibur? The Valkyries? Also, many characters in this book are immortal. Do you think this is a gift or a curse? How do other books portray it differently?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Carrie R. Wheadon
THE MAGICIAN is just as fun and exciting as the first book, maybe more so because now Sophie's powers have been awakened and she gets to try them out -- and she's really got some neat tricks up her sleeve, especially after she trains in Saint-Germaine's fire magic. Twin Josh is brooding over not having his powers awakened yet -- and makes some "what were you thinking?!" decisions because of it -- but he still gets a heroic warrior moment with a particularly nasty monster.
The book takes readers all over Paris -- even below it into the creepy catacombs -- where all sorts of historical and mythological figures pop up. The author, an authority on mythology and folklore, really unleashes some fascinating creatures on readers and barely restrains himself from delving into each character's complex history -- which is why the book, which takes place over just a couple of days, is close to 500 pages. No matter. This world is fun and exciting enough to let a little extra learning slip in.
From The Book
An endless stream of tiny red and white butterflies peeled off Saint-Germain's pale skin and curled into the cool Parisian air. They circled upward, spinning away from the small man, a seemingly never-ending spiral of crimson and ashen dots. The butterflies curled around the struts and spars, the rivets and bolts of the metal tower, covering it in an iridescent, shimmering skin.
"Ignis," Saint-Germain whispered, throwing back his head and clapping his hands together.
And the Tower exploded into a cracking, sparkling fountain of light.
He laughed delightedly at the twins' expressions and said, "Know me: I am le Comte de Saint-Germain. I am the Master of Fire!"
Plot Summary:
Suddenly finding themselves in Paris thanks to a magical gateway, California twins Sophie and Josh, the immortal alchemist Nicholas Flamel, and the vampire warrior Scathach must face a new enemy: Machiavelli. He's to collect the magical twins on behalf of the powerful magician Dee. Looking for any ally they can find in Flamel's home city, they run across Saint-Germaine, a former student of Flamel's who's versed in fire magic and currently tops on the techno music charts. But Germaine's house is known to Machiavelli, and it isn't long before scary creatures are unleashed to bring them in.
Related Books:
First in the Series:
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
More Myths in Modern Times:
The Oracle Doll by Catherine Dexter
The Eyes of Kid Midas by Neal Shusterman
The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 1 by Rick Riordan
Related Web sites:
Official Site
Nicholas Flamel on Wikipedia
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ViolenceFlashy sword fights and pyrotechnics against monstrous beasts and the French police. Scary scenes in underground caves with giant spiders and mythological creatures that feed off fear and panic. One main character vanishes and is feared dead. Two others can control fire. |
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Social BehaviorThe twins debate whom to trust as they develop their powers -- one is seduced by power and suffers because of it. The most skilled fighters in the story are all women. |
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CommercialismThe twins feel rather lost without their iPods, cell phones, and laptops. |
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