Customer Reviews

The Alchemist

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well I'm coming off of reading her other book "The Passion" which I thoroughly enjoyed (see my review)and I just bought her other books under the name of "Rebecca Flanders" I really like this author's style. I chose to take a break from the Werewolf topic because I just finished "Circus of the Damned" by Laurell K. Hamilton and it dealt a lot with Were-people and this was a welcome diversion.

This book started out so engaging it got me from the first chapter and kept me. The whole premise is that there are 3 gifted students at the House of Ra, when these 3 students combine their magical energy their power is unmatched, however something happens early on and they do not complete the training they needed. Consequently their magic is flawed.... but they don't realize that, their young and think they are invicible.

This book has Magicians that are immortal, Dark Magic that goes wrong, Incest, Betrayal and all of this spans from the time during Pharoah to the present day. I recommend this book for a break from the norm it's great storytelling, if you like books with twist, you should enjoy this one. In my opinion the end was not as satisfying as the rest of the book but I guess she maybe left it that way to do a sequel.

Respectfully Reviewed

At the dawn of history, the House of Ra stands, training students in true science, magic, and every art. Three students stand head and shoulders above the others--Akan, Han, and Nefar--the woman both men love. Together they can work magic more powerful than any known, yet their use of magic is not unlimited and subject to great risk for themselves and those around them. The three agree to use their powers to build a paradise on earth, yet delivering on their promises is more difficult than their power would make it appear.

Author Donna Boyd has created an intriguing fantasy that spans all of recorded history. The three alchemists transform history, yet always reach for more than they can safely achieve. Unfortunately, THE ALCHEMIST is weakened by the narrative device that Boyd has chosen--a retrospective first person narrative that somehow distances the reader from the characters. Although THE ALCHEMIST is a tale of overpowering emotions, great good and evil, sibling rivalry that extends through the centuries, and even contains an intriguing twist at the end, the story-telling is strangely flat.

THE ALCHEMIST is an interesting book, certainly worth the read. It is also instructive for writers to see both how to create a compelling plot and setting, and how this fine concept can be brought up short of full fruition.

I picked up this book thinking it was the well known Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, after reading it and enjoying it intensely. I saw Paulo Coelho's Alchemist and read his, needless to say, it was quite disappointing in comparison. Donna Boyd has an incredible imagination and captivating way of writing. I really enjoyed her book and was amazed that everyone has read Paulo Coelho's meager book and not hers. It is an excellent read!

This was the first book I read by Donna Boyd. I really enjoyed it. It was one of those stories that stuck with me long after I read it. The story was original and kept me guessing. Just finished Ramses the Damned, by Anne Rice, and found The Alchemist to have some similarities. I enjoyed the Alchemist more though; not as neat of an ending as Ramses. After reading The Alchemist, I followed up w/ The Passion and The Promise, Boyd's take on werewolves. Didn't think I'd enjoy those as much, but I did. All her stories got me quickly involved and kept my interest throughout. It was like watching a movie and I couldn't wait to find out the ending. I look forward to any sequels of Ms. Boyd's.

While visiting Central Park West psychiatrist Dr. Anne Kramer, Randolph Sontime makes incredible claims. He informs her that he is the assassin that used magic to kill someone in Geneva while he gave a speech to five hundred people in New York. He also alleges that he has lived since the dawning of civilization in Egypt using various names like Rasputin and Merlin. Randolph further explains that he is tired and desires the ultimate end so must tell his story to someone choosing her because he will be her latest "trophy", but actually keeps a secret from her that ties the duo together.

He starts at the beginning as Han a child prodigy in Ancient Egypt studying alchemy along with two other brilliant students, Akan and Nefar. The trio shares a talent so superior to their peers and most of their teachers. They begin to go way beyond that of their schooling looking into the dark forbidden side of magic until Akan and Han also compete for the love of Nefar. Each of them loses sight of the philosophical balance that underscores their science.

THE ALCHEMIST is a deep magical tale in which the charismatic Randolph charms the audience with his narrative from the beginning to the end. The novel reads quickly and fans will do so in one sitting. The story line belongs to the male lead character even though Anne acts as a strong counterpoint and anchor. Donna Boyd writes a triumphant tale that entertains readers who will want more from this magical author.

Harriet Klausner

...but most of all, rhythmic. Indeed, this is one of the most hypnotic works I have read to date. The author's poetic quality is breathtaking. Though the actual story could easily be told in fewer pages, the richness of the work would be lost without such attention to detail. There is an uninterrupted eloquence to this work that makes reading it a truly magical experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Alchemist", I really did. I read it on a long plane ride and found it easy to get into, fast-paced most of the time, and engrossing. However, it's not without flaws. For one, the dialogue is a little bland. There are no quirks or patterns of speech that set the characters apart--Everyone sounds the same and that sort of bothers me. Secondly, Boyd's descriptions are detailed and rich, but it gets to be a bit much at times, especially when she's explaining how her characters feel. She'll go on and on about something and I'll lose my focus. That's just a style preference, though. I like authors to get to the point. Thirdly, I found some of the violent bits needlessly grotesque and descriptively over-the-top but again, it's more of a personal preference.

"The Alchemist" has a few slow moments but it picks right back up. Normally, I read historical fiction and I gave this a try because I figured I'd learn a little about Ancient Egypt and Venice. I didn't really because the setting isn't as important as the characters who populate it but I was not disappointed by this novel at all. I guess it would be a "fantasy" novel because of the strong presence of sorcery, but not a stereotypical one. It was an agreeable departure from the usual Philippa Gregory, Anya Seton, Diana Gabaldon, and Jean Plaidy books I tend to opt for.

This is quite possibly my favorite book. The story is, as the title suggests, magical. This is the only Donna Boyd book that I've read but I am excited to read her many others.

The story is captivating and really excites the mind. You'll be reading one page while anticipating the following page. The imagery is well described, though can be a bit too overdescriptive. The dialogue isn't drowning and boring. Characters are given life and you can feel their obsession as though it were your own. There is good pacing between chapters, which makes for an easy read and keeps it from boring you to death.

My only gripe but probably my favorite aspect of the story is that at certain points the story can get predictable. I like this because I'll be enthralled at one part and then I'll get excited and try to guess how "this" connects with "that".

All in all, this is a very good book and I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy tales!

I enjoyed The Alchemist, but I felt that it could have been a much better book if the second half had been as exciting and gripping as the first half.

The book starts in Ancient Egypt and ends in the present day, wending its way through history. Well over half the book is set in ancient Egypt. This portion of the book is exciting and unpredictable. It tells the tale of three young magicians and what happens when they combine their powers. There were several times when the twists and turns in the plot took me by complete surprize.

The second half sees the three separateds into various combinations of two and one. This part of the book is much less imaginative. I found some of things to be a bit predicatable, while in other places I just found the outcome slightly disappointing.

This is a good book, but the second half didn't live up to the promise of the first half.

A charismatic man enters a therapist's office in New York City after having committed one of the most hi-vis murders in history. But he claims he is not of our modern era, instead he is an immortal, born into ancient Egypt and going by the name "Han". He proceeds to tell the therapist the story of his long life, and indeed, this is the vast majority of the novel. Han was a student of the House of Ra, where the secrets of magic and science, alchemy and engineering are learned. Along with his two best friends and co-students, Akan (a boy) and Nefar (a girl), they discover that the power than can jointly wield has unsurpassed potential. They discover the secrets of immortality and though they know they have the power to be gods, they desire to use their power to bring about a better world.

The plot was filled with intrigue and open-ended possibilities. I had no clue as to how it would turn out; I just knew I wanted to know what happened next. That for me is the mark of a great read. Ms Boyd used a style in her story telling which is very picturesque, almost poetic even, that was very refreshing. That sort of thing has turned me off before, but this time it was absolutely the right way to go. It made Han's story even more believable because it was like this man really had lived through several centuries, really had been near the seat of power in different cultures, etc. Han has a "voice" here like few other novels I've read. If there is one thing I wished for in this book it would be for more of the historical eras to be fleshed out. Instead of skipping 2,000 years, I would have loved to read about Han's adventures during that time...but then I suppose the real story would have gotten lost in the sheer size of such a novel (or series).

Anyway, this book was a very pleasant surprise; take it from a guy who reads at least 100 books per year, many of them fantasy and historical novels, this one's a keeper!