The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)
by Michael Scott
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Book Summary Information
Author: Michael ScottBrand: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-04-28
ISBN: 0385737289
Number of pages: 496
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780385737289
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)
Book Review: the Magician style review
Summary: 5 Stars
I think that The Magician, by: Michael Scott was a very good book, with a great style, but it's a fiction book that is borderline on fantasy, and if you don't like those type of books, you will die plot wise. The story has too many fantasy elements to be likable by anyone who thinks that is dumb. If you like that stuff, you will love this book, and it is definitely worth the read.
Michael Scott's style in writing is one of my favorites. The point of view is third person selective, in present tense. He shows the thoughts of only one person at a time, and only changes the focus through double spaced paragraph breaks or chapters. It's easy to tell who the focus is on in that segment of the story because of this. For his sentences, he never uses a non-dialog sentence under four or five words. In short, he's mostly a compound or complex sentence writer. This is pretty much true in all of the books he's written and that I've read. In diction, he uses words appropriate for our age group. Nothing stupidly out there with vocabulary, but it isn't like Doctor Souse, were you can't find a real word over five letters. Average population vocab.
I think that, all in all, if I were to describe his style, it would be clean, precise, yet not at all formal. Its how all books should be, I think. It's right in the middle, interesting and easier to understand than some vocabulary textbook with enough paragraphs to put you to sleep, and sentences to match the fourteen letter words..
Some of the main characters are the twins: Josh and Sophie Newman, the alchemist and Sorceress: Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel, The bad guy (the European magicians): Dr. John Dee and Niccilo Machavelli, and the warrior maiden: Scathach. The main Bad guys are the Dark elders, evil beings older than humans, immortal, and super powerful.
I think that the characters are well constructed, they are believable. Sophie and Josh are exactly like regular teenagers. They are even weird like fifteen year olds. Josh collects fossilized poop, and Sophie thinks he is weird. Josh, with his only saying: "Life goes on, e-mail stops for no man." and Sophie is constantly annoyed by that.
Nicholas Flamel is a sketchy character, even if he is a main good guy, but for a 700 year old immortal human, he's good enough to be believable, and the same with Scathach, for a 2,500 year old vampire, she is believable, considering the circumstances. Dr. John Dee and Machavelli are believable evil people, Dee is a Fanatic, and Machavelli is a more subtle, yet more dangerous person, as the head of Paris' security system, he, being immortal and a powerful Magician, he can control almost anything.
Dee and Machiavelli are well constructed too. They perform their actions with the precision expected of them. Machiavelli is a careful Italian, and Dee is a reckless and ruthless Englishman. Also, while Dee is present from the very beginning, Machiavelli is introduced to the second book, this one, so we get a new villain with a different way of dealing with things, a much more precise, dangerous and powerful way not to mention Machiavelli holds control over all of France's secret service.
I believe that this story is made interesting by the actions of the characters and the frequent strokes of cleverness, witticism, and action. If I were to make a comparison, I thing that the plot would be most like Harry Potter. It fits, the magic, teenage heroes, mentors, the schooling. But, that's only if I had too. I really think that this book is really on it's own. It made it's own completely different world that also ties into reality. It makes it possible. In Harry Potter, ninety eight percent of the time, they're in an imaginary place. All of this book takes place in Paris, and things happen in Paris that technically could have happened. Paris is real, you can't deny that. That's what I really like in books like this, for a while, I could at least pretend it's real, right? It makes the book easier to get into, easy to just keep on reading, you get into it, and unfortunately, it's like a dream, it's hard to remember details. I love when that happens, it's enjoyable, the best part is when Josh pursues the Nidhogg, I was in dream mode reading then.
For a last judgment, the style was very effective for the story. If it wasn't, the story would fall apart. The plot is not interesting enough for it to be a plot reader. Besides, plot readers are for small children who enjoy when things are spelled out and simple. (If you don't know plot readers are books you read for the story one hundred percent. Usually they are short and hard to get into.)
As I said in the beginning, the style may be one of the best I know, but if you don't like fantasy or deep fiction, you shouldn't read this book, it will get tiring to those with a love for books like John Adams So, if you like that stuff, good luck liking the plot of this book
Summary of The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)
The New York Times bestseller now in paperback!In the second book in the New York Times bestselling series, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris, the City of Light, home to Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Niccolò Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, lives in Paris and is working for Dr. John Dee. He?s in hot pursuit, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenell. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world?s only hope. . . . If they don?t turn on each other first.
? ?Readers will be swept up.??Kirkus Reviews, Starred
?An exciting and impeccably thought-out fantasy, well-suited for those left in the lurch by Harry Potter?s recent exeunt.??Booklist
?Fans . . . will certainly find much to love, root for, and fear in this successful second installment.??School Library Journal
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