Tagged: michael scott
The Enchantress by Michael Scott
(Cover picture courtesy of Michael Scott’s website.)
The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it.
San Francisco:
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have one day left to live, and one job left to do. They must defend San Francisco. The monsters gathered on Alcatraz Island have been released and are heading toward the city. If they are not stopped, they will destroy everyone and everything in their path.But even with the help of two of the greatest warriors from history and myth, will the Sorceress and the legendary Alchemyst be able to defend the city? Or is it the beginning of the end of the human race?
Danu Talis:
Sophie and Josh Newman traveled ten thousand years into the past to Danu Talis when they followed Dr. John Dee and Virginia Dare. And it’s on this legendary island that the battle for the world begins and ends.Scathach, Prometheus, Palamedes, Shakespeare, Saint-Germain, and Joan of Arc are also on the island. And no one is sure what—or who—the twins will be fighting for.
Today the battle for Danu Talis will be won or lost.
But will the twins of legend stand together?
Or will they stand apart—
one to save the world and one to destroy it?
Some people hated the ending of The Enchantress, while others loved it. As usual, I fall somewhere in between, with my overall verdict amounting to the ever-eloquent “Meh, it was okay.” Michael Scott tied most of the plot lines together and what Josh and Sophie do at the end makes sense if you think about it. It was somewhat satisfying, but I have a few bones to pick.
The plot was incredibly fast-paced throughout all 500 pages of the novel, something that is very difficult for an author to maintain. I certainly respect Michael Scott’s ability to do that. what I really didn’t like was what he did in order to maintain such a fast pace: he indulged in head-hopping. “Head-hopping” is basically reviewer-speak for “this dude switched points of view so many times no one had any idea what was going on.” I’m okay with switching POVs occasionally, but Michael Scott switched three, sometimes four times in one short chapter. That’s going overboard, don’t you think?
Alas, my favourite villain has gone soft by the end, but considering all of the hints Michael Scott dropped throughout the series, it’s not that surprising. What is surprising is how much Dee changes in a short span and how much more we learn about Virginia Dare. I won’t give any spoilers, but we do learn some surprising things about their pasts and true personalities.
The ending had a nice twist that I didn’t see coming, but it did make sense. Pretty much all of the loose ends were tied up, which is nice, but it also leaves potential for a sequel. Overall, not a bad ending, but it could have been better.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
YA News and Upcoming Releases
Secrets of the Time Society by Alexandra Monir is yet another tie-in ebook. This time, it’s all about answering the questions from Timeless, like how the main character travels through time and such. It’s available from many different ebook sellers for $1.99, if you’re interested. I won’t buy it, mainly because I don’t actually own an e-reader, but looking at the synopsis, I wish I did.
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer is the last book in the Artemis Fowl series. Personally, I can’t wait for it to come out! Thankfully, it is going to be released July 10, 2012. From the blurb on Amazon, you can tell that this is going to be a thrilling conclusion.
As many of you know, I have Carolyn Meyer to thank for getting my little sister interested in history. So, as a sort of thank you, I would like everyone to know that Ms. Meyer is publishing yet another book in her series of diaries of famous women. This one, The Wild Queen, is about Mary, Queen of Scots. It will be published in June 2012, according to her website.
You can probably tell from my review that I’m pretty excited about the release of this book. Through NetGalley, I was able to read an ARC of this in e-book format (on my computer, not an e-reader). And you know what? This is actually a really good book that I would recommend to any lover of fantasy! So if you’re interested, the release date is set for May 13, 2012. Go on, check it out. You know you want to.
I’m a Michael Scott fan, so I’m also pretty excited about this book’s release. I’ve pre-ordered it from my local bookstore, but like everyone else, I’m going to have to wait for May 22 until I can get my hands on this book. Sigh. I’m not a patient person.
The Warlock by Michael Scott
(Cover picture courtesy of Michael Scott’s website.)
The twins of prophecy have been divided—the end has begun.
Alcatraz:
Although their ally Dr. John Dee has been declared utlaga, Machiavelli and Billy the Kid will follow the plans the Elders have laid before them: they will loose the monsters of Alcatraz on the city of San Fransisco, thereby triggering the end of the humani race.
Danu Talis:
The Shadowrealm that Scatty and Joan of Arc have entered is far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. And they haven’t landed here by chance—the warriors were called for a reason. So were Saint-Germain, Palamedes, and Shakespeare. The group was summoned because they must travel back in time to Danu Talis and destroy it. For the island of Danu Talis, known in humani myth as the lost city of Atlantis, must fall if the modern world is to exist.
San Fransisco:
The end is finally near. Josh Newman has chosen a side, and he will not stand with his sister, Sophie, or with the Alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel. He will fight alongside Dee and the mysterious Virginia Dare.
Unless Sophie can find her twin before the battle begins, all is lost—forever.
Unlike a lot of people who have read The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, I like how Josh’s character has developed Although Dee and his kind would like to see the Elders return to the world, which would be bad, the true motives of Nicholas Flamel are shrouded in mystery. In the first few books of the series, there was a clear line between good and evil, but now everything is in shades of grey. And since Sophie and Josh are reunited at the end of The Warlock, it will be interesting to see what side they take, especially when we find out who Dee’s mysterious Elders are.
As usual, the plot zips by at an incredibly fast pace as Litha approaches. Old enemies become allies and old alliances have changed as the battle for humanity’s future draws ever closer. I think you’ll be just as surprised as I was at the interesting turn my favourite villain, Machiavelli, takes in this book. It was very unexpected when it happened, but in hindsight Michael Scott had been dropping hints about the change throughout the series. If you’ve read all the way up to The Necromancer, The Warlock is a must-read that you will thoroughly enjoy.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
If You’re a Michael Scott Fan…
This is just a reminder that The Enchantress by Michael Scott, which is the last book in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, is coming out on May 22. That’s only a little more than a month! I’ve already got it on pre-order and I’m really excited. Is anyone else out there anxious for the series ending? And isn’t that cover amazing?
The Necromancer by Michael Scott
(Cover picture courtesy of Michael Scott’s website.)
San Fransisco:
Josh and Sophie Newman are finally home. And they’re both more confused than ever about their future. Neither of them has mastered the magics they’ll need to protect themselves, they’ve lost Scatty, and they’re still being pursued by Dr. John Dee. Most disturbing of all, however, is that now they must ask themselves, can they trust Nicholas Flamel? Can they trust anyone?
Alcatraz:
Dr. Dee underestimated Perenelle Flamel’s power. Alcatraz could not hold her, Nereus was no match for her, and she was able to align herself with the most unlikely of allies. But she wasn’t the only one being held on the island. Behind the prison’s bars and protective sigils were a menagerie of monsters, and now Machiavelli has come to Alcatraz to loose them on San Fransisco.
Perenelle might be powerful, but each day she weakens, and even with Nicholas back at her side, a battle this size would be too much for her. Nicholas and Perenelle must fight, to protect the city, but the effort would probably kill them both.
London:
Having been unable to regain the two final pages of the Codex, Dee has failed his Elder and is now an outlaw.
But the Magician has a plan. With the Codex and the creatures on Alcatraz, he can control the world. All he needs is the help of the Archons. But for his plan to work, he must raise the Mother of the Gods from the dead. For that, he’ll have to train a necromancer.
Despite what this gigantic blurb may make you think, The Necromancer is not an overly complicated book, I promise. The only thing you should take away from this blurb is that whoever wrote it desperately needs to learn the art of summarizing. Moving on…
As usual, Michael Scott’s writing is pared down and easy to read, which also makes for a nice, fast-paced plot. He knows just when to switch to another thread of the storyline to keep the plot moving along quickly. It is incredibly hard to put The Necromancer down and, as usual, it kept me reading until the very early hours of the morning.
Aside from the excellent pacing, the thing I love most about The Necromancer is the character development. Michael Scott allows his characters to develop at a natural pace, so they feel a lot more authentic than most characters in fast-paced novels. Alliances change and the line between good and evil blurs as Sophie and Josh Newman are put to the test again and again as Litha approaches. They are supposed to be the ones to save the world, but the ending of this book will leave you in severe doubt that there will be a happy ending to the series. Trust me, you won’t see what’s coming, but the cliffhanger at the end makes sense when you look at the series as a whole.
I give this book 5/5 stars.