The Alchemist's Theorem: Sir Duffy's Promise

by Margaret R. Chiavetta

This epic fantasy novel for middle grade readers has fun potion-making, faithful animal friends, and fantastical adventures.

Mendel, an eccentric boy with an autistic nature, and the master alchemist Sir Duffy set out on a series of quests with their many weird and endearing creature companions—like Esther the snake-ish gusselsnuff, and Gooder the fat, lazy, carnivorous horse. These determined travelers must venture across the continent of Terra Copia, an exotic land where the plants and animals in one forest are completely different from the next. It is up to them to safeguard secrets and dangerous artifacts from many enemies—such as agents from the Academy of Advanced Disciplines, venomous pixies, and a mysterious pale stranger. If they fail, a terrifying curse will return to their land.

The Harry Potter audience will love the world of The Alchemist’s Theorem, and all of its magical alchemy, fantastical beasts, and epic adventure.

"A rather dashing adventure from a new voice in the Middle Grade Fantasy arena that appears to have staying power.”—Insatiable Readers

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2015

About the author

Margaret Chiavetta graduated from the University at Buffalo in 2005 with a BA degree in Anthropology. Afterward, she took a research post in Puerto Rico for a year where she spent the hot humid days following around free-range rhesus macaque monkeys. When the study finished, she went from one monkey job to the next, moving up and down the east coast for several years. Then she attempted a primatology graduate program in London, England, but soon developed an allergy to academia. Margaret dropped out and returned to the US and eventually went on to get her MFA in creative writing, graduating from the University of Washington Bothell in 2014. She lives in Seattle.

Reviews

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author totes it as "a fantasy series...for humans as young as 10 and as old as the earth itself". Talk about an age range but she's not far off the mark.

When we take into account the characters, the quest, and the subjects covered, the broad appeal can easily be seen. Sir Duffy is an elderly fellow and great alchemist, despite his somewhat modest demeanor. He's sort of the Dumbledore to this story's Harry, or in this case Mendel...more on him in a moment. He's got a heart of gold and enough know-how and gumption to carry him through the strangest of encounters intact and more knowledgable for having survived. You can't help but love this North Forrestor, the same of which can be said for our young lead. Mendel is an interesting little fellow that's lead a hard life due to the cards fate has dealt to him, but is it truly a burden or a blessing in disguise? You see, Mendel isn't like you are me in all the ways that we would suppose him to be. He's autistic and while our world may have its issues with him in some of the same horrible fashions that his does (his parents, teachers, watchers, oye! Don't even get me started!), the magical world views him as gifted. His tangled, ever wandering mind is able to remember things in a unique fashion, observe things that escape our passing glance, and know things that most do not.

It's astounding to see how he's treated and heartwarming to see him thrive under the tutilage of Sir Duffy. The bond between them is unbreakable, a better surrogate father you could never ask for. Speaking of bonds, I would be sadly remiss if I didn't mention two of my favorite creatures outside of the human category. They go by the name's of Esther and Gooder. The former is a gussellsnuff, the latter a carnivorous horse. Okay, so at first glance, neither sound like a great companion, but I'm telling you these two are great in a pinch, not to mention loyal to a fault. There were several times neither Mendel nor Sir Duffy stood a chance against, well...what they were facing, unless someone or something stepped in to assist. Good thing these guys were there! Of the two, I'd rather call a gussellsnuff my own as they sound unusual in description but utterly adorable. Now, let's talk story...

While this is the first book in a planned series, it doesn't serve as merely a vehicle to introduce everyone and everything. There's a rather important quest undertaken, secrets that need protection, and those that would have what's hidden no matter the cost. The Don's that visit Sir Duffy's 'A Pot He Carries' (gotta love the play on words there) shop have totally different approaches and yet their steely determination to obtain what they seek is clear as day. How he manages to keep things under wraps is beyond me; most would have cracked like an egg at an Easter hunt without anyone blaming them in the least. (Ooh! Easter....bunnies...the talking rabbits! Oh, they were something else, and determined little fellas too! Sorry, back on track...) Suffice it to say it's in his best interest to stay steadfast to his task and help hide what needs to stay hidden. Sorry guys, I can't spoil the secret for you but trust me when I say, it's creepy and beautiful for so many reasons, and the power it holds is astonishing. Makes me wonder what's gonna happen in future installments that may see it's use as more than a paperweight. *dun dun dunnnnnn*

To conclude, a rather dashing adventure from a new voice in the Middle Grade Fantasy arena that appears to have staying power. Only time will tell of course, but if the next installment is anywhere near the quality of this first venture, I see great things for this writer in the coming years. If you like fantasy, magic done the old school alchemy way, characters that are memorable and bare scars not on the outside but the inside that need healing just as badly if not more, you've got an instant addition to your reading list right here. Recommended for strong Middle Grade readers and beyond due to concepts covered, strong vocabulary used, and the fantasy world created (it's fairly complicated but in a good way!).


**review copy received in exchange for my honest review...full post can be seen on my site**

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the imaginative world building in this book. As well as the fun word play. My favorite line: “I get to see talking rabbits spit fight a gargem thatch!”

I would definitely recommend this for any late Elementary to Junior High alchemist apprentices. And for all of those that might be that age in spirit even if slightly older by strict calendar age.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely enjoyed my time in Terra Copia with Sir Duffy and his community of alchemists and allies (and foes). The world is inventive, colorful and richly detailed. The characters are warm and dimensional. I loved that the magic of this fantasy world is actually the alchemists' study and understanding of their natural world (though it is still fantastical and delightful, because it's Terra Copia, which has rainbow forests, gusselsnuffs, and carnivorous horses). I hope there will be more stories from this world!

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful fantasy for middle grade readers. I loved that the young protagonist, Mendel, is autistic and how his talents and limitations are explored in this fantasy world. The main protagonist is Sir Duffy, an older alchemist who sets out on a quest with his apprentice, Mendel, to prevent another catastrophe from happening in their world. Left me wanting more!

[KA]

I'm not going to rate this, because it's not written for me. But I will say that I do usually enjoy fiction for this age group.

[Smick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish. Rarely have I encountered a book whose author unleashes her imagination so completely. Chiavetta has created a world that is at once alien and familiar, populated with flora and fauna similar to those you might already know but imbued with powers, qualities, and properties that make them interesting--and useful to her characters. Spending time in the alchemists shop at the start of the book, you get a master class in the variety of potions, elixirs and poisons that might come to hand. You can practically smell the plants hanging up to dry. From the herb garden to the mortar and pestle Chiavetta has created a symphony of imaginative and wonderful material.

The two main characters, Sir 'H', the alchemist of the title, and his apprentice Mendel, are well drawn and have a wonderful relationship. What made it so wonderful wasn't just their mutual love and respect for one another, but also the understanding that Mendel is unique and requires patience and care to realize his potential. In modern terms, Mendel would fall somewhere on the autism spectrum. Chiavetta gets inside his head and makes it a joy to see from his 'slightly askance' perspective. We see the strategies he develops to manage his fear and anxiety, we see him struggle with self-doubt as only a child of this kind can. And ultimately, what many might consider to be a disability is portrayed as a strength and an asset. It is a sensitive and thoughtful portrayal, and as the parent of two kids with similar issues, I can tell Chiavetta has spent time working with similar people, or has herself fought some of these battles.

I don't read a lot of fantasy, and I sure a hell don't read a lot of YA literature. I read this book as part of a Kickstarter campaign I was proud to help out with, and I'm more proud still to see that the end result is of such a high quality. I'm looking forward to the next volume!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Alchemist’s Theorem is one of those books that gets better as it goes along. It starts off by shouting “Fantasy world! New things! Here’s how stuff works!” and infodumping a colossal amount in one of the longest first chapters I’ve ever read. Then it starts to level out a little and incorporates the worldbuilding more smoothly into the material, although the chapters remain of mammoth proportion. Since the chapters are so long, the book itself seems incredibly short, with most of the action crammed into the last two chapters.

It’s a clunky thing overall in terms of pacing and worldbuilding (and why are horses called horses and cats called cats, but everything else has a different name? Even the other non-fantasy animals, like elephants, are not called “elephants”), but there’s something endearing about The Alchemist’s Theorem. While I felt that the writing could be much improved, especially in the descriptions, the characters were memorable and I liked the decision to make the main character autistic, since children’s and middle grade books as a whole desperately need more physically and/or mentally disabled/deficient protagonists. I won’t say that the characterization was perfect, but I at least liked the idea of what Chiavetta was going for.

There’s certainly a lot of room for improvement, but The Alchemist’s Theorem was engaging and Mendel was a loveable boy who I wanted to hug throughout the book. The reveal of the identity of the Great Lady was well done, as I wasn’t expecting it, and I see lots of potential for both the series as the whole and for Chiavetta as a writer.

Disclaimer: Book received by author in exchange for an honest review

[Ellie Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just loved this book. The magical land of Terra Copia is an absorbing and wonderful place to visit! I really liked the descriptions of all the strange plants and animals, such as the talking rabbits, the shapeshifting cappamorph, and the deadly pixies.

The characters themselves are intriguing. I especially liked how Mendel, the apparently autistic main character, has the amazing ability to remember just about anything by writing his experiences and lessons as symbols in the air. This turns his supposed disability into a valuable asset, and I think it's a great thing to portray it in this way.

The heroes' travelling companions are also some of the best bits of this book. Gooder the carnivorous horse provided some great comic relief, and Esther the gusselsnuff was just generally adorable.

The reasons why I didn't rate this book the full five stars are twofold. First of all, I felt like sometimes the book's pacing dragged a little. Secondly, some of the paragraphs should have really been split into smaller sections, instead of being left as a big block of text. Besides being grammatically incorrect, long paragraphs could serve to intimidate a less seasoned reader.

Overall, I found this book imaginative, engaging, and fun. I think children from about the age of eleven will really enjoy it, especially if they are animal lovers.

[Merrilyn Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sir Duffy, an alchemist, has the Putrid's Heart, which is coveted by the Advanced Disciplines members (opposing group to those that Sir Duffy follows). The goal is to transport the Putrid's Heart to the Great Lady before the AD's can get their hands on it. Mendel, Sir Duffy's assistant, is a boy very different from his classmates (he has left school and no one noticed) and has a father who abuses him. Duffy loves Mendel and cherishes the very qualities that make him different; in fact, Duffy has enrolled Mendel in alchemy school for the following year. Magical creatures and symbols abound in this story: talking rabbits, carnivorous horses, the "canny" class of animals that cannot be eaten pegasi, and the alchemy star. I love the way the author fluently weaves these wondrous creations into the story. The drawback is that there is no compelling human/animal drama that moves the story forward. The book reads mainly as one adventure (or misadventure) after another.

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book does a really good job at painting the world in one's mind, and builds some good mental images. The story starts very promising, but it doesn't develop that much and it often ends up being a bit anti-climatic with situations never really getting to deep and solving themselves very quickly. Although I didn't count, I'm left with the impression that the two main antagonists of the story do not feature in more than about 10 or 15 pages of the book, in total.
I was also a bit bothered by the treatment of other species, while some are admired, others are treated with complete disregard, such as the pixies or the village crows (which are described as having a symbiotic relationship with the villagers where the crows bring them goods and the villages thank them by not kicking them out, to which the crows seem to be very grateful).

[Maggie Larche · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first book in the Alchemist's Theorem, we travel with a full-grown alchemist and his young protege as they seek to hide two dangerous artifacts. Along the way, we are exposed to a smattering of alchemy and healing and meet a myriad of exotic creatures (I love that some are in the "canny" class - great name). In addition to the dangers of the road, there are of course a couple of bad guys - one of which is power-hungry government agent and the other, something else altogether yet to be explained.

Well written and highly imaginative, the story drew me in immediately.

Like the best of fantasy, there are some spot-on parallels to our own world, though they are subtle and fit well into the story. I'm glad this is book #1, because there's a lot of potential here for a wonderful series.

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Duffy's Promicewill be the delight of youngsters and adults for many years to come. It's fantastic. I was drawn in by the characters and wanted to take them home with me, in real life. I was engaged from beginning to end. I plan to share Hawthorne with my students. They will especially like Esther and Gooder. Thanks to Goodreads for a copy of this wonderful book. I look forward to The Alchemist's Theorem, #2.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great story about a young boy named Mendel who is of a somewhat autistic nature who sets off on an adventure with his mentor, Sir Duffy the alchemist. There's a really nice mix of action packed excitement and quiet contemplation (especially inside Mendel's head!). I especially enjoyed the animal companions, particularly the fat lazy meat eating horse, Gooder! The book is geared towards middle school aged kids but as a grown woman in her 30s I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow to start but the characters are wonderful. I loved the world that Margaret Chiavetta created. I can't wait until more of this series is created. Very enjoyable for all ages. *** I received this book for free from Goodreads First-Reads.

[Kathleen Chiavetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Novel! Wonderfully imagined, and full of unique creativity. An endearing and heartwarming story, full of adventure! I highly recommend for readers of all ages!