What do you think?
Rate this book
Gold Gift #1
A Rarer Gift Than Gold
Do you think you know the art world? It's a place where secrets can be hidden in plain sight.
Abigail Argent is a skilled craftsman working in the world of sculpture. Her particular talent lies in seeing the beauty in a plain piece of metal and being able to draw it out. When she comes across a book that links her craft with the ancient myth of alchemy, she's intrigued. Digging deeper, she discovers that some types of research can be dangerous. Delving into one of Italy's oldest secret societies, curiosity comes at a price that no-one should have to pay.
If you like a conspiracy theory that walks the line between myth and science, you'll love A Rarer Gift Than Gold.
A Rarer Gift Than Gold takes everything you think you know about alchemy and turns it on its head
Treat yourself to A Rarer Gift Than Gold as featured on Radio 4, BBC World Service & Timeout Magazine
Interview with the Author
Will you share a little about your book?
It’s a conspiracy theory about alchemy. Set in the art and craft world, it’s low fantasy with high stakes. Readers who enjoy the Da Vinci Code should like it.
Will you share how you came up with the idea for this book?
I am a sculptural restorer specialising in metals. I wanted to convey my love of metals and the idea came to me when a historian friend was doing some research and calling up some pretty rare volumes. He got a warning to stay away from the material he was looking at. I wondered why anyone would be so protective of something so dry and academic. I wondered what motivation they could possibly have and what might happen if he ignored the warning. I built this book around this event.
Who or what was your inspiration for this book?
Every day, I work with historic objects and one of the questions I always ask myself when restoring them is ‘what is missing from this object. What can I not see?’ and ‘why might evidence have been lost?’ It has made me very interested in what’s absent from history and why. This story is about how history can be manipulated by the removal of physical evidence for personal gain.
It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be?
The only part of the lead character that is like me is her love of metals. That we share.
Have you been influenced by the writing style of other authors?
I adore and devour books, but trying to imitate someone else would just be too hard. Your own voice has to be authentic otherwise I think you come off as a hack.
Do you have plans to write another book?
Girl in A Golden Cage will be out at the end of 2016 – it’s another book in The Gold Gift Series
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2015
82 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Branch
8 books14 followersLucy Branch's fiction has been featured on Radio 4, Timeout London and The BBC World Service. She is an expert in the conservation of public sculpture and has worked on some of the UK’s highest profile projects including Nelson's Column, Eros and Cleopatra's Needle. She studied at University College London, The Royal College of Art and Victoria Albert Museum. Her knowledge and passion for the art world is poured into her fiction which she weaves together with myth, conspiracy theory and fantasy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 20, 2016
A very enjoyable read...and an excellent adventure story around a different subject told from a very different perspective.
The main 'villain' of the book was wonderfully created...an urbane, sophisticated exterior hiding a dark, driven, at times psychotic man. Similarly, the central character and heroine Abi, was delightfully realised. By writing in the first person in an intimate manner, Branch was able to beautifully capture the inner turmoil and deeply personal battles that Abi needed to overcome to prevail. By doing this, Branch was also able to perfectly capture the tension of the story - particularly in the later chapters.
Overall the vast majority of the characterisation was both well thought through and very credible and, sustained by a free-flowing, expressive and vivid narrative, the book was an effortless and engaging read. Only an undercooked romance between Abi and David, and the fact that the story perhaps took a little too long to hit 'top gear', undermine what is otherwise an outstanding first novel from Branch.
Nevertheless, the quality of the narrative of 'A Rarer Gift Than Gold' hints at a major talent that one hopes will be fully realised in future work.
Filed under 'one to watch' most categorically.
The main 'villain' of the book was wonderfully created...an urbane, sophisticated exterior hiding a dark, driven, at times psychotic man. Similarly, the central character and heroine Abi, was delightfully realised. By writing in the first person in an intimate manner, Branch was able to beautifully capture the inner turmoil and deeply personal battles that Abi needed to overcome to prevail. By doing this, Branch was also able to perfectly capture the tension of the story - particularly in the later chapters.
Overall the vast majority of the characterisation was both well thought through and very credible and, sustained by a free-flowing, expressive and vivid narrative, the book was an effortless and engaging read. Only an undercooked romance between Abi and David, and the fact that the story perhaps took a little too long to hit 'top gear', undermine what is otherwise an outstanding first novel from Branch.
Nevertheless, the quality of the narrative of 'A Rarer Gift Than Gold' hints at a major talent that one hopes will be fully realised in future work.
Filed under 'one to watch' most categorically.
September 12, 2015
I picked this up for Kindle on the recommendation of a friend a couple of months ago and it is an absolutely cracking read!
The books premise of a woman who is drawn in to a dark conspiracy to create gold through alchemic practices is a highly unusual one. It is well paced and the voice of Abigail, the books main protagonist is believable and as a reader you have a lot of sympathy for her.
The book begins with Abigail stumbling across some books that reference alchemy in her University library whilst she is studying for her final exams. It sparks an interest that has a slow burn in the back of her mind. She returns to her family after her exams end but the story really kicks in after she accepts a commission in Italy where she continues looking for texts on alchemy whilst working on restoration projects during the daytime.
Abigail comes to the notice of a group of people who are committed to the art of alchemy. They take matters in to thrown hands and force Abigail to help them try to produce gold from base metal and what had been a steady narrative becomes a lot darker very quickly.
I’ve seen a number of reviews here that indicate that this book is a book of two halves and I would agree but where some have said that this is a problem I think that this works well as Abigail’s everyday existence prior to the later events serve to enhance the feeling of helplessness you have for her and the sense that the horrors she is exposed to are something that her captors are capable of. There are a couple of very violent scenes in the book but that is not to say that this is a violent story in any way, in fact the isolated nature of them only serves to enhance their ability to shock.
It is clear the author has a deep understanding and love for her subject matter and this came across in the way that Abigail described the different processes involved in alchemy and perturbation without the narrative becoming dry or drawn out. It definitely bears comparison (I would say favourably) with some of the work that Dan Brown has done and anybody who has read and enjoyed his work will love this. I really enjoyed this story which shone a light on a subject that doesn’t normally get a huge amount of exposure and for that reason I have given it 5 stars.
The books premise of a woman who is drawn in to a dark conspiracy to create gold through alchemic practices is a highly unusual one. It is well paced and the voice of Abigail, the books main protagonist is believable and as a reader you have a lot of sympathy for her.
The book begins with Abigail stumbling across some books that reference alchemy in her University library whilst she is studying for her final exams. It sparks an interest that has a slow burn in the back of her mind. She returns to her family after her exams end but the story really kicks in after she accepts a commission in Italy where she continues looking for texts on alchemy whilst working on restoration projects during the daytime.
Abigail comes to the notice of a group of people who are committed to the art of alchemy. They take matters in to thrown hands and force Abigail to help them try to produce gold from base metal and what had been a steady narrative becomes a lot darker very quickly.
I’ve seen a number of reviews here that indicate that this book is a book of two halves and I would agree but where some have said that this is a problem I think that this works well as Abigail’s everyday existence prior to the later events serve to enhance the feeling of helplessness you have for her and the sense that the horrors she is exposed to are something that her captors are capable of. There are a couple of very violent scenes in the book but that is not to say that this is a violent story in any way, in fact the isolated nature of them only serves to enhance their ability to shock.
It is clear the author has a deep understanding and love for her subject matter and this came across in the way that Abigail described the different processes involved in alchemy and perturbation without the narrative becoming dry or drawn out. It definitely bears comparison (I would say favourably) with some of the work that Dan Brown has done and anybody who has read and enjoyed his work will love this. I really enjoyed this story which shone a light on a subject that doesn’t normally get a huge amount of exposure and for that reason I have given it 5 stars.
March 25, 2015
I liked this book. Through the ages there has been the idea that the changing of base metal into gold is possible indeed many believe that it has been done. The Author has a gift of storytelling that takes you into the midst of the tale and makes you become part of it. The heroine is a talented artist and patineur who changes the color of metal, at a terrible cost to her poor scarred hands. She is both vulnerable and fragile but with courage and ingenuity she delves into the unknown in the darkness and truly does not know if she will or will not not survive. This story has greed, pathos, tragedy, faith, and love. What more could you ask for?
April 4, 2015
I really enjoyed this refreshingly original book. Abigail the main character has a real natural affinity to metals further developed her work in her family business restoring historical metalwork. She becomes interested in the ancient art of Alchemy after discovering an old book. Travelling to Venice her interest in Alchemy develops leading her into a dangerous world she has no idea exists. The book is an interesting mix of fascinating details of working with metals with a fast paced plot. The second half of the book in particular is a real page turner as Abigail and her friends find themselves in serious danger. Well worth a read I look forward to the authors next book.
January 2, 2016
This is a very unusual, authentic novel - the author has taken an unlikely subject and turned it into a thriller. There is a lot there about metals, transformations and alchemy told in a fascinating way. It's also a gripping tale told by a very likeable storyteller. I was interested and gripped right until the end.
July 18, 2015
A little slow in places but well written and an enjoyable read. Agree with others that this is an original theme, so worth a read!
February 9, 2017
Good/bad
As the title says I enjoyed parts of this book and other parts not so much. I would say this is a well though out well written book considering the complexity of the mythology and metallurgy the story revolves around. I liked the first part of the book and the main character Abie but the other characters seemed shallow by comparison. By the middle of the book I found myself checking to see how much more I had to get through to finish and admit to skimming through to get to the end.
As the title says I enjoyed parts of this book and other parts not so much. I would say this is a well though out well written book considering the complexity of the mythology and metallurgy the story revolves around. I liked the first part of the book and the main character Abie but the other characters seemed shallow by comparison. By the middle of the book I found myself checking to see how much more I had to get through to finish and admit to skimming through to get to the end.
September 14, 2020
A unique story that blends art and science to produce an unusual but effective thriller. There is some beautiful descriptive writing, particularly in the early chapters, then the pace heats up as the heroine Abigail faces trouble. There are some romantic elements too, resulting in a very satisfying read. I’m definitely tempted to read Lucy’s other books.
August 21, 2019
Very, very Good
I wasn't sure I was going to like this story but a slow start got faster as I read. I loved the characters, especially the patanation expert. The bad guys were scary too. I hope to read more ofFs Branch's book. I hope you'll like this one too. Happy Reading.
I wasn't sure I was going to like this story but a slow start got faster as I read. I loved the characters, especially the patanation expert. The bad guys were scary too. I hope to read more ofFs Branch's book. I hope you'll like this one too. Happy Reading.
August 21, 2019
In the vein of the Davinci Code, this story is about Abigail, a metal patineur, who stumbles across a book on Alchemy, the turning of metal into gold, and comes to the attention of an Illuminati group. Lots of twist and great character development.
August 23, 2017
An interesting book, takes some interesting turns and has the heroin involved with things not often seen in other books.
March 27, 2024
Science and art and maybe a little bit of strange magic. Readable, intricate, and definitely good value for a Kindle freebie!
May 6, 2015
With A Rarer Gift Than Gold, Lucy Branch provides an engaging, refreshing twist on the secret-society subgenre of conspiracy fiction. The novel is narrated by Abigail (Abi) Argent, a graduate in chemistry with an unusual occupation. Having learned the foundry trade from her father in England, Abi takes her talents as a patineur, an artist who applies patinas to bronzes of all shapes and periods—church doors, modern sculptures, Renaissance statues—to Italy. Here she falls in love with Venice, Verona, Florence, as well as a young man, David, whom she is chronically in danger of losing—along with her life! A severe case of psoriasis leads her to always wear gloves in public as an antidote for her extreme self-consciousness over the state of her hands. Ironically, she is literally allergic to her love of metals. Adding to her mystique is her synesthesia: music evokes color, and color, in turn, evokes texture (that is, she sees sounds and feels colors). But this is only a hint of rarer talents to come. Percolating throughout the first half of the novel is Abi’s preoccupation with alchemy, which a chance encounter with an old theology tome inspires. She pursues her research despite vague threats from mysterious sources that find her a person of interest in her obsession with the dark arts. It’s sort of like E.M. Forster’s A Room With a View with an undercurrent of Dan Brown that eventually becomes a tsunami of a thriller in the second half of the book. In the end, though, alchemy has as much to do with the transformation of Abi’s character as it does base metal. If you enjoy a quest-driven novel that leads to dark and dangerous places, you might want to give this one a try.
January 15, 2016
Overall, a very engaging but at times flawed debut novel.
There's a sense of two different books here as the pace of the book changes dramatically around half to two-thirds of the way through! Personally I preferred the latter part of the book as it had a real sense of adventure and tension. The storyline is very different, unique even, and, for the most part, works well.
The highlight of the book is the excellent narrative prose - whilst most of the characterisation is constructed with a purposeful and well thought through attention to detail. However, to this reader, the romantic elements of the book were not of the same standard as the rest of the book - and perhaps the book would have been much stronger had they been omitted altogether.
This however did not significantly detract from a most enjoyable reading experience.
If the future work of Ms Branch is able to produce dialogue of the same quality as the narrative prose, together with solid characterisation across the board and a more even pace, then there can be little doubt that writing a classic book is well within her capabilities.
I, for one, will be watching with great interest for her next book.
There's a sense of two different books here as the pace of the book changes dramatically around half to two-thirds of the way through! Personally I preferred the latter part of the book as it had a real sense of adventure and tension. The storyline is very different, unique even, and, for the most part, works well.
The highlight of the book is the excellent narrative prose - whilst most of the characterisation is constructed with a purposeful and well thought through attention to detail. However, to this reader, the romantic elements of the book were not of the same standard as the rest of the book - and perhaps the book would have been much stronger had they been omitted altogether.
This however did not significantly detract from a most enjoyable reading experience.
If the future work of Ms Branch is able to produce dialogue of the same quality as the narrative prose, together with solid characterisation across the board and a more even pace, then there can be little doubt that writing a classic book is well within her capabilities.
I, for one, will be watching with great interest for her next book.
May 12, 2015
This is a good debut novel in many ways, but falls a bit short for me in the second half of the book. Absolutely wonderful in its descriptions of these crafts that most of us will know practically nothing about, and pretty good with the locations too. Alchemy is always interesting, and there are many stories focussing on the quest for the Philosopher's stone; I liked this one with its metallochemical approach and the sideline chemistry involved. But I felt the characters (apart from Abigail herself, and Terry & Therese) were a bit less convincing - I didn't really "get" David & Abigail's romance, and the villains were quite stereotyped. The "shocking" death of a character just didn't hit me that way - it would have been better with more suspense I think. I felt that the last part of the book was rushed, in particular the events after Abigail's escape. The hints of Abi's affinity with metals were intriguing. I think this is to be part of a trilogy (?), and I look forward to the next tale being slightly more polished (sorry about the pun) - I would like to read more.
December 10, 2015
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The story had a interesting Da Vinci Code feel to it and the characters were very vivid and three dimensional.
Lucy Branch's writing is beautiful- I particularly loved the way Abigail described music through comparing it to colour. The book is worth reading for this paragraph alone!
The author really knows her stuff when it comes to metals and my only criticism is that these descriptions occasionally slowed down the story, particularly in the second half.
Overall, a really great read. I'll be looking out for more from this author. 4.5 stars rounded up to five!
Lucy Branch's writing is beautiful- I particularly loved the way Abigail described music through comparing it to colour. The book is worth reading for this paragraph alone!
The author really knows her stuff when it comes to metals and my only criticism is that these descriptions occasionally slowed down the story, particularly in the second half.
Overall, a really great read. I'll be looking out for more from this author. 4.5 stars rounded up to five!
July 2, 2015
I found this book to be a mixed bag of good and not-so-great aspects. The story is uniquely told although familiar. The writing is nicely done with a solid plot beginning. I found the characters to lack thorough development and fleshing out making them difficult to connect with or care about. I like the way Branch describes the magic and metallurgy. Overall it's a quick easy read but not enough to make me excited about a new fantasy book. I received an ARC through the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.
May 31, 2016
Lucy Branch tells an intense thriller set in some of the most beautiful places in Italy. Milan, Venice, just to name two beautiful cities. The main character, Abigail, is a very talented metal worker with an artistic gift. Her gift puts her her great danger from a man who is obsessed with gold and alchemy. The story is full of suspense and Abigail is in danger.
I was unable to put this eBook down. I had to finish it to find out if Abigail could turn mental into gold and will she survive.
I highly recommend this book. It is well written and full of suspense.
I was unable to put this eBook down. I had to finish it to find out if Abigail could turn mental into gold and will she survive.
I highly recommend this book. It is well written and full of suspense.
September 7, 2015
I heard an interview with this book's author on the BBC, and it was fascinating. Her profession is similar to the protagonist, as she restores sculptures in London. The book has some cool moments if you're an alchemy fan (I am). You can tell that the author thinks that the connections between colouring metal and alchemy are awesome, and she delights in her shop talk. The plot itself, well...it's just so earnest in its melodrama. But it was an ok read.
June 17, 2015
Enjoyed this book. Liked Abigail the main character and found the supporting characters good too.
Brilliant for a free kindle read. Would read other books by the same author.
Brilliant for a free kindle read. Would read other books by the same author.
November 12, 2019
4 star I think
It was a bit slow initially but I like the concepts involved. Otherwise good and I liked MC. Nice story.
It was a bit slow initially but I like the concepts involved. Otherwise good and I liked MC. Nice story.
April 4, 2017
An intriguing story with a feisty heroine. Slow moving at first, it enters the realm of fantasy towards the end as the heroine fights to escape an evil organisation in Italy, using her skills and knowledge of metals.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews