The Alchemist's Map

by Jason Lee Willis, Jason Lee Willis, Chelsea Farr (Editor)

Empires rise and fall, but the stars remain the same. Renowned French astronomer and expert on Halley's Comet Joseph Nicollet is shown a bizarre map by a Scottish noblewoman who believes it tells the location of the Philosopher's Stone. When the noblewoman is murdered and the map is stolen, Nicollet embarks on a dangerous quest to discover the truth behind the ancient legend. With only the memory of the mysterious treasure map to go on, Nicollet leads a mapping expedition into the untamed forests and wild rivers of Minnesota, where mysticism still lingers in the shadows. Driven by science yet deeply religious, wild at heart but frail of body, and capable of inspiring friendship while keeping dark secrets, Joseph Nicollet must choose between his reputation and his duty to the truth. Will the stolen map's strange clues allow Nicollet to find the ancient treasure? Or will a faceless adversary destroy his works and dreams before the truth can be discovered?

526 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2021

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was very compelling. Starting out, I thought we’d just be following Nicollet around on his assigned journey, but it became much more convoluted with all the other actors in this. Willis’ writing was very interesting in that it told the story of the main protagonist, Nicollet, but often through the stories of others. For instance, sometimes we’d hear from someone in D.C. who had heard news about Nicollet’s journey to learn about what his expedition was up to. It made it very interesting, and the dates and locations made it pretty easy to follow. I did get confused about the cast of characters at times, but that will be easily remedied in print/e-book form when people can flip back and forth to the end with the list of people. The App I used wasn’t as user-friendly in that regard. As a Minnesotan, it was wonderful to read about the history of Minnesota through the historical and fictional lens. It is clear that Willis did his work when it comes to research, and as someone who appreciates history, I really enjoyed the marriage of fact and fiction in each chapter. This novel is definitely not a light read, but it was still enjoyable. I’d definitely recommend it to those who enjoy adventure, historical fiction, and even a science fiction fan looking to branch out. It has that feeling of being on a mission of discovery that led me to read more and more, wondering how it will turn out for the expedition with all of the obstacles of people, tribes, and politics.

[Chris Norbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely for Minnesota history buffs, especially those who want to know about the 1800s and white settler/conquerors and native tribes. I'm a history buff (especially the Civil War) so this was in my wheelhouse. Even so, I wish I'd paid more attention to the teacher in 6th-grade MN history. :-)

Willis takes us on a wild ride all over the state and introduces a cast of dozens. He took a chance with the style he chose (many, many POVs and lots of internal thoughts expressed). But the adventure and mystery of whether or not the Philosopher's Stone existed kept me turning the pages.

Joseph Nicollet is an excellent choice for a protagonist because he strove for nothing but the truth, accurate mapping of the Minnesota Territory, and telling the Native American story to the 'Manifest Destiny" US government in a vain attempt to recognize them as human beings to be respected, not crushed and then ultimately unwillingly assimilated into white European culture.

If you're a history buff, this is a unique story that injects some adventure and mystery into an important story of the pre-statehood struggles of Minnesota.

[Sherri Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story but the transitions from chapter to chapter were not very smooth and not always easy to read. The book did however make me want to read more about the real life characters found in this historical novel.

[Linda J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting historical fiction. Great read for all Minnesotans