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The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Graphic Novel

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Discover the magical world of the bestselling series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel as a graphic novel! Experience Sophie and Josh's first adventure like never before in this adaptation complete with stunning full-color illustrations.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel's tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives.

Nicholas Flamel is the greatest Alchemyst to ever live. The records show that he died in 1418, but what if he's actually been making the elixir of life for centuries?

The secrets to eternal life are hidden within the book he protects--the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed, and in the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. And that's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it.

There is one hope. If the prophecy is true, Sophie and Josh Newman have the power to save everyone. Now they just have to learn to use it.

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 2023

15 people are currently reading
63 people want to read

About the author

Michael Scott

187 books6,840 followers
Irish-born Michael Scott began writing over thirty years ago, and is one of Ireland's most successful and prolific authors, with over one hundred titles to his credit, spanning a
variety of genres, including Fantasy, Science Fiction and Folklore.

He writes for both adults and young adults and is published in thirty-seven countries, in over twenty languages.

Praised for his “unparalleled contribution to children’s literature,” by the Guide to Children’s
Books, Michael Scott was the Writer in Residence during Dublin’s tenure as European City of Culture in 1991, and was featured in the 2006 edition of Who’s Who in Ireland as one of the 1000
most “significant Irish.”

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5 stars
30 (23%)
4 stars
49 (38%)
3 stars
36 (28%)
2 stars
12 (9%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Elliot.
219 reviews
December 7, 2024
This was fun! This series was my favorite 10+ years ago, so I was excited to get back into it with a new medium. It’s enjoyable!
Profile Image for Lewis Fisher.
570 reviews2 followers
December 5, 2023
its so weird seeing this as a graphic novel after so many years existing in my head only and then one very strange youtube video
Profile Image for Kelsey Rhodes.
2,000 reviews33 followers
March 6, 2023
4.25/5 stars! I enjoyed reading this series a few years ago, so when I saw that it was coming out as a graphic novel, I was really excited to read it. The animation in this story was done so perfectly. Illustrator Chris Chalik did an amazing job. The storyline is as inviting and wild as it was as a written story. I think this graphic novel will usher the next generation of young readers into this phenomenal series.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Profile Image for Vail Chester.
860 reviews
March 6, 2024
I can tell there was great potential for a thrilling YA urban fantasy series here, what with magic meeting the mundane, myths & cryptids being real and still existing to modern day, and the two typical average teens getting involved due to ancient prophecy.
But as this is only the adaptation of the first book, with the visuals being less than stellar for something so imaginative, I can only hope that the story will soon accommodate the needs of a visual medium.
Profile Image for Mattthew.
116 reviews11 followers
October 28, 2024
This was decent. The art was in a very sketchy style, and the colors were basic. That being said, the characters looked fairly consistent, and it was easy to tell who was who. I love magic weilders, so a lot of things about this were positive. One thing that I didn't like is there was a couple of I know Kung fu moments, (like Neo in the Matrix), where characters were just granted powers and it felt like cheating a bit to me. Overall, an ok read worth checking out if you're into ya fantasy.
Profile Image for el (celestialbronz).
567 reviews185 followers
February 12, 2023
I've been wanting to reread the novel for a while but never got the chance and thankfully i got approved on this graphic novel!

I remembered nothing from my first read on the novel so it was truly fascinating to dive into the myth-infused magic system once again, and to be finally able to see the setting & character's visual. But with the limited space, the story somehow felt a little bit anticlimax and moving too fast.

But I still enjoyed it nonetheless. When can I expect the next book's graphic novel? 😂
Profile Image for Jack Phoenix.
Author 3 books26 followers
May 7, 2024
With poor pacing and art quality that varies panel to panel, readers may be better off just picking up the original novel.
Profile Image for Katharine.
572 reviews11 followers
February 15, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I was very excited to read this since I remember loving The Alchemyst years ago when it first came out. Unfortunately, this fell a bit flat. This graphic novel is pretty faithful to the original novel, but some things got lost in transferring mediums that hurt the story a bit. In the original, there is more introspective to what the twins are feeling and thinking during the course of the book. They also took out a LOT of the twin's interactions with each other. Without those introspective moments and interactions between them, the twins feel a bit empty as characters. They're kind of just...there. You don't really connect with them, because you don't get to know them. The graphic novel seems to think that Nicholas is the main character. I know the book is named after him, but he's not the main character. The art style also felt a bit stale to me. Characters don't really emote that much, and there's pretty much no page flow. The magic scenes also felt lackluster, something about the way the effects were drawn just didn't look good. Also, who gave the character descriptions to the artists? They're sort of right but have some key elements wrong. This is technically nit-picky, but it was enough that I noticed. Nicholas's eye color is described as "so pale they were almost colorless". I would assume they are an insanely pale blue or a very pale gray. Why was his eye color the exact same shade of bright blue as the twins? Similar issues for Hekate and Dee. Hekate is described in the book as having "-lips so thin they were almost none existent. Her pupils were the color of butter." Yet in the book, she has large bright red lips (the way this is drawn, paired with her jet black skin is uh...not great. I don't mean as in badly done art, I mean in an "insensitive" way if you catch my drift) and the same shade of blue eyes as Flamel and the twins. Dee is described as a "small, rather dapper-looking man, dressed in a neat charcoal-gray three-piece suit-" and "His iron-gray hair was pulled back from an angular face into a tight ponytail, while a neat triangular beard, mostly black but flecked with gray, concealed his mouth and chin." In the graphic novel, he has no beard and his suit is a purple-ish blue. They're minor details that some people might not care about, but it was enough of a divergence from the book that it became annoying. If you want to experience this story in its best form, read the original novel This graphic novel is alright but pales in comparison.
Profile Image for Bernard Christopher.
Author 1 book8 followers
November 10, 2025
#BernardReads | BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Secrets of the Immortal #NicholasFlamel: The Alchemyst (The Graphic Novel) by Michael Scott, adapted by Nicole Andelfinger, illustrated by Chris Chalik 🪄

Since I’ve finished my #tbr early, I decided to have a quick read for 3 days. I only have few graphic novels and when I saw this at the National Book Store, I immediately bought it.

I just read the novel months ago and I’m ready to relive the ancient magical world again of Nicholas Flamel and the twins.

I had a very different imagination for some of the characters. Didn’t knew Flamel was this young looking and Scathatch looks like a young adult. Sorry, I’m bad at remembering details.

The one who adapt the story may not had a hard time because this #graphicnovel follows the story chapter by chapter literally and it had a good pacing.

The illustrations are ok. And I do appreciate that they didn’t tone down the colors because as I read the novel, it has some of the most descriptive and colorful scenes. Although, the actions scenes here were just fine. And they brought the humor as well of the twins, even Scathatch which I find funny.

And Perenelle still my best girl. She conquered fear for lunch. Let’s go gurl!

I just wished it had more magical cover. Nevertheless, Im looking forward for more adaptations!

#bookrecommendations #bookreview
Profile Image for Julianna (rose_is_reading).
133 reviews1 follower
February 11, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I read this series around the time that it came out, so it was cool to see a childhood favorite pop up (but in graphic novel form)! The story has remained quite true to its source material, and as I read I could recall the scenes as they came up. The pacing of the story was good, and the story moved well across the pages. The layout of the text and graphics was easy to follow, and I didn't feel like my eyes were ping-ponging around the screen. Overall, my only issue with the novel is that the art style made it difficult to differentiate between the ages of the characters, and they all seemed to be the same basic form with different hair colors, skin tones and eye colors. I also think that in some of the fight scenes there could have been more differentiation between character movement and magic-wielding. The style appeared to be very traditional- like the DC and Marvel comics of decades past which was still very cool, but it would have also been cool to see a more modern approach to the illustrations.
Profile Image for Mrs. Kenyon.
1,367 reviews27 followers
July 28, 2023
Sophie and Josh are working their summer jobs when they are plunged into a battle that has been happening for centuries … literally. It turns out that Nicholas Flamel is Josh’s employer, and he is over 600 years old. Nicholas discovered the Book of Abraham the Mage (better known as the Codex) and has been brewing the elixir of life every month for centuries. Dr. John Dee is a former student of Nicholas and has been hunting him in order to take the Codex for himself. Who else will join this adventure? What hidden truths will the twins uncover?

The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Graphic Novel is a reimagining of the original tale. Readers who have enjoyed the Alchemyst series will find this adventure just as appealing. Those who are new to the story will be clamoring for more. The graphics are wonderful, and the story is great, but readers should know that this is almost all character development and leaves everyone without a lot of answers. A good adaptation and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Profile Image for M Samuell.
153 reviews
December 3, 2023
A true adaptation of the first installment of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series.

I am not going to lie to you, I adored the Nicholas Flamel series when I first picked it up. Action, suspense, mystery, magic- everything that takes a coming-of-age story and makes it something more. However, in the rush of characters, locations, and history, some of the 'movie magic' was lost on me. I could have slowed down, re-read, and tried to grasp everything better but I was overwhelmed by the urge to know what came next.

As a result, there were a lot of visual voids. The graphic novel, while not the 'prettiest' in terms of presentation, does an incredible job of condensing the narrative (if that is even possible) and giving faces to the names, settings to the locations- this was the element I was sorely lacking.

Now all we need is a film or TV series to match.
Excellent for fans of the Percy Jackson series.

[Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Childrens for a free copy fo this read in exchange for an honest review.]
Profile Image for Nina Canales.
63 reviews5 followers
August 29, 2023
I was so excited to see a graphic novel version of The Alchemyst! The illustrator Chris Chalik really brought the characters to life and pretty close to how I imagined them!
Like most graphic novels, you won't get all the inner dialogue like the novels but that is to be expected. It is true to the source material so don't worry about it not following the plot and storyline.It has all the drama, action, and magic you can expect from The Alchemyst. This review is not comparing the graphic novel to the original source! We have to remember the graphic novel is a reimagining and adaptation of the novel and is perfect read for students who might not want to read the original novel and enjoy reading graphic novels.
This is a perfect way to introduce reluctant readers to this series. It was so cool seeing the characters come to life!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sabrina Roy.
1,349 reviews35 followers
July 11, 2023
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Overall this was a good story. However, I have read the book before and there seem to be so many details missing. I don't remember them all but with it being such a large book condensed to such a small graphic novel it almost seems like each book should be two parts. Additionally, the book jumps and you don't even realize it like when the twins decide to escape the Shadowrealm all of a sudden they are captured before you know they even talked/attempted it. It has a good premise but I think it should be more. 2.5 stars rounded up.
Profile Image for Alicia.
8,503 reviews150 followers
July 13, 2023
Between the stilted movement of the characters on page, the depiction of the characters themselves visually, and the uneven pacing of the story unraveling this was a disappointment. But, I kind of expected it to be because it had big shoes to fill because it's one of my favorite adventure series to recommend because I loved reading the series as it came out way back when. And my two teen sons love the series as well, filled with myth, treachery, immortality, and history.

Unfortunately I will pretend that the adaptation doesn't exist because it didn't enhance the story or even come close to the creation that Scott's original has.
916 reviews7 followers
July 16, 2023
Thank you Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. I enjoyed this graphic novel adaptation much more than the original version, which I read shortly after it was published and wasn’t impressed with at all. I liked the fast moving plot and nice art that matched the characters and the story. By the end of this book I was actually looking forward to the next one. Overall, I was glad to have given this series another look, would recommend it to my students, and am looking forward to the graphic novel adaptation of the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Erin Clements.
265 reviews2 followers
June 13, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for the eARC.

I read The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series as a child when it was first coming out, and while I couldn't tell you anything about the plot anymore, I remember absolutely loving it. So when I saw the graphic novel adaptation of the first book on Netgalley, I had to read it, and I'm so glad I did. It was good enough to make me want to pick the original series back up and re-read them, and I'm not much of a re-reader, so that's a high compliment.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,279 reviews19 followers
August 31, 2023
I received an eARC courtesy of Delacorte Press/Random House Children's via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I feel like this book really needs the reader to know the original series before tackling this one-which I do not. Needless to say, I was completely lost for most of it and sections just felt rather jumpy.

For Libraries: If the original series is still circulating well, this might be a good chance to take. If not and your budget and space is tight, I would wait until someone asks.
Profile Image for Zakri.
80 reviews3 followers
February 13, 2023
NetGalley ARC Review

This graphic novel version of "The Alchemyst" is a fantastic edition to the series. It is well drawn and is a great adaptation of the text that adequately captures the emotions, drama, plot, and progression of the book. If a child, teen, or adult does not want to or physically cannot read the full-length novel or listen to the audiobook, this graphic novel is a great alternative.
126 reviews2 followers
May 22, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have listened to the audiobook format of the The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel and this is a very accurate representation. Little is left out and the art shows the action described in the book very well. I will say the art style for this was not my favorite, but that might just be me. If you are looking to consume this in graphic novel format give it a try and enjoy.
Profile Image for Aimee.
172 reviews26 followers
May 24, 2023
If you've read the traditional novels, you know the story, but if you don't this graphic novel rendition does an excellent job putting it in colorful ink and imagery. By the end I couldn't remember what i had imagined when reading the story, vs. what were the images created by the artist. I loved how they conveyed each creature and it felt like a dark more grown up version of the middle years book. Looking forward to the rest in the series.
Profile Image for Educator.
314 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2023
NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


This is not the frail Nicholas Flamel we've seen in movies of recent years. No this Flamel is fighting evil forces on all sides with the help of a pair of twins and otherworldly beings. The graphics pull you in along with the storyline. Can't wait for the next installment.
Profile Image for Emma Lorett.
40 reviews3 followers
March 14, 2023
I didn’t love this book but I didn’t hate it either… I think I’m going to read the actual book because there will be more explanation instead of having everything thrown at me. I wouldn’t read this again but I’m willing to try the actual novel
Profile Image for Karin.
1,973 reviews25 followers
December 31, 2023
Loved this fantasy series a million years ago when I read (and listened) to it. Was excited to see a graphic novel adaptation but drawing style wasn’t my favorite and some of lettering was hard to read. Still fun to revisit the story!
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,016 reviews2 followers
October 14, 2023
This was an interesting graphic novel about Nicholas Flamel, an immortal alchemist. It's an entertaining mix of mythology, magical creatures and magic in a fight between good and evil.
Profile Image for Chris.
153 reviews1 follower
December 12, 2024
Fun read but minus one star for typing and word balloon errors. Will read the next one.
Profile Image for Heidi.
707 reviews13 followers
September 3, 2025
The illustrations were beautiful and proportionate. It had some interesting parts about various mythologies. But for some reason, I was not able to get into it. It was not able to hook me in.
Profile Image for Theo.
144 reviews31 followers
November 15, 2024
Adaptations are always difficult, be they for the screen, or in this instance, to a graphic novel format. I read the entire series about ten years ago, and I really enjoyed the world-building and adventure. The first novel, The Alchemyst, introduces the reader to the world of Nicholas Flamel (also of the Harry Potter universe), an immortal human who has been on the run for the last 700 years or so protecting an ancient codex that contains alchemical formulas and apocalyptic prophecies. Enter Josh and Sophie, teen twins who seem to be at the center of the aforementioned prophecies.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't enjoy this graphic adaptation as much as I enjoyed the original novel. I found the artwork stale. It stuck to a more traditional style with lots of panels and limited detail. I would have loved to see some two-page spreads and panels that flowed more organically across the page. I was also missing the world-building that I loved in the novel. All of the flashbacks into the history of characters were cut from the story. The dialogue bubbles didn't always flow well, and there was one section that seemed as if a page or two was out of order.

I hope this graphic novel brings new readers to Michael Scott's original novels, but I'm not sure if this adaptation did them any justice.

Thank you Random House Children's for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Makayla Woods.
419 reviews3 followers
August 31, 2023
Almost exactly like I pictured it!!! The magic and characters are amazingly depicted. I only wish they would have kept the early 2000s technology. I hope they do the whole series!!! I am having my friends and family read it since they don't read books often!


5/2/23 Who was going to tell me my favorite series was become a graphic novel!!! I literally can't wait!!! I hope they keep the 2000s setting and all the author's imagery!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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