SECRETO DEL ALQUIMISTA, EL: EL SECRETO DEL ALQUIMISTA (1ER. VOLUMEN TRILOGIA)

by John Ward

Book Overview

What would you do if your father sent you a key that could unlock the most powerful secret of the ancient world? Would you get involved, at the risk of bringing its terrible magic back to life? In... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: 8466622187
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: EDB INFANTIL FICCION
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.1" x 1.1" x 5.9"

Customer Reviews

A Fine Thriller

This is a darker book than the Harry Potter Books and sounds like it is aimed at an older reading audience. The characters and reader are all excellent plus it adds an exciting use of place (Italy) not often seen. Very highly recommended, this is a great audio book for you next car trip with or without children.

Kids- free yourselves from cotton wool!

Having read the varied comments on this book, i was intrigued and read it myself. Frankly i was amazed that people thought this book could be unsuitable for its audience. Obviously i am very lucky to have been brought up by parents that didn't wrap me in cotton wool. The story is one of high adventure, where good takes on evil. There was a fresh air to the book as the author has shown us into his world of danger and responsibility. The main characters ( Jake and Helen) are two very different teenagers from Scotland and Switzerland. Together they travel through Europe in a mad dash to save Helen's father after he tries to double cross the curious occult figure of Pounce. Pounce is a really alive character and is really scary. Beautiful European cities,tension, great characters, visitors from beyond the grave, a really good scare and goods triumph over evil. What more could you want in a book? This book is perfect for young adults as it is in the end a rather moral story where the forces of good win out.

Amazing Read

Awesome Read! Deep Characters! Shallow Villains! and Occult Antics! Amazingly well developed characters from the cunning Faustian Pounce to the unconfident and rather tag along Jake Giacometti accompanied by the Elegant, self righteous Helen de Havilland who is brewing with enthusiasm and rebellion! A good contrast of characters with Helen who acts like she owns the world and can fit in almost anywhere with acquatinces and relations in almost every European city from Paris to Florence to London to Rome, compared with Jake who is barely at home outside of Glasgow let alone another country, Jake who is nervous buying a train Ticket in France. The Evil and deceit virtually seeps out of Occultist villain Aurelian Pounce from conjuring up False Trials so he can obtain his desires to kidnapping a child and creating the facade that her mother sold her. He is so cunning and cruel yet he himself has been given the raw end of the Faustian deal. Overall an amazing read. Well written and edited. I would like to meet the author and publisher but so would most I suspect!

Best since Pratchett

great Thrilling Read one of the best i've Read since Pratchett's Good Omens. Characters that actually have Depth and aren't 2d. a great start to what i hope will be an even better series.

As a YA...

As a reader actually in the YA category I found this to be a compelling read, a fast-paced thriller that was challenging and exciting rather than one which dragged along in a simple, dreary fashion.Displayed is a perfectly executed combination of the fantasy and the realistic, endearing the characters to any younger reader.A great read, for young and old(I imagine, thought I am not, so cannot comment effectively).