“The charity auction hadn’t started until well after midnight, when the gala dinner had ended.”

From Michael Scott’s The Magician: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel.

Ever since fifteen-year-old twins, Josh and Sophie learned that the friendly bookstore owners, Nicholas and Perry Flamel are actually centuries-old magical Alchemysts and defenders against the evil Dark Elders, their lives have been forever changed. Josh and Sophie have made friends with Scathach, one of the few good Elders, but the twins have also been pulled into Nicholas and Perry’s immortal battle with the Dark Elder’s John Dee. Believing the twins are part of an ancient prophecy, Nicholas is able to awaken Sophie’s magic, which scares Josh on several levels. Nicholas, Scathach, Sophie, and Josh magically travel to Italy where they must face off against the necromancer Dee, the powerful Machiavelli, and monsters from Nicolas’ past. Nicholas brings the group to his old apprentice, Saint-Germain and his wife Joan of Arc, both for shelter and to help train Sophie in the Magic of Fire. Since Josh has no magic of his own, Nicholas gives him an ancient sword to help him defend himself for any approaching fights. While the twins struggle to stay close through this new world, evil forces draws closer, threatening to destroy Josh, Sophie, Nicholas, and Scathach forever.

As the second book in Scott’s fantasy series, it is quick, surprising, and captivating.  Readers will be drawn into the story and kept interested by the continued development of the characters.  Fans of the Percy Jackson or Artemis Fowl books need look no further than The Magician for a fun, magical adventure.