The Alchemist of Souls
by Anne Lyle
- Percentage of approved critics who have given this book a positive review.
Critic Rating
47%
Critic Reviews: 18
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- User rating from iDreamBooks & iTunes
Reader Rating
64%
Reader Ratings: 23
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Synopsis
A fantasy/alternate history in which magic and godlings are introduced to England from the New World. The faerie-like skraylings seem to be a friendly race - but appearances can be deceptive. Mal Catlyn, a down-at-heel swordsman, is about to learn this the hard way.When Tudor explorers returned from the New World, they brought back a name out of half-forgotten Viking legend: skraylings. Red-sailed ships followed in the explorers' wake, bringing Native... more
About Anne Lyle
Published: March 27, 2012 by Random House
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, History. Fiction. 528 pages
- All Critics: 18
- Positive: 10
- Negative: 8
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The Eloquent Page | 5 Apr 2012
Anne Lyle’s writing manages to very effectively portray the differing faces of Tudor era England.
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Civilian Reader | 23 Apr 2012
I think the main issue for me was that it sometimes felt that Lyle was letting the historical details take over just a tiny bit. . .
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The Founding Fields | 5 Feb 2012
There just wasn’t enough resistance to the idea of homosexuality or to the practice of it and the characters sometimes could be quite blase about it, which I thought was quite surprising.
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Adventures Fantastic | 17 Apr 2012
There's quite a bit of intrigue as well as a conspiracy. Unfortunately, it wasn't hard to figure out who was behind the conspiracy.
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Warpcore SF | 20 Sep 2012
The world of The Alchemist of Souls is brilliantly conceived...
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Publishers Weekly | 6 Feb 2012
With an effective mix of espionage, backstage drama, and mystery, Lyle provides compelling drama in an intriguing setting.
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drying ink | 22 Jan 2012
The one slight 'but...' I have with characterisation here is that some of our characters seem to accept the homosexual relationships more easily than history would suggest.
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I Will Read Books | 15 Mar 2012
It's beautifully written story of intrigue, hatred, mystery and love.
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SFFWorld.com | 1 Apr 2012
Its style is confident and I found it to be surprisingly good for a debut author.
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Cheryl's Mewsings | 18 Apr 2012
This is a first novel. Lyle is not, as yet, in the same league as Cat Valente.
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The British Fantasy Society
An outstanding debut and Lyle is certainly a name to watch for the future.
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World Writ Small | 13 Feb 2012
At the same time one of the author’s stylistic choices I found a bit jarring; it was common for her to leave out transitions between scenes. . .
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Falcata Times | 5 Apr 2012
Sadly, that said, I did have a few problems with it such as connecting with the lead character. . .
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Sci-Fi Bulletin
Verdict: An engrossing read that every so often pulls the carpet out from beneath your expectations.
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City Book Review | 10 Apr 2012
The book does start off very slow, but eventually picks up the pace for an climatic ending.
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Interesting Things | 30 Apr 2012
She has a real feel for making the characters authentic.
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A Fantastical Librarian | 28 Mar 2012
The Alchemist of Souls is a book that will appeal to both fans of fantasy and of historical fiction.
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Book Chick City | 23 Mar 2012
A mix of mystery, historical fiction, and pure fantasy, "The Alchemist of Souls" will definitely appeal across many genres.
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