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Title: The Alchemist's Door by Lisa Goldstein ISBN: 0765301504 Publisher: Forge Pub. Date: August, 2002 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4
Rating: 3
Summary: Ho-Hum
Comment: "The Alchemist's Door," takes what should be an exciting story and through the lack of detail that brings prose to life end up rather ho-hum. It's a story of alchemy, Kabbala, demon possession, shape-shifters, vampires, and the attributes of a "just man," told as a search-mystery; with locations various - Prague, London, Translyvania - but with little but the story to pull the reader into the magic that is, supposedly, all about. Not only are action and locale left sketchy, but characters are somewhat vague as well. Though we're given broad outlines no one but Magdelana, a horribly abused young woman desirous of knowledge, appealed on an emotional level. I was left with the impression this novel was written a bit too quickly, and the author's decision to sacrifice detail showed either a lack of research, or a lack of interest. I was looking for a good read in the fantasy genre, but got a sketch instead.
Rating: 3
Summary: Interesting history, magic. Logic flaws weaken plot
Comment: Scientist and astrologer John Dee and his family have left the court of Queen Elizabeth fleeing from a demon. The demon pursues them, however, and Dee finds himself in Prague where the mad Emperor demands delivery of the 36th righteous man--the man who's death will lead to the destruction of the world order and an opportunity for a man or demon to reshape the universe. Together with the Rabbi Judah Loew, legendary creator of the golem, Dee searches for the 36th righteous man--and for a way to stop the forces of evil that threaten to overrun Europe. Because the doorway between the universes stands open and demons have begun to make their way back into our world.
Author Lisa Goldstein delivers a deft mixture of history and fantasy. Her writing is clear and keeps the pages turning. I was distracted, however by some of the logic holes. Why, for example, didn't Emperor Rudolf simply kill everyone on his list rather than engage Dee and Loew to find the one man? He certainly didn't show much respect for life. What, exactly, was the whole Erzsebet thing about--was it really only to bring in old Hungarian legends? And what happened to the second demon--the one that could physically manifest itself and that served Kelley? Finally, the ultimate battle seemed anticlimactic and I was left wondering whether Dee really sacrificed much, really made a heroic gesture. Attempting to close to door between the universes would have been a more powerful symbol if Dee had been able to truly use the magics that came through the gateway. Instead, his sacrifice wasn't particularly large, reducing the power of the novel.
THE ALCHEMIST'S DOOR is a pleasant read with its setting in the historically significant period of Elizabeth I, its use of historic characters in alternate history settings, and its travels through the mystical world of Eastern Europe at a time when the Turks were still capable of threatening all of Christendom and when Jews were forced into ghettos.
Rating: 5
Summary: Impressive!
Comment: Set in the sixteenth century, The Alchemist's Door chronicles the life of legendary English mathematician, alchemist and astrologer John Dee, the inspiration for Prospero in Shakespeare's Tempest and the title character in Marlowe's Dr. Faustus. As the story opens, Dee and his strange associate, Edward Kelley, have accidentally summoned a demon that now dogs Dee's every step. Hoping to evade the demon and improve his fortunes, Dee accepts potential patron Prince Laski's invitation to visit Poland. But the demon follows him there, prompting Dee, his family and Kelley to flee to Prague.
In Prague, Dee senses that something terrible is about to happen. By chance he discovers that the city straddles the border between earth and a demon dimension inhabited by, among other evil entities, the very creature that's been plaguing him. Prague is also home to the mad Emperor Rudolph, a devotee and patron of the black arts, who seeks Dee's assistance in fashioning the legendary Philosopher's Stone.
On a visit to the Emperor Dee has a fateful encounter with fellow mystic Rabbi Judah Loew. Dee and Loew join in a strained alliance, even as the Emperor initiates a pogrom against the Jews of Prague. Loew seeks and receives Dee's assistance in creating a Golem-a man fashioned from clay-to defend the city's Jewish quarter from the Emperor's troops.
Dee also becomes involved in Loew's search for the fabled 36th righteous man. Prophecy foretells that if the last righteous man dies, the world will end, and the dark spirits of the neighboring dimension will remake it in the own image. The Emperor, believing he can influence the shape this new world will take, orders his troops to scour the city to find this man so that he may personally put him to death. Dee, realizing that this is what his demonic tormentor has wanted all along, works with Loew to frustrate the Emperor's apocalyptic plans, even though it may cost him his life.
Some quick research on the Web indicates that Goldstein has done the same thing with John Dee's life that Tim Powers did with Kim Philby's in Declare, exploiting historical gaps and coincidences to tell a story that could have occurred, given certain supernatural assumptions. Thus, she posits a relationship between John Dee and Rabbi Loew that history does not record. Like Powers, she also manages to put human faces on legendary characters, carefully balancing glimpses into their personal lives with the more fantastic action.
The Alchemist's Door is lively and engaging, a skillful blend of history, legend, humor and high adventure, an exciting dark fantasy rich on character and colorful incident. Considering the success of this novel, and the fact that Dee lived another two decades after the events chronicled therein, a sequel seems appropriate. Here's hoping Goldstein is considering one.
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Title: The Red Magician by Lisa Goldstein, Lisa Goldstien ISBN: 0312890079 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: August, 1995 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: Black Projects, White Knights: The Company Dossiers by Kage Baker ISBN: 1930846118 Publisher: Golden Gryphon Press Pub. Date: September, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean ISBN: 0380977788 Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: 02 July, 2002 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
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Title: Chindi by Jack McDevitt ISBN: 0441009387 Publisher: Ace Books Pub. Date: 02 July, 2002 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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Title: The Year's Best Fantasy & Horror: Fifteenth Annual Collection by Ellen Datlow, Terri Windling ISBN: 0312290691 Publisher: Griffin Trade Paperback Pub. Date: August, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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