The Book of the Alchemist
Will be published approx. on 10. June 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
512 pages
978-0-340-89915-1 (ISBN)
Description
Andalucia, 1938. The Spanish Civil War is drawing to its end. Desperate Republican soldiers holding hostages in a cathedral, plan a last, explosive act of death and destruction. One of their prisoners, ex government minister Professor Pinzon, has already lost his son to the war. He determines to save his grandson at any cost.
The discovery of an ancient book in a hidden space beneath the cathedral is a welcome distraction. But as Professor Pinzon reads aloud to the frightened hostages, he discovers that this tale of medieval Andaluz and the friendship between three young men - an alchemist, a mason and a prince - besides connecting two ideologically torn worlds 1000 years apart, might also offer a route to freedom . . .
The discovery of an ancient book in a hidden space beneath the cathedral is a welcome distraction. But as Professor Pinzon reads aloud to the frightened hostages, he discovers that this tale of medieval Andaluz and the friendship between three young men - an alchemist, a mason and a prince - besides connecting two ideologically torn worlds 1000 years apart, might also offer a route to freedom . . .
Reviews / Votes
The perfect book for curling up with at the weekend * <i>SHE</i> * Williams handles his material deftly, draws pertinent parallels and builds the tensions in his interlinked tales well * <i>Metro</i> * A terrific yarn and a moving portrait of the power of love and friendship * <i>Good Book Guide</i> * A thousand years go by in a flash as Williams spins a yarn uniting childhood camaraderie in the 11th century with the violence of the 20th-century civil war. Prepare to be captivated * <i>Stylist</i> * Rewarding novel of love and friendship connecting worlds a thousand years apart * <i>Sun</i> * Epic adventure * <i>Woman & Home</i> * An epic historical and romantic story as well as an impressive first novel. * <i>Sunday Mirror </i> on THE PALACE OF HEAVENLY PLEASURE * 'This book is poetic and romantic in parts, harrowing and tragic in others' **** * <i>Heat</i> on THE EMPEROR'S BONES * A rattling good read. Full of love and loss and guts and gore and derring-do, this is as good as an adventure story gets . . . Williams is a master * <i>The Times</i> on THE PALACE OF HEAVENLY PLEASURE *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Hodder & Stoughton
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
n/a
Dimensions
Height: 199 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
341 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-340-89915-1 (9780340899151)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Adam Williams
The Book of the Alchemist
E-Book
11/2009
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
€4.99
Available for download
Person
Adam Williams, whose family has lived in China since the late nineteenth century, was born and raised in Hong Kong. For the last eighteen years he has been representative in Beijing of a Far East trading conglomerate. In 1999 he received an OBE for services to Sino-British trade. Adam lives in China and Italy and has three children. To find out more, visit Adam's website www.adam-williams.net or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/_AdamWilliams.