the necromancer

the necromancer
the secrets of the immortal nicholas flamel #4
michael scott
ya/historical fiction/fantasy
delacorte
published 2010

San Francisco:
After fleeing to Ojai, then Paris, and escaping to London, Josh and Sophie Newman are finally home. And after everything they've seen and learned in the past week, they're both more confused than ever about their future. Neither of them has mastered the magics they'll need to protect themselves from the Dark Elders, they've lost Scatty, and they're still being pursued by Dr. John Dee. Most disturbing of all, however, is that now they must ask themselves, can they trust Nicholas Flamel? Can they trust anyone?

Alcatraz:
Dr. Dee underestimated Perenelle Flamel's power. Alcatraz could not hold her, Nereus was no match for her, and she was able to align herself with the most unlikely of allies. But she wasn't the only one being held on the island. Behind the prison's bars and protective sigils were a menagerie of monsters-an army for Dee to use in the final battle. And now Machiavelli has come to Alcatraz to loose those monsters on San Francisco.
Perenelle might be powerful, but each day she weakens, and even with Nicholas back at her side, a battle of this size could be too much for her. Nicholas and Perenelle must fight to protect the city, but the effort will probably kill them both.

London:
Having been unable to regain the two final pages of the Codex, Dee has failed his Elder and is now an outlaw-and the new prey of all the creatures formerly sent to hunt down Flamel.
 
But Dee has a plan. With the Codex and the creatures on Alcatraz, he can control the world. All he needs is the help of the Archons. But for his plan to work, he must raise the Mother of the Gods from the dead. For that, he'll have to train a necromancer. And the twins of legend will make the perfect pupils. . . .

At this point the most amusing thing about these books is the author's name.  Michael Scott.  Every time I read that I think of The Office.

If you didn't know if from the beginning of the series you have to know now that the downfall of Josh & Sophie Newman is not Nicholas & Perenelle Flamel.  It is Josh.

When being Awakened Sophie is nervous & scared, but determined.  Mastering Air, Fire & Water she is amazed, but reserved.  She understands the great responsibilities that come with the gifts she's been given and yet wishes she could give them all back.  Josh on the other hand says 'cool' and crows to himself how his fire tattoo is so much cooler than his twins.

So it is no wonder when all is said and done that Dee continually targets Josh to weaken his opponents.  And it is no wonder that it works.  Josh thinks that he knows better than anyone, including his twin, including the Elders who pass on their knowledge.

There are still two books in left in the series, not counting the two short stories centering around Billy the Kid & Joan of Arc.  I imagine we'll have to learn more of Virginia Dare and her backstory and then we'll come to the culmination of this mess.

Not a fan.