The Sorceress

This is the third installment in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series by folklorist Michael Scott (you need to read The Alchemyst and The Magician -- in that order before you read this) and I had imagined that it would be the end of a trilogy. No such luck! The Sorceress is Perenelle, Flamel's wife and she doesn't really figure any more prominently in this volume than in the previous ones. Nevertheless this is a fun read. All the action takes place in just a few short days, and nothing less than the continued existence of the humani (that's us) is at stake. The Dark Elders are bound and determined to re-assert dominance over the earth and they have summoned and collected every imaginable monster of myth and legend to move forward their plans. The first task is to get rid of Nicholas Flamel who is desperately trying to protect and train the "twins of legend", aka Josh and Sophie, who thought that they were just two ordinary teenagers living with an aunt in the bay area while their parents were on an archaeological dig. Now Sophie has mastered two of the elemental magics and Josh is learning as well. They battle the evil forces with their growing powers, with enchanted swords, and through sheer determination. Perry is trapped on Alcatraz with a whole array of creatures intent on her demise, the ghost of an old Spanish explorer who is trying to protect her, and a giant spider and a crow goddess who have become unlikely allies. Immortals in the employ of the Dark Elders have also been sent to kill her. Consequently, she is unable to assist in the action taking place in England as Flamel tries to reach the ley lines at Stonehenge that will return them to San Francisco before they are captured or murdered. William Shakespeare, Billy the Kid, and Machiavelli are just a few of the immortals who round out this colorful cast of characters.