The Alchemist's Apprentice

The always-reliable Dave Duncan has produced an enjoyable historical mystery with fantasy elements and a richly realized setting.

In Renaissance Venice a rich man dies after drinking poisoned wine. Maestro Filippo Nostradamus (astrologer, alchemist and nephew of THE Nostradamus) had cast a horoscope portending disaster for the dead man and wishes the murder solved before he is accused of arranging to fulfill his own prophecy and enhance his reputation. Being elderly and of limited mobility, he sends his dashing apprentice, Alfeo Zeno, out to do the leg work, which includes having to call up and question a demon.

Nostradamus and Zeno also have a distinct Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin vibe - Nostradamus being the cranky genius and Zeno his show more handsome, wise-cracking investigator and assistant. Duncan has not pushed the similarity too far, though - the supporting cast produces no orchids, no Fritz. There is a red chair (velvet, not leather) and Nostradamus once pronounces something "satisfactory." I don't know if the homage is accidental or deliberate, but as a fan of Wolfe and Goodwin, I enjoyed it.

The resolution was logical without being obvious, and there's enough action and suspense to keep the reader's attention. Highly recommended. show less

With a richly detailed backdrop of Renaissance Venice, The Alchemist’s Apprentice is a mesmerizing historical mystery. Not familiar with the Duncan’s work before reading this book, I didn’t realize that this was a bit of a departure for him, but it is impossible to imagine the author writing anything but this fascinating, compelling type of material. As a historian myself, it was eminently satisfying to see a well-researched cultural account nicely leavened with a cynical, witty protagonist, hints of the occult, and a generous sprinkling of red herrings.

A Review of Dave Duncan’s The Alchemist’s Apprentice
by Robert Runté (2007 Release)

Tempted though I was to start this review by anointing The Alchemist’s Apprentice my favorite fantasy novel yet, I don’t think I can actually do that.

For one thing, there are about 35 other Duncan fantasy novels with claim to that title. Duncan keeps getting better and better, yet I still have a soft spot for many of his classic fantasies, so it is difficult to definitively argue that The Alchemist’s Apprentice is his best fantasy novel ever.

For another, I’m not convinced this is a fantasy novel, though it is clearly being marketed as such and will undoubtedly be enjoyed by Duncan’s regular fantasy readership. But swashbuckling action show more aside, this is really an historical mystery, a who-done-it set in the Medici’s Venice. True, there is one brief scene in which our hero consults a demon, but even here the description of the necromancy is entirely consistent with contemporary Renaissance accounts (such as that in Benvenuto Cellini’s autobiography) so feels more like ‘historical depiction’ than ‘fantasy’.

And then there is the whole Nostradamus angle. Frankly, if this had been by anyone else, I don’t think I could have gotten past the backcover blurb. A novel about Nostradamus working to solve a murder in which he himself is implicated? New Age nonsense meets National Inquiry headlines? But fortunately, Duncan’s wry humour prevails and the book isn’t really about that Nostradamus – not Michel Nostradamus -- but his great nephew Felipe. Duncan is thus free to characterize Nostradamus as a cranky, manipulative old fraud without having to worry about offending against true believers or historical accuracy. And it is kind of fun to speculate how Nostradamus would have fared as a detective navigating through the convoluted political and commercial conspiracies of Medici Venice.

The story unfolds, however, as a first person narrative by Nostradamus’ dashing apprentice, Alfeo Zeno. Zeno is no mere chronicler of his Maestro’s genius, but a fast-talking, quick-witted, lovable young rogue in his own right. Zeno deftly avoids the machinations of various spies, commercial agents, and the Medici’s police, while advancing his own affair with the most desirable courtesan in the city. In the best who-done-it tradition, everyone is a suspect, and Zeno has to weave his way through contradictory evidence, red herrings, and sudden insights to collect the evidence his Maestro has asked for, never quite knowing what the Maestro is after. I confess that Duncan also kept me guessing until the last, and kept me frantically turning pages long after I should have been abed. (I strongly advise setting the book aside until one has sufficient time to read it in one go, because once begun, it is impossible to put down.)

Filled with Machiavellian plotting, heart-stopping action, and convincing historical detail that makes Medici’s Venice come alive, Alchemist’s Apprentice is Duncan at his rollicking best. show less

This is an entertaining murder mystery with plenty of fantasy and magic making for a nice introduction to a new series.

Young Alfeo Zeno, born to one of the oldest families in Venice and apprenticed to astrologer Maestro Nostradamus, has his hands full. Typically, his duties call for him to ferret out supplies from city apothecaries, study, serve as bodyguard and copy his master’s prophecies. While attending a dinner with a clutch of the Venice A-list, Nostradamus witnesses the poisoning death of Procurator Bertucci Orselolo, a prominent dignitary who had recently hired the astrologer to see his future. Nostradamus had foreseen the Procurator’s impending doom and, as we all know, alchemists are ever the object of suspicion - so show more naturally he finds himself the primary suspect. If the murderer cannot be found within three days, Nostradamus will be burned for witchcraft, along with his dashing apprentice.

So it's up to young Zeno, with occasional imperious directions from his crotchety employer, to find a way of investigating some of the richest, most powerful and most private families of Venice. Fortunately, Zeno is no mere chronicler of his Maestro’s genius, but a fast-talking, quick-witted, lovable young rogue in his own right. He deftly avoids the machinations of various spies, commercial agents, and the Medici’s police, while advancing his own affair with the most desirable courtesan in the city. In the best who-done-it tradition, everyone is a suspect, and Zeno has to weave his way through contradictory evidence, red herrings, and sudden insights to collect the evidence his Maestro has asked for, never quite knowing what the Maestro is after.

Duncan obviously had a good time researching and writing this Venetian romp. Renaissance Venice, as painted in The Alchemist's Apprentice, is full of delightful detail that's far too daft to be fiction. For example, the city is ruled by the Council of Ten, which has 17 members except when it is increased to 32 (a practice which spreads the blame wider, in case of reprisals). Inasmuch as you could slot it into one genre, it's a classic whodunit, with a convoluted plot involving much political intrigue. Of course it's also historical, with strong fantasy elements, so its potential audience appeal should be very wide. And Duncan's many fans will be delighted.

A very entertaining read. show less

Well, it's not an era or a situation I much enjoy - and I _hate_ smartass know-it-all detectives. Yet I read it and enjoyed it pretty well. Duncan is a good author. I'm glad I read it - this one was more interesting than the sequel - but I doubt I'll seek out any more. Venetian politics, apparently (reasonably) accurately portrayed, of the late 1600s, are way too twisty for me. And in this book, all the magic _could_ have been false - the protagonists didn't think so, but they could have been deluding themselves. Interesting, but not absorbing for me. If you're interested in that era, grab these, you'll love them! Very solid, real characters with good motivations and reasons (sometimes stupid ones, just like the real world) for their show more actions. The mystery is mildly interesting, and I was totally whipsawed - believed each of the explanations offered until the next one came along...did I mention I hate smartaleck detectives? show less

(Amy) I am a tremendous Dave Duncan fangirl, and like (almost) all of his books to a really rather embarrassing degree, so it is in no way surprising that I loved this one. Of course, it didn't hurt that it's set in a slightly magical version of Renaissance Venice (which I love), with Nostradamus (no, not that one - his nephew, though, and the prophecies are no less obscure) as a supporting character. I'm not a particular fan of mysteries, so the whodunit nature of the plot is not an additional draw, but it's certainly not a detraction, either. (As an aside, however, this is an supporting data point for the thesis which states that speculative fiction is a supergenre rather than a genre proper, and can in fact be a perfect example of show more any genre it so chooses.)

In short, it's good, it's fun, it's (fairly) short. Also, the entire trilogy is out, so you needn't worry about Waiting For The Next Book Syndrome. (I know everyone calls that George R. R. Martin syndrome these days, and with fairly obvious reason. But I tend to feel like the poor guy has enough people ragging on him without becoming a household word for overdue series installments, and so while I may well adopt the term after his next book comes out, as a matter of principle I refrain for now.)
( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/zenos-library/2009/06/the_alchemists_apprenti... ) show less

A fun historical whodunnit, set in renaissance Venice following Alfeo, the apprentice to Nostradamus (Felipe, not his more well-know relative Michel) as he attempts to solve a murder before his master can be accused of committing it.

This one is a lot more historical and a lot less fantasy than Duncan's usual fare, but there are enough references to and manifestations of the occult to satisfy people looking for a little more.

Definitely enjoyable, looking forward to the other two books in the series.