kerasalwaysreading's review
4.0
This was a very character driven story about three young alchemists on the search for a powerful book, that if fallen into the wrong hands, could be devastating.
Ash wasn’t accepted into an elite school of alchemy, he takes a groundskeeper’s position there instead. There he meets Ramsey and the two form an intense bond on their search for the Book of source, the most powerful book on alchemy in existence.
I loved the evolution of their romance, the intensity it was built on. But, outside forces and pasts converge, creating obstacles that are dangerous, putting them in almost constant peril.
There is so much more depth to this book! I loved the storytelling and the diversity among the characters. There is a lot of reconciling with past wrongs, dealing with the reverb of actions of past generations and so so so much emotion.
I really enjoyed this magical, romantic, queer fantasy.
Ash wasn’t accepted into an elite school of alchemy, he takes a groundskeeper’s position there instead. There he meets Ramsey and the two form an intense bond on their search for the Book of source, the most powerful book on alchemy in existence.
I loved the evolution of their romance, the intensity it was built on. But, outside forces and pasts converge, creating obstacles that are dangerous, putting them in almost constant peril.
There is so much more depth to this book! I loved the storytelling and the diversity among the characters. There is a lot of reconciling with past wrongs, dealing with the reverb of actions of past generations and so so so much emotion.
I really enjoyed this magical, romantic, queer fantasy.
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Only an elite few are permitted to study alchemy–and Ash Woods is not one of them. Denied entry into the Lancaster College of Alchemic Science, the only alchemy practice he gets is in secret, in the afterhours of his job as a groundskeeper. At least, until he’s discovered by Ramsay Thorne.
When Ramasy discovers Ash practicing alchemy, Ash is sure he’s in trouble. Instead, Ramsay asks for Ash’s help in finding the Book of Source. Ash agrees, but as they start on their quest, there’s danger lurking around every corner. Soon, Ash finds himself against powerful alchemists–including his father. In order to win, Ash and Ramsay might have to find an unlikely ally in a person from Ramsay’s past.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an advanced copy of Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender to review! This is Callender’s first foray into the YA fantasy world, and I’d say it’s a huge success. Honestly, I think Kacen Callender can do no wrong, no matter what genre they write in.
To start: this book has a wide variety of queer identities, and they’re just accepted at face value. Ramsay changes pronouns quite frequently throughout the book, and none of the characters blink an eye. Ash himself is a trans man, and while it’s clear he’s struggled with that before, by the time we meet him, he is fully transitioned. It is nice we’re getting trans-led stories that aren’t just about finding identity.
The magic system in this was also fascinating. It’s sort of energy based, with the ability to go onto different reality planes. There are parallels that can be drawn between their world and ours, especially in the decision of who gets to practice the power and who doesn’t. Of course it’s people with money and status who fit a certain “norm.” It works well as a commentary on our own society.
There’s also a polyamorous relationship by the end of the book, which doesn’t happen a lot in YA. At the moment, it also seems like a standalone fantasy, another rarity! YA fantasy just seems allergic to writing standalone books at the moment.
All in all, if you’re looking for an intricate fantasy featuring a magic school with some fantastic characters, definitely pick this one up when it comes out in February!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Cursing and Grief
Minor: Bullying, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
meggles801's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Imagine a world where magic resides in all people, although only a select few are allowed to wield any level of meaningful power. Yes, the average human can use level 1 magic to breathe, live, blink, you know, the uncontrollable things needed to stay alive. Even level 2 magic is allowed, typically seen in dancers or athletes or musicians, to help channel more energy than is normal. But only those who are lucky *cough* rich *cough* enough to be accepted at Lancaster College of Alchemic Science are able to become licensed alchemists, able to practice the higher levels of alchemy that only the licensed can, at least legally speaking.
This is the world that Ash Woods lives in. Ash, although not financially gifted enough to be selected as a student at Lancaster, did manage to secure a job as a groundskeeper’s assistant. Despite the illegality of it, he practices his alchemy in secret, hoping one day to be accepted and obtain an alchemic license. That is until he stumbles into Professor Ramsay Thorne’s office and finds himself mixed up in something much more dangerous and potentially world altering than he could have ever imagined.
The characters in this story are absolutely brilliant. There is care and love put into their stories, and the focus of gender identity and sexual orientation is seamlessly and perfectly woven into the world. I adore the thought behind the storyline and the relationship between the 3 main characters. There is great banter, honest emotions, tense situations, and a lot of character growth.
I truly enjoyed this story. There we some times during the middle where the story felt a little more slow moving and it took a little more effort to push through, but I’m so glad I did, because the ending was absolutely wonderful. I hope to read more from Kacen Callender’s brilliant mind, and hope to see future books following this story.
I want to thank NetGalley, Kacen Callender, and TOR Publishing for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Infinity Alchemist.
This is the world that Ash Woods lives in. Ash, although not financially gifted enough to be selected as a student at Lancaster, did manage to secure a job as a groundskeeper’s assistant. Despite the illegality of it, he practices his alchemy in secret, hoping one day to be accepted and obtain an alchemic license. That is until he stumbles into Professor Ramsay Thorne’s office and finds himself mixed up in something much more dangerous and potentially world altering than he could have ever imagined.
The characters in this story are absolutely brilliant. There is care and love put into their stories, and the focus of gender identity and sexual orientation is seamlessly and perfectly woven into the world. I adore the thought behind the storyline and the relationship between the 3 main characters. There is great banter, honest emotions, tense situations, and a lot of character growth.
I truly enjoyed this story. There we some times during the middle where the story felt a little more slow moving and it took a little more effort to push through, but I’m so glad I did, because the ending was absolutely wonderful. I hope to read more from Kacen Callender’s brilliant mind, and hope to see future books following this story.
I want to thank NetGalley, Kacen Callender, and TOR Publishing for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Infinity Alchemist.
delz's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
If you love dark academia, magic and fantasy you will love Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender.
Ash Woods is learning alchemy without a license which is illegal. If you get caught you face a death sentence and the only way to get a license is to be accepted into university. Ash failed his exam and was turned away from the university. Now Ash works as a grounds keeper for the very same school that rejected him, but in his free time he swipes text books from the library and brushes up on his skills. That is until the day he gets caught by Ramsay Thorne a powerful alchemist with a bad reputation. She needs Ash to help her find the Book of Source and since she caught him using alchemy illegally she extorts Ash for his help. In exchange she gives Ash alchemy lessons in order to pass the licensing exam. Ash realizes that the quest for the Book of Source, which is like the alchemy Bible , will be very dangerous. Ash and Ramsay work closely together and things begin to heat up between the pair. This book has diverse representation, well fleshed characters and the magic/alchemy system is well thought out. There’s action, adventure and even some romance. Thank you Tor Teen Publishing for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.
alicesbookrecs's review
4.0
- Reluctant allies to lovers
- LGBTQ+
- Magic/alchemy
- Enemies to lovers
- Polyamory
- Standalone (?)
- Betrayal
- 4.5 stars -
A spellbinding fantasy about power, inequality, and love, that draws you in from the very first page.
Infinity Alchemist follows Ash, who’s learning alchemy in secret despite it being illegal without a license. Ramsey, a genius apprentice, catches Ash in the act, forcing him to work with them in exchange for keeping this quiet. The two then embark on a search for the legendary book of source together, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power.
I loved this book so much! The plot was easy to follow and the word building was so simple but effective. The book features alchemists who practice different kinds of alchemy, which is essentially magic, and is split into different levels of tiers depending on its difficulty.
I loved the characters in this - they were all amazingly developed, each going through their own struggles and character development. Ramsey was probably my favourite, I loved their cold yet soft characterisation, and the trauma that they went through just made me so attached to them. I also quickly feel in love with Callum and his characterisation of strength and softness - he’s just a soft bean and I love him.
The relationships in the book were also a nice surprise. I was really not expecting the book to feature polyamory, but it just worked so well; I absolutely adored the relationship between Ash, Ramsey and Callum and wish we could have seen more of them together.
Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me an arc of this - all opinions are my own
- LGBTQ+
- Magic/alchemy
- Enemies to lovers
- Polyamory
- Standalone (?)
- Betrayal
- 4.5 stars -
A spellbinding fantasy about power, inequality, and love, that draws you in from the very first page.
Infinity Alchemist follows Ash, who’s learning alchemy in secret despite it being illegal without a license. Ramsey, a genius apprentice, catches Ash in the act, forcing him to work with them in exchange for keeping this quiet. The two then embark on a search for the legendary book of source together, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power.
I loved this book so much! The plot was easy to follow and the word building was so simple but effective. The book features alchemists who practice different kinds of alchemy, which is essentially magic, and is split into different levels of tiers depending on its difficulty.
I loved the characters in this - they were all amazingly developed, each going through their own struggles and character development. Ramsey was probably my favourite, I loved their cold yet soft characterisation, and the trauma that they went through just made me so attached to them. I also quickly feel in love with Callum and his characterisation of strength and softness - he’s just a soft bean and I love him.
The relationships in the book were also a nice surprise. I was really not expecting the book to feature polyamory, but it just worked so well; I absolutely adored the relationship between Ash, Ramsey and Callum and wish we could have seen more of them together.
Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me an arc of this - all opinions are my own
saegelsomino's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Infinity Alchemist was an inventive, unique approach to fantasy that I found engrossing for a few different reasons, first and foremost being the unique and interesting magic system. I loved the concept of Source and the nature of alchemy, and I loved that the very use of it was political. At times the magic felt almost sci-fi-like with vibes that kind of felt like Interstellar, and seeing it manifest differently across characters made alchemy feel limitless. Combined with a society steeped in oppression and a lot of ongoing political scheming, it was a magic-steeped plot that kept me wanting to keep reading.
The book was also exceptionally diverse and tackled topics like gender fluidity seamlessly, integrating it into the story in an organic way that represented the characters authentically and without judgment. Admittedly the romantic subplot wasn’t my favourite aspect of the book, but I did have a lot of appreciation for the representation that Callender incorporated and how much it added to the overall story.
I loved the way that Callender used Source as an exploration of power and what it meant within the society it created. Ash is young and still deciding for himself what it means to be conventionally successful and powerful, and as he’s exposed to different types of magic and different motivations, he works through what power would mean to him and how he wants to wield it. Simultaneously, almost everyone around him is also going through power struggles, both with themselves and with each other.
I did struggle a little with the characters, particularly Ash and Ramsay, who felt a little angsty for me. Ash was always brash and at times abrasive and while he grows, he kind of retained that a little more than I would have liked. That said, I’m cognizant that this was a YA novel and that the characters themselves were supposed to be young and growing, so I’m chalking up some of it to that.
I loved how fast-paced this book was, loved that there was consistent action, and enjoyed the magic system. I felt like this was a unique YA fantasy and I think it will hold a lot of appeal for YA readers looking for an intellectual-style fantasy with great LGBTQ+ representation. A big thank you to Tor Teen and Tor Publishing for the complimentary copy of Infinity Alchemist—looking forward to seeing it hit shelves in the new year!
nosinne's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
spiceinvaders's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gwynnas's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I enjoyed reading the arc of this book and appreciated the representation of queer people/polyamory, however I didn’t feel super engaged by the plot and sometimes it felt like the relationships between the characters was getting in the way of the actual story. I did enjoy the alchemy system and the world-building of this novel, and found the different characters to be interesting and engaging
quiteawful's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was a fun, somewhat horny, delightful page turner of a young adult fantasy novel! It is a fairly classic turn of events for a fantasy book; I think the characters are the best part of the book.
Each of the main characters was really fun to get to know with Ash, and the magic system was fun. Flawed Queer characters in books like this are so important; I really wish I’d been able to read this as a teenager.
Each of the main characters was really fun to get to know with Ash, and the magic system was fun. Flawed Queer characters in books like this are so important; I really wish I’d been able to read this as a teenager.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Violence, Death, and Cursing
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and Bullying