My Experience with The Alchemist's Touch by Garrett Robinson
I’m now five books deep into Underrealm, and in order to continue to read in chronological order, I’ve once again jumped to a new series. The Alchemist’s Touch is book one of The Academy Journals, and just like Blood Lust, it takes place in the same world as the Nightblade saga and is connected to the events of the core series.
Ebon is the unwanted son of a powerful family. His father keeps him locked away, unable to enjoy life to the fullest, practice with his ability as an alchemist, or even learn what is required of him to become the head of his house. But his aunt somehow convinces his father to allow him to attend the Academy. Overjoyed to finally fulfill his dream to become a wizard, he struggles to catch up in an arena where he is years behind. But that’s not the only problem. There’s a dark plot brewing on the High Seat, and it looks like Ebon and newfound friends have stumbled right into the middle of it.
This novel is best read after Shadeborn and Blood Lust for reasons that become obvious after you reach the story’s climax. However, this novel also works without reading any other Underrealm novel. For that reason, The Alchemist’s Touch is an entirely independent entry point for the world of Underrealm. So feel free to dive in first here if you choose, but like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is a chronological reading order that adds extra depth and scope to the story.
While we don’t get to explore every magic system in-depth, I love what we do get from this novel. It delivers just enough to have you chomping at the bit to read the next installment and learn more about where this world can go. It really sparked my imagination and had me wondering which type of mage I’d prefer to be.
Ebon functions as a vessel for the reader to experience the wonder of Underrealm. While he does have personality, he’s a fish out of water and is reserved compared to his companions, reminding me of another famous fish-out-of-water character who attends a magical school: Harry Potter. The magical school story is familiar ground for most of us. Robinson’s twist is that it takes place in his now firmly established Underrealm. I do wish that there was more wonder added to the novel. It would have made this story feel more like the genre it represents.
The Alchemist’s Touch is another great series opener and another building block to the ever-expanding Underrealm universe. I recommend this story to anyone who loves the magic school setup in high fantasy stories. If you’re a Harry Potter fan and you’d love to try a story with a similar vibe, give this one try. However, the story is stronger on the school-adventure element than it is on the fantasy element.
*Full Disclosure — I work for the publisher, but I wasn't paid to review this book. While this is an honest review, I was involved in the audiobook production for other books in this series, and I receive a small royalty for purchases of those audiobook versions.*
