Review: Alchemystic by Anton Strout

Title: Alchemystic Series: The Spellmason Chronicles #1 Author: Anton Strout Publisher: Ace Format: eBook, 304 pages Published: September 25, 2012 ISBN #: 9781937007799 / 1937007790 Genre: Urban Fantasy My Copy: from publisher Rating: Buy: An Old Friend of the Family… Alexandra Belarus is a struggling artist living in New York City, even though her family is rich in real estate, including a towering Gothic Gramercy Park building built by her great-great-grandfather. But the truth of her bloodline is revealed when she is attacked on the street and saved by an inhumanly powerful winged figure. A figure who knows the Belarus name… Lexi’s great-great-grandfather was a Spellmason—an artisan who could work magic on stone. But in his day, dark forces conspired against him and his, so he left a spell of protection on his family. Now that Lexi is in danger, the spell has awoken her ancestor’s most trusted and fearsome creation: a gargoyle named Stanis. Lexi and Stanis are equally surprised to find themselves bound to each other. But as they learn to work together, they realize that only united can they save the city they both love…

I’m not sure if this book was meant to be cute but that was my overall impression of Alchemystic. Alexandra, the heroine, is young and naive while as Stanis, the gargoyle, is old but has little memory of his past. Together they come across as the blind leading the blind but not in a bad way, this is where that cuteness factor I was talking about comes into play. One character has the will while as the other has the way and together they create a very neat team dynamic. I enjoyed reading the two points of view, uncovering Belarus’ secrets and the ending proves that this is just the beginning of The Spellmason Chronicles. Alchemystic has a unique story with delightful characters and plenty of mystery to keep you interested.

The pacing in this book is excellent; there’s a nice, balanced ratio of world building to plot development. Strout’s concept is well thought out and flawlessly executed. It felt like every word had a purpose and that the story unfurled exactly as planned. The gargoyle wakes up, Alexandra realizes that she inherited some of her great-great-grandfather’s Spellmason skills and then the bad guys show up. Anton kept things simple, didn’t over-burden readers with unnecessary details and delivered a solid first installment.

I enjoyed experiencing the story from both Alexandra and Stanis’ POVs. It kept things fresh and allowed me to see first-hand the development of both characters. One’s bubbly and gung-ho while the other is, well, stone-y (for lack of a better word). The gargoyle is pretty indifferent with regards to human society just so long as neither of his two master rules come into play: protect the family and remain unseen. However, as the story progresses, cracks begin to form in Stanis’ barriers and he begins to experience emotions. Watching him feel pain, happiness and love for the first time in centuries was truly something to behold. Both protagonists undergo a remarkable amount of growth for just one book. Anton definitely has a knack for writing engaging characters because the minor ones are just as fun to get to know; especially Lexi’s two BFFs, Marshall and Rory.

There’s a bit of romance in this book which I assume is some good old fashion foreshadowing of things to come on Strout’s part. But overall, this story is Urban Fantasy at its best and all about the action. The ending opens up one hell of a can of worms and, as a result, the next installment has made its way onto my 2013 must-read list. Alchemystic is a charming read that even manages to make gargoyles sexy! I loved every minute that I spent inside The Spellmason Chronicles and can’t wait for my next visit.

Recommendation:	Perfect for Urban Fantasy fans looking for something that’s out-of-the-ordinary.
Like this, like that:	Heart of Stone by C.E. Murphy.

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