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The Scarlet Alchemist

A dazzling enemies-to-lovers dark fantasy!

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The Scarlet Alchemist

By: Kylie Lee Baker
Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
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A dark YA fantasy duology set in an alternate Tang Dynasty China, where alchemy has led to income inequality as the rich eat gold to achieve eternal youth, and a poor biracial girl with the ability to raise the dead gets caught up in the dangerous political games of the royal family.

You cannot create good without also creating evil.

'DAZZLING' Chloe Gong

Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she's trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table - resurrecting the dead, for a price.

When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she'll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.

The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it's only a matter of time before they - and secrets of Zilan's past - catch up with her.

(P)2023 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited©2023 Kylie Lee Baker Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Royalty Science Fiction & Fantasy Magic
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Critic reviews

This GRIM, LUSH, FASCINATING YA fantasy is the first book of a duology that will grip fans of Xiran Jay Zhao.
Visceral to the core. The Scarlet Alchemist imagines alternate history with daring imagination and incredible detail. Even once you've turned the last page, you'll still be entrenched within this dazzling world running with gold and blood
The Scarlet Alchemist is a dark and glittering jewel of a book, full of blood, gold, and fury. I devoured it in a day!
Kylie Lee Baker stuns in this deliciously dark page-turner! An exhilarating blend of strikingly unique magic and masterful twists, with a sharp-edged, fiercely ambitious heroine who subverts the rules of life and death, clawing her way to the top-and into your heart
Vivid, twisting and thrilling! I loved this morally grey rollercoaster through an alternate Tang Dynasty with ruthless competition, intrigue and dark magic. Zilan is a captivating and complex protagonist, by turns relatable, loveable and monstrous-and always fascinating
The Scarlet Alchemist is a beautifully crafted and incisively written tale of alchemy, blood, magic, and family that gripped me from the first page to the last. Full of twists I didn't see coming, a wry humor that made me laugh out loud, and a fierce, capable heroine I couldn't help but root for, this book is everything I look for in a fantasy novel. Read it!
I loved this book and you will too. The Scarlet Alchemist is perfectly paced, with dynamic prose, clever competition setups, and a protagonist who will leave you in awe of her resourcefulness. Kylie Lee Baker is an amazing storycrafter, and I would sell my soul for the sequel!
Kylie Lee Baker writes incredibly immersive historical fantasies. So fans of C-dramas and Fullmetal Alchemist, look no further. The Scarlet Alchemist is an absolute treat
All stars
Most relevant
The narrator does a beautiful job of telling this story. Her pace is natural and her pronunciation authentic. The story, even though it is aimed at 14+, had me invested with all of the characters and their path… The relationship and banter between the siblings was fun and emotional and relatable. The evil empress was portrayed so well you couldn’t not help but despise her! I would definitely recommend. A book doesn’t have to be a literary masterpiece to be a 5 star. But my experience with this story and narration was definitely a 5 star.

Reluctantly listened as I had a special edition book, but enjoyed it so much I went straight to the second book!

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I was so obsessed with this book! listened all the time! and I loved the characters, world building, loved everything!

One of the best fantasy books I've read this year!

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L'histoire est intéressante et a bien commencé mais au fur et à mesure c'est devenu assez superficiel, le prince est décrit comme un petit être faible et fragile qui ne fait rien. Bref, beaucoup de choses qui manquent qui font qu'on sent que l'histoire a été bâclée:l'évolution des personnages des cousins, du prince, et la fin est un peu décevante

Assez bon livre mais fin bâclée

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The story was very good and easy to follow, enjoyed every minute of this story and narrators voice was very nice! Can’t wait for next book!

I absolutely loved it 🥰

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An interesting magic system, fun story with likeable and multidimensional characters and an all round good read!

An interesting magic system and fun story

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