Print List Price:	$12.99
Kindle Price:	$0.99 Save $12.00 (92%)
Sold by:	Amazon.com Services LLC

Read with our free app

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Follow the authors

Oric and the Alchemist's Key - - suitable for teens, young adults and adults (The Oric Trilogy Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Lesley Wilson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 75 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Oric Trilogy

See all formats and editions

* BGS Gold Mark Awarded Book *

Returning to the manor after an early morning foraging errand, Oric finds his home alight, the inhabitants dead, and his mentor mortally wounded.

The old man relinquishes a key, warning Oric that a terrible disaster will surely occur should it fall into wrong hands. The alchemist also hints of great wealth, but he dies before he can impart any further information.

In his quest to unravel the mystery surrounding the alchemist’s key, Oric experiences many challenging adventures before a surprising and lifechanging conclusion is reached.

Book 1 of 3

The Oric Trilogy
Print length

266 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

October 19, 2016
File size

3405 KB
Page Flip

Enabled
Word Wise

Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

Enabled
See all details

Report an issue with this product or seller

All 3 for you in this series See full series

See included books

Total Price: $2.97

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book was so much fun to read. Oric was such clueless kid he didn't even notice when he bested the villains at first. I thought of him as the accidental hero. The author has a fabulous way with words. Just as the action is heating up, she tosses out a quip or twist that frequently had me laughing out loud. I made the mistake of taking a sip of coffee while reading when Oric knocked into the apothecary causing him to pee into his boot. Then had to hike home. Yeah. Snorting hot coffee out of my nose is as painful as it sounds.Not that the entire book is just silly humor. It is, first and foremost, an adventure novel with a mystery.
I really enjoyed seeing the characters evolve. The story is beautifully put together. I highly recommend this book for everyone who likes medieval adventure, irreverent humor, and great characters. ~ Kelly The Red

Oric and the Alchemist's Key is the opening book in The Oric Trilogy by Lesley Wilson and a spectacular read for fans of adventure. When a band of marauders ransacks Oric's home,his fatally wounded friend, Deveril, the Alchemist, hands him a key andpromises that it can unlock great wealth. He cautions that it can bedangerous if it falls into the wrong hands. But there are enemies who will do anything to get the key. Oric makes new friends, an apothecaryand a kitchen maid, and together with a wolfhound, Parzifal, and a donkey, Braccus, they set out on an adventure of a lifetime in a world where nothing is what it seems. Thrust into new and challenging situations, where the least mistake can be disastrous, can he find within himself what it takes to make choices that matter?Oric and the Alchemist's Key is hilarious, exquisitely written, and delightful. Lesley Wilson displays a great gift of imagination, creating characters that are believable -- even the animals in the story communicate with the characters in a way that readers will enjoy -- and a world that is enchanting to navigate. The writing is atmospheric and the seamless blend of action with the setting creates visuals that keep readers focused. Oric and the Alchemist's Key is a magical tale with extraordinary characters, an enchanting setting, and a gripping plot.

The author knows what it takes to make readers care about a character and uses that gift well. Oric and the Alchemist's Key is transporting and entertaining, the kind of book you want to daydream over to escape the doldrums of everyday life. I recommend it to fans of adventure and fantasy without any hesitation." ~ Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite (readersfavorite.com/book-review/oric-and-the-alchemists-key)

About the Author

Lesley Wilson was born in North Yorkshire,UK and educated at St Martin's preparatory School Grimsby, Lincolnshire, Mill Hill School, Middlesbrough, and Pickering's Commercial College,Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. She completed a course in Journalism with theLondon School of Writing, and has been an active member of a writers'group in Australia.

Today she is retired and enjoys spending time with hergrandchildren. She is also a member of an active quilting group whoinvolve themselves in charitable endeavours from time to time. She reads and reviews books for other authors but writing is her major passion.When she isn't glued to the computer keyboard she loves to travel,entertain friends, and work in her large garden in North Queensland.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01MDP4HLN
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lesley Wilson; 2nd edition (October 19, 2016)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 19, 2016
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3405 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 266 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #3,461,092 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #842 in British Historical Literature
- #1,460 in Ancient, Classical & Medieval Poetry (Kindle Store)
- #1,931 in Medieval Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.2 75 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Lesley Wilson
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
See more on the author's page
Lesley Wilson
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Sign up to my newsletter:
www.lesleywilsonauthor.com
Lesley Wilson was born in North Yorkshire, UK and educated at St Martin’s preparatory School Grimsby, Lincolnshire, Mill Hill School, Middlesbrough, and Pickering’s Commercial College, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. She completed a course in Journalism with the London School of Writing, and has been an active member of a writers’ group in Australia.
In 1957, she met a young man on holiday in Italy. A whirlwind courtship followed before he joined the British Army. Fifteen months and hundreds of letters later, Lesley, aged seventeen, boarded a troop ship bound for Singapore, where she married the love of her life. She worked as a fashion model in Singapore for two years before returning to the UK. A three year posting to Germany with her husband followed.
Returned to the UK after her husband left the army, Lesley worked as Girl Friday for a well-known racing driver/motor dealer. She underwent training in London at Helena Rubinstein’s London Salon, and worked thereafter as a consultant for five years. Her other careers have included ownership of a sauna and health studio, and market research, which involved many miles of driving throughout North Yorkshire in all kinds of weather.
In 1982 she migrated to Australia with her husband and small son. She ran a craft shop for several years in which she manufactured all the items for sale. During this time she was also a volunteer in a Maritime Museum. Hunting wrecks off the coast of North Queensland became an absorbing a hobby, and she helped to rescue an ancient, decommissioned lighthouse for the city in which she lives.
Today she is retired and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. She is also a member of an active quilting group who involve themselves in charitable endeavours from time to time. She reads and reviews books for other authors but writing is her major passion. When she isn’t glued to the computer keyboard she loves to travel, entertain friends, and work in her large garden in North Queensland.
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

75 global ratings

1 star

0%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Ian

Fun YA Romp Set in Medeival Times

Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2016

Verified Purchase

This is a wonderful YA adventure set in medieval times, full of colorful characters, its hero roughly fifteen years of age. The story is very much as the blurb advertises; the tale is chock full of adventures, some comical, others more harrowing. So the story is brisk and a lot of fun.

The chief nemesis, a Scrooge-like money-lender determined to deprive townsfolk of their money and enrich himself at their expense by whatever unscrupulous money-lending scheme he can divine, is as picaresque a character as he is unsavory. The depth and nuance of his evil anchors the story and provides no shortage of great challenges for our hero and his sidekicks to push against.

Unlike with a lot of YA stories, elders are integrated into the tale, as opposed to existing clueless off to the sidelines and not really being germane to the story. Hence Oric and The Alchemist’s Key is a bit like the Harry Potter stories in this regard, in that elders are venerated and contribute meaningfully to the lives of the younger generations, particularly our young apprentice hero to the apothecary, Ichteus.

The writing is quite good despite some occasional moments when I would have liked for the scene setting to be a little clearer. For instance, the blurb gives a better description of what goes on in the opening scene than the actual opening scene. As another example, I was unclear early on if “apothecary” and “alchemist” were terms meant to be used interchangeably in the story, or if they referred to very different skill sets. There are not enough of these moments to take away from the telling of what is otherwise a very solid tale, however.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customer

Fun YA fantasy Read

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

As a genre I don't normally read (YA), I thought this was a fun read. It is set in fantasy world similar to medieval time period. The cast of characters was rich and colorful, well-thought-out. The hero is fifteen years old, and this is a story of their action-filled adventures, humor, and emotion. It's a page-turner and would be wonderful for any age reader.

Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2018

Verified Purchase

I dove into this one with an open mind, seeing it was a juvenile story, and not the niche I most extensively read, but knowing that my kids will be looking for something new to read soon, I’ve been eager to get to know the world of juvenile literature better. In Oric and the Alchemist’s Key, the main characters are 14 or 15-year old Oric (he’s not sure because of his past), his mentor, old Itcheus, and a cast of diverse characters, some of them about Oric’s age, give or take a few years. The quest is about the mysterious, possibly dangerous key that Oric receives from the man who looked after him before tragically passing away. But there is someone else after the key, too…
The characters each had their unique, distinctly drawn out personalities, with the evil ones unambiguously evil, as suits a juvenile adventure (there was actually quite a lot of violence, in fact, but I guess that sits with the niche and trends today). This is a harsh world with few comforts and luxuries, but people rely on each other and try to find joy in everyday life and make merry where ever there is an occasion. On a side note, it was a nice surprise to find this was in omnipotent narrative, as at least for me, it was refreshing for a change!
So, well written story with lots and lots of little twists and turns in the plot. Some subplots brought light to the daily dealings of side characters, making this an interesting read. Because of the harshness of this world, I might not recommend this to the most sensitive pre-teens, but for those looking for a gripping albeit dark adventure, well recommended.

Helpful

Gordon Y.

Great Entertaining Read

Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2018

Verified Purchase

The Author made the characters fun and believable. The reader finds themselves rooting for the characters or their demise. The plot was well thought out and kept carrying the reader along. I highly recommend this story and am anxious to pick up the other books in the series.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kayla Frederick

Fun YA

Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2019

Verified Purchase

When Oric is given a mysterious key from the person looking after him, he’s not sure what to do with it. All he knows is that he’s not the only one who seeks it out and that he must keep it from getting in the wrong hands at all costs.

Oric is an interesting character, both strong as well as questionable. I always like a 3D MC and Oric was definitely that. The delicate mix of angst and some of the decisions he made helped to establish his age in context to the story.

This fun fantasy story had a lot of well described scenes and moments. The POV changes were unique and kept the story fresh. This story really had a lot to offer and seeing it through so many different POVs made it easy to understand why each character made the choices that they did. Even the antagonist’s actions made sense in a way.

At the end of the book, it seemed as if they all came out stronger for the quest, Oric especially. He grew in education, friendships, and the way he saw the world.

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

Oric and the Alchemist's Key is a fun, fast paced medieval adventure suitable for younger readers.

What I liked:
Scene description was well done; I was easily able to picture myself in the story and the amount of description was just right as I didn't find myself skimming ahead to get back to the main meat. There was a great cast of characters, both likable and not, and they were also well described. I found it easy to cheer for Oric. He's brave but also a bit bumbling at times, and I felt this made him more believable. The overall plot is fun, though perhaps a bit predictable in parts, but that's not always a bad thing if you're left feeling satisfied.

What I didn't like:
There were abrupt scene changes within chapters, a few to the point I had to backtrack to make sure of what was happening and much of the story was 'told' to the reader rather than shown. Lastly, there were constant changes in POV within chapters. I found this distracting; I didn't want to know what was in every character's head. For me, this book could have been so much more if these things had been worked on a bit.

But overall, young readers should have fun with this easy, quick read.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Author Elizabeth Eckert

Fun, engaging characters!

Reviewed in Canada on September 24, 2018

Verified Purchase

This novel is a fun read for teens and adults alike. The characters and strong and detailed, especially Oric, who is quite likable. My Son also read this novel and enjoyed it although he found himself confused with some of the chapter endings. The adventure is captivating and complex enough to keep the reader going along and engaged. The cover is great and really suits the book. All around and interesting and fun read with the right amount of detail, adventure and great characters to entertain! I recommend it!!

Kindle Customer

Great

Reviewed in Australia on November 13, 2017

Verified Purchase

Enjoyed reading this book will be looking to read book two. Lesley is a talented author. Hope she keeps writing

Maria

Oric and the Alchemist's Key

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 8, 2016

Verified Purchase

A charming adventure for young readers.
An imaginative story that has been perfectly crafted for younger readers with non-stop action, humour and short chapters. The central character, Oric is so likeable. He's not perfect and can be a little cheeky but he is honest, loyal and brave. Just before he dies, his old mentor hands him a key telling him it leads to untold wealth but could also lead to devastation if it fell into the wrong hands. So starts Oric's adventures.
Along the way Oric encounters new friends and enemies as he starts his apprentiship with the Apothecary, Ichtheus. There is plenty of humour of the book, often at the expense of poor Ichtheus and his donkey and the spates he has with the housekeeper and would-be herbalist, Mother Morghan. The visual imagery of his many mishaps is particularly good throughout the story. The distinction between the good guys and the bad guys led by the evil Esica Figg is very clear cut, appropriate to the target audience, making it easy to cheer for Oric and boo his adversaries.
A great start to a promising series.

One person found this helpful

fuzzylogic

Great start to a series

Reviewed in Canada on February 22, 2019

Verified Purchase

The author does an excellent job of getting us into a meaningful story without a lot of backstory to start, building a world gradually and as needed, and providing us with just enough details about a character to give them life in the moment while allowing a story to proceed quickly.

KS the Dreamer

a chamringly written fantasy

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 8, 2016

Verified Purchase

Oric was appreciate to the alchemist, until Dunburton was setup on by rogues. Loyal and true Oric sought out his master, but there was nothing to be done. His master, before taking his final breath, presented him with the alchemist's key, warning it was the key to great wealth, or great disaster if it were to fall into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, money lender and low-life Esica Figg overheard all, and seeks not only to claim the key as his own, but lay siege and claim for his own the lands of those who have Oric shelter and safety. Oric, unaware of Figg's schemes, serves his new master, the apothecary Ichtheus, with pride, and relishes the pursuit of knowledge, while all the time trying to discover where the key may fit.

Oric and the Alchemist's Key is a charming story. Lesley Wilson forges a vibrant world with deep and developed characters. It is easy to envision yourself walking the market, heaving with the life of the unwashed masses, or settling down before the fire in the Lord's mansion after a hard day's labour. The author writes a descriptive tale and creates the perfect atmosphere which is further enhanced by the dialogue. A gripping tale from start to finish.

Buy for others

Buying and sending eBooks to others

Image Unavailable

Follow the authors

Oric and the Alchemist's Key - - suitable for teens, young adults and adults (The Oric Trilogy Book 1) Kindle Edition

* BGS Gold Mark Awarded Book *