The New Alchemists — series

Tropes & Themes

How it starts

In a glittering alternate Los Angeles, alchemy is the hidden art of transformation, controlled by two rival crime syndicates. Sam, the daughter of a poor single mother, is determined to climb the ranks of Grand Central for a better life. Meanwhile, Ari, a rising star in Lumines, was taken from his family as a boy to become an apprentice. Once childhood friends, Sam and Ari now find themselves on opposite sides of a deadly conflict. As ambition turns to power and loyalty to lies, their paths are set on a collision course that could destroy them both. For fans of V.E. Schwab and The Atlas Six, Marie Lu's 'Red City' is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy debut.