Only an elite few are permitted to study alchemy–and Ash Woods is not one of them. Denied entry into the Lancaster College of Alchemic Science, the only alchemy practice he gets is in secret, in the afterhours of his job as a groundskeeper. At least, until he’s discovered by Ramsay Thorne.

When Ramasy discovers Ash practicing alchemy, Ash is sure he’s in trouble. Instead, Ramsay asks for Ash’s help in finding the Book of Source. Ash agrees, but as they start on their quest, there’s danger lurking around every corner. Soon, Ash finds himself against powerful alchemists–including his father. In order to win, Ash and Ramsay might have to find an unlikely ally in a person from Ramsay’s past.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an advanced copy of Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender to review! This is Callender’s first foray into the YA fantasy world, and I’d say it’s a huge success. Honestly, I think Kacen Callender can do no wrong, no matter what genre they write in.

To start: this book has a wide variety of queer identities, and they’re just accepted at face value. Ramsay changes pronouns quite frequently throughout the book, and none of the characters blink an eye. Ash himself is a trans man, and while it’s clear he’s struggled with that before, by the time we meet him, he is fully transitioned. It is nice we’re getting trans-led stories that aren’t just about finding identity.

The magic system in this was also fascinating. It’s sort of energy based, with the ability to go onto different reality planes. There are parallels that can be drawn between their world and ours, especially in the decision of who gets to practice the power and who doesn’t. Of course it’s people with money and status who fit a certain “norm.” It works well as a commentary on our own society.

There’s also a polyamorous relationship by the end of the book, which doesn’t happen a lot in YA. At the moment, it also seems like a standalone fantasy, another rarity! YA fantasy just seems allergic to writing standalone books at the moment.

All in all, if you’re looking for an intricate fantasy featuring a magic school with some fantastic characters, definitely pick this one up when it comes out in February!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing an eARC, and YABC for providing a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I came for the vibes, and stayed for the adorable characters.

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender is a YA novel that follows Ash Woods, as he is forced to study alchemy in secret, due to him being rejected by the Lancaster College of Alchemic Science. When he’s discovered by the condescending and brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash is sure he's about to be arrested—but instead of calling the reds, Ramsay surprises Ash by making him an offer: Ramsay will keep Ash's secret if he helps her find the legendary Book of Source, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power. As Ash and Ramsay work together and their feelings for each other grow, Ash discovers their mission is more dangerous than he imagined, pitting them against influential and powerful alchemists—Ash’s estranged father included. Ash’s journey takes him through the cities and wilds across New Anglia, forcing him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he and other alchemists will go to seize it.

What I loved most about this book, was it's unique magic system. Which is what I tend to love in 90% of the fantasy books I read, because the magic is WHY I read them. But Callendar's magic stands out, because it presents a character that really wants to use magic. But can't because he hasn't been properly trained in it, thus making it illegal. I don't see very many authors using that. I also really liked how Calledner provided some diversity in their characters, as it wasn't just your stereotypical chosen one that falls for the first girl they lay their eyes on.

Though, as much as I loved this book. I feel like it felt kind of awkward with it's pacing. As it tended to crawl at a snail's pace for the majority of the book. But the ending was rushed, and left too many questions to leave this as just a standalone. Though I would highly prefer it to be one. Also there were so many inconsistencies, that I couldn't follow some of threaded details all the way through.

Overall, this was a solid read. One that I highly enjoyed, as it was a breath of fresh air between all the other bogged down fantasies I've been reading nonstop. If you want something different, check this one out.

Refreshing take on love triangles, felt a bit rushed at the end though. Would have liked more fleshing out of Ramsey’s character, and less internal monologue from Ash, but really enjoyed the world building and character development

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley.

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender is the Queer Pacific Rim but make the Drift alchemy and put it in a university setting that I was really craving. There’s a lot to really love about how it addresses class oppression and gender as well as the polyamorous romance.

Ash is a transman whose greatest desire is to become an alchemist and is the illegitimate son of one of the greatest alchemists in his society. Ramsay is the genderfluid prodigy alchemist who is also the child of two murders looking for the famed Book of Source, a book thought to be a mere legend and holds unimaginable power. Callum is Ramsay’s old flame and Ash’s new one who wants to do the right thing but is held back by his family’s anti-alchemy views.

The pacing felt good for a YA fantasy and the Queer rep felt authentic to the setting while also showing gender expressed in various ways, including through the magic system. Ramsay is addressed as both he and she throughout the book, but I never struggled with the pronoun change as it was made quite clear when Ramsay was being referred to.

One of the things that really pulled me in was the magic system, as it immediately read to me as similar to the Drift in Pacific Rim with its ability to access other people’s memories and how powerful magic can be created with compatible connections. A pleasing feature of the system was the bits left behind after using it were experienced differently, such as some people seeing bits of magic aura and others being able to taste it in the air.

I would recommend this to fans of Callander was well as fans of alchemic magic systems and to readers looking for polyamorous relationships.
I would not recommend this for readers looking for a slower pacing.

Infinity Alchemist is a page-turner. I carried it with me everywhere because I couldn't put it down. The worldbuilding is top-tier. I was uncharacteristically invested in the political plotline: it is that good.

The romance was refreshingly real. No insta-love here!

Too often, authors find quick fixes so the characters can live together, hopelessly in love, forever and ever. I appreciate that the complexity of the romantic relationships weren't glossed over. Everyone involved acknowledged their issues as individuals and as a unit.

This is the first depiction of polyamory I have seen in young adult literature, and it did not disappoint. We need more of this, please and thank you.

But what was up with that ending?

There is so much danger and drama. More than half of the book is build-up, yet the final battle lasted only a few pages. I couldn't give this five starts solely because I was dissatisfied with how this book concluded.

As a whole, I'm sad to see Infinity Alchemist end. I need this to be a series or that start of several book set in this world. I would happily come back for more.

Bottom line: To Kacen Callender: If you see this, I need more.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in this work and the idea of alchemy and magic. I had some issues with pacing of the plot. I truly enjoyed the queer poly rep.

**4.25/5**

Imagine a world where magic resides in all people, although only a select few are allowed to wield any level of meaningful power. Yes, the average human can use level 1 magic to breathe, live, blink, you know, the uncontrollable things needed to stay alive. Even level 2 magic is allowed, typically seen in dancers or athletes or musicians, to help channel more energy than is normal. But only those who are lucky *cough* rich *cough* enough to be accepted at Lancaster College of Alchemic Science are able to become licensed alchemists, able to practice the higher levels of alchemy that only the licensed can, at least legally speaking.

This is the world that Ash Woods lives in. Ash, although not financially gifted enough to be selected as a student at Lancaster, did manage to secure a job as a groundskeeper’s assistant. Despite the illegality of it, he practices his alchemy in secret, hoping one day to be accepted and obtain an alchemic license. That is until he stumbles into Professor Ramsay Thorne’s office and finds himself mixed up in something much more dangerous and potentially world altering than he could have ever imagined.

The characters in this story are absolutely brilliant. There is care and love put into their stories, and the focus of gender identity and sexual orientation is seamlessly and perfectly woven into the world. I adore the thought behind the storyline and the relationship between the 3 main characters. There is great banter, honest emotions, tense situations, and a lot of character growth.

I truly enjoyed this story. There we some times during the middle where the story felt a little more slow moving and it took a little more effort to push through, but I’m so glad I did, because the ending was absolutely wonderful. I hope to read more from Kacen Callender’s brilliant mind, and hope to see future books following this story.

I want to thank NetGalley, Kacen Callender, and TOR Publishing for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Infinity Alchemist.

The world in this book was incredibly unique, and I loved the imaginative foundation of the alchemy and schooling. It started off well, and then for me the pacing started to be a little too slow, even when there were explosive things happening.

I really wanted to love this work, but for me it fell a little flat. The characters had so much promise for me, and both Ash and Ramsay had all of the makings for something so beautiful and unique, but there was something missing in the overall package.

This book is just so fun. You can tell this was a passion project for Callendar, and their joy oozes into the book. Even when this takes dark turns, it feels joyful. The diverse, unapologetically trans and gender-nonconforming cast of characters are all built out in really wonderful and complex ways.

My only critique is that there does seem to be a lot of info-dump style exposition, which makes me excited for future fantasies from Callendar once they get the hang of exposition in fantasy worlds / or even don't need it because future work is set in this world.

If you're looking for a book to fill the hole left behind by The Author Who Shall Not Be Named, this is it!

This was a very character driven story about three young alchemists on the search for a powerful book, that if fallen into the wrong hands, could be devastating.

Ash wasn’t accepted into an elite school of alchemy, he takes a groundskeeper’s position there instead. There he meets Ramsey and the two form an intense bond on their search for the Book of source, the most powerful book on alchemy in existence.

I loved the evolution of their romance, the intensity it was built on. But, outside forces and pasts converge, creating obstacles that are dangerous, putting them in almost constant peril.

There is so much more depth to this book! I loved the storytelling and the diversity among the characters. There is a lot of reconciling with past wrongs, dealing with the reverb of actions of past generations and so so so much emotion.

I really enjoyed this magical, romantic, queer fantasy.

I am the most critical when it comes to YA books. World building is my #1 pet peeve and this book did such a good job with it. A bit slow at times and jilted but I appreciate the time spent to really add layers to the characters and the world. Definitely a good solid YA book!!

Infinity Alchemist was an inventive, unique approach to fantasy that I found engrossing for a few different reasons, first and foremost being the unique and interesting magic system. I loved the concept of Source and the nature of alchemy, and I loved that the very use of it was political. At times the magic felt almost sci-fi-like with vibes that kind of felt like Interstellar, and seeing it manifest differently across characters made alchemy feel limitless. Combined with a society steeped in oppression and a lot of ongoing political scheming, it was a magic-steeped plot that kept me wanting to keep reading.

The book was also exceptionally diverse and tackled topics like gender fluidity seamlessly, integrating it into the story in an organic way that represented the characters authentically and without judgment. Admittedly the romantic subplot wasn’t my favourite aspect of the book, but I did have a lot of appreciation for the representation that Callender incorporated and how much it added to the overall story.

I loved the way that Callender used Source as an exploration of power and what it meant within the society it created. Ash is young and still deciding for himself what it means to be conventionally successful and powerful, and as he’s exposed to different types of magic and different motivations, he works through what power would mean to him and how he wants to wield it. Simultaneously, almost everyone around him is also going through power struggles, both with themselves and with each other.

I did struggle a little with the characters, particularly Ash and Ramsay, who felt a little angsty for me. Ash was always brash and at times abrasive and while he grows, he kind of retained that a little more than I would have liked. That said, I’m cognizant that this was a YA novel and that the characters themselves were supposed to be young and growing, so I’m chalking up some of it to that.

I loved how fast-paced this book was, loved that there was consistent action, and enjoyed the magic system. I felt like this was a unique YA fantasy and I think it will hold a lot of appeal for YA readers looking for an intellectual-style fantasy with great LGBTQ+ representation. A big thank you to Tor Teen and Tor Publishing for the complimentary copy of Infinity Alchemist—looking forward to seeing it hit shelves in the new year!

Infinity Alchemist explores the ties of family and power. I enjoyed the development of the main alchemists as they found their places in their world and society.

I really really wanted to love this. I'm a big fan of Kacen's work and there was so much about this that was such a brilliant concept.

But I found this hard work. The plot felt bloated and despite high stakes, I wasn't invested in them. I think the main character started strong but then had inconsistent moments of being so self-sabotagingly belligerent and arsey, which the only reason this didn't backfire was because the characters around him seemed to let him get away with it.

That's not to say that there wasn't stuff to love. I loved the representation of polyamory and Ramsey's gender fluidity. The actual concept of Source and the Book of Source was so cool if an overly told towards the end.

Once again Tor can never miss. This book was outstanding. I love love love the characters the world the magic it was all Insane. Give us more!

# Infinity Alchemist

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender
༘Spoiler free ༘

⭐️4.75/5

🌶️🌶️ (There are three scenes that the start-up and afterglow is described on page, without being explicit in describing the acts that occur. The primary focus is on kissing)
Young Adult, Fantasy, Genre
Multi-POV
➳ ⚧️ LGBTQIA+
➳ ✨ Forbidden Magic/Power
➳ 🛏️ One Bed
➳ 🔗 Forced Proximity
➳ 🌑 Dark
➳ 🏙️ Dystopian

✨“It’s lazy to put a multifaceted human being, created from the alchemy of the universe, into a box of good or bad. No one is only one of the two.“ ✨
Welcome to a world where privilege, power and love intertwine and embark on a dangerous journey that captivates the heart and mind.

📚📚📚
Three young alchemists set out on a quest that uncovers some risky truths, legendary love, and extraordinary powers.
Ash Woods, is an alchemy enthusiast living in a world where practising this alchemy without a license is illegal. When Lancaster College of Alchemic Science rejects Ash's application for admission, he ends up working as a groundskeeper’s assistant there, practising alchemy in secret. Ramsay Thorne, a snarky and condescending apprentice, stumbles upon his hidden talents.
Instead of reporting him to the authorities, Ramsay offers Ash a deal. She'll keep his secret if he helps her track down the legendary Book of Source, a tome that gives its reader immense power. As they embark on this mission together, their bond deepens, and Ash realizes this quest is more dangerous than he’d anticipated. They're up against prominent and powerful alchemists, including Ash's estranged father. Their journey spans across the bustling cities and untamed wilderness of New Anglia, forcing Ash to redefine what power means and how far they'll go to take it.

❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*❦*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧

Kacen Callender succeeds in writing a beautifully-constructed imaginative world with an intriguing magic system. This is a foundational necessity when writing YA Fantasy, and Infinity Alchemist delivers. I loved seeing alchemy as the form of magic practised, as it’s one of the less commonly selected magical routes when it comes to YA Fantasy. What sets this book apart from other YA Fantasy books is the way Callender wove diverse representation into this book in a natural and authentic way.

I found myself emotionally invested in all of the characters. They were well developed and felt truly multidimensional to me. Callender succeeded in creating beautifully complex, and lovable characters that housed the same intrinsic flaws we all have. Callum’s blend of strength and softness was a soothing blanket I wanted to curl up with. I found myself wanting to hug Ash and tell him that he’s worthy regardless of how other’s treat him. I wanted to tell Ash the way he has been treated by other people is a reflection of who they are, and that it does not determine his worth. Ramsay is determined and feisty and she has a certain fire that draws you in and makes you love her so easily. (Please note: I am referring to Ramsay as “she” as that was the way she identified when we last saw her at the end of the story.)

[Quotation Pending Verification, will be updated once a response is received from the Publicity Department]

The way Callender tied gender fluidity and gender identity into the concept of the Source, past lives and energy was beautiful, vulnerable and incredibly raw and authentic. I found that element touched me on a deeper level, and truly spoke to me. Not only was gender identity handled delicately, but the relationships within the books were viscerally beautiful. There was a level of heartfelt vulnerability between the characters and i found all of the relationship arcs to be emotionally evocative. While some might’ve found the development to be fast paced, when you consider the memory sharing that occurred between characters you find that they were repeatedly connecting on a soul level we’ve never truly been able to experience ourselves. Seeing them literally share their past memories with each other made me long to do the same in the real world.

One of the prominent themes was the exploration of power, privilege and societal class divisions. This theme was effectively expressed from start to finish. Seeing characters cross the divides regardless of their privilege was satisfying. Everyone was coming from a different angle and melded beautifully. I found the power of love to transform and transcend boundaries to be particularly emotionally poignant. It was the glue that held our unlikely crew together.

After the end of the story I found myself wondering what happens next. I would love to see how power, privilege and societal class and house divisions are handled in the future. I would love a second book, but would settle for an epilogue.

As with many fantasy novels the first 25% of this story packed in a lot of world-building, there was so much to be established and if the book itself was longer this could’ve been more slowly addressed. That being said there are often genre & audience specific guides authors are expected to try to stick to that dictate book length. This is a fast paced book, and it stays fast paced. A lot happens in the course of this book, so much that I felt it could’ve even been split into two books and each part have been elaborated on. That’s not a bad thing in my opinion, I loved the book enough that I wanted to slow down and savour it.

I found the writing to be engaging, vivid and thought-provoking. Kacen Callender created a richly imagined world and brought the magic of alchemy to life. It was immersive and I found myself living within the pages. Kacen Callender’s seamless incorporation and representation of diverse characters should be the gold standard for all fiction authors. The authenticity and inclusiveness was god-tier in Infinity Alchemist.

100% Would recommend this book to all YA Fantasy readers, and truly fantasy readers in general. This book exceeded my expectations and I look forward to reading more from Kacen Callender.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 5/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅4/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 5/5
Relationships ➷ ✅ 5/5

Thank you to the Kacen Callender, Tor Publishing Group, Tor Teen, and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.

Holy cow, this may sound harsh at first but I fully expected to not enjoy the is boom and was pleasantly surprised that I was left wanting more!! The character development is to die for, and even though it could be hovering just about YA, barely, it is devouringly good!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book*

I really liked Callender's "Felix Ever After" and have also taught it at university, so I was quite happy when I saw that I'd been approved for "Infinity Alchemist", which is a very queer dark academia-ish YA fantasy novel with a trans protagonist and a genderfluid love interest. I really liked how queer it was and I liked the overall idea of the novel: magic is inherently elitist and regulated by said elites, which is why you can't do magic without having a license. Our protagonist is self taught and is drawn into magical conspiracies that go way beyond his scope.

What I did not enjoy about the novel was both the pacing (too much happened in too little time) and how quickly relationships evolved. I loved that a poly relationship was being portrayed but like all relationships in this book, it happened to quickly. While I also enjoy redemption arcs concerning one's parents, I think it's always somewhat disappointing if one's abilities, especially as an orphan, always come back to one's family. What about somebody who really is a nobody? And not Somebody's (capitalised on purpose here) lost son & blablablabla.

I think the ending of the novel was sweet & I enjoyed more of the book than I disliked, so it's a 4 star rating for me. I think with a bit more editing and toning some things down, this book could've been better.

If you're looking for a fast-paced and very queer fantasy book, go buy it. :)

3.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and TorTeen for my advanced readers copy!

Infinity Alchemist, while it did take me quite a while to really sink my teeth into, was an overall fun time! This YA fantasy follows our main character, eighteen year old Ash Woods, through his life in a world full of magic, or alchemy as it is in the book, and strained by political tension. I absolutely loved the world building and magic system used in this book. I think Callender did a great job of joining together politics and magic in an interesting way.

I also really enjoyed how magic mixed with gender identity regarding two of the characters, while I still have a few questions on some parts, I'm also glad that it was left up to readers interpretations. It was a really fun way to incorporate magic into ideas of our own world. Overall, the representation just in general in this novel is stellar! I loved it!!!

I think the few problems I did have had to do with pacing. Until about 30% of the way through, I felt like I was pushing through this book, trying to get to the adventure. But after that mark, I was absolutely devouring the book, and managed to finish the last 70 percent in a day.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book. I think the romance, although a bit rushed in some areas, was really fun, and Ash was a fun main character to be with. The ending left me very excited and very hopeful for more from these characters, and I also look forward to dipping into more of Callender's works!

I didn't end up finishing this because I can tell it's not for me, but I didn't hugely dislike what I read either.

Infinity Alchemist follows Ash, an eighteen-year-old who shows an aptitude for magic yet is barred from studying it and therefore can't get an alchemy license. He works at the university as a groundskeeper instead, but when he's caught doing alchemy by the graduate apprentice Ramsay, Ramsay offers to keep his secret and teach him everything he needs to know about alchemy if he'll help them find a legendary magical artifact.

I think the general premise is excellent, the execution just could have been better. The idea that you can move to different planes of reality reminded me a little bit of The Poppy War, but I struggled with being introduced to the most complex and forbidden aspects of alchemy more or less simultaneously as I was learning the basics.

Something I heard at an author talk recently about building a magical world was that it helps to start simple as you can always find ways to naturally expand out from that and introduce more complex rules that don't feel forced. But when you start by developing the most complex facets of your magic system, it's hard to go simple after that. I felt like I needed more time as a reader to just live in this world for a little while and start to understand it more thoroughly before getting thrown into this quest to find the most powerful magical object that exists in this universe.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC!