"The Alchemist" is a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

by American writer

H. P. Lovecraft Howard Phillips Lovecraft (, ; August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American writer of Weird fiction, weird, Science fiction, science, fantasy, and horror fiction. He is best known for his creation of the Cthulhu Mythos. Born in Provi ...

. It was written in 1908, when Lovecraft was 17 or 18, and first published in the November

1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Empire, British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that has been stored ...

issue of the ''United Amateur''.

Plot

The story is a first person account narrated by Count Antoine de C. Hundreds of years ago, Antoine's noble ancestor was responsible for the death of a dark wizard, Michel Mauvais. The wizard's son, Charles le Sorcier, swore revenge on not only him but all his descendants, cursing them to die upon reaching the age of 32. Count Antoine recounts how his ancestors all died in some mysterious way around the age of 32. The line has dwindled and the castle has been left to fall into disrepair, tower by tower. Antoine is the only one left, with one poor servant, Pierre, who raised him. Only a tiny section of the castle is still usable. Antoine has reached adulthood, and his 32nd year is approaching. His servant eventually dies, leaving Antoine completely alone. In his isolation, he begins exploring the ruined parts of the castle. He finds a trapdoor in one of the oldest parts. Below, he discovers a passage with a locked door at the end. Just as he turns to leave, he hears a noise behind him and sees that the door is open and someone is standing in it. The man attempts to kill him and a fight ensues, ending with Antoine killing the stranger. The man's last words reveal that he is none other than Charles, who actually managed to successfully fabricate the

elixir of life The elixir of life (Medieval Latin: ' ), also known as elixir of immortality, is a potion that supposedly grants the drinker Immortality, eternal life and/or eternal youth. This elixir was also said to Panacea (medicine), cure all diseases. Alch ...

, enabling him to personally fulfill the curse generation after generation.

Adaptations

* A graphic novel adaptation written by Steven Philip Jones and drawn by Octavio Cariello was originally published in 1991 by

Malibu Graphics Malibu Comics Entertainment, Inc. (launched as Malibu Graphics) was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. Notable titles published by Malibu included '' T ...

. It was reprinted in an individual graphic novel in 2016 by

Caliber Comics Caliber Comics or Caliber Press is an American comic book publisher founded in 1989 by Gary Reed. Featuring primarily creator-owned comics, Caliber published over 1,300 comics in the decade following its inception and is ranked as one of Americ ...

and is part of Caliber's H. P. Lovecraft Worlds

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

series. * The story is retold from the point of view of Charles le Sorcier in the

Blue Öyster Cult Blue Öyster Cult ( ; sometimes abbreviated BÖC or BOC) is an American rock band formed on Long Island, New York, in the hamlet of Stony Brook, in 1967. They have sold 25 million records worldwide, including 7 million in the United States. ...

song "

The Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Ben ...

References

External links

* * * *
Audiobook The Alchemist by H. P. Lovecraft
(en), duration 35 min {{DEFAULTSORT:Alchemist, The 1908 short stories Fantasy short stories Horror short stories American short stories Short stories by H. P. Lovecraft Works originally published in American magazines Fiction about wizards Short stories about alchemy Fiction about revenge

Plot

Adaptations

References

Further reading

External links