In this epic fantasy tale of good versus evil an ancient, evil necromancer rises from the past thanks to his loyal, demon-possessed acolyte. Meanwhile, a brave alchemist discovers secrets hidden in a mountain while searching for alchemical ingredients to harvest and seals his destiny. He joins a quest to find the shards of an ancient crystal sword which will aid the Crystal Guard in their fight against the zombie army of the necromancer and hopefully save the world!The cast of characters in this novel was many and varied. They all had depth and layers and felt believable.The main character, alchemist Ryris Bren, was a lovely, level-headed and respectful character, unassuming yet confident of his alchemical talents, he has hidden his magical abilities his entire life since displaying them in this world means certain death. However these skills will be necessary in the oncoming fight. His romantic feelings for soldier Kaia the Quick develop in a heartwarming and sweet manner, but he never dares to assume she might feel the same. His character develops nicely in confidence and magical ability as the story progresses.Ryris’s friend the simple giant of a man, Grildi, was a loveable character - pure of heart and loyal to the core, determined to protect Ryris at all costs.The necromancer, Lyrax and his puppet demon shapeshifter were deliciously evil:“As leathery wings erupted from his scaled back, a woman in the front of the crowd fainted, her husband barely catching her before her head hit the paving stones. An elderly man screamed ‘demon!’ as razor sharp fangs began to emerge from his beastly mouth. Women shrieked … shielding their children’s eyes. When the transformation was complete, he stood proud, hot puffs of air shooting from his devilish nostrils. He tapped his toe talons on the marble staircase.”The emperor Roann starts off the book seemingly as a dutiful son and dedicated Emperor-in-waiting. However his parents have harboured a secret about him from his infancy and their desperation has dire repercussions for the Empire.The blind giant, Phia was another great character, a motherly soul, living in a stinking marsh and guarding secrets for the members of the Crystal Guard as they slumbered for seven hundred years.The world comes to life around these characters as the companions search for shards of the famous sword in various locations and take on a whole host of foes. Time is also taken to tell the history of the Crystal Guard and their battles during the Old War. Some people thought these were children’s stories, but it becomes apparent that it is actually ancient history.The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny was a highly enjoyable story with lots of attention to detail in the narrative. If you enjoy epic fantasy stories of heroic quests and good versus evil this could well be the next series for you! The author is an avid game player and the book had a fantasy RPG feel to it at times.