Alchemy Is Magic: Difference between revisions

* In [[Neal Stephenson]]'s ''[[The Baroque Cycle]]'', the practice of alchemy is a major plot thread. Daniel considers it hogwash, Isaac studies it intensely and considers it just as valid as science, and a good many nobles dabble in it just because it's the cool thing to do. Enoch the Red is a famous alchemist with a scientific bent, {{spoiler|and then Enoch whips out some ''Elixir Vitae'' and brings Daniel and Isaac [[Back From the Dead]].}}

* There are alchemists in the ''[[Belgariad]]'', although Belgarath, the world's eldest sorcerer, is rather dismissive of it: "If you want gold so bad, why don't you dig it up?" Senji, an alchemist who discovered sorcery by accident (making him immortal), actually discovered how to turn lead to gold, but the process costs more than the resultant gold... and is quite dangerous.

* Albeit not too popular, Alchemy is also practiced on [[Discworld|the Disc]]. Most of the time, though, Ankh Morporks alchemists merely blow up their guild house instead of achieving anything.

** They have achieved all kinds of things when they've managed to put their goal of making gold aside for a few moments, such as film suitable for movie cameras. Cheery Littlebottom, the City Watch forensics officer is a trained alchemist, but left the guild. Through the roof. Like others before them, the Disc alchemists have discovered you ''can'' turn lead into gold, but only at the expense of a lot more gold than you're going to end up with. They also tend to believe that pretty much ''anything'' contains the secret to eternal life: "An alchemist would cut his own head off if he thought it would help him live longer".