After London vs The Alchemy of Stone: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction
vs
The Alchemy of Stone
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Mattie, an intelligent automaton skilled in the use of alchemy, finds herself caught in the middle of a conflict between gargoyles, the Mechanics, and the Alchemists. With the old order quickly giving way to the new,…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate The Alchemy of Stone highest: The Alchemy of Stone 3.7 · After London 3.1.
- After London is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for The Alchemy of Stone.
- After London has the widest readership — 917 ratings behind its score.
- After London runs the darker storyline; The Alchemy of Stone stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
After London
≈ 3h vs 6h for The Alchemy of Stone
New to the genre?
The Alchemy of Stone
Moderate vs Challenging for After London
In the mood for something dark?
After London
a darker storyline than The Alchemy of Stone
Want something lighter?
The Alchemy of Stone
an easier tone than After London
Scores by source
| After London | The Alchemy of Stone | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.1 (917) | — |
| Hardcover | 3.2 (9) | 3.7 (17) |
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Reception
| After London | The Alchemy of Stone | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 917 | 17 |
| Editions | 280 | 2 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 2285 | — |
| Reading it now | 181 | — |
| Written reviews | 158 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 628 | 142 |
| Pages | 198 | 324 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: After London or The Alchemy of Stone?
The Alchemy of Stone has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Alchemy of Stone 3.7/5, After London 3.1/5).
Which is shorter to read: After London or The Alchemy of Stone?
After London is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: After London (198 pages, ≈ 3 h 40 m); The Alchemy of Stone (324 pages, ≈ 6 h 00 m).
Which is harder to read: After London or The Alchemy of Stone?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — After London: Challenging; The Alchemy of Stone: Moderate.