Even in person, Michael Scott is a storyteller. It's a gift seemingly ingrained in the timbre of his voice and reinforced by his vast knowledge of history and the modern world.

The Irish-born author has more than 100 books to his name, ranging from horror and fantasy to romance and science fiction. But it's his most recent creation, a six-part young-adult fantasy series, titled "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel," that has really taken off and launched his name and work into 35 countries and onto the New York Times Bestseller list.

Scott was in Utah recently to promote book No. 2 in the series, "The Magician," which was released this summer (Delacorte Press, $16.99). It's a continuation of the tale of modern-day twins, Sophie and Josh Newman, who are suddenly thrown into a world of magic and mythological creatures while on a quest to save the planet.

The book is a fast-paced and compelling read and will likely engage both adults and children. Part of the draw is Scott's use of mythological creatures and historical figures as companions and foes to the Newman twins. You might find yourself reading nearby a computer to look online for references to characters such as the Nidhogg, which is a corpse-eating dragon from Norse mythology, or to find more information on Nicholas Flamel, a famous alchemist and Scott's protagonist.

In "The Magician," which is a continuation of Scott's first book, "The Alchemist," both Sophie and Josh find themselves in Paris on a hunt to find the book of Abraham the Mage, which contains the secret to eternal life and the power to destroy humankind. The book was stolen from Flamel by a man who wants to use it to bring an ancient Earth-dwelling clan back to power.

In the quest to recover the book, Sophie learns fire magic while Josh, who has yet to have his magical powers awakened, continues to harbor jealousy over his sister's abilities. There's a climactic scene where the Nidhogg chases the character Scathach, a legendary Scottish warrior, through the streets of Paris.

For Scott, researching and creating these books has been an extraordinary journey. The idea first came to him about 10 years ago, but it wasn't until late 2000, after discovering the ancient home of Nicholas Flamel in Paris, that he really discovered how he wanted to write the story and who his hero would be.

"I was beginning to work on the story and knew I had Sophie and Josh, which where my twins," Scott said. "I had begun to put together the pieces, but really, sitting in that room in Paris (where Nicholas Flamel would have sat and walked) and afterward in the hotel, that's where I wrote the premise."

It took him about eight years to research the series, which so far, has taken his characters to California and Paris. The third book takes Sophie and Josh to England, while Scott promises that Utah will "definitely maybe" figure into the storyline.