Taking place in an alternate London where magicians rule through the power of the spirits they summon from beyond, one young man’s desire for revenge entangles him in the heart of a conspiracy aimed at the highest levels of power. Still a year away from gaining his official magician’s name and being granted a measure of respect, the eleven year old apprentice known as Nathaniel secretly summons an ancient, powerful djinn, Bartimaeus, and commands his newfound servant to steal the fabled Amulet of Samarkand from the magician who wronged him, Simon Lovelace.
What Nathaniel doesn’t realize is just how ruthless Lovelace is, or how importantly the Amulet factors into a diabolical scheme. Even with the unwilling aid of Bartimaeus, Nathaniel will be tested to the very limits of his loyalty, resourcefulness, and magical abilities. If the odd pair fail, they, and the rest of London’s power structure, will be in for a horrible end indeed.
If I had to label one book as “If you like Harry Potter, you’ll like this,” it would definitely be The Amulet of Samarkand. The first book in the Bartimaeus Trilogy, it’s nevertheless structured so that it tells a full story in its own right, leaving just enough loose ends to set up the remainder of the series. Nathaniel and Bartimaeus are the unlikeliest of allies, with only threats and mutual bonds of need keeping them together during the darkest times. One of the most entertaining aspects of this book is that half of it is told from Bartimaeus’ viewpoint. Not only is he snarky, over-confident, self-involved and egotistical, he speaks in footnotes, which serve to explain many of the unusual aspects of his world and personal history. The other half of the book focuses on Nathaniel, but even during those times, we never lose track of the fact that this is Bartimaeus’ story. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment of the trilogy.