Two years after the events chronicled in The Amulet of Samarkand, young magician Nathaniel has, in his adult guise of John Mandrake, risen quickly in the ranks of London’s magician-ruled government, becoming the assistant to Julius Tallow, Head of Internal Affairs. In this role, Nathaniel has been appointed to track down the Resistance, a group of ordinary humans dedicated to stealing magical artifacts and disrupting the strict rule of the magicians. So far, he’s not doing so well, feeling the pressure from all sides from those envious of his success or fearful of his talents. Things get worse when a magical creature of unknown origins begins to cut a swathe of destruction through magician-held interests, just as the Resistence steps up their own efforts. Nathaniel is forced to go back on an earlier promise, and once again summon the Djinn, Bartimaeus, who helped him two years ago. It’s not a partnership either are eager to resume, made all the more tense by Nathaniel’s new attitude and drive to succeed.

Told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, and Kitty, one of the Resistance, The Golem’s Eye is another captivating adventure set in a world where magic has dictated the course of events across the world for centuries. As events unfold, and Nathaniel’s journey takes him from London, to darkly atmospheric Prague and back, we learn more of Bartimaeus’ storied history, and discover just what brought Kitty to this point in her life. Conspiracies and mysteries abound, and magic fills the air as Stroud weaves a thoroughly entertaining tale. This is the series I recommend, without hesitation, to those who like Harry Potter. The characters are memorable and complex, Stroud unafraid to exploit their flaws. While some readers might be disappointed by Nathaniel’s emotional growth (and resultant change in attitude and morals), it’s only logical under the circumstances, and there’s plenty of time for him to come around in the third book in the trilogy, which can’t come too soon for me.