This time, instead of reviewing a book I want to recommend The Bartimaeus Trilogy which I read and very much enjoyed as a child. Although it has been a long time since I have read any of the books, I still feel that I have not come across anything quite like it since. The author of the trilogy (which has since turned into a sequence with an added fourth book) is Jonathan Stroud, a British author from Bedford. The three books in the series (not mentioning the fourth which I have not read) include: The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem’s Eye and Ptolemy’s Gate.
The book is set in a present day alternative London, or perhaps a London from the 20th century, as we are never told the exact date. Society is split between those who are able to use magic and those who cannot. An oligarchy of powerful magic users control the nation. However, those who are able to use magic are no different from other people. Their ability purely derives from their capacity to summon, bind and control spirits from the Other Place. They are also able to create magical artefacts by binding spirits to objects.
The story revolves around Nathaniel, a young magician prodigy, and Bartimaeus a 5000 year old djinni. Bartimaeus is witty, sarcastic and intelligent. His quick-witted comments and inflated ego provide no end of comic relief for the reader. However, ever since Nathaniel summons and binds Bartimaeus, he can think of nothing better than escaping or convincing Nathaniel to allow him to return to the Other Place.
Over the course of the three books, Nathaniel undergoes dramatic changes as he is forced to conform to and confront expectations. His continued use of Bartimaeus’ services an indication of a bond forming between the two characters which neither will admit to. Nathaniel has to face many moral dilemmas, confront power hungry magicians who are neither wholly good or bad, face challenges from ancient spirits and prevent others from misusing ancient artefacts. To top it all off, an underground resistance is formed by those with the rare ability to resist magic. We learn about and follow the story of Kitty, one of the resistance members, and her interactions with Nathaniel and the magical world.
I very much recommend the trilogy as it is one of the best I have read. And, although the first addition of the first book was published in 2003, it is still in print and available to buy.
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