The
Amulet of Samarkand
Bartimaeus
Trilogy, Book I
By
Jonathan Stroud
Since
Harry Potter appeared, “crossover” novels that are ostensibly
for children, but which also appeal strongly to adults have become
a whole new sub-genre. This author already has three such books
behind him, and now turns his attention to a new trilogy. In a parallel
world where magic rules, a young boy called Nathaniel is apprenticed
to a magician. Behind his master’s back he summons a djinni
called Bartimaeus to do his bidding—stealing the Amulet of
Samarkand from a powerful magician called Simon Lovelace. This sets
into motion a chain of events that will lead to high-level intrigue,
murder, and chaos.
Stroud deftly sketches for his readers
a picture of a bleak world akin to our own, but where magical power
is the key to success. Magical wars rage, the government is run
by magicians, and ordinary people (“commoners”) lead
dreary lives with no hope of betterment. Nathaniel and Bartimaeus
tell their sides of the story in alternate chapters, which is a
fine idea when the vibrant djinni is doing the first person talking.
Bartimaeus is delightful; by turns peevish, irritable, and prideful,
but keeps up a constant commentary on his past 5000-year-old life
and his opinions on modern times. Nathaniel does not tell his story
in his own words, and consequently remains distant and rather unsympathetic.
Sinned against, but sinning himself and not doing it with much style
or human feeling, he is no Harry Potter. The story unfolds against
this well-realised backdrop, complete with a shadowy band of resistance
fighters who oppose magic and will presumably be a stronger presence
in book two. Stroud does not appear to be comfortable with creating
female characters, and this is very much a story about the male
sex. We are told that women hold positions of power and a few make
shadowy appearances, but ultimately none hold center stage, which
is a flaw in a modern novel. It will be interesting to see how it
all develops in the subsequent books.
|
The
Book |
Corgi (Random House Children’s Books) |
November
2004 |
Paperback |
0552550299 |
Juvenile
/ Fantasy [Contemporary London] |
More
at Amazon.com -
Amazon UK |
Excerpt
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NOTE:
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The
Reviewer |
Rachel A. Hyde |
Reviewed
2005 |
NOTE:
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