The Amulet of Samarkand - (Bartimaeus Sequence) by Jonathan Stroud (Paperback)

About the Book

Set in modern-day London, this first book in a gripping new trilogy introduces young magician's apprentice Nathaniel. Humiliated by a hotshot wizard, Nathaniel summons the not-so-tame djinni, Bartimaeus, and sends him to steal the Amulet of Samarkand.

Book Synopsis

OVER 6 MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THE BESTSELLNG SERIES!

From the author of the Lockwood & Co. series comes a witty, gripping adventure story featuring a boy and his not-so-tame djinni, perfect for fans of Artemis Fowl and Amari and the Night Brothers.

Nathaniel is a young magician's apprentice, taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hotshot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of everyone he knows, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss. With revenge on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all: summoning the all-powerful djinni, Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, blackmail, and revolt.

Set in a modern-day London spiced with magicians and mayhem, this extraordinary, funny, New York Times bestselling thriller will dazzle the myriad fans of the His Dark Materials trilogy and is on the fast track to becoming a classic.

* "A must-purchase for all fantasy collections."--School Library Journal, starred review

Read the entire Bartimaeus Sequence series:
The Amulet of Samarkand
The Golem's Eye
Ptolemy's Gate
The Ring of Solomon

For another thrilling adventure from Jonathan Stroud, don't miss the Lockwood & Co series.

Review Quotes

Praise for the Bartimaeus Sequence series:

* "A must-purchase for all fantasy collections."--School Library Journal, starred review

* "Bartimaeus's pointed humor makes for a story worth savoring."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "For readers who loved the earlier volumes for the sheer adventure, this, with its battles, magic and great crashing conclusion, will not disappoint. A worthy ending to an exceptional saga."--Booklist, starred review

* "So rarely do humor and plot come together in such equally strong measures that we can only hope for more adventures."--Horn book, starred review

* "The trilogy wraps up with excitement, adventure and an unexpected wallop of heart and soul. . . Stroud masterfully weaves together four characters and an unearthly realm of existence in an explosive culmination..."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "This closing installment is the best yet...Stroud is a masterful storyteller, balancing touching sentiment with humor, explosive action scenes with philosophical musings on human nature...a stunning end to a justly acclaimed trilogy."--Horn Book, starred review

"In a contemporary London full of magic, a thrilling adventure unfolds."--Kirkus Reviews

"Not since Gulliver's Travels has a children's writer managed to combine a thrilling tale of magic and adventure with such deliciously pointed comedy."--The Times

"The pace never slows in this wisecracking adventure...Stroud has created a compelling fantasy story in a well-realized world, but it is the complementary characters of Bartimaeus and Nathaniel that will keep readers coming back for the rest of the [series]."--Horn Book

"The truly original touch is the way Stroud alternates Nathaniel's story with the djinni's own knowing and irascible first-person narrative."--Diana Wynne Jones, Guardian Review

About the Author

Jonathan Stroud is the author of the internationally bestselling Bartimaeus and Lockwood & Co series as well as the Scarlett and Browne series and the stand-alone titles Heroes of the Valley, The Leap, The Last Siege, and Buried Fire. He lives in England with his wife and three children. He invites you to visit him at www.jonathanstroud.com.