The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus Series #1)

It is an amazing book. It is very original and is one of the best books I've read in forever. It isn't one of those stupid superficial books. It has depth and wonderful characters. My favorite character is Bartimaeus. I love his side commentary. He always gets me laughing. My favorite quote is, "One magician demanded I show him an image of the love of his life. I rustled up a mirror"

Liked Potter? Me, too, but I like Bartimaeus and it is completely different. Once again an author manages to show me a world I've never imagined, but that under author Jonathon Stroud's guidance becomes familiar and enduring. I was reluctant at first as it is pitched as a kid's book, but this Oh-so-not-a-kid found it absorbing and rewarding for the characters and ideas that came alive on the page.

If you enjoyed being part of a secret magical world with Harry Potter, you'll love the plot twists and turns of the Amulet of Samarkand. The footnotes are some of the funniest lines in this book, so don't forget to read those (at least once in a while). The story takes you on a journey with a young boy who is apprenticed to a magician in London. As this child becomes a young man, the reader learns about different magical creatures, conjuring spells, and other basic rules of "magician-hood" that set the stage for this story. The writing and language are mature, but certainly straight-forward enough to understand for a mature 11-15 year old. There are definitely surprises in the action and up until the last page, I was unsure of the young boy's fate. It is story-telling like this, that makes this book worth reading and that will impel me to pick-up the 2nd book in the series.

masterful work of literature by stroud my hat off it the best fantasy trilogys i've read

When I first read this it did get confusing at times, but me being a little older now I understand it completely. It's one of those books that you could keep in your collection for years. I've re-read the whole Trilogy many times. Now Jonathan Stroud is making another book about Bartimaeus which should be coming out in 2010, and im very eager to see how that will play out. Bartimaeus Trilogy &Harry Potter are one of my all time favorite books, and that's saying something.

This book was my favorite of all-time, until I read the final book of the trilogy. The story is so well set up and is always interesting and fun. You could read it over and over again.

I did skim some parts, but I think thats more of a personal thing anyway, and actually when I went back and read those parts and reread the book it made me love the story that much more. And I think the 10 year olds this book is supposedly for will skim the same parts. This books main attraction for me was the cahracters as usuall, so I suprised myself loving everything else that makes a good book about it. All in all the book is very happening So the first and second page. I skimmed over the description then put the book down but I am SO GLAD I went back and read it. Bartimaeus...hes pure gold. Hes a 5000 year old enslaved demon or djinni. He ties up with all my other favorite characters. For me, it was litteraly a laugh a page or more when the story is in his point of view. And hes had 5000 years of reasons to not be how awsome and likable he is today. Then it switches to Nathaniels POV the young magician. I skimmed over his parts to until the middle of the story, just to understand things. It may not look like it at first but I find Nathaniel to be a fascinating character. He dosen't seen to be likable at first but he wasn't loved as a child, his parants sold to the magicians. He almost never leaves the house. Hes seperated form other children. His room is the attic in a 5 floor mansion. And his master set him up to perposely terriffy him at 6 years old, and so set him against 'demons' very young. And he turns out to be a hero in the end, even though driven at first to solve the stories mystery by ambition. Great story. Long live Barti <3

This book is highly riveting and definately exciting. It's perfect for those just starting to really dive into big reading, as it never for a moment leaves you bored. The characters are different, especially Bartimaeus, who's sarcastic attitude constantly deflects any feelings of over- cliche attached to the book. The main character seems at first to be your every day, predictable hero and yet he turns out to be so much more. Complex plot, interesting ideas, and hilarious footnotes make it a must-read for anyone who calls them self a fantasy lover. The only complaint I, a nit-picker and fantasy freak, can have, is that the villian is a bit... tired. He is very one- sided. The evil, dark haired, mean and arrogant, and yet incredibly powerful bad-guy who wants to summon an evil demon, kill all of the wizards and, basically, destroy the world. There's a little more explanation, but not much. It leaves an intelligent reader wondering, 'But what's the STRATEGY in destroying the world, except to stroke your ego?' When placed next to Bartimaeus, who is, arguably, the best, and most well planned character I've ever read of, he dwindles. All and all, a definate read for those who love a fast- moving plot, high fantasy, and sarcastic footnotes. Four and three-quarter stars.

I picked up this book a couple of weeks ago, sat down to read it on a Saturday afternoon, and finished it Saturday evening. The tale of young Nathaniel, an apprentice magician, that involves murder, revenge, and demons. This book is not for people who fancy themselves the upright church goer, it involves conjuring demons, which in all honesty is one of the most entertaining metaphores in the book. Bartimaeus is a 5000 year old djinni, who is summoned by Nathaniel to steal the amulet of Samrkand from a magician by the name of Simon Lovelace. Simon is a magician and more importantly is an evil magician (or as Bartimaeus might say ambitious not evil). The events in the book start out with an arrogant young boy, who is really somewhat innocent, but then he loses that innocence and starts on a journey into adulthood. This book is one of the only books that I have ever seen pull off a narrative by two different people and do it well. The footnotes that Bartimaeus leaves are sometimes distracting because they are so funny they can make you lose your concentration. I wouldn't recommend this to really young children, but from the age of 10 up should be safe.

Had picked this up at an airport bookstore, looking for something to read. Cover looked interesting as the summary. Wasn't sure if I was going to like this. Didn't like Nat and Kitty at first. The genie was interesting. Writing was pretty good.

This book is not your typical fantasy book (orcs, epic battle scenes, heroes controlling the evil forces, etc.). This book is about a hillariously sarcastic, smart-mourhed, and comedic demon(Bartimaeus) who loves nothing mpre than pissing people off and eaves-dropping. It gets down-right comedic how ticked he gets when his master, a young child, outwits him,and vis versa. The two, after a while, develop a strange relationship where the master technically has no power of Bartimaeus, but he still helps out(extremely rare). Good book for everyone. I'm Travis and this is my review on 'The Amulet Of Samarkand'

I couldn't put this book down for the first 150 pages and then, it started to unravel, wander, plod. The spectacular ending was consumed in a single gulp. I keep wondering, with all the filler in the middle, why did the ending happen so fast? And I was disappointed in the farewell ending. At least it's a single book and not "to be continued" (though apparently, it is). I know there's more out there, but when the author is wandering, it's just too painful a read.

This book was absolutely amazing. I loved it. It had a little bit of everything that I like. Magic, suspence... all that it was missing was a little bit of romance. I think I actually like this book better than Harry Potter. This is a great compliment!!!!!!

The digital version can be a bit painful to navigate at times [when it comes to the footnotes] and there are a few obvious issues that cropped up in transferring it from the physical verison, such as words being off their designated page. But it is still as fun a read as it was years ago. I'm glad I got to reread it.

A child’s prank quickly grows into a deadly game. A young boy, desperate to prove himself as a magician, secretly summons Bartimaeus, and compels the djinn to steal the Amulet of Samarkand. But powerful forces pursue the jewel, and the one who stole it. Anonymity offers some protection, but when his enemies draw near, the young boy will have no choice but to face the harsh consequences of his actions. Vivid descriptions pull audiences right in, while implied questions create an atmosphere of intrigue. Who are these characters? What are they planning? Details double as characterization, offering vague clues, guiding audiences effortlessly through the first quarter of the story. Of course, it’s not all quiet conversations and covert plans. Once in a while things do go wrong, forcing characters to scramble in a whirlwind of crisp writing that left me hungry for more. But for the most part the story is dominated by witty dialogue that pokes fun at a character clearly out of his depth. Sadly, the charm does not last. Characters cling to their defining feature, refusing to grow. In turn their goals and relationships remain stinted; forcing later scenes to echo the issues of their predecessors. The characters insist on repeating past mistakes, ignoring the underlying questions implied by the narrative. Descriptions and dialogue remain a cornerstone of the story, with the occasional true struggle to ramp up the tension. Bartimaeus makes a valiant effort to add some wry humor, but without strong character growth, or underlying ideas to engage the audience, the story is little more than an entertaining adventure. +Strong Description +Strong Pacing *Underdeveloped Characters *Underdeveloped Plot -Weak second half 2.5/5

Good read

I read this a few years ago, but still remember the witty insults and plot twists. Stroud does a wonderful job combining his own imagination with realistic politics and Euro-Arabian folklore.

Name: Silver <br> Gender: female <br> Apearance: silvery grey fur and blue eyes with flecks of silver. <br> Job: organizer <p> Name: Snowykit <br> Gender: female <br> Apearance: white with grey spots here and there. Blue eyes. <br> Job: kit <br> Relations: sister of Slippingkit <br> Crush: nope <p> Name: Zebrakit <br> Gender: male <br> Apearance: white and black tabby. Yellow eyes. <br> Job: kit <br> Relations: none <br> Crush: no <p> Name: Slippingkit <br> Gender: tom <br> Apearance: pure white with red eyes. Is albino. <br> Job: kit. <br> Relations: brother of Snowykit <br> Crush: none <p> Name: Futurepaw <br> Gender: female <br> Apearance: black with white and grey streaks, starry-ish eyes, and extremely small. <br> Job: apprentice. <br> Relations: none <br> Crush: none

Very funny and smart...a great read.

It was agood book but it was a little confusing when it whent from charachter to charachter