Rating: 
Summary: clever, original, witty--highly recommended
Review: As I've said in previous reviews, if you're going to set your book in England and have as a main character a young boy learning the art of wizardry, you've guaranteed yourself a comparison to Harry Potter. With The Amulet of Samarkand, Jonathan Stroud can proudly say, "bring him on--wands at 15 paces!".
With so much pallid fantasy out there, Amulet is a breath of fresh air, told in a witty, original voice within a well-constructed plot and structure focused on two complex characters. Amulet is set in an alternate England ruled by magicians whose powers come from their ability to conjure demons. The society is beset within (by a resistance movement of "commoners" as well as by the murderous in-fighting among the ruling class magicians) and without (at war with Prague). Nathaniel is a young magician's apprentice who, after being publicly humiliated, seeks revenge via the demon Bartimaeus and a powerful talisman--the book's namepiece. By the time the book closes, it will involve murder and mayhem, betrayal, the attempted overthrow of the government, ancient (and I mean ancient) grievances, several tense chase scenes, various escape attempts, political commentary, the searing intensity of unassuagable guilt, and more.
Despite all that is crammed in here, the plot moves along briskly for the most part (this despite its complexity and the use of footnotes). Nathaniel is a complex character, giving us easily as many reasons to dislike him as to sympathize with him. He is no paragon of heroism or innocence. The other and much more likable main character (or perhaps more accurately the true main character) is the demon Nathaniel summons and the trilogy's title character. Unlike Nathaniel, whose section is told in 3rd person, Bartimaeus gets to tell his section of the book himself, lending us a more intimate view and thus allowing us to empathize more directly with him. Even better, his is a wry, cynical voice, bitingly funny. He also has the advantage of centuries of experience to call upon for more material with which to sharpen his wit. His sections are simply a pleasure to read. He too is more complex than is typical in these works. For instance, a scene where he somewhat blithely is willing to kill three young teens with little remorse reminds us he is no tame funny pet for either Nathaniel or the reader.
While Nathaniel's main antagonist, an evil wizard whose plots really aren't that out of character for magicians in general it turns out, is perhaps one of the weaker characters--a bit bland in both villainy and dialogue, the various demon antagonists of Bartimaeus are all wonderful creations, especially his two long-running nemeses whom he comes across several times.
The structure moves back and forth skillfully between Bartimaeus's first person narration and the third-person description of what is happening with Nathaniel, pulling away from one to the other at just the right moments to create the greatest suspense. It is all deftly handled with no confusion whatsoever.
The story itself is well-paced and complex enough to keep the reader guessing. It ends independently but with enough loose ends to point to an obvious sequel, which I for one eagerly await. Very highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great Fun
Review: Bartimaeus is a wonderful addition to my list of favorite literary characters. In the tradition of Robin Williams' genie in Alladin, Bartimaeus' wit and magic permeate this story and make it more fun, especially when things get a bit dark with the character of Nathaniel. Stroud has also created an incredibly realistic fantasy London, and it's this plausibility that makes the reader care (even when you may not like Nathaniel very much). I can't wait to read the next two.
Rating:
Summary: A new classic--with a unique voice
Review: I bought this book as a gift for my 15-year-old nephew. I got it home and meant to read just the first chapter (so I could talk about it with him when he opened it).... but I got so caught up in it that I had to go buy him another book so I could finish this myself!
The opening scene, told from the perspective of the djinni, grabbed me right away. The character, being summoned by a new master, is trying to figure out what special effects to add to his apparition to impress this new magician with his great powers...only to find himself facing an 11-year-old boy when he finally materializes. The struggle between the djinni, who is trying to get the upper-hand, and the boy--Nathaniel--who is dealing with magic that is perhaps a bit out of his league, goes on throughout the book.
The author's style is unique--in part, through the use of footnotes for the djinni to give his insights into what is happening. While the story may be compared to Harry Potter because a main character is a young boy who does magic, its really a very different story. Magic is out in the open in The Amulet's London. In fact, the magicians control the government and 'protect' the commoners. A substory (that plays a bigger role in the sequel) is that of a Resistance group that objects to the magicians' rule. There are themes in the book that will appeal to older readers but the story can still be appreciated by younger folks.
The book is sold in the young readers/young adult section of the bookstore but the story is entertaining for all ages. As an adult I fully enjoyed this book and went right out after I finished to buy the sequel, The Golem's Eye (also a great read)!
Rating: 
Summary: Fun, fast-paced, well-written
Review: I enjoyed this book and would actually give it 4 1/2 stars. In the beginning, I felt it ranked as high as Harry Potter. In the end, perhaps less so.To me, these are the book's strengths:
1. Original setting in a modern-day London with magicians ruling the country.
2. Fun character in Bartimaeus and the other spirits.
3. Interesting setup between Nathaniel and Lovelace. Interesting relationship between Nathaniel and Bartimaeus.
4. Good writing. Funny asides by Bartimaeus. Vivid and dramatic scenes. And the weaknesses:
1. Bad magicians with no complexity or redeeming qualities. Too one-dimensional sometimes.
2. A little schizophrenia on the part of Nathaniel and Bartimaeus. One minute, they're cold and heartless. The next, they're having a crisis of conscience and/or crying. Bartimaeus is supposed to be a rather scary entity, but sometimes he's just pretty darn sweet.
3. Nathaniel gets lucky too often, especially at the end. Basically, he wins through the incompetence of everyone else. Sometimes, he doesn't deserve to win due to his pig-headedness and lack of common sense. Having said that, though, it was a fun read that was hard to put down. I would recommend it (and already have to several people) and plan to read the other books in the series.
Rating:
Summary: highly original book
Review: I'm a science fiction/fantasy fan and read books like shannara, harry potter, lord of the rings, bartimeaus, and eragon. This book was highly original in the power of magicians. It's not just like using magic to do everything and being in secret from non-magic people. the structure of it is cool because of the way it has two main charaxters and switches views. Since magicians don't actually use magic, (they summon demons and the stronger the demon, the harder he is to control so you need to be a strong magician to control strong demons) Bartimeaus is actually the one with all the power, not Nathaniel (the magician). I loved the ending of the book because of the strategic plans the main characters come up with. BOTTOM LINE-------- if you're a fantasy fan, READ THIS SERIES.
Rating:
Summary: Bring on the next book!!!
Review: It's the story of this djinni, Bartimaeus, who gets summoned by a magician's apprentice, Nathaniel. On the search for revenge they get caught in a plot to destroy the magician government. When people describe this book, they always seem to start with Nathaniel. For me, it's ALL about the ironic, clever, slightly malicious djinni. Bartimaeus is written with such skill that i feel he could (i hate this cliche) jump right off the page. (i wish he would, i think he's great!) I don't think Nathaniel is quite as vivid but he still makes an alarmingly strong character. I love the way he's not "good" in the sweet polite little boy sense of the word, and that in the end of the book you are left wondering if he'll be manipulated into turning "evil". I think that Simon Lovelace lacks something. He makes a good baddy, just not a great one. And i like my villans proper nasty (i think Faquarl pulls this off wonderfully). Some people have compared this to Harry Potter and although i didnt notice the simularities while reading it, i do now. The young magician (or wizard) both in their type of school. Magicians treating commoners (or muggles) as second class citizens. The big wizard trying to take over the world and only this boy can stop him. It all sounds a bit familiar. However, i don't think Bartimaeus comes in anywhere in Harry Potter, and he's what makes the book. So Jonathan Stroud gets my full apprecation. I couldn't honestly say whether i prefer Harry Potter or The Amulet but so far there are 5 Harry Potter books and only one Amulet of Samarkand. All i can say is read it! In fact buy it! If you're anything like me, you'll love it!!!
Rating:
Summary: Applause for the amulet. Applause indeed.
Review: The publishing world is always on a constant prowl for the "next" Harry Potter series. Who is it that will steal the crown from Britain's reigning fantasy king? One of the newest contenders comes in the form of Jonathan Stroud's detailed "Bartimaeus Trilogy". The first book in this series "The Amulet of Samarkand" (other books have not, as of this review, been published in America yet) begins what many hope will become the new "it" series. Cleverly combining facets of European and Asian lore, the book is a fascinating character study into the nature of good and bad. Filled with far more complex imaginings than your average fantasy let's-throw-in-some-brief-historical-facts book, this tale is penned beautifully and is a worthy series within its own right. We begin with a bang of a beginning. Most authors, no matter if they are writing for adults or children, like to start slowly and build their tale with a heaping helping of exposition. Not Stroud. In this book we begin with an exciting summoning of the djinni Bartimaeus by a twelve year-old boy. The boy, Nathaniel, wishes to avenge himself against a powerful wizard. As the plot follows Bartimaeus's quest to retrieve the Amulet of Samarkand (as the boy has instructed him to do) we are simultaneously brought up to speed on Nathaniel's life and world. This is London, but a sort of alternative reality London. In this world, wizards rule over the commoners (non-magic types) in government positions and teach children as apprentices. Nathaniel is such an apprentice, bound to an incompetent master. When he is shamed in front of a group of wizards by one Simon Lovelace (a man far more powerful than his own master) Nathaniel seeks nothing but revenge. So there you have it. This is a tale about a boy and his smart alecky djinni. As the book takes pains to explain, demons (like the djinni) are regularly summoned by wizards to do their dirty work. Humans are, by and large, incapable of magic and simply summon spirits of one sort or another to do magic for them. Bartimaeus isn't thrilled by this proposition, but he is unwillingly bound to a boy that burns with hate and a bit of the old "eye for an eye". The djinni's displeasure is regularly voiced by clever footnotes placed strategically at the bottom of several pages. Often Bartimaeus's commentary is the great spice of the book. Nathaniel is a less than humorous individual, though he is capable of deadpan humor. The book is, itself, an interesting fantasy. Like the Artemis Fowl books, it has presented the reader with an unsympathetic hero. In this case, you're dealing with a proud and intelligent but ultimately foolish boy. Nathaniel is nothing so much as another version of Ged from Ursula LeGuin's "The Wizard of Earthsea". The difference here, however, is that Nathaniel doesn't grow as much as you might suspect throughout the course of the story. And here's where it all gets very very interesting. The essential nature of what is good and what is bad is all topsy-turvy. Bartimaeus is the rare character I've read in a fantasy story that is truly of an alien nature. If he does good things for others, it's usually out of some self-preserving intention or accompanied with a sly jab. Usually, Bartimaeus is willing to kill anyone and anything about him, including his own master. Don't expect these characters to follow the old buddy movie routine and grow closer over the course of the tale. These two have a lot of healthy distrust growing between them, and it's a pleasure to watch. But how easy is it to read about two people that are, for all intents and purposes, fatally flawed? Quite, as it happens. I'm always amused at the amount of anti-"magic in Harry Potter" outrage there is in the world. Let us consider this book, for example. In this story you have characters regularly drawing pentacles on the ground to summon up demons from another realm. If there's a more objectionable idea lodged in a children's book to a heavily religious right-wing Christian conservative, I'd love to hear it. I will say right here and now that I, personally, don't find anything objectionable in this story. Bartimaeus himself makes it very clear that he despises this system wherein demons are forced as slaves to work for humans. On meeting up with an Uncle Tom type of demon, his venom is clearly displayed. Moreover, the series seems to be taking a rather anti-magician stance, though this is elaborated on less in the plot of this first book than it will in future books in the series, I imagine. The book is nothing so much as a cross between Artemis Fowl (more likable) and Harry Potter (more detailed) with a dash of Wizard of Earthsea for color. Stroud's writing is fantastic. He has obviously detailed every inch of this new world out to the nth degree, and you never get the sense that the book has gone on too long (a flaw I found in "Inkheart") or that he doesn't know how to end it. I will state for the record that this is an incredibly enjoyable read. Bartimeus even allows himself a small jab at the Harry Potter series (see page 85 for his quip about wizards being bussed to boarding school) which is utterly in keeping with his character. And though this book wasn't overflowing with strong female characters, they exist. I suspect we'll be seeing far more of them in the future books in the series than we have thus far. Call it a hunch. Currently this book stands at 462 pages. A hefty read, but nothing a fascinated kid won't be able to handle. I recently wrote in my review of "Mortal Engines" (highly recommend it, by the way) that that book was the true successor to Harry Potter. I may have to extend that compliment to the "Bartimaeus Trilogy". Droll and fast-paced without ever growing tiresome or annoying, this is one of the best dern books to be placed in the hands of fantasy-loving kids in a while. Give it to the young 'uns to ponder over sometime. It's well worth a gander.
Rating:
Summary: The Amulet of Samarkand
Review: This book was very good. It created a whole new way of percieving magic. Also, it brings this magic to modern-day London. Stroud did not have to create another world or time. It was an amazing tale of how even the greatest government can be undirmined by those in power. A good read. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Not your average "boy wizard" novel
Review: This is a terribly amusing story, mostly narrated by the Djinni Bartimaeus who thinks quite highly of himself and his abilities, despite the fact that he is constantly getting caught up in different scrapes. He's a delightfully sarcastic demon and it makes for pretty entertaining reading. A few times some of the "humorous situations" seem a bit forced, but overall it's a very enjoyable read. I was wary because Boy Wizards in London are all the rage these days, but this story stands on its own, and bears almost no resemblance to Mr. Harry Potter's adventures. *smile* Set in a modern day London where wizards run the government it's an interesting premise.
Rating:
Summary: The Amulet of Samarkand By: Jonathan Stroud
Review: When 12-year-old Nathaniel(cough, nice name) is humiliated in public by pompous Simon Lovelace, he is determined to have revenge. Nathaniel summons Bartimaeus, a 5,000 year old djinni with a pulsing hatred for magicians, to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from Lovelace. However, the Amulet turns out to worth much more than it seems, and because of it, Bartimaeus ends up in government prison, Nathaniel's (fusturatingly stubborn/narrow-minded)master and his (much nicer)wife, Mr and Mrs Underwood, die a firey and unpleasant death when Lovelace is tipped off about the Amulet's whereabouts. When Nathaniel learns what Lovelace intends to do with the Amulet, he has no choice but to travel to Heddleham Hall with Bartimaeus in hopes of revealing his scheme...
Crafty and downright hilarious, 'The Amulet of Samarkand' is a must-read for anyone who enjoys fantasy plot-twisters.
Reading things from Barimaeus' point of view is nice, and his comidical footnotes makes the story more bearable despite Nathaniel's show-off prig of a personality(I am not saying that Nathaniel is all bad). In my book, 'The Amulet' deserves a lot more than five stars.
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