The Amulet of Samarkand - 5 stars

     The Amulet of Samarkand, the first book in the Bartimaeus Sequence by Johnathan Stroud is a story of djinni and magicians, set in 20th century England. The entire Parliament is composed of magicians, men who have learned the art of summoning magical beings from another dimension to serve them. Meet Nathaniel, a magician-in-training with great talent, and his powerful djinni servant, Bartimaeus. Prepare to be amazed by the breadth of the story Stroud has to tell in this book.

     The book centers upon Nathaniel's quest for revenge. After he was publicly shamed by a powerful magician called Simon Lovelace, he acquires a powerful thirst for revenge. Bartimaeus is summoned, and ordered to steal a powerful protective charm from Lovelace: the Amulet of Samarkand. Bartimaeus is a djinni with a reputation that is outshone by his own ego, but he has an entertaining sense of humor. The interplay before the somewhat stiff-necked and stubborn Nathaniel and quick-tongued, sarcastic Bartimaeus is part of what makes the story so special. 

     Bartimaeus isn't too pleased to find himself summoned by a kid, but he has no choice but to do what Nathaniel says. Unfortunately, after he steals the Amulet, he accidentally leads Lovelace and his demons to the home of Nathaniel's master. It's only because of Bartimaeus that Nathaniel escapes certain death at the hands of a vengeful Lovelace. But the two of them are now adrift in London, and Bartimaeus is itching to be released from the human world. However, Nathaniel is both patriotic and ambitious, and when he learns that Lovelace is at the center of a clever plot to overthrow the Prime Minister, he is determined to see the plan foiled and Lovelace's reputation destroyed. I know: big plans for a twelve-year-old. That's what Bartimaeus thinks as well. How are they, a young, half-trained magician and one demon (no matter how clever) going to defeat some of the best magicians in Parliament? Read and find out.

     The Amulet of Samarkand was a very enjoyable read for me. I think a pattern is developing in my reviews - I really enjoy books with a bit of humor. Bartimaeus brings it to this story, and I really enjoyed him. The story starts a little bit slow, but speeds up toward the middle if you stick with it. I can't really decide what age range I would think The Amulet of Samarkand is specifically targeted at, but any reader who isn't daunted by the size of the book (+300 pages) should like it. This book is also totally unlike any other stories I've read. Johnathan Stroud's writing style is quite different as well, and the Bartimaeus Sequence mixes 20th century England with djinni and magicians in an entertaining and unusual way. Take it from me: if you're looking for something different and interesting to read some afternoon, The Amulet of Samarkand is a good choice. 

     One thing about The Amulet of Samarkand that might not be worthy of 5 stars, at least to some people, is that it was full of footnotes. Mostly they're just information which is necessary for understanding Bartimaeus's powers, or sarcastic backchat. Some hint at Bartimaeus's long and glorious past and all the things he's done the various other times he was summoned into our world. But unless you're a dedicated reader, the footnotes can be distracting and detract from the rest of the story. Other friends of mine who have read this book skipped over the footnotes and still enjoyed the story, so reading them is entirely up to you. I thought they were fun and interesting, but others have found them annoying. But footnotes aside, The Amulet of Samarkand was still an highly entertaining read.

Link to Bartimaeus Sequence website: http://www.bartimaeusbooks.com/index.html