THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND - JONATHAN STROUD

"One of The Year's most inventive and ingenious novels" 

A Young magician's apprentice, Nathaniel secretly summons the irascible 5000 year old djinni, Bartimaeus, to do his bidding. The task is not an easy one - he must steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand from Simon Lovelace, a master magician of unrivalled ruthlessness and ambition. Befor long, Bartimaeus and Nathaniel are caught up in a terrifying flodd of magical intrigue, rebellion and murder.

Set in modern-day London controlled by magicians, this hilarious, bestselling thriller will enthral readers  of all ages

Two years have passed since the events of The Amulet of Samarkand and the young magician Nathaniel is rising fast through the government ranks. But his career is suddenly threatened by a series of terrifying crises. A dangerous golem makes random attacks on London and other raids, even more threatening, are perpetrated by the Resistance. Nathaniel and Bartimaeus travel to Prague, enemy city of ancient magic, but while they are there uproar breaks out at home and Nathaniel returns to find his reputation in tatters. Can he rescue it from his Machiavellian adversaries in the government bent on his destruction? A thrilling sequel in which the relationship between the young magician and the djinni remains as teasing and complex as ever.

Three years have passed since the magician Nathaniel helped prevent a cataclysmic attack on London. Now an important member of the British government, he grapples with numerous problems: foreign wars are going badly, Britain’s enemies are mounting attacks close to London, and rebellion is growing among the commoners. Increasingly imperious and distracted, Nathaniel is treating Bartimaeus worse than ever. The long-suffering djinni is growing weak and vulnerable from too much time in this world, and his patience is nearing its end.
Meanwhile, undercover in London, Nathaniel’s longtime rival Kitty has been stealthily completing her research on magic, demons, and Bartimaeus’s past. She has a daring plan that she hopes will break the endless cycle of conflict between djinn and humans. But will anyone listen to what she has to say?
In this glorious conclusion to the Bartimaeus Trilogy, the destinies of Bartimaeus, Nathaniel, and Kitty converge once more. For the first time, we will learn the secrets of Bartimaeus’s past, and catch a glimpse into the mysterious Other Place–the world of demons–as together, the threesome faces treacherous magicians, a complex conspiracy, and a rebellious faction of demons. To survive, they must test the limits of this world and question the deepest parts of themselves. And most difficult of all–they will have to learn to trust one another.