The Amulet of Samarkand ~ Jonathan Stroud
Book #22: 29 August, 2008 to 5 September, 2008
The Amulet of Samarkand ~ Jonathan Stroud
I've read this series before but I felt like reading the last book again which I've actually only read once so far. Of course, I couldn't just read the last book on its own, I had to read the entire trilogy from the start! Good job it's only a trilogy really.
I do like this series though. It came out halfway through the Harry Potter series and originally my first thought was that it was trying to be something similar but that I would give it a try anyway. There are some similarities between this series and the Harry Potter one, in that the main character is a young boy who is learning how to be a wizard - sorry, they're called magicians in this series - and they have similar looks with being slight and dark haired but I think that's really where the similarity ends. There is a nice dig at the Harry Potter world in this first book which I found very amusing.
I also like how the two main characters - Nathaniel and Bartimaeus - are not made out to be perfect. They both have their flaws and both are aware of this, in themselves and each other. Nathaniel is a very young boy at the start and about 11 at the end, and I think the portrayal of an 11 year old boy is very well done. I did feel that he was very young but it wasn't overdone in any way. I also found that both characters could be annoying at times but this could be part of the realism of the characters. Bartimaeus certainly thinks very highly of himself, is irritating and does not know when to shut up.
The world they inhabit is very intriguing and there is plenty of the history of it given throughout this book and the following two. It is a strange mixture, part ancient and part modern. There seems to be much made of traditional England which gives it an air of being set in the past, but at the same time, there are references to modern items such as photocopiers and cars.
It's definitely a page turner and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes books about magic and that kind of thing.
The Amulet of Samarkand ~ Jonathan Stroud
I've read this series before but I felt like reading the last book again which I've actually only read once so far. Of course, I couldn't just read the last book on its own, I had to read the entire trilogy from the start! Good job it's only a trilogy really.
I do like this series though. It came out halfway through the Harry Potter series and originally my first thought was that it was trying to be something similar but that I would give it a try anyway. There are some similarities between this series and the Harry Potter one, in that the main character is a young boy who is learning how to be a wizard - sorry, they're called magicians in this series - and they have similar looks with being slight and dark haired but I think that's really where the similarity ends. There is a nice dig at the Harry Potter world in this first book which I found very amusing.
I also like how the two main characters - Nathaniel and Bartimaeus - are not made out to be perfect. They both have their flaws and both are aware of this, in themselves and each other. Nathaniel is a very young boy at the start and about 11 at the end, and I think the portrayal of an 11 year old boy is very well done. I did feel that he was very young but it wasn't overdone in any way. I also found that both characters could be annoying at times but this could be part of the realism of the characters. Bartimaeus certainly thinks very highly of himself, is irritating and does not know when to shut up.
The world they inhabit is very intriguing and there is plenty of the history of it given throughout this book and the following two. It is a strange mixture, part ancient and part modern. There seems to be much made of traditional England which gives it an air of being set in the past, but at the same time, there are references to modern items such as photocopiers and cars.
It's definitely a page turner and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes books about magic and that kind of thing.