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The Blurb On The Back:

”The rules between my masters and myself are clear: the magician forces me to help him get wealth and power, and I do my best to nobble him.”

Bartimaeus, the djinni with attitude, is back.

The inimitably insolent Bartimaeus has returned – as a slave to King Solomon, wielder of the all-powerful Ring. Until a girl assassin shows up with more than just murder on her mind and things start to get ... interesting.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Bartimaeus is back in a prequel to the bestselling BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY that is well worth a few hours of your time. Funny, sharp, fast paced and jam packed with plot, while there is a slight sense of déjà vu in terms of the themes explored, it is nevertheless a delight from beginning to end and a book that 9 – 12 year olds should thoroughly enjoy. If you’re completely new to the character, then it’s probably worthwhile starting here rather than with the Trilogy as it will give you a better idea of what to expect.

BARTIMAEUS: THE RING OF SOLOMON was published in the UK on 14th October. Thanks to the Amazon UK Vine Programme for the ARC.

The Blurb On The Back:

Two thousand years have passed since the djinni Bartimaeus was at the height of his powers - invincible in battle and befriended by the great magician Ptolemy. Now, trapped on Earth and treated with disdain by his master Nathaniel, Bartimaeus finds his energies fading fast.

Meanwhile, undercover in London, the fugitive Kitty Jones has been stealthily completing her research on magic and demons. She has a plan that she hopes will break the endless conflict between djinn and humans - but first she must uncover the secrets of Bartimaeus's past.

In this thrilling finale to the Bartimaeus Trilogy, Nathaniel, Kitty and Bartimaeus must uncover a horrific conspiracy and face the most dangerous threat in the history of magic. Worst of all, they must contend with each other ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This didn't live up to my expectations as much as I'd hoped, but it is still a cracking read - with strong pace, an interesting story and it pretty much ties up all the loose ends in the trilogy. I think that Stroud has produced a trilogy that actually works as a trilogy and his characters are memorable, particularly Bartimaeus who I think will go down as one of the great characters in fantasy fiction.

The Blurb On The Back:

A young magician's apprentice, Nathaniel, secretly summons the irascible 5,000 year-old djinni, Bartimaeus, to do his bidding. The task for Bartimaeus is not an easy one - he must steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand from Simon Lovelace, a master magician of unrivalled ruthlessness and ambition. Before long, Bartimaeus and Nathaniel are caught up in a terrifying flood of magical intrigue, rebellion and murder.

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

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

A very original addition to the YA fantasy genre, I very much enjoyed this book as it's well paced, well thought out and has two interesting and dynamic central characters. I'm interested in finding out more about both Nathaniel and Bartimaeus and looking forward to reading the second in this trilogy. I definitely give this book a strong recommendation, both to fantasy fans and to people who read YA fiction.