Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Amulet of Samarkand (A Bartimaeus Graphic Novel)
Illustrator: Lee Sullivan , Nicolas Chapuis
Graphic Novel
For ages 12 and up
Hyperion , 2010 ISBN: 978-1423111467
Nathaniel, a magician’s apprentice, is furious, and he is determined to have his revenge on Simon Lovelace. Lovelace, a powerful magician who works for the government, has humiliated Nathaniel in the most mortifying way and Nathaniel’s master, Arthur Underwood, did nothing to help his apprentice during the ordeal.
Far more knowledgeable in the art of magic than he should be for a boy of his age, Nathaniel summons up a powerful 5,000-year-old djinni called Bartimaeus to help him in his quest for revenge. Bartimaeus is not at all pleased to be forced to work for a twelve-year-old boy, but since Nathaniel has cast his spell properly and with care, there is nothing that Bartimaeus can do. Instead, when Nathaniel tells Bartimaeus to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from Lovelace, Bartimaeus reluctantly does as he is told.
What neither Nathaniel nor Bartimaeus know at this point is that the Lovelace only has the Amulet because he stole it from the British government. Bartimeus – at the behest of his young master – finds out that Lovelace has plans of his own, plans that involve overthrowing the current administration so that he can seize power. When the Amulet is stolen from him, Lovelace puts his considerable powers to work to retrieve the precious magical artifact.
Set in a modern-day London that is ruled by magicians, this highly entertaining story is told from the point of view of both Bartimaeus and Nathaniel. Bartimaeus’s often sarcastic and scornful observations about the magicians and their world are highly amusing, and the longstanding conflict between the “demons” and the magicians adds a great deal of interest to the story.
Wonderfully written and packed with full-color art, this is a book that graphic novel fans of all ages will greatly enjoy.
