Bartimaeus

The sulfur cloud contracted into a thick column of smoke that vomited forth thin tendrils; they licked the air like tongues before withdrawing. The column hung above the middle of the pentacle, bubbling ever upward against the ceiling like the cloud of an erupting volcano. There was a barely perceptible pause. Then two yellow staring eyes materialized in the heart of the smoke.

Hey, it was his first time. I wanted to scare him.

The Amulet of Samarkand of The Bartimaeus trilogy vol. 1

Description

Bartimaeus is a djinni summoned by a boy out for revenge on an older, more powerful wizard. Though Bartimaeus successfully achieves the one task set to him, the young wizard cannot know the consequences of this action.

The result is magical mayhem in modern London as the snarky Bartimaeus narrates this story about the misuse of power and wizardry.

Sometimes it's just good to read how it all goes from the other side of the pentacle.

Character classes

Thief

Being a magical being who can get around most magical defenses, Bartimaeus makes an excellent thief for retrieving inaccessible magical objects.

Spy

He can overhear stuff, too.

Trickster

This might be a personality quirk more than anything else, but Bartimaeus is quite good at tricking people, though he doesn't fare too well in the novel. You must think that he's good at it in other times, after all, he's survived for as long as he has.

Djinni

Bartimaeus isn't the most powerful djinni, but he's got magical power to spare. Much of what he does is magical in nature.

Abilities

Special Effects

Bartimaeus likes to use them to frighten those unknowledgeable of wizards, daemons and magic.

Fire Bolts

He can hurl these to damage others.

Shapechange

Throughout the book Bartimaeus uses shapechanging to achieve different ends at different times. Thus he's a rook to hide in a field of rooks.

Planes Vision

There are seven viewable planes of existence, and a creature's power correlates with how many planes you can see him .

Seal

An ability to shut gates and doors.

Counterspelling

If Bartimaeus learns a wizard's name, he can counterspell that wizards magic.

Empty Bluster

More than once Bartimaeus tries to use empty threats. If it doesn't work on children, who can you expect it to work on?

 

Equipment

Unknown

Bartimaeus's abilities come from his djinni nature.

Allies

Nathaniel

Pretty much an enemy and ally in one, Bartimaeus is bound to protect Nathaniel to preserve his own skin.

 

Enemies

Lovelace

The magician in possession of the Amulet of Samarkand. He is also involved in some wizard conspiracy.

Street urchins

They see through Bartimaeus's disguises AND manage to beat him up.

Tabor and Faquarl

Powerful djinnis in the employ of Lovelace

utukku

Powerful djinni. As violent as they are stupid, and they are very, very violent.

 

Exploration

London

Throughout the story, Bartimaeus really only sees one exotic location, and that's The Tower of London.

Mournful Orb

A device that traps Bartimaeus and prevents him from being summoned.

 

Quests

Retrieve the Amulet of Samarkand

The Amulet is guarded by powerful djinni and a powerful wizard.

Protect Nathaniel

Bartimaeus has to do what he can to keep Nathaniel alive. How much trouble could a young wizard be?

Stop the conspiracy against the government

Which is tricky when you consider that his only ally is a boy-wizard.

 

Credits

Melvyn Grant drew the image for the book cover.

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