The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

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Due to the success of his first campaign involving the Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel, now fourteen, has been appointed the youngest representative ever to the Office of Internal Affairs, and has been devising traps to capture members of the Resistance--a secretive group of commoners who are determined to undermine the ruling class of magicians. When a magic-sapping Golem's surprise first attack is labeled an act of Resistance terrorism, Nathaniel reluctantly summons Bartimaeus for help. Meanwhile, a zealous young member of the Resistance, Kitty Jones, is planning to rob the sacred tomb of the great magician Gladstone, and turn the power of his buried magical instruments against the spell makers. The towering clay Golem and its shadowy master unites the destinies of Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, and Kitty together in one fateful night--unfortunately, that night is much too slow in coming. Stroud's second book is far too long and gloomy, focusing more on the priggish Nathaniel and wronged Kitty than the dijinni readers have come to adore. Fans of Jonathan Stroud's breakout hit, The Amulet of Samarkand, may be a little disappointed to discover that Bartimaeus features so little his second book. While Stroud cleverly uses the class war between the ruling magicians and the disgruntled commoners as a metaphor for current political and social clashes, the text suffers overall from a lack of the dijinni's famous facetious footnotes. Avid fans are left skimming the slow parts and hoping that when Bartimaeus escapes his servile bonds he will be given more space to make them laugh. --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Due to the success of his first campaign involving theAmulet of Samarkand,Nathaniel, now fourteen, has been appointed the youngest representative ever to the Office of Internal Affairs, and has been devising traps to capture members of the Resistance--a secretive group of commoners who are determined to undermine the ruling class of magicians. When a magic-sapping Golem's surprise first attack is labeled an act of Resistance terrorism, Nathaniel reluctantly summons Bartimaeus for help. Meanwhile, a zealous young member of the Resistance, Kitty Jones, is planning to rob the sacred tomb of the great magician Gladstone, and turn the power of his buried magical instruments against the spell makers. The towering clay Golem and its shadowy master unites the destinies of Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, and Kitty together in one fateful night--unfortunately, that night is much too slow in coming. Stroud's second book is far too long and gloomy, focusing more on the priggish Nathaniel and wronged Kitty than the dijinni readers have come to adore. Fans of Jonathan Stroud's breakout hit, The Amulet of Samarkand, may be a little disappointed to discover that Bartimaeus features so little his second book. While Stroud cleverly uses the class war between the ruling magicians and the disgruntled commoners as a metaphor for current political and social clashes, the text suffers overall from a lack of the dijinni's famous facetious footnotes. Avid fans are left skimming the slow parts and hoping that when Bartimaeus escapes his servile bonds he will be given more space to make them laugh. --Jennifer Hubert

Customer Reviews:

Amulet of Samarkand and the Golem's Eye.......2007-09-19

So I met Jonathan Stroud last Friday, author of the Bartimaeus triology, of which the first two are out: "The Amulet of Samarkand" and "The Golem's Eye." He came to the bookstore I work at in Petaluma, Copperfield's, and was pretty entertaining. He was the classic English guy writing about a doomed England of magic and magicians and the regular people known as "commoners": average English accent from near London area with some clipped Cockney when speaking, but when reading clear, upper class southern England accent; a very ordinary looking guy in a t-shirt and slacks, totally unassuming and seemingly unaware that he's a big famous author who's growing and growing in notoriety.
I was talking to him about how I really liked that in his fantasy books involving magicians being separate and higher in social stature than ordinary people like you and me, Stroud pays more attention to what is happening socially with the paradigm, than just telling a story about a hot-shot wizard doing great things. And he seemed happy to know that I had spotted this in his books. That they took a different direction to most of the kids fantasy books out today involving the Harry Potter character, which has now practically become an archetype.

In the world of the Bartimaeus triolgy, magicians don't actually have that much power. They have all their control and magic from summoning djinn from another world and using them to do magical things, and all the summoning of imps, djinn, and higher level afrits is done through reading incantations from books. So in this world, the magicians really don't have that much power. The magicians control the entire government from Parliament to the prime minister.

And then you have the ordinary people, the "commoners" who are a subjugated people who work in factories and any and all jobs that involve labor. And are meek and always do as they are told, and it comes off as an almost Orwellian distopia. Except there are a few that somehow possess some ability to take attacks from magicians and djinn and not be killed by them and that they are able to see on multiple planes. There are seven planes, humans can only see on the first, and magicians with the aid of lenses can see the first three, while the djinn and afrits are on all seven planes. And this group are known as the "Resistance," as they try to overthrow the magicians and take back control of the country.

And then there's the nebulous rest of Europe in which you have the east consisting mainly of the Czechs who are warring against the English and have been for a long time, but are now at truce.

So it's a very interesting world with lots going on instead of just some tough wizard kid fighting a bad guy. I recommend it to all who want to read a different kind of fantasy.

For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com

Intelligent Fantasy, but not really for kids.......2007-08-01

Stroud's series is not for people who like their fantasy simple. He lays out a complex multi-tiered world with good guys who aren't good, and bad guys who aren't all bad. The magic acts in the books are performed by a variety of demons and imps who are forced to do so at magicians' bidding, lest they be killed in punishment.

This is the 2nd in the trilogy, and holds its own very well. I plowed through this book in two days, and am eager to read the third one. Highly recommended, but really, I don't think it's for children.

A sequel that surpasses the original.......2007-06-01

This next book picks up a couple years after the first one ended. The young boy Nathaniel is no longer an apprentice magician, and is now a high level government official at the age [..].

(Which is the first problem with this book. In the first book Nathaniel was an [..]boy, and I thought his portrayal as an [..]boy was pretty believable. In this next book however I couldn't believe he is [..]. He acts like he's a [..]yuppie.)

In the first book, brief hints were given that this was a separate universe from our own, but now this second book were learn a lot more about the world the magicians inhabit. It turns out to be kind of a disutopia 1984 esque world in which the magicians rule everything and the common British people are forced to be subservient.

In addition to Nathaniel and the sarcastic Bartimaeus, this book focuses on Kitty Jones, a resistance fighter to the magicians rule. Kitty appeared briefly in the first book, but in this book we find out a lot more about her. In fact, because this book covers a lot of the narrative from Kitty's perspective, as well as going into all of Kitty's back story, this book is more about Kitty than Nathaniel and Bartimaeus.

Because all of Kitty's back story has to be told, it takes a while before the forward story gets going. But once all the elements are finally set up (about 300 pages into the book), then the story really gets going with a vengeance. Once the story finally got going, I enjoyed this book much more than the previous one.

Despite being a children's book, there is once again a high body count in this book (the standards must have changed since I was young). There is a scene in which the Resistance fighters are on a dangerous mission to rob a haunted tomb, and the author really does his best to draw out the suspense as long as he can. And because you know he's crazy enough to kill off some of these characters, it really does get suspenseful. I was completely hooked. And then when the trap finally does spring, the horrifying pay off is well worth the wait.

Although political movements in these kind of fantasy disutopia books tend to be mainly stock characters and plot devices, I thought the characters in the Resistance were all very life like and their internal dynamics and squabbling were very realistic and believable.

Refreshing type of fantasy book!.......2007-05-20

I wish Mr Stroud and other writers had more books like this. It's a fun read, as a few other readers mentioned it's not the often repeated Tolkien copied fantasy. The footnotes can make you laugh as he explains things as if they are truly for real and make perfect sense. The character development is excellent and you'll quickly feel a keen liking for some and a distinct dislike for others increasing your interest in the book. I rarely find myself wanting to stay up at night and read but this book did just that. I enjoyed this book more than the first which usually is not the case.

Enjoy!

The Golem's Eye.......2007-05-07

Nathaniel was your typical everyday young magician. He tried to summon monsters way beyond his level. But somehow, he managed a level five summoning. The creature he summoned was jinn named Bartimaeus. The first task for Bartimaus was to steal a rare jewel, named the Amulet of Sanarkand, which he did easily, but then there was a war. The owner of the jewel was killed after fighting the duo which afterwards the jewel was destroyed. This book is a great read that every teenage reader would enjoy.

The Golem's Eye had many interesting ideas that most books don'. For example, Nathaniel was a poor kid that was brought in by a wizard as his pupil. Though he was taught many things, Nathaniel always wanted more, so one day he summoned alone. He followed all the instructions he was taught and was able to summon jinn far beyond his power. But since he summoned him while in a very powerful circle, the jinn couldn't kill him and was bound by him until he was set free. Another example is that Nathaniel actually was respected by all members of Parliament and was considered to be a Member of Parliament.

This book also had many interesting names and characters. One such example is the powerful jinns Bartimaeus and Ptolemy. They each can see things most can't due to the fact they are creatures from the seventh plane of existence. Due to this, they can shape shift, cast powerful spells, and control other people. Another example is the young magician/Parliament member Nathaniel. In the first book of the series, he exceeded all limits and risked all he had. Though his master was surprised, he was also furious for young magicians should never summon without their master present. For if they do, they may use all of their life energy and die due to the fact that certain things cost too much to accomplish.

One last thing this book had was that the chapters were actually different people's story. For example, instead of chapter one or chapter two, it went Nathaniel and then Bateaus and went back and forth. For though summons were only creatures, they existed and had their own story to tell as well. And because of this unique layout, the reader is able to tell more things about the other people from each perspective.

All teenage readers who enjoy magical and fantasy related books would enjoy The Golem's Eye. If you like this book, read the first one called The Amulet of Sanrkand and the third one Ptolemy's Gate. This series will always renew the reader's spirit to want to stay up all night until the books are finished. Yes, it does have slow parts, but fantastic battles and scenes follow soon after.

N. Koester

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

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The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000ILZ65U

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-02-08

The golems eye is a fast paced thriller with problems at every corner it's a must read book, in the book the magicins treat the the commoners (non magicins) like trash. A chosen few commoners with special abbilites have banded together to overthrow the magicins. The main character nathaneil a ambitious and talented magicin is assigned the job of tracking down the renegade commoners that threathen to overthrow the magicins with the help of his sly demon bartemius they envoke on a perilous journey to destroy the renegades. When a new enemy appears that is more dangerous then the renegades. but you cant take my word about it you have to read it yourself.

R.M (V.M)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-18

He's rude. He's surly. He won't hesitate to tell you when your haircut looks stupid. And in over 5000 years, he's seen some bad haircuts. I'm talking about my favorite djinni, Bartimaeus, back in book two of his young adult fantasy trilogy.

THE GOLEM'S EYE is an excellent sequel to the first book in the series, The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1). In the first book, we meet Bartimaeus, an ancient creature of enormous power that can best be described as a type of demon. Unfortunately, he and all of his kind hate the word demon. He classifies himself as a djinni, so we'll just go with that for the purposes of this review. Why annoy anyone who can shoot magical firebolts at you, right? Anyway, Bartimaeus, and other creatures like him, are summoned by human magicians to do their bidding. Needless to say, this forced servitude, or slavery, is not popular with the servants, so they do their best to turn the tables on their human masters whenever possible.

Enter Nathaniel, a boy who is in training to become a powerful magician. In book one of the series, he summons Bartimaeus from the netherworld and an involuntary partnership begins. In THE GOLEM'S EYE, young Nathaniel again finds himself in need of the djinni's aid, so he again turns to reluctant Bartimaeus. This time, a revolutionary group is blowing things up in London, which may or may not be related to a series of unusual occurrences that have the police stumped. Nathaniel feels that his career would take off if he can solve these crimes. But the stakes are high because he knows that his career, and possibly his life, are in jeopardy if he fails.

A key part of THE GOLEM'S EYE storyline centers on the activities of a London resistance group that is fighting to overthrow the magicians' government. Nathaniel's inability to track down these criminals is part of the reason he needs Bartimaeus's help. Of course, the djinni has little interest in helping magicians maintain their dominance. After all, they're the ones who continually force him and his kind into servitude. This conflict of interest makes for some entertaining scenes and conversations.

If you have not read The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1), I strongly recommend you pick that one up before diving into THE GOLEM'S EYE. Technically, you don't have to read the first one, but there is an awful lot of background you will miss if you don't. Plus, it's really fun.

Normally I find myself disappointed in sequels. Somehow they never seem to live up the expectations established by the original. But in this case, I was pleasantly surprised. This book is full of excitement, political intrigue, and humor. Bartimaeus is back with all of his cheeky comments, and there are plenty of thrills to go around. Overall, a great book.

Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2).......2007-01-11

This is a great series of books. I bought the first book of the series in the Tokyo Narita airport and read it on the way back to Texas. I was hooked. My wife enjoyed the book so much that we bought the entire Trilogy.

Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
A worthy sequel
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! (did I mention I liked it?)

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0807219789
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-18

A worthy sequel.......2006-02-27

The Golem's eye is the second book in the delightful and superbly written Bartimaeus trilogy.
Like its predecessor, there is plenty of action, intrigue and humour, largely provided by everyone's favourite djinny Bartimaeus. As with the Amulet of Saamarkand, he manages to steel the show whenever he's given page time.
Jonathan Stroud continues to show the style and attention to characters and detail that he displayed in his first book, only this time, the pageant of characters has been augmented by Kitty, a commoner struggling to live her life under the magician's rule. In Kitty, Jonathan Stroud has created a strong feisty young woman who stands up for what she believes in, and I feel that she is definitely one of the better modern female heroines to emerge in recent years.
Nathaniel is also developed well. Stroud has depicted a deeply flawed, but essentially human hero, whom it is always hard to predict.
The reader is drawn in to the separate stories of Nathaniel, Kitty, and Bartimaeus, and is hooked long before the inevitable moment when their worlds collide.
A worthy sequel. Just as difficult to put down as the first one, and of course, the superb narration of Simon Jones is just the icing on the cake.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! (did I mention I liked it?).......2004-09-19

I have always preferred "real" books to audio books, until now that is. Simon Jones perfectly captures the characters in this book (especially Bartimaeus). The story is wonderful and well-written. My sons and I listened to the Amulet of Samarkand on tape and knew we had to have this one as well. I hope the third one comes soon!!!!!

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The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 0307245683

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-18

El ojo del golem / Golem's Eye (Infinita)

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El ojo del golem / Golem's Eye (Infinita)
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: Montena S a Ediciones
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 8484412806

The Bartimaeus Trilogy - The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, Ptolemy's Gate (3 books, as a set)

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The Bartimaeus Trilogy - The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, Ptolemy's Gate (3 books, as a set)

Manufacturer: Miramax / Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IG6992

Product Description

The complete set of three individual books.

Bartimaeus Trilogy: Golem's Eye - Book #2 (The Bartimaeus Trilogy)

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Bartimaeus Trilogy: Golem's Eye - Book #2 (The Bartimaeus Trilogy)

Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786856386

Bartimeaus Trilogy: The Golem's Eye - Book #2 (The Bartimaeus Trilogy)

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Bartimeaus Trilogy: The Golem's Eye - Book #2 (The Bartimaeus Trilogy)
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1423101154

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The Golem's Eye
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000RG1BY6

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Golem's Eye (Bartimaeus Trilogy)
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 038560615X

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-18

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