The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book One: The Amulet of Samarkand

Jonathan Stroud

Oct 2003 · Bartimaeus Sequence Book 1 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Simon Jones

About this audiobook

The first audiobook in a thrilling new trilogy about an apprentice magician and the powerful djinni he summons.

Nathaniel is a young magician with only one thing on his mind: revenge.

As an apprentice to the great magician Underwood, Nathaniel is gradually being schooled in the traditional art of magic. All is well until he has a life-changing encounter with Simon Lovelace, a rising, star magician. When Simon brutally humiliates Nathaniel in front of everyone he knows, Nathaniel decides to speed up his magical education, teaching himself spells way beyond his years. Eventually, he masters one of the most difficult spells of all: summoning the all-powerful djinni, Bartimeus.

But summoning Bartimeus and controlling him are two very different things--and Nathaniel may be in way over his head.

Ratings and reviews

It was well read, but this reader seems to drain a lot of the fun away from some of the more amusing moments in the story. I had to stifle back laughter when I read it in a book, but I didn't laugh at all when it was read to me. The reader has a very dry and unemotional voice which saps a lot of the humor.

It's very good it drags on at some parts but still very well written and the narrator is perfect!!!

One of my favorite book series. First read it in school as a kid 🙏

About the author

Jonathan Stroud is a former editor who has already published several children's books in England, where he lives.