Book Review: Amulet of Samarkand

It was a comment on my management blog that has prompted me to review this book...But first, a brief digression.
I remember reviewing Amulet of Samarkand a couple of years ago, but like most reviews, it has gone into the dustbin of one of my old blogs. But this blog shall be different!

Ok..back to the review

"Amulet of Samarkand" is the first book of the Bartimaeus trilogy, written by Jonathan Stroud. It is set in an alternative universe where the world is ruled by magicians, who use daemons to dominate the world. The series follows the deeds of a young magician, named Nathanial, and a djinni named Bartimaeus. The book is so different primarily because of a neat split between first and third person narratives, with Bartimaeus telling his story in first person, while Nathanial's story is told in the more traditional third person.
The explanations are given in neat little footnotes, which make the pace of the story much quicker.
Anyway, back to the review itself. This book might seem similar to Harry Potter, what with there being a young brilliant boy wizard, and a wizard government, and a story set in England. But perish the thought...that is where Harry and Nathanial part ways.
I will let you read the series and find out more for yourself, but will just say this. This series was one of the best I have ever read...and I have read a lot of fantasy novels.

A Very Side Note Indeed:

For those interested in philosophy, it has been pointed out that in the books, the daemons can be seen as a metaphor for the plight of refugees and migrants in Western Europe. It is pointed out that they are frequently the ones who do the work that lets the system function, and yet are the ones who bear the brunt of prejudice, and who do not have any rights to speak of. You are free to agree or disagree with this view. It just makes the books even more neat though, in my opinion!