The Golem's Eye

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

This is an appeal to all you fantasy-loving adults out there: DO NOT pass this one up just because of the YA label. I am a 23-year-old who has been reading fantasy since I snuck off with my mother's Terry Brooks novels at the age of six, and these are undoubtedly, regardless of label, some of the best fantasy out there right now. Yes, kids can easily read these books, but the deft politics and dry humor will undoubtedly appeal to more adults than just me. Is this one better than the first? Oh yes. Placed two years after The Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel now has secured a government seat, and is already learning the ins and outs of politics quite well (in his eyes, at least--Bartimaeus sees it very differently). The Resistance is still going strong, and in this book we learn the history of it and get some more information on its key players, most notably Kitty. The book is smart, funny, and fast-paced, mingling backstory and action expertly. Consider it the younger sibling of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell--it's almost like a modern-day version of the same English-magic parallel universe. Do not under any circumstances pass this one up.

I didn't think it could be possible, but Jonathan Stroud's second part of his Bartimaeus Trilogy exceeds the greatness of the first book. Denser and much more intricately plotted, the story centers much more on Kitty, the young girl at the center of the Resistance movement, who was seen briefly in "The Amulet..." Set two years later Nathaniel is now working for the government, and becoming quite full of himself.When someting begins to destroy cherished parts of London, Nathaniel is enlisted to uncover what's behind it; A task he can't do without the help of a wise djinni he's used before. Like other reviewers I also wished Bartimaeus had more page time as his role is greatly diminished, but it doesn't detract from what a great book this is. Highly recommended.

I found The Golem's Eye VERY exciting althought I admit Bartimaeus didn't appear as often as he did in the 1st book. The reason why he didnt come alot is because now the author is focusing on 3(Bartimaeus, Nathaniel, and Kitty) people instead of 2(Bartimaues and Nathaniel),nevertheless it's still incredible! I found Kitty and Nathaniel's parts fairly appealing,even though (naturally) Bartimaues whips the spotlight. I can hardly wait for the next(and sadly the last)book... The Golems Eye keeps you at the edge of your seat, sometimes throwing you off....

The 2nd book of the Bartimaeus Trilogy, The Golem's Eye, is a satisfying read, if slightly darker in tone. As the other reviews have stated, Bartimaeus' inclusion in the story is smaller, with him and Nathaniel having about thirteen chapters each, and the bulk of the story going to Kitty, who is a member of the Resistance. However, even with my inital disappointment at seeing less of Bartimaeus, Stroud weaves an intricate and complex story that will keep you in suspense toward the end of the book and leave you with more questions than answers. Also, advancement in character development, for me, made up for the slightly gloomier tone, with all three main characters reaching a turning point in their character growth, the most intriguing one, interestingly, being Bartimaeus. Speaking of Bartimaeus, even though his chapters are fewer, they are as witty as ever, even funnier than in the last book, so they will not disappoint. At first it may be a jarring read for those expecting a similar setup as "Amulet", but in my opinion it is still a very enjoyable read, and will make you wait as anxiously for the 3rd book as you did for the second.