“The temperature of the room dropped fast. Ice formed on the curtains and crusted thickly around the lights in the ceiling. The glowing filaments in each bulb shrank and dimmed, while the candles that sprang from every available surface like a colony of toadstools had their wicks snuffed out.”  This is but one of the many wonderfully elaborate scenes of the Bartimaeus Trilogy. In the fourth paragraph, I explain more about this trait in the wonderful books that Stroud has cleverly written. I also like the fact that there were footnotes. In every chapter where Bartimaeus was present there would be little comments nestled in between every line.

The Bartimaeus trilogy is about John and the djinn Bartimaeus, as they do amazing things to save London from evil magicians. In the first book Lovelace (an evil magician) is plotting to kill the governor, Rupert Devereaux. In the course of the Bartimaeus Trilogy, many people try to overthrow the government. There are spies, assassins, and wizards, and most are against poor Rupert Devereaux…

The Bartimaeus Trilogy takes place in London a time far past 1936. In this trilogy there is a magician named John. John has to hide his birth name, Nathaniel, because demons could gain control over him with it. Demons have magical capabilities, which with your birth name; they could control your every footstep. In this trilogy there are five types of demons: (lowest to highest power levels) imps, foliots, djinni, afrits, and marids. Bartimaeus, one of the main characters, is a djinn. Demons are evil, and will hurt you if they can.

I found the Bartimaeus Trilogy engaging because the characters are always doing something important to the plot, and Stroud has us caring about what the characters do. It is like in a horror movie, when the characters are walking through the forest and the murderer is behind them. If you could tell the main character, you could. I would rate this series 4 ½ stars out of 5. I would rate it that because these are really good books, although there is nothing that explains who some minor characters are. 2 minor characters are Mr. and Mrs. Underwood, John’s mentors. All I know about them is that Mr. U is an old magician that apprenticed John, and Mrs. U is his nice wife.

I think Stroud composed his books very well together. I find it intriguing that Nathaniel isn’t allowed to tell anyone his birth name, and instead goes by John Mandrake.

I also liked the trilogy because Stroud explains the setting very well. He uses very precise words to describe, for example, “door, which was made of a dark, unpainted wood with many whorls and grains… The door swung open soundlessly on oiled hinges… A small window halfway down let in a friendly stream of sunlight.”  There are many other scenes like that where his colorful wording dominates, like when he is in the streets of London after something dreadful happened to him. He resides in an old unused library, and by the way Sroud describes it, you almost feel as if you are there.

This trilogy is unique in many ways. It is unique because Stroud made masterpieces that make you feel compassionate for John, while the suspense makes you want to read on and on. The plot is thrilling, with enough action to make you feel fatigued when the chapter is over. In the whole trilogy you are switching back and forth between John and Bartimaeus, while their stories are entwined.

“The temperature of the room dropped fast. Ice formed on the curtains and crusted thickly around the lights in the ceiling. The glowing filaments in each bulb shrank and dimmed, while the candles that sprang from every available surface like a colony of toadstools had their wicks snuffed out.”  This is but one of the many wonderfully elaborate scenes of the Bartimaeus Trilogy. In the fourth paragraph, I explain more about this trait in the wonderful books that Stroud has cleverly written. I also like the fact that there were footnotes. In every chapter where Bartimaeus was present there would be little comments nestled in between every line.

The Bartimaeus trilogy is about John and the djinn Bartimaeus, as they do amazing things to save London from evil magicians. In the first book Lovelace (an evil magician) is plotting to kill the governor, Rupert Devereaux. In the course of the Bartimaeus Trilogy, many people try to overthrow the government. There are spies, assassins, and wizards, and most are against poor Rupert Devereaux…

The Bartimaeus Trilogy takes place in London a time far past 1936. In this trilogy there is a magician named John. John has to hide his birth name, Nathaniel, because demons could gain control over him with it. Demons have magical capabilities, which with your birth name; they could control your every footstep. In this trilogy there are five types of demons: (lowest to highest power levels) imps, foliots, djinni, afrits, and marids. Bartimaeus, one of the main characters, is a djinn. Demons are evil, and will hurt you if they can.

I found the Bartimaeus Trilogy engaging because the characters are always doing something important to the plot, and Stroud has us caring about what the characters do. It is like in a horror movie, when the characters are walking through the forest and the murderer is behind them. If you could tell the main character, you could. I would rate this series 4 ½ stars out of 5. I would rate it that because these are really good books, although there is nothing that explains who some minor characters are. 2 minor characters are Mr. and Mrs. Underwood, John’s mentors. All I know about them is that Mr. U is an old magician that apprenticed John, and Mrs. U is his nice wife.

I think Stroud composed his books very well together. I find it intriguing that Nathaniel isn’t allowed to tell anyone his birth name, and instead goes by John Mandrake.

I also liked the trilogy because Stroud explains the setting very well. He uses very precise words to describe, for example, “door, which was made of a dark, unpainted wood with many whorls and grains… The door swung open soundlessly on oiled hinges… A small window halfway down let in a friendly stream of sunlight.”  There are many other scenes like that where his colorful wording dominates, like when he is in the streets of London after something dreadful happened to him. He resides in an old unused library, and by the way Sroud describes it, you almost feel as if you are there.

This trilogy is unique in many ways. It is unique because Stroud made masterpieces that make you feel compassionate for John, while the suspense makes you want to read on and on. The plot is thrilling, with enough action to make you feel fatigued when the chapter is over. In the whole trilogy you are switching back and forth between John and Bartimaeus, while their stories are entwined.