Would You Trust a Demon?
What do you get when you take a lonely, half-abused boy and give him access to magic? Quidditch games and Voldemort? Not always.
Go to any book store and you'll find legions of authors and publishers hoping to cash in on the Harry Potter mania. Like most of the western world, I'm caught up in the Harry-craze and would love to find another series that captures my imagination in the way J. K. Rowling's mega-hit series has. It helps that I've been a fantasy fan since long before I knew I was a Muggle.
But are all those new YA fantasy books really worth the time and money? In a word, no. Most of them are derivative with a distinct lack of imagination. The publishers are waving a wand in front of the masses and hoping that we'll be fooled into thinking we're reading something special. I hate to tell the publishers, but magic doesn't work quite like that.
Imagine my surprise when I started reading Jonathon Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy (The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, and Ptolemy's Gate). Though it is set in a modernish-yet-magical England and features a suffering young magician, it is a far cry from the usual trying-to-make-a-quick-buck drivel that pollutes the shelves of the children's section of the bookstore. It is original, sarcastic and insightful. In short, me likes it!
The first book, The Amulet of Samarkand, introduces the reader to Nathaniel, a young apprentice magician. In the typical fantasy way, Nathaniel's master is cruel and uses the boy poorly, causing the intelligent and cunning boy to seek out ways to outwit the old man.
That's where the unique aspect of the book comes into play. Nathaniel summons a demon, Bartimaeus, to do his bidding. Bartimaeus immediately steals the spotlight and is revealed to be the star of the series. He's sarcastic. He's rude. He's a braggart. He's utterly charming. By turns Nathaniel is sympathetic and loathsome, but Bartimaeus is always a likeable hero who elicits the reader's loyalty.
As the series progresses, Nathaniel grows up and becomes one of the hated magicians ruling an oppressed England. Bartimaeus becomes ever more the hero as he suffers under the tyranny of Nathaniel. Nothing is ever that simple, though, and Bartimaeus can see there is hope for the boy who was once bright and eager to learn. Through Bartimaeus's observations the reader is able to cheer for Nathaniel and hope that he'll turn out to be a decent human being after all.
That's what I love about this series. The young hero is not much of a hero at all, but there is always the promise that he can be something more if he just chooses to do the right thing. Time and again he chooses poorly, yet there is still a glimmer of hope that he might live up to the potential he showed as a youth.
As the series progresses, Kitty Jones, a commoner who fights against magicians, is introduced as a major player. She becomes Nathaniel's enemy, which puts the reader in a predicament. Who to root for? Nathaniel, the loathsome hero? Or Kitty, a very spunky and likeable young woman? Again, it's not your typical fantasy novel.
The end of the series brings together the bigger questions in life: trust, fairness, free will and friendship. Bartimaeus, Kitty and Nathaniel must save the world (or at least London), but can do so only if they step outside their prejudices and preconceived notions. A great lesson can be learned here, which is what makes this a stand-out series. Will young adults take the lesson to heart and think twice before they judge someone based on status or appearance? I don't know, but I always enjoy a book that dangles such a positive message before its audience.
Stroud has written one of the best young adult fantasy series that I've read in a long time. It's dark, but humorous. Things often look grim, and the characters are flawed, but strength of character usually saves the day.
If you have older kids who are in love with Harry Potter, why not hand them a copy of The Amulet of Samarkand? After you've read it yourself, of course. You don't want to miss Bartimaeus. He's one of the best characters I've gotten to know in a long time, even if he is a demon.