Bartimeus Trilogy

The first part of the fantasy "Bartimeus Trilogy". Released in 2003. It was this novel that brought the writer fame.

The second book from The Bartimeus Trilogy. The novel was released in Europe in 2004. It was published in Russian for the first time in 2005.

Summary

Nathaniel is 14 years old and works in the Ministry of the Interior, and the Prime Minister himself favors him. Nathaniel is investigating the Resistance, a handful of commoners endowed with magical powers, rebelling against wizards and subversive. At the same time, attacks on the streets are taking place with incredible destruction. The Council of Ministers thinks this is the work of the Resistance. The attacks of the commoners from the Resistance are becoming more destructive, and Nathaniel again appeals for help to Bartimeus, who, together with other spirits, enters the patrol. At this time, an unknown person attacks one of the genies. Bartimeus follows him on the heels and enters the battle. After the battle of Bartimeus with the unknown, it becomes clear that the golem attacks. It is known that to create a golem, you need a golem's eye and a magic scroll. Having learned that such eyes have been stolen from the place of storage of wizard artifacts, it becomes clear that someone from the government is behind it. It remains only to find out where the traitor was able to find the magic scroll, because all the data on the creation of these scrolls has been lost since the capture of Prague by Gladstone. For this clue, Nathaniel is sent to Prague, the historical homeland of the creation of golems, where he is waiting for one of the British spies. He wants to help Nathaniel in the solution and makes an appointment, but she is attacked and killed by a spy. However, before his death, he manages to give Nathaniel the name of the place and the name of the alleged creator of the golem scroll. Only thanks to Bartimeus Nathaniel escapes and goes to the specified address, where he finds a tormented old man who really has the knowledge to create scrolls. He does not create them of his own free will. A mercenary, who was in the service of Lovelace, immediately rushed to them. Nathaniel tried to find out a new hireling of a mercenary, but to no avail. At this moment, the exhausted old man tears apart an unfinished magic scroll and perishes. The mercenary escapes, and Nathaniel returns to London. While he was not in the grave of the famous wizard, William Gladstone penetrate members of the Resistance. The spirit trapped in Gladstone's bones kills all participants except two. One of them is Kitty Jones. Nathaniel finds out about this and goes to an agreement under which Kitty returns the staff to him, and he lets her go. At that moment, a golem attacks them. Nathaniel lost consciousness, unable to control the power of the staff. Kitty runs away, but at the last moment decides to save Nathaniel's life. She snatches a scroll from the golem’s mouth and hides. After losing the scroll, the golem returns to the owner through the entire city to the ministry.

The third book of the trilogy. In the UK it was released in 2005, and in the fall of 2006 it was released in Russian.

Summary

Nathaniel is 17 years old - he is the Minister of Information and is a member of the ruling Council. He hunts for Hopkins, who is involved in Duval's crimes. Bartimeus finds Hopkins, as well as mysterious conspirators who want to overthrow the government, but miraculously escapes from them. Bartimeus discovers that in the body of Hopkins is his old friend genie Fakvar, who has long been trying to fight for freedom of spirits. Fakvar wraps Bartimeus in a silver bowl and leaves to die.

Makepeace lures the entire government into his play, where, with the help of small wizards, capturing the entire government. He turns out to be the organizer of the plan to enclose spirits in the bodies of wizards, a participant in the Lovelace and Duval conspiracy, and the secret patron of the Resistance. Soon, spirits capture the bodies of wizards and begin to organize their army.

Nathaniel goes after Gladstone's staff, and Kitty goes to Another Place to ask Bartimeus for help. They come together to stop the demons. Bartimeus inhabits Nathaniel's body, endowing him with his power, but not destroying the mind. Together, using the staff, they begin to exterminate the demons.

In the final battle, Nathaniel fights the main demon Nouda, and when the staff explodes, both die. Nathaniel manages to let Bartimeus go, Kitty remains alive.

After this, a new government is organized, consisting of wizards and commoners.

The fourth book, which is a prequel to the Bartimeus trilogy. The book was published in 2010. The Russian version was released in the winter of 2011.

Summary

Year 960 BC e. King Solomon of Israel ruled his empire from Jerusalem with a magic ring of incredible power. Among many spirit slaves in the service of the king and his magicians was the genie Bartimeus, a spirit with special cunning, sarcastic wit, and an unprecedented reputation for audacity. After building an unsuccessful project, Bartimeus sets off for the desert to track down a group of bandits who attack the trade routes of Solomon , and in the process encounters a girl Ashmira who is in the service of the Queen of Sheba . Soon after, she reluctantly pulls the genie into seemingly suicidal missions: kill Solomon and steal his ring.

Perfume

• Bartimeus is a genie of the fourth (in the first book, by mistake, - of the fourteenth) level. Other names: Necho, Rehit, Vakonda Algonkin, N'Gorso the Mighty, Sakar al-Ginny and the Silver Feathered Serpent. Strong enough, has a very good sense of humor. His favorite incarnation is the appearance of Ptolemy - his old friend and master. Bartimeus respects strong personalities, which is why Kitty and Nathaniel, and before that Ptolemy, managed to come close to him. Despite all his sarcasm, he believed in the possibility of joint work of spirits and people.
• Fakvar is a genie, an old friend and rival of Bartimeus. He served Lovelace, but after his death he was imprisoned in a box at the bottom of the sea. After him, Hopkins freed and instilled in his body, cherishing thoughts of power. However, Fakvar supplanted his mind. He urged other spirits to do the same in order to take revenge on people. He was killed by Nathaniel. Always tried to fight for the freedom of spirits. Favorite embodiment - a cook with a huge knife.
• Ramutra is the most powerful of the spirits mentioned. Demon out of categories. Its essence mixes the "planes of being." Summoned by Simon Lovelace from Another Place with the help of an ancient horn. Sent by Nathaniel back.
• Nouda - he is a marid, but Bartimeus suggests that Nouda may turn out to be an even more powerful creature. Very cruel and bloodthirsty. It was infused into the body of Makepeace. After it was destroyed by Bartimeus and Nathaniel.
• Jabor is a genie, an old acquaintance of Bartimeus and Fakvarl. He served with Fakvar Lovelace. During the call, Ramutra fought with Bartimeus, but was pulled into the funnel. His favorite embodiment is a man with a red skin and a jackal's head.
• Quizle is a genie, an old friend of Bartimeus, with whom he worked in Prague. She was a slave to Fuchs. She was killed by a golem during his attack on the British Museum.
• Shubit is a genie (referred to as Afrit in Book 3) in the service of Jessica Whitwell. Favorite embodiment is a bear. Agile servant. Freed from slavery after the assassination of Jessica Node.
• Nemiades is a genie in the service of Tallow. Favorite look - green monkey. By order of the owner, he attacked Kitty and Jacob with the Black Thresher, from which Jacob's face and hands were covered with ashen streaks, and Kitty found herself resistant to magic.
• Honorius - Gladstone's Afrit, imprisoned in his bones in order to protect the master's tomb from encroachments. From a long imprisonment went crazy. Destroyed during a suicide attempt to jump on a golem. According to the assumption of Bartimeus, Afrite has long wanted to find peace and found an original way out.
• Naeryan - Afritsha, an old acquaintance of Bartimeus. He met her in Africa during the campaigns of Scipio, later they worked together in Constantinople. Favorite look - blue-black torso, three fiery eyes and many spider legs. She joined Fakvarl, moved into the body of Clive Jenkins. She was killed by Bartimeus and Nathaniel.
• Askobol is a genie in the service of Nathaniel. Favorite look - cyclops in a Scottish skirt with two blond pigtails. Constantly taunted Bartimeus, to which he answered the same. Flattered and creeped before Nathaniel. He was killed by Fakvarl.
• Kormokodran - genie level 3 in the service of Nathaniel. Favorite look - a boar man with fangs and hooves painted with blue wajda. For a long time he served in Ireland, in the era of Celtic twilight. Dull and taciturn. He was killed by Fakvarl.
• Mwamba is a genie in the service of Nathaniel. For a long time she worked in the Abaluya tribes in eastern Africa. According to Bartimeus, it’s windy and wild like a butterfly. Was killed by Fakvarl.
• Hodge is a genie in the service of Nathaniel. Spikes and stench are always present in the accepted look. Together with Ascobol, he made fun of Bartimeus. He was killed by Fakvarl.
• Simpkin is a folio, a slave of Sholto Pinna. He worked in a store, in the first book he helped to capture Bartimeus, in the second - he was killed during a golem attack on his master’s store. During the years of slavery, he got so used to his role that he did not even want himself a different share and served of his own free will.
• Uraziel is a spirit that is outside the system of dimensions. Mentioned in the “Ring of Solomon” and invoked by turning the latter. It has tremendous power, since by clicking its fingers it was able to practically destroy the strongest marid of Ammet. He is enclosed in the ring of Solomon, but according to him, he will wait for release. Fate after the events described is unknown.
• Ammet is a marid, a servant of Hubba the Cruel. He was the first powerful spirit called by the Egyptian. For decades he was in the guise of his shadow and, oddly enough, fell in love with his master and served him faithfully, did not betray when the opportunity arose. It has great power, which is not lost after a long stay on Earth. Imprisoned in an amphora in the depths of the Mediterranean Sea.

Wizards

• Nathaniel (John Mandrake) is a wizard. The life path of this particular character from childhood to adulthood is traced throughout the trilogy. His character also undergoes strong changes from book to book. He is ambitious, but fair and acts only in accordance with his principles, is not without glimpses of conscience and duty, he always tries to act for the good of his country.

Despite the opinion of some readers that the book has an open finale, Jonathan Stroud himself confirms: Nathaniel died at the end of the trilogy ^[3] .

• Rupert Deverox - Prime Minister of the British Empire, head of the Council, in the 3rd book acted as chief of police. In his youth he was a very strong leader, his charisma inspired Nathaniel when he was a boy, but to old age the fear of losing power led to paranoia, became dangerous and vindictive, completely inactive and did nothing for the good of the empire. He was very fond of the plays of the playwright Quentin Makepeace, as a result of which he managed to carry out a coup. During the Revolt of Spirits, the spirit that was killed by Bartimeus and Nathaniel invaded him.
• Karl Mortensen is Minister of Defense. He advocated declaring war on America, and it was his strategy that Britain adhered to in the conduct of the war. Presumably, a demon who was killed by Bartimeus and Nathaniel entered it.
• Helen Mulbindi - Minister of Foreign Affairs. By nature, a person is soft and supple, but prone to violent tantrums and outbursts of anger. Supported a policy of declaring war on America. During the Rebellion of the Demons, the spirit that was assassinated by Bartimeus and Nathaniel invaded her.
• Jessica Whitwell - one of the most powerful and powerful witches of Britain. She served as Minister of State Security. Skinny and pale, with blond hair. She devoted all her strength to improving the position of the empire. She was a mentor to Nathaniel. Strict, cold and hard. She preferred not to instill a spirit in her body and was killed while trying to escape by the demon Noida.
• Bruce Collins is the last Secretary of the Interior. Swarthy, chubby, quick-tempered shorty. Presumably, a demon who was killed by Bartimeus and Nathaniel entered it.
• Jane Farrar is a young, attractive (what she likes to use) sorceress, assistant chief of police first Henry Duval, then Rupert Deverox. Nathaniel liked her for some time and was either his rival or her ally, but in the end she turned away from him. Smart, quirky and power-hungry. She disappeared when she tried to stop the Revolt of Spirits. Presumably, was killed by one of the demons.
• Quentin Makepeace is an ambitious playwright, a favorite of the prime minister, who has long cherished plans to overthrow the current government. Participated in the plot of Lovelace, Duval. Infused the demon Noude, who after destroyed his mind.
• Harold Button is a wizard and book collector. Mr. Button differed from the rest of the wizards in that he did not at all strive for power, but only for knowledge. His goal was to create a complete list of all spirits. When summoned, Marida lost her leg. Kitty got an assistant to him, and he actually became her mentor. A little grouchy. He loves tea. After the Revolt of Spirits he entered the Provisional Council.
• Sholto Pinn is the owner of a magic goods store. His shop in book 2 was destroyed by a golem. He was captured during the Makepeace coup. The further fate is unknown.
• Clive Jenkins is a low-level wizard who, due to dissatisfaction with his fate, joined the conspiracy. He worked as a secretary in the Ministry of the Interior. Infused Afritsha Naeryan, who destroyed his mind. He was killed by Bartimeus and Nathaniel.
• Rebecca Piper is a young sorceress, Nathaniel's assistant. The fair-haired girl. I admired Nathaniel. After the suppression of the Demon Rebellion, she headed the Provisional Council of the British government, was the chairman among the wizards.
• Henry Duvall is the chief of police. To increase the authority of his department, he created a golem, which began to destroy the city, thereby undermining the authority of the Ministry of the Interior. In fact, he was beaten up by Makepeace. When Kitty pulled the spell from the golem's mouth, he returned to his master in front of the whole city. Duval was arrested. After several interrogations in the form of a wolf, he jumped out of the window of his cell.
• Julius Tallow is a high-level wizard who led the Department of the Interior in Book Two. Seriously wounded Jacob Girneck (Kitty survived thanks to her resistance to magic), then escaped responsibility in court. He was swallowed by Afrit because of an error in the spell - in the book, which was printed for him by the Girnekov printing house, an error was intentionally made.
• Simon Lovelace is a powerful wizard. He wanted to overthrow the government. To do this, he summoned the powerful demon Ramutra, protecting himself prematurely with the Amulet of Samarkand. His plot was uncovered by Bartimeus and Nathaniel. It was eaten by Ramutra.
• Rufus Lime is a friend and ally of Simon Lovelace, and after Quentin Makepeace. Looks like a fish. After the failure of the Lovelace conspiracy, he hid in France. He instilled in himself a spirit that after destroyed his mind and was supposedly destroyed by Bartimeus and Nathaniel.
• Maurice Skyler is a mentor to Simon Lovelace and one of his associates. He tried to kill Nathaniel when he wanted to talk about the plot. He was killed by Nathaniel.
• Arthur Underwood is Nathaniel's first mentor, a very mediocre wizard. He headed the Ministry of the Interior. Nathaniel was not put into anything and considered him a jerk, as a result of which a warm relationship did not develop between the student and the mentor. As a child, he taught Nathaniel a cruel lesson, launching him into a room full of petty spirits that attacked him. Был убит Джабором по приказу Саймона Лавлейса во время дела об Амулете Самарканда.
• Уильям Глэдстоун — основатель Британской империи, сильнейший волшебник, создатель Посоха Глэдстоуна. На магической дуэли победил волшебника Дизраэли. После своей смерти погреб сильнейшие артефакты в своей гробнице, для защиты заточив в своих костях африта Гонория. Был кумиром Натаниэля в первой книге.
• Птолемей — волшебник древнего Египта, двоюродный брат наследника престола, мечтал о сотрудничестве людей и джиннов, придумал и опробовал «Врата Птолемея» — портал для перехода людей в мир джиннов, написал «Апокрифы», пользуясь которыми прошла в Иное место и Китти Джонс. Был убит наемниками-волшебниками, нанятыми его братом.
• Клем Хопкинс — служащий Британской библиотеки. Обладатель на редкость незапоминающейся внешности и мастер маскировки. Называет себя ученым. Коллега Таинственного Покровителя и советник Сопротивления. Позже оказался заговорщиком в Деле Големов, заговоре Лавлейса и Восстании Демонов. Вселил в себя джинна Факварла, который после уничтожил его разум.

Простолюдины

• Кэтлин (Китти) Джонс — простолюдинка, участница Сопротивления. Очень сильная личность, никогда не отступающая от своих принципов и чувства справедливости.
• Якоб Гирнек — друг детства Китти Джонс, испытал на себе заклинание Чёрной Молотилки. Во 2 книге Натаниэль использовал его как заложника. После Дела с големом переехал к своим дальним родственникам в Брюгг.
• Т. Э. Пеннифезер — владелец магазина товаров для художников в Лондоне, основатель движения Сопротивления. Обладает довольно высокой устойчивостью к магии. Был убит афритом Гонорием во время ограбления гробницы Глэдстоуна.
• Энн Стивенс — активная женщина лет сорока, второй по важности человек в Сопротивлении. Помимо прочих способностей, она видит насквозь иллюзии волшебных сущностей вроде Бартимеуса. Была убита афритом Гонорием.
• Фред Уивер — высокий прыщавый парень, член Сопротивления. Вместе с соратником из Сопротивления украл у Натаниэля гадательное зеркало. Был убит афритом Гонорием.
• Стен Хейк — разносчик газет и член Сопротивления, способный впадать в обморочное состояние из-за мерцающего блеска, исходящего из любого предмета, обладающего магической силой. Вместе с соратником из Сопротивления украл у Натаниэля гадательное зеркало. Был убит афритом Гонорием.
• Николас Дру — простолюдин и политический агитатор. Один из двух уцелевших после разграбления гробницы Глэдстоуна членов Сопротивления и ведущий член Альянса Простолюдинов. Обладает некоторым противодействием к магии. Рассказал Натаниэлю о том, что Китти не была убита големом. На Нике Мейкпис продемонстрировал Натаниэлю вселение демона в тело человека. The further fate is unknown.
• Розанна Лютьенс — простолюдинка, бывшая учительница Натаниэля по рисованию, обладающая мягким, доброжелательным характером. Была уволена за то, что пыталась заступиться за Натаниэля, когда того третировал Саймон Лавлейс. Когда через семь лет Джон Мэндрейк попытался её за это поблагодарить, отнеслась к нему с презрением.
• Аманда Кэчкарт — богатая простолюдинка, девушка Саймона Лавлейса, в загородном доме которой проходила конференция, на которой Саймон Лавлейс собирался свергнуть правительство, но сама она ничего о заговоре не знала. Была съедена демоном Рамутрой.
• Марта Андервуд — жена Артура Андервуда и близкий друг Натаниэля. Погибла вместе с мужем в собственном доме при нападении Джабора.
• Таинственный наемник ( Веррок — так обратился к нему Мейкпис) — человек с чёрной бородой и холодными голубыми глазами, фигурировавший на протяжении всех книг, участник какой-то секты ассасинов. Он служил Лавлейсу (похитил для него Амулет Самарканда, убив его предыдущего хозяина), Дювалю и Мейкпису (сообщался с Кавкой в Праге), а после демонам, вселившимися в тела волшебников. Обладает колоссальной устойчивостью к магии. Носит семимильные сапоги. Был убит Моровым Заклятием, когда преследовал Натаниэля в Хранилище артефактов.

• Official site of the series (eng.)
• Official site of the author (English)
• audiobook Jonathan Stroud "The Bartimeus Trilogy"