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Bartimaeus #0.5
The Ring of Solomon
It is 950 B.C.E., and King Solomon rules Jerusalem with a steely hand; a hand on which gleams a magic ring of immense and unforgiving power. Solomon has just begun work on his marvelous temple, charging Khaba, a formidable magician in his royal court, to oversee its construction. The workforce is an ill-behaved bunch of demons, a particularly unruly djinni named Bartimaeus among them. True to form, Bartimaeus promptly gets kicked off the temple project and assigned the even more miserable task of hunting bandits in the desert. There he crosses paths with Asmira, a highly skilled and loyal captain of the Queen of Sheba’s guard, on a suicidal mission to save her country from Solomon’s imminent attack. Of course, Bartimaeus has no intention of helping her. That is, until Asmira makes him an offer he cannot refuse. . . .
A spellbinding addition to Jonathan Stroud’s New York Times bestselling Bartimaeus audiobooks, The Ring of Solomon brims with dazzling wit, unforgettable characters, and powerful themes of freedom and slavery, with or without magical bonds.
A spellbinding addition to Jonathan Stroud’s New York Times bestselling Bartimaeus audiobooks, The Ring of Solomon brims with dazzling wit, unforgettable characters, and powerful themes of freedom and slavery, with or without magical bonds.
Audio CD
First published October 14, 2010
About the author
Jonathan Stroud
59 books10.6k followersJonathan Anthony Stroud is an author of fantasy books, mainly for children and youths.
Stroud grew up in St Albans where he enjoyed reading books, drawing pictures, and writing stories. Between the ages seven and nine he was often ill, so he spent most of his days in the hospital or in his bed at home. To escape boredom he would occupy himself with books and stories. After he completed his studies of English literature at the University of York, he worked in London as an editor for the Walker Books store. He worked with different types of books there and this soon led to the writing of his own books. During the 1990s, he started publishing his own works and quickly gained success.
In May 1999, Stroud published his first children's novel, Buried Fire, which was the first of a line of fantasy/mythology children's books.
Among his most prominent works are the bestselling Bartimaeus Trilogy. A special feature of these novels compared to others of their genre is that Stroud examines the stereotypes and ethics of the magician class and the enslaved demons. This is done by examining the perspective of the sarcastic and slightly egomaniacal djinni Bartimaeus. The books in this series are The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, and Ptolemy's Gate, his first books to be published in the United States.
Stroud lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire, with his two children, Isabelle and Arthur, and his wife Gina, an illustrator of children's books.
Stroud grew up in St Albans where he enjoyed reading books, drawing pictures, and writing stories. Between the ages seven and nine he was often ill, so he spent most of his days in the hospital or in his bed at home. To escape boredom he would occupy himself with books and stories. After he completed his studies of English literature at the University of York, he worked in London as an editor for the Walker Books store. He worked with different types of books there and this soon led to the writing of his own books. During the 1990s, he started publishing his own works and quickly gained success.
In May 1999, Stroud published his first children's novel, Buried Fire, which was the first of a line of fantasy/mythology children's books.
Among his most prominent works are the bestselling Bartimaeus Trilogy. A special feature of these novels compared to others of their genre is that Stroud examines the stereotypes and ethics of the magician class and the enslaved demons. This is done by examining the perspective of the sarcastic and slightly egomaniacal djinni Bartimaeus. The books in this series are The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, and Ptolemy's Gate, his first books to be published in the United States.
Stroud lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire, with his two children, Isabelle and Arthur, and his wife Gina, an illustrator of children's books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,614 reviews
August 19, 2021
(B) 72% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Its new setting adds nothing: unoriginal, it relies on stock children's themes and another flat rehash of series formula.
Notes: Its new setting adds nothing: unoriginal, it relies on stock children's themes and another flat rehash of series formula.
April 29, 2024
(B) 72% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Never feels grand, the heroine's bland, a vacuous teen (for country and queen!), no colorful land (interiors and sand).
*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:
Notes: Never feels grand, the heroine's bland, a vacuous teen (for country and queen!), no colorful land (interiors and sand).
*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:
January 13, 2011
I love love love this book!
Please please PLEASEEEEEE Jonathan Stroud, write another prequel/sequel/epic poem/play/novella/memoir/thesis/whatever of Barty! We, his adoring fans, could never get enough of him!
Ok, back to the book. This is your typical Barty-like adventure. High-speed chases, extreme danger, lots of demons (scary, weird, yucky, you name it), strong (but flawed) characters, and of course...the trademark acerbic, sarcastic, narcissistic comments from our dear beloved jinni.
O Barty, how I LOL-ed so hard when I read about when Solomon caught you in your pygmy-hippo-in-a-skirt guise tossing stones to build the Temple Mount while you're supposed to use human guise and do the work manually...
I think I really envy Ptolemy :( My life would be soooo colorful if I have Barty around. One thing for sure, I'll never get bored.
Please please PLEASEEEEEE Jonathan Stroud, write another prequel/sequel/epic poem/play/novella/memoir/thesis/whatever of Barty! We, his adoring fans, could never get enough of him!
Ok, back to the book. This is your typical Barty-like adventure. High-speed chases, extreme danger, lots of demons (scary, weird, yucky, you name it), strong (but flawed) characters, and of course...the trademark acerbic, sarcastic, narcissistic comments from our dear beloved jinni.
O Barty, how I LOL-ed so hard when I read about when Solomon caught you in your pygmy-hippo-in-a-skirt guise tossing stones to build the Temple Mount while you're supposed to use human guise and do the work manually...
I think I really envy Ptolemy :( My life would be soooo colorful if I have Barty around. One thing for sure, I'll never get bored.
June 22, 2015
Revisiting the world of Bartimaius, fans will be rewarded with everything we loved about the original books: a fast-paced, entertaining adventure with a satisfying ending. Most importantly, there's Bartimaius himself, back with his footnotes and customary cheek.
Bartimaius is one of the most unforgettable and entertaining characters come to kid's fantasy in the past few years, and there's no doubt he could carry several more good novels like The Ring of Solomon. Surpassing the original trilogy is a different matter. I like the character of Asmira, but she is nowhere near as wonderfully flawed as Nathaniel was, nor did I want to root for her as strongly as I rooted for Kitty. The whole book lacks the epic urgency of tone achieved in the trilogy. Since this is a stand-alone novel, perhaps it's not a fair comparison. But now that Stroud's proved he's still got his skill (and his sense of humor), I hope he'll branch off into something different and uniquely wonderful.
I should also mention the nice cover illustration, which makes me grateful that Jonathan Stroud's books are shelved in the children's section. If this was a YA book, there'd probably be an edgy, dramatically angled shot of Asmira and Bartimaius as airbrushed teenagers, though we all know that Bartimaius' preferred form and pose would be a hideous goblin blowing a raspberry. Apparently us adolescents are too hormonally charged to appreciate that.
Bartimaius is one of the most unforgettable and entertaining characters come to kid's fantasy in the past few years, and there's no doubt he could carry several more good novels like The Ring of Solomon. Surpassing the original trilogy is a different matter. I like the character of Asmira, but she is nowhere near as wonderfully flawed as Nathaniel was, nor did I want to root for her as strongly as I rooted for Kitty. The whole book lacks the epic urgency of tone achieved in the trilogy. Since this is a stand-alone novel, perhaps it's not a fair comparison. But now that Stroud's proved he's still got his skill (and his sense of humor), I hope he'll branch off into something different and uniquely wonderful.
I should also mention the nice cover illustration, which makes me grateful that Jonathan Stroud's books are shelved in the children's section. If this was a YA book, there'd probably be an edgy, dramatically angled shot of Asmira and Bartimaius as airbrushed teenagers, though we all know that Bartimaius' preferred form and pose would be a hideous goblin blowing a raspberry. Apparently us adolescents are too hormonally charged to appreciate that.
May 11, 2024
Another excellent outing with the ne'er do well djinni, Bartimaeus, as he frolics and prances all over ancient Babylonia and Jerusalem in one of the magicians under King Solomon's employ getting up to no good.
In this one, we follow his exploits as he serves a cruel magician only to be waylaid and tasked with an enormously dangerous undertaking with which he performs admirably with all the necessary pomp, arrogance and cheek that's expected of him. As usual, the social criticism hinted within went totally over my head but I enjoyed the hell out of this book.
The writing is straight with no embellishments apart from the snarky humor and much beloved side discussion in the form of lovely and sometimes annoying endnotes. The plot is fast paced and the characterisations are quite colorful albeit lacking serious depth.
A talented author with a very fine piece of fantasy that I highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted and fast romp.
2023 Read
In this one, we follow his exploits as he serves a cruel magician only to be waylaid and tasked with an enormously dangerous undertaking with which he performs admirably with all the necessary pomp, arrogance and cheek that's expected of him. As usual, the social criticism hinted within went totally over my head but I enjoyed the hell out of this book.
The writing is straight with no embellishments apart from the snarky humor and much beloved side discussion in the form of lovely and sometimes annoying endnotes. The plot is fast paced and the characterisations are quite colorful albeit lacking serious depth.
A talented author with a very fine piece of fantasy that I highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted and fast romp.
2023 Read
December 9, 2010
It's Jerusalem, 950 B.C.E., but, much to our sheer delight, Bartimaeus could have been Dismissed out of 21st century London only moments ago. It seems that two millenia are nothing for this sharp-talking djinni, for Bart's as charmingly insolent as ever.
And Bartimaeus really is the highlight of the work. It's no wonder that Asmira struggles to be equally as appreciated by readers as Bartimaues is, just as Nathaniel and Kitty do in the original Bartimaeus Trilogy. The reader, so ensnared by the capricious, troublemaking shape-shifter, can only sigh in frustration when the narrative switches to the infintely more boring, third-person voice concerning the tale's human characters. But I don't complain as much here as I did in Golem's Eye (I had little love for Kitty), because Asmira's point of view is as full of action as is that of Bartimaues, and, fortunately, Asmira's part of the story is incredibly important to the overall plot. Of course, there is something lacking in Asmira's department. Something favoring the guises of Sumerian youths and mumu-wearing hippos. Something incredibly egotistic, admirably self-centered, impressively courageous, and just too clever, snazzy, and sharp-tongued to ever be properly commemorated in words.
(Somewhere, Bart is reading this and preening. Maybe I'll end up in a footnote in one of his later exploits. Maybe he'll send me his autograph...)
The ending does not reach the emotional impact or scope of sacrifice which haunts the ending of Ptolemy's Gate (no, this finish is more reminiscent of the end to Amulet of Samarkand), but this is unsurprising. While some might accuse the "twist" for failing, and for the ending being too goody-goody, it is probably because these readers, like I, have already read the previous three books and are obviously in the know that Bart will come out of all this unscathed (and probably composing a rude limerick in the process). Unlike the ending to Ptolemy’s Gate, which holds the reader breathless and on tenterhooks, the final battle (oh so Jonathan Stroud) in Ring of Solomon is taken in with a slightly more relaxed air. But don’t worry, it’s not that relaxed. It still manages to quicken the unwary reader’s pulse – that is, when the reader isn’t busy giggling off one of Bart’s pointer footnotes. It is the reader who wears a grin of triumph when, in a dark moment, all hope seems lost.
I found Stroud’s discussion on the issues of slavery and power very interesting. What does it mean to be psychologically enslaved? To what use must great power be put? Again, here one finds a great balance between philosophy, action, and wit, as is common with all of Stroud’s books. Philosophy aside, there are plenty of spirits to summon, knives to throw, humans to devour, temples to build, and magicians to outwit. To use a popular cliché, readers of this book will “burn the midnight oil to the finish,” undoubtedly. I certainly had.
And Bartimaeus really is the highlight of the work. It's no wonder that Asmira struggles to be equally as appreciated by readers as Bartimaues is, just as Nathaniel and Kitty do in the original Bartimaeus Trilogy. The reader, so ensnared by the capricious, troublemaking shape-shifter, can only sigh in frustration when the narrative switches to the infintely more boring, third-person voice concerning the tale's human characters. But I don't complain as much here as I did in Golem's Eye (I had little love for Kitty), because Asmira's point of view is as full of action as is that of Bartimaues, and, fortunately, Asmira's part of the story is incredibly important to the overall plot. Of course, there is something lacking in Asmira's department. Something favoring the guises of Sumerian youths and mumu-wearing hippos. Something incredibly egotistic, admirably self-centered, impressively courageous, and just too clever, snazzy, and sharp-tongued to ever be properly commemorated in words.
(Somewhere, Bart is reading this and preening. Maybe I'll end up in a footnote in one of his later exploits. Maybe he'll send me his autograph...)
The ending does not reach the emotional impact or scope of sacrifice which haunts the ending of Ptolemy's Gate (no, this finish is more reminiscent of the end to Amulet of Samarkand), but this is unsurprising. While some might accuse the "twist" for failing, and for the ending being too goody-goody, it is probably because these readers, like I, have already read the previous three books and are obviously in the know that Bart will come out of all this unscathed (and probably composing a rude limerick in the process). Unlike the ending to Ptolemy’s Gate, which holds the reader breathless and on tenterhooks, the final battle (oh so Jonathan Stroud) in Ring of Solomon is taken in with a slightly more relaxed air. But don’t worry, it’s not that relaxed. It still manages to quicken the unwary reader’s pulse – that is, when the reader isn’t busy giggling off one of Bart’s pointer footnotes. It is the reader who wears a grin of triumph when, in a dark moment, all hope seems lost.
I found Stroud’s discussion on the issues of slavery and power very interesting. What does it mean to be psychologically enslaved? To what use must great power be put? Again, here one finds a great balance between philosophy, action, and wit, as is common with all of Stroud’s books. Philosophy aside, there are plenty of spirits to summon, knives to throw, humans to devour, temples to build, and magicians to outwit. To use a popular cliché, readers of this book will “burn the midnight oil to the finish,” undoubtedly. I certainly had.
September 28, 2017
oooh, it sure took me long enough to read this :/ it wasn't because it wasn't fun or wonderful, it was greaaat ^ ^ the reason was more or less because i was reading it kindle version. wish i had the paperback :/
عاااالی بود. فقط ای کاش بازم مینوشت از این مجموعه. بارتیمیوس و جک هاش خیلی خوب بودن. پاورقی ها هم مثل سه جلد قبل خارق العاده بودن :)
عاااالی بود. فقط ای کاش بازم مینوشت از این مجموعه. بارتیمیوس و جک هاش خیلی خوب بودن. پاورقی ها هم مثل سه جلد قبل خارق العاده بودن :)
January 15, 2011
Barty! Barty! Barty!
What a rofl book. Just laugh, laugh and laugh until my stomach hurts. Since first page, The Ring of Solomon was sooooooo funny that me started laughin' so hard.
Oh Barty, we love you. This book is hilarious, funny, and exciting. I think Barty is the most beloved fantasy characters all time. awesome!
I like this book it is a lot fun 'n you should get this book you will love Barty more and more and more and more!
Great job Mr. Stroud. Please, give us more Barty's stories.
What a rofl book. Just laugh, laugh and laugh until my stomach hurts. Since first page, The Ring of Solomon was sooooooo funny that me started laughin' so hard.
Oh Barty, we love you. This book is hilarious, funny, and exciting. I think Barty is the most beloved fantasy characters all time. awesome!
I like this book it is a lot fun 'n you should get this book you will love Barty more and more and more and more!
Great job Mr. Stroud. Please, give us more Barty's stories.
September 9, 2013
When I finished The Bartimaeus Trilogy, I was hungry for more. Adding on to the trilogy would probably have been a disaster, but creating a sister book with the same humorous cheek of Bartimaeus', and living his adventures before his days with Nathaniel, was genius!!!! I started reading with a smile, and I finished it smiling. In addition, It left me wanting to go back and read the whole trilogy again!
March 20, 2022
Era da tanto che volevo continuare questa serie, sono davvero felice di avergli dato un’opportunità oggi. È stata una lettura molto piacevole. Un libro perfetto da leggere la domenica pomeriggio. Adoro lo stile sarcastico e scorrevole di Stroud, adoro Bartimeus e allora probabilmente vi starete chiedendo, “perché non l’hai continuato prima?”
Per l’edizione.
In cartaceo questa tetralogia non si trova.
Qualche anno fa tra le nuove uscite ho trovato un’edizione molto carina de “l’Amuleto di Samarcanda”, il primo volume di questa serie, e l’ho un sacco amato. Non vedevo l’ora di recuperare anche il secondo e il terzo e anche il prequel, “l’anello di Salomone”, per l’appunto. Eppure, nulla da fare, in cartaceo è difficilissimo da reperire.
Quindi ho letto altro... e ho pensato ad altro fino a quando mi sono imbattuto in “Sorcery of Thorns”, autoconclusivo di Margaret Rogerson ambientato in un mondo similissimo a quello di Stroud al punto da sembrare quasi una FanFiction.
Ecco che non potevo non ritornare qui.
Se volete capire di che parla questa tetralogia vi invito a guardare la mia recensione su “L’Amuleto di Samarcanda” che è a tutti gli effetti il primo volume di questa serie, la recensione la trovate qui: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Per quanto riguarda l’ordine di lettura, io ho letto prima “L’Amuleto di Samarcanda”, ma si può anche iniziare da qui. “L’Anello dei Salomone” è un prequel ambientato nei pressi di Gerusalemme intorno al 950 a.C. mentre gli eventi de “L’Amuleto di Samarcanda” si spostano in una Londra alternativa di inizio 1900.
(E ora che ci penso io adoro i libri ambientati a Londra, sto pensando a “Oliver Twist”, di Charles Dicken, “Peter Pan” di Barrie, “Il ritratto di Dorian Gray” di Oscar Wilde, “Harry Potter” della Rowling, “Jane Eyre” di Charlote Bronte, “A darker shade of magic” di V.E. Schwab, o a “Nessun dove” di Neil Gaiman, o “Good omens” sempre di Gaiman, a “Le terre dei Dormienti” di Laura Taibi, “Mille piccole crepe di Mariam Tarkeshi”o alla trilogia delle “Origini” di Shadowhunters di Cassandra Clare, e ovviamente anche The Last Hours, sempre della Clare... e credo di dimenticarne qualcuno...)
Ritornando al libro in questione, “L’Anello dei Salomone” è un prequel volto ad approfondire principalmente il rapporto tra alcuni spiriti. Una storia carina e appassionante che vi riuscirà a trasportare piacevolmente all'interno di questo mondo che vale la pena conoscere e custodire!
Per l’edizione.
In cartaceo questa tetralogia non si trova.
Qualche anno fa tra le nuove uscite ho trovato un’edizione molto carina de “l’Amuleto di Samarcanda”, il primo volume di questa serie, e l’ho un sacco amato. Non vedevo l’ora di recuperare anche il secondo e il terzo e anche il prequel, “l’anello di Salomone”, per l’appunto. Eppure, nulla da fare, in cartaceo è difficilissimo da reperire.
Quindi ho letto altro... e ho pensato ad altro fino a quando mi sono imbattuto in “Sorcery of Thorns”, autoconclusivo di Margaret Rogerson ambientato in un mondo similissimo a quello di Stroud al punto da sembrare quasi una FanFiction.
Ecco che non potevo non ritornare qui.
Se volete capire di che parla questa tetralogia vi invito a guardare la mia recensione su “L’Amuleto di Samarcanda” che è a tutti gli effetti il primo volume di questa serie, la recensione la trovate qui: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Per quanto riguarda l’ordine di lettura, io ho letto prima “L’Amuleto di Samarcanda”, ma si può anche iniziare da qui. “L’Anello dei Salomone” è un prequel ambientato nei pressi di Gerusalemme intorno al 950 a.C. mentre gli eventi de “L’Amuleto di Samarcanda” si spostano in una Londra alternativa di inizio 1900.
(E ora che ci penso io adoro i libri ambientati a Londra, sto pensando a “Oliver Twist”, di Charles Dicken, “Peter Pan” di Barrie, “Il ritratto di Dorian Gray” di Oscar Wilde, “Harry Potter” della Rowling, “Jane Eyre” di Charlote Bronte, “A darker shade of magic” di V.E. Schwab, o a “Nessun dove” di Neil Gaiman, o “Good omens” sempre di Gaiman, a “Le terre dei Dormienti” di Laura Taibi, “Mille piccole crepe di Mariam Tarkeshi”o alla trilogia delle “Origini” di Shadowhunters di Cassandra Clare, e ovviamente anche The Last Hours, sempre della Clare... e credo di dimenticarne qualcuno...)
Ritornando al libro in questione, “L’Anello dei Salomone” è un prequel volto ad approfondire principalmente il rapporto tra alcuni spiriti. Una storia carina e appassionante che vi riuscirà a trasportare piacevolmente all'interno di questo mondo che vale la pena conoscere e custodire!
March 28, 2011
Maybe it’s the heroic rogue of a main character, or the Arabian setting, or possibly even the Disney logotype on the spine of the jacket, but I got to thinking about the animated feature Aladdin. The first ten minutes of that movie contain a sprawling musical action set piece in which we learn that the titular hero
–Has to steal to eat
–HAS to eat to live
–Works really, really hard at it
–And did we mention he’s an orphan?
and anyway after he finally absconds with his hard-won loaf of bread he just gives it to the first adorable pair of street urchins. Contrast this with heroic rogue Bartimaeus, who in the first twenty pages of The Ring of Solomon
–Defiles an ancient temple
–Burgles a holy relic
–And kills and eats an old man.
The djinni Bartimaeus, and by extension Stroud, is not going to make some cloying play for our affections. This is not SPOILER ALERT a story about reformation END SPOILER ALERT. I’m even going to go out on a limb and say that Bartimaeus is refreshingly without an arc here. Throughout the book he behaves only in the singularly free-thinking fashion that has made him the irritant of both humans and spirits alike, what with his universal impudence and humorously digressive footnotes. In the interest of full disclosure I should mention that I previously read The Amulet of Samarkand, the first of the original Bartimaeus trilogy, so I’m aware that he’s starred in at least four stories now. I suspect that Stroud understood early on that he had a very special character here, and it wouldn’t do to keep neutering him with sentiment in Act II of every book. He is who he is, and I think he would be alarmed to know that I found him to be the most human of all Stroud’s characters.
His first-person chapters alternate with third-person chapters that focus on other actors, particularly a young and deadly Sheban named Asmira who is tasked with assassinating the powerful Solomon in order to save her homeland. And here lies my chief criticism of the book: Bartimaeus is so effervescent that chapters in which he doesn’t appear (much less narrate) sometimes come off like flat soda by comparison. Bartimaeus is such a force that he spills out in every direction–through the fourth wall, into the margins of the page, and onward into self-awareness and anachronism, such as when he invokes copyright (actual copyright) to protect one of his signature fighting moves, which he informs us he’s been using since 2800 B.C.E. Note that The Ring of Solomon is set 900 years before there was a C.E. to be B.
Anyway, every chapter left me wanting more–if Stroud and I were in a Scheherazade/King Shahryār situation I totally would not have killed him at any point.
–Has to steal to eat
–HAS to eat to live
–Works really, really hard at it
–And did we mention he’s an orphan?
and anyway after he finally absconds with his hard-won loaf of bread he just gives it to the first adorable pair of street urchins. Contrast this with heroic rogue Bartimaeus, who in the first twenty pages of The Ring of Solomon
–Defiles an ancient temple
–Burgles a holy relic
–And kills and eats an old man.
The djinni Bartimaeus, and by extension Stroud, is not going to make some cloying play for our affections. This is not SPOILER ALERT a story about reformation END SPOILER ALERT. I’m even going to go out on a limb and say that Bartimaeus is refreshingly without an arc here. Throughout the book he behaves only in the singularly free-thinking fashion that has made him the irritant of both humans and spirits alike, what with his universal impudence and humorously digressive footnotes. In the interest of full disclosure I should mention that I previously read The Amulet of Samarkand, the first of the original Bartimaeus trilogy, so I’m aware that he’s starred in at least four stories now. I suspect that Stroud understood early on that he had a very special character here, and it wouldn’t do to keep neutering him with sentiment in Act II of every book. He is who he is, and I think he would be alarmed to know that I found him to be the most human of all Stroud’s characters.
His first-person chapters alternate with third-person chapters that focus on other actors, particularly a young and deadly Sheban named Asmira who is tasked with assassinating the powerful Solomon in order to save her homeland. And here lies my chief criticism of the book: Bartimaeus is so effervescent that chapters in which he doesn’t appear (much less narrate) sometimes come off like flat soda by comparison. Bartimaeus is such a force that he spills out in every direction–through the fourth wall, into the margins of the page, and onward into self-awareness and anachronism, such as when he invokes copyright (actual copyright) to protect one of his signature fighting moves, which he informs us he’s been using since 2800 B.C.E. Note that The Ring of Solomon is set 900 years before there was a C.E. to be B.
Anyway, every chapter left me wanting more–if Stroud and I were in a Scheherazade/King Shahryār situation I totally would not have killed him at any point.
November 10, 2016
FAN-TAS-TIC!!!
Can't wait to read the three other books!
Jerusalem, 250 B.C.E, King Solomon is ruling his kingdom with an iron fist (or a very powerful ring to be more specefic), demanding immnense revenues after terrorising other kings and queens of far off lands. Magicians, recognizing the supreme power of the ring, are competing for the king's favors, enslaving djinn, afrits and marids to get the most beautiful and powerful magic curiosities to add to the king's huge collection.
When the kingdom of Sheba - ruled by generation after generation of queens, known for its very important frankinscence trade- is threaten, its queen Bolkis, refuses to bow to another ruler and sends a young girl named Asmira, a palace guard to kill Solomon and get the ring, But how can she accomplish what hundreds have failed to do?
Meanwhile, sarcastic Bartimaeous is causing as much trouble as he can, and when he gets rid of his master, he gets sentenced to work for Khaba, the most evil magician of Solomon's lot.
Inspite of being a middle ranking djinn, Bartimaeus has more than one trick up his sleeve!
Can't wait to read the three other books!
Jerusalem, 250 B.C.E, King Solomon is ruling his kingdom with an iron fist (or a very powerful ring to be more specefic), demanding immnense revenues after terrorising other kings and queens of far off lands. Magicians, recognizing the supreme power of the ring, are competing for the king's favors, enslaving djinn, afrits and marids to get the most beautiful and powerful magic curiosities to add to the king's huge collection.
When the kingdom of Sheba - ruled by generation after generation of queens, known for its very important frankinscence trade- is threaten, its queen Bolkis, refuses to bow to another ruler and sends a young girl named Asmira, a palace guard to kill Solomon and get the ring, But how can she accomplish what hundreds have failed to do?
Meanwhile, sarcastic Bartimaeous is causing as much trouble as he can, and when he gets rid of his master, he gets sentenced to work for Khaba, the most evil magician of Solomon's lot.
Inspite of being a middle ranking djinn, Bartimaeus has more than one trick up his sleeve!
November 28, 2018
Ci vorrebbero più Jonathan Stroud e Bartimeus nella vita di tutti noi ♥
February 5, 2011
Argh! This book took forever to get started. I wish there was some way to skip over about a hundred pages, the loong time it takes for Asmira and Bartimaeus to start working together, and foreground the nicely nasty maneuvering early on in the book instead of saving it up for a reveal later on. Only after the unveiling does Asmira start to become slightly interesting in her zealotry, but that only lasts for a few scenes.
The prequeal to Bartimaeus Trilogy, the story is set in ancient Jersualem where King Soloman (the one with the song) rules with the aid of a magic ring that contains a powerful demon. When the country of Sheba is threated a young palace guard, Asmira, is sent to kill Solomon and bring the ring back to her queen. Meanwhile Bartimaeus is just one among many of the spirits that has been bound by the circle of magicians that serve Soloman, and he delights in causing as much trouble as he can. The book is told in alternating chapters from Asmira and Bartimaeus' view points which might explain why it takes so long for the two characters to finally start doing something.
I really enjoyed the backbiting and self-serving human characters in the trilogy that came before this book, as well as the ever sarcastic and witty Bartimaeus. But this book takes Stroud's strong point as an author, his acid view of human nature and makes it into a secret. Which left me reading a pretty bland boring book all the way up until what, page 306? I mean, yeah, Bartimaeus is still great. You get the funny footnotes. But I already know his story, his magical predicament. Jersualem and Sheba aren't really evoked in a way that brought it to life as anything more than a genric Hollywood backlot.
This one book felt far longer than the other three books combined. On the strength of this book, I wonder if Stroud has anything more to say about this world. I love Bartimaeus but does he do anything different here than he did in the trilogy? Then there is the problem with prequeals. This story happens before The Amulet of Samarkand and I have the feeling that Stroud ran into the problem that nothing much new CAN happen.
Well, I guess I'm not being fair. Bartimeaus isn't really supposed to change. The burden of movement falls on the shoulders of his co-star Asmira. But I found her stiff and boring. She doesn't start to get interesting until far, far into the story which was too late for me.
The prequeal to Bartimaeus Trilogy, the story is set in ancient Jersualem where King Soloman (the one with the song) rules with the aid of a magic ring that contains a powerful demon. When the country of Sheba is threated a young palace guard, Asmira, is sent to kill Solomon and bring the ring back to her queen. Meanwhile Bartimaeus is just one among many of the spirits that has been bound by the circle of magicians that serve Soloman, and he delights in causing as much trouble as he can. The book is told in alternating chapters from Asmira and Bartimaeus' view points which might explain why it takes so long for the two characters to finally start doing something.
I really enjoyed the backbiting and self-serving human characters in the trilogy that came before this book, as well as the ever sarcastic and witty Bartimaeus. But this book takes Stroud's strong point as an author, his acid view of human nature and makes it into a secret. Which left me reading a pretty bland boring book all the way up until what, page 306? I mean, yeah, Bartimaeus is still great. You get the funny footnotes. But I already know his story, his magical predicament. Jersualem and Sheba aren't really evoked in a way that brought it to life as anything more than a genric Hollywood backlot.
This one book felt far longer than the other three books combined. On the strength of this book, I wonder if Stroud has anything more to say about this world. I love Bartimaeus but does he do anything different here than he did in the trilogy? Then there is the problem with prequeals. This story happens before The Amulet of Samarkand and I have the feeling that Stroud ran into the problem that nothing much new CAN happen.
Well, I guess I'm not being fair. Bartimeaus isn't really supposed to change. The burden of movement falls on the shoulders of his co-star Asmira. But I found her stiff and boring. She doesn't start to get interesting until far, far into the story which was too late for me.
August 29, 2017
I really loved this book, the fourth (but actually a prequel) in the series! Bartimaeus was as fabulous as I remembered him. Further, I found the setting of ancient Jerusalem served to add to the whole feeling of exoticism, particularly with the famous figure of King Solomon in the midst of the action.
If you were a fan of the previous three books, I am sure you will enjoy this one, too. But even if you are new the stories of the djinni Bartimaeus, this is a good place to start, as it can easily be read as a standalone. Now I only wish Stroud with continue the series!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
If you were a fan of the previous three books, I am sure you will enjoy this one, too. But even if you are new the stories of the djinni Bartimaeus, this is a good place to start, as it can easily be read as a standalone. Now I only wish Stroud with continue the series!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
June 3, 2013
Both youth and Jonathan Stroud are wasted on the young. Seriously, the Bartimaeus books are far too fabulous to be sequestered in the same section with the Gossip Girls and the Twilight series.
The nice thing about this entry in the series is that it stands alone quite nicely. By the time you're finished with it, if you haven't already read the first three, you'll be running full-tilt to get your hands on them.
The plot? Oh, it's just your standard girl meets djinni meets evil magician meets king meets the Queen of Sheba, featuring a hippo wearing a skirt.
The nice thing about this entry in the series is that it stands alone quite nicely. By the time you're finished with it, if you haven't already read the first three, you'll be running full-tilt to get your hands on them.
The plot? Oh, it's just your standard girl meets djinni meets evil magician meets king meets the Queen of Sheba, featuring a hippo wearing a skirt.
June 15, 2015
Leider gefiel mir die Vorgeschichte zu den Abenteuern von Bartimäus und Nathanael nicht so gut. Die Geschichte wies einige Längen auf und die meisten Fußnoten waren nicht soooooo witzig wie gewohnt.
Es gab trotzdem noch genügend Stellen, die mich zum Lachen gebracht haben und das Ende hat vieles noch einmal herausgerissen, weshalb das Buch gute 3,5 Sterne von mir bekommt.
Es gab trotzdem noch genügend Stellen, die mich zum Lachen gebracht haben und das Ende hat vieles noch einmal herausgerissen, weshalb das Buch gute 3,5 Sterne von mir bekommt.
December 10, 2020
I love this series so much, and I love that Stroud treated us to a prequel. Bartimaeus as a character was particularly funny in this one!
March 4, 2012
Nakon što je po treći put odbila bračnu ponudu kralja Solomona, kraljica Balkis od Sabe (Sheba) našla se pred ultimatumom: ili će plaćati visok godišnji danak Jerusalimu, ili će njena mala kraljevina biti napadnuta kroz 14 dana. Umesto odgovora, kraljica šalje svoju možda ne najbolju, ali svakako najverniju ratnicu, Asmiru, na tajni zadatak kako bi ubila kralja Solomona i otela mu čarobni Prsten, koji svome nosiocu daje neverovatne moći i zapravo čini Solomona zastrašujućim vladarom, a Jerusalim centrom tadašnjeg sveta. Na svom putu do Jerusalima, Asmira sreće Bartimaeusa, drskog, sarkastičnog duha sklonog pevanju lascivnih pesmica, trenutno u (kao i uvek, prisilnoj) službi jednog od Solomonovih čarobnjaka, Egipćanina Khabe. U ovom susretu i Asmira i Bartimaeus vide obostranu korist - Asmiri je potrebna pomoć jednog Višeg Stvorenja kako bi izvršila svoj zadatak, dok Bartimaeus u Asmiri vidi nekoga ko će mu pomoći da zadobije natrag svoju slobodu...
Ova knjiga je verovatno jedna od boljih koje sam čitala u žanru fantasy/humor knjiga - zabava od prve do poslednje stranice, prožeta britkim i pomalo zajedljivim humorom glavnog protagoniste, duha Bartimaeusa. Love/hate odnos između Asmire i Bartija je neopterećen eventualnim romantičnim klišeima koji se javljaju između muškog i ženskog junaka u sličnim slučajevima, budući da su u pitanju ratnica i krvožedni ljudožderski djinn, moliću lepo, te smo pošteđeni raznih pogleda ispod obrve, slučajnih dodira ruke i sličnih gluposti.
Ono što se meni naročito dopalo jeste pitanje koje se provlači između redova - šta je odanost, a šta poslušnost? Šta je patriotizam, a šta služba? Da li je kraljica isto što i nacija, i spašava li zapravo Asmira svoju zemlju, ili samo bespogovorno prati naređenja svoje kraljice, odgojena u slepoj veri da suveren jedne zemlje uvek zna najbolje? Možda je čudno što sam u jednoj knjizi, koja je zapravo 100% pure fun and nothing but fun, uspela da izbunarim ovakve dileme, ali hej, čitanje između redova je oduvek bila moja specijalnost!
Preporuka svima koji vole magiju, Pračeta, istoriju starog sveta i nilske konje koji plešu u suknjicama (verujte mi, ima i toga).
Ova knjiga je verovatno jedna od boljih koje sam čitala u žanru fantasy/humor knjiga - zabava od prve do poslednje stranice, prožeta britkim i pomalo zajedljivim humorom glavnog protagoniste, duha Bartimaeusa. Love/hate odnos između Asmire i Bartija je neopterećen eventualnim romantičnim klišeima koji se javljaju između muškog i ženskog junaka u sličnim slučajevima, budući da su u pitanju ratnica i krvožedni ljudožderski djinn, moliću lepo, te smo pošteđeni raznih pogleda ispod obrve, slučajnih dodira ruke i sličnih gluposti.
Ono što se meni naročito dopalo jeste pitanje koje se provlači između redova - šta je odanost, a šta poslušnost? Šta je patriotizam, a šta služba? Da li je kraljica isto što i nacija, i spašava li zapravo Asmira svoju zemlju, ili samo bespogovorno prati naređenja svoje kraljice, odgojena u slepoj veri da suveren jedne zemlje uvek zna najbolje? Možda je čudno što sam u jednoj knjizi, koja je zapravo 100% pure fun and nothing but fun, uspela da izbunarim ovakve dileme, ali hej, čitanje između redova je oduvek bila moja specijalnost!
Preporuka svima koji vole magiju, Pračeta, istoriju starog sveta i nilske konje koji plešu u suknjicama (verujte mi, ima i toga).
November 8, 2018
I have never hidden my love for the main Bartimaeus trilogy so I was quite happy to return to this world with one of my favorite characters, Bartimaeus. This prequel leaves me a tad conflicted though.
Bartimaeus was once again brilliant in this book. That wasn’t the problem. Or maybe it was. Whereas with the main trilogy Bartimaeus was amongst a great cast of characters and a dark, steady plot, this book is somewhat lacking in that department. The plot is more predictable, and while the characters are pleasant, they don’t stand out too much next to Bartimaeus. In fact some characters only shined a little when they interacted with him.
I love the idea of Amrita, the other main character next to Bartimeaus. A strong woman who is skilled in fighting from Sheba, fulfilling the task of her queen. But following her thoughts in her chapters wasn’t that interesting. I also had a hard time connecting with her. I did like how Bartimaeus made the comparison to that if he was a slave so was she.
This book definitely needs to be read after reading the main trilogy. I have seen some that have read this before, but that is not recommended. While this is an enjoyable read for those of us that enjoy Bartimeaus, it is certainly not a good introduction to the world that Stroud created with this series.
Bartimaeus was once again brilliant in this book. That wasn’t the problem. Or maybe it was. Whereas with the main trilogy Bartimaeus was amongst a great cast of characters and a dark, steady plot, this book is somewhat lacking in that department. The plot is more predictable, and while the characters are pleasant, they don’t stand out too much next to Bartimaeus. In fact some characters only shined a little when they interacted with him.
I love the idea of Amrita, the other main character next to Bartimeaus. A strong woman who is skilled in fighting from Sheba, fulfilling the task of her queen. But following her thoughts in her chapters wasn’t that interesting. I also had a hard time connecting with her. I did like how Bartimaeus made the comparison to that if he was a slave so was she.
This book definitely needs to be read after reading the main trilogy. I have seen some that have read this before, but that is not recommended. While this is an enjoyable read for those of us that enjoy Bartimeaus, it is certainly not a good introduction to the world that Stroud created with this series.
July 12, 2011
Solomon's Ring comes across like a summarized version of the other 3 books. Good people turn out to be bad, bad people turn out to be good, there are seemingly insurmountable odds that are heroically overcome, there are plucky young warrior women, jaded heroes exhausted with their burden, uncompromisingly evil villains, hilarious side notes and slapstick magic.
Why do I feel I've seen this somewhere before?
While definitely entertaining enough, you don't get an opportunity to connect with the characters. The kind of depth that came out in Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, even Faquarl and Kitty, doesn't happen with Asmira, Solomon, Khaba, or anyone else. Motives remain largely arbitrary or cliche'd. Even the setting doesn;t live up to it's potential... and most damming, the magic feels commoditized, without any sense of awe or discovery. It's running on rails.
Decent enough flight reading, but not a keeper.
Why do I feel I've seen this somewhere before?
While definitely entertaining enough, you don't get an opportunity to connect with the characters. The kind of depth that came out in Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, even Faquarl and Kitty, doesn't happen with Asmira, Solomon, Khaba, or anyone else. Motives remain largely arbitrary or cliche'd. Even the setting doesn;t live up to it's potential... and most damming, the magic feels commoditized, without any sense of awe or discovery. It's running on rails.
Decent enough flight reading, but not a keeper.
December 22, 2023
Immaginatevi l'irriverente e stizzoso Bartimeus tra le sabbie del deserto, i minareti di Gerusalemme, una schiera di demoni, re Salomone e la regina di Saba.
Una nuova avventura nel passato attende il divertente demone Bartimeus nell'antica città dove ad ogni pagina si respira azione, intrigo, folli scontri magici ed anche una funambolica caccia al tesoro.
Stroud con il suo Bartimeus ha creato uno dei personaggi più divertenti. Lettura consigliata a tutte le età.
Una nuova avventura nel passato attende il divertente demone Bartimeus nell'antica città dove ad ogni pagina si respira azione, intrigo, folli scontri magici ed anche una funambolica caccia al tesoro.
Stroud con il suo Bartimeus ha creato uno dei personaggi più divertenti. Lettura consigliata a tutte le età.
October 21, 2018
How I love sequels that are well-thought out. It's like getting back together with an old friend and picking right back up from where you left off. However, to clarify, this isn't a sequel. It's a prequel that feels like a sequel. But Bartimaeus is still his delightfully charming, impertinently saucy, and good(!) self. Great fun.
February 22, 2011
Set in the ancient Middle East, written with a biting humor that constantly made me laugh out loud, a strong conflicted female heroine, sarcastic rebellious demons, a subtle yet highly compelling message about physical and mental slavery and an all-powerful treacherous ring...a wonderful read.
April 29, 2014
Another entertaining book in this series, however I enjoyed the original trilogy a lot more, other than the Jinn, there where not really any characters that grabbed my attention, but the trilogy had quite a few I really liked.
September 18, 2019
Meh!
The original trilogy was stronger.
The original trilogy was stronger.
February 5, 2021
Maljka - per RFS
.
Lettori, benvenuti in un mondo tenebroso, ricco di sfumature barocche e vivido di dettagli; caratterizzato da una narrazione coinvolgente e irresistibile densa di drammaticità e humor. Erano ben tre anni che aspettavo di leggere questa tetralogia ma, non so perché, il mio sesto senso mi diceva di aspettare. Ci sono libri la cui lettura necessita del momento giusto, credo che solo così la loro anima chiami la nostra di folle lettore, completandosi a vicenda. Il tempo di scoprire la storia di questo simpatico demonietto è ora arrivato.
Nel primo volume il racconto si svolge nel 950 a.C., in una Gerusalemme (e dintorni) al culmine del suo splendore.
A mio avviso, intelligentemente, il vero e proprio incipit della storia, è stata la descrizione di tutti i personaggi e gli spiritelli presenti all’interno della tetralogia, rendendo la lettura sicuramente più scorrevole e semplice. Il protagonista indiscusso è sicuramente Bartimeus di Uruk, uno spirito (un jinn per l’esattezza), un po’ cattivello e con uno strano senso dell’umorismo. Più proseguo la lettura e più questo Bartimeus mi strappa risate a non finire; colpa delle sue battutacce e del suo essere senza peli sulla lingua! Lui e altri dodici demoni, sono al servizio di Re Salomone: grande mago, visir di Israele e protettore del popolo.
Il loro incarico è quello di scovare inestimabili tesori, ma qui c’è l’inghippo. Qualcuno cerca di eliminare il Re e il suo anello, uno tra i più potenti amuleti esistenti in grado di distruggere il mondo intero con una sola rotazione.
In molti ambiscono a quell’anello, prima fra tutti, la regina di Saba che invia Asmira, una sua guerriera, per rubare il prezioso oggetto e uccidere Salomone. Ma qualcosa va storto in questa strana caccia al tesoro: molti spiriti si metteranno sul loro cammino e si creeranno strane e impensabili coalizioni.
Solo dopo avere iniziato il libro, ho scoperto essere il prequel della storia, infatti molti dettagli sono fumosi e lasciati in sospeso cosa che, leggendo poi i successivi volumi, capirete meglio.
I personaggi sono molto ben descritti e vividi, si potrebbero quasi toccare con mano come il nostro più caro amico. Anche il carattere di Bartimeus, inizialmente molto cinico e acido verso il genere umano, protenderà per prendere una diversa piega. Ho apprezzato molto le note a piè di pagina, perché come se fossero dei discorsi che ognuno di noi fa nella propria testa, rendono la storia ancor più viva e ricca di carattere.
La trama è molto coinvolgente il che, unita a una scrittura molto fluida, consente al lettore di non annoiarsi mai.
Ho conosciuto Jonathan Stroud grazie alla serie Lockwood, che ho amato tantissimo e di cui trovate le recensioni sul sito, entrambi studiati per un pubblico giovane ma godibilissimi anche per i più grandi. Sicuramente consigliati, soprattutto se amate demoni, magia, maghi impertinenti e affini!
.
Lettori, benvenuti in un mondo tenebroso, ricco di sfumature barocche e vivido di dettagli; caratterizzato da una narrazione coinvolgente e irresistibile densa di drammaticità e humor. Erano ben tre anni che aspettavo di leggere questa tetralogia ma, non so perché, il mio sesto senso mi diceva di aspettare. Ci sono libri la cui lettura necessita del momento giusto, credo che solo così la loro anima chiami la nostra di folle lettore, completandosi a vicenda. Il tempo di scoprire la storia di questo simpatico demonietto è ora arrivato.
Nel primo volume il racconto si svolge nel 950 a.C., in una Gerusalemme (e dintorni) al culmine del suo splendore.
A mio avviso, intelligentemente, il vero e proprio incipit della storia, è stata la descrizione di tutti i personaggi e gli spiritelli presenti all’interno della tetralogia, rendendo la lettura sicuramente più scorrevole e semplice. Il protagonista indiscusso è sicuramente Bartimeus di Uruk, uno spirito (un jinn per l’esattezza), un po’ cattivello e con uno strano senso dell’umorismo. Più proseguo la lettura e più questo Bartimeus mi strappa risate a non finire; colpa delle sue battutacce e del suo essere senza peli sulla lingua! Lui e altri dodici demoni, sono al servizio di Re Salomone: grande mago, visir di Israele e protettore del popolo.
Il loro incarico è quello di scovare inestimabili tesori, ma qui c’è l’inghippo. Qualcuno cerca di eliminare il Re e il suo anello, uno tra i più potenti amuleti esistenti in grado di distruggere il mondo intero con una sola rotazione.
In molti ambiscono a quell’anello, prima fra tutti, la regina di Saba che invia Asmira, una sua guerriera, per rubare il prezioso oggetto e uccidere Salomone. Ma qualcosa va storto in questa strana caccia al tesoro: molti spiriti si metteranno sul loro cammino e si creeranno strane e impensabili coalizioni.
Solo dopo avere iniziato il libro, ho scoperto essere il prequel della storia, infatti molti dettagli sono fumosi e lasciati in sospeso cosa che, leggendo poi i successivi volumi, capirete meglio.
I personaggi sono molto ben descritti e vividi, si potrebbero quasi toccare con mano come il nostro più caro amico. Anche il carattere di Bartimeus, inizialmente molto cinico e acido verso il genere umano, protenderà per prendere una diversa piega. Ho apprezzato molto le note a piè di pagina, perché come se fossero dei discorsi che ognuno di noi fa nella propria testa, rendono la storia ancor più viva e ricca di carattere.
La trama è molto coinvolgente il che, unita a una scrittura molto fluida, consente al lettore di non annoiarsi mai.
Ho conosciuto Jonathan Stroud grazie alla serie Lockwood, che ho amato tantissimo e di cui trovate le recensioni sul sito, entrambi studiati per un pubblico giovane ma godibilissimi anche per i più grandi. Sicuramente consigliati, soprattutto se amate demoni, magia, maghi impertinenti e affini!
April 1, 2022
Eine spannende und zugleich witzige Story die lange vor der eigentlichen Trilogie spielt. Ich bin ein Bartimäus Fan 😍 er hat immer eine zu große Klappe 😂 aber meist in den unpassenden Situationen.. und in welche Tiere er sich verwandelt 😂 ein Nilpferd mit Röckchen so witzig! Der Schreibstil ist super 👍🏻
⚠️Achtung Spoiler ⚠️
Das der Ring von Salomon eigentlich ein schrecklicher Fluch war mir von Anfang an klar.. so große Macht hat immer seinen Preis! Das das der Ring einen so auslaugt das man schneller stirbt.. schon heftig. Irgendwie mag ich König Salomon 🙈 schade das der Ring nicht zerstört wurde.. aber ein schönes Ende!
⚠️Achtung Spoiler ⚠️
Das der Ring von Salomon eigentlich ein schrecklicher Fluch war mir von Anfang an klar.. so große Macht hat immer seinen Preis! Das das der Ring einen so auslaugt das man schneller stirbt.. schon heftig. Irgendwie mag ich König Salomon 🙈 schade das der Ring nicht zerstört wurde.. aber ein schönes Ende!
February 20, 2013
Barty kembaliiiiii…
Yah, sebenarnya tidak tepat juga dibilang ‘kembali’, karena cerita ini berlatar tahun 950 SM, jauh sebelum Cerita Barty dan Nathaniel di tiga buku sebelumnya.
Alkisah, Barty diperbudak oleh Ezekiel, yang merupakan salah satu penyihir kepercayaan Raja Solomon. Si Barty ditugaskan mencari barang berharga dari Eridu untuk dibawa ke Masternya, sialnya ketika Barty telah melaksanakan tugasnya, eh si Master mati karena ternyata ada jebakan di dalam patung yang dibawa Barty.
Begitu tahu bahwa seorang penyihirnya mati karena kelakuan Jin, Solomon marah dan menyuruh Khaba, penyihirnya yang lain, memberi pelajaran kepada jin level empat itu. Nah, seperti budaknya yang lain, Si Barty diperintahkan untuk ikut kerja dalam pembangunan istana bagi Raja Solomon. Syaratnya mereka tidak boleh menggunakan sihir dan pekerjaannya harus dilakukan seperti kecepatan manusia biasa. Dan jelas bukan Barty donk namanya kalau selalu nurut sama Masternya, si Barty ketahuan menggunakan sihir tepat saat Solomon lagi melakukan sidak di lokasi pembangunan.
Khaba yang kemudian dimarahi oleh Solomon, ia tidak ditugaskan membangun istana lagi tetapi menyelidiki serangan-serangan yang sering dialami kafilah kafilah pedagang. Mereka dirampok dan kabarnya Si Pelaku menggunakan Jin dan makhluk-makhluk gaib.
Di tempat lain, Ratu Sheba sedang merancang rencana untuk membunuh Raja Solomon. Laki-laki itu telah meminta upeti yang banyak kepada kerajaannya, dan tentu saja Sheba tidak bisa memberikannya dengan mudah. Dipanggilah Asmira, seorang pendeta wanita yang juga merupakan orang kepercayaan Sheba. Asmira ditugaskan membunuh Solomon dan mengambil cincin berharga yang terkenal dimiliki Solomon. Cincin itu kabarnya memiliki kekuatan gaib yang paling gelap, karena merupakan portal menuju Dunia Lain, dan ada Sesuatu yang berkekuatan besar yang tersimpan di mata cincin.
Sebagai orang yang setia kepada Ratu, Asmira berangkat dari negerinya menuju Yerusalem ke kediaman Raja Solomon dengan tekad yang kuat, ia akan membunuh Raja itu bagaimanapun caranya. Di perjalanan, ia bertemu dengan Barty dan Faquarl yang sedang bertarung melawan demon yang menyerang dan merampok para pedagang. Asmira kemudian dibawa ke lingkungan istana bersama Khaba yang malah memudahkan rencananya membunuh Solomon. Sayangnya meski Asmira sudah berjanji akan mengusahakan kebebasan Barty dan Faquarl (yang sudha menolongnya dari jin-jin di gurun) tapi Khaba tidak rela melepaskan Barty begitu saja. Jin itu telah menimbulkan banyak masalah, sehingga alih alih ia malah dikurung di dalam botol.
Nasib sial dan petualangan tidak berhenti menghampiri Barty, ia kemudian malah terikat dengan Asmira dan terpaksa mencari cara membantu Asmira mencuri cincin Solomon. Apa jin level empat ini bisa melakukannya? Yah, ikuti saja petualangannya :D
Setelah bertaun-tahun saya menunggu lanjutan kisah Barty, akhirnya buku ini terbit juga (dan akhirnya melowong-lowongkan waktu untuk membacanya). Barty masih sama kocaknya, masih dengan humor sarkastiknya, masih seenak egonya sendiri.
Ketika iring-iringan kerajaan itu berkelontang menghampiri kami, .., rekan –rekan kerjaku sudah aman berada dalam samaran tubuh manusia lagi….. Dan aku? Aku masih berbentuk kuda nil kerdil mengenakan rok, menyanyikan lagu-lagu….dan melemparkan batu raksasa… - Bartimaeus, Hal. 145
“Lagi pula, kalau kau akan tewas dengan cara mengerikan, sebaiknya kau mati dengan bergaya.” – Bartimaeus, Hal. 333
“Sang ratu bukan orang yang tidak berperasaan,” Seru gadis itu. “ Dia hampir menangis ketika mengirimku---“
“Ke sini untuk mati,” aku menyelesaikan.” Kau tidak bisa melihat apa yang ada di depan hidungmu, ya?” – Bartimaues, Hal. 356
Membaca buku ini seperti kangen-kangenan sama Barty, sayangnya ketika lembar terakhir ditutup lha kok saya malah makin kangen sama Barty lagi? >_<
Bagaimana tidak, kalau dulu kan memang maish ada gossip bahwa Barty bakal ada satu buku lagi, tapi kalau yang Cincin Solomon ini, jelas ini adalah buku terakhirnya.. Jadi wajar donk perpisahannya lebih berat? :D
Munculnya tokoh Asmira berbeda dnegan Nathaniel, sifat keduanya juga berbeda, mungkin karena saya terbiasa menghubungkan Barty dengan Nat, sehingga ketika membuat ikatan baru antara Barty dengan Asmira malah membuat saya bosan. Rasanya Cuma pingin teriak, “Jangan banyak banyak ambil porsi ceritanya Barty dooonk.”
Asmira sendiri memang dikisahkan cukup sempurna, ia cantik, pintar bertarung, dapat menggunakan sihir (meski masih pemula),tapi ia ceroboh dan keras kepala. Yah, sebelas dua belas lah sama kerasnya si Barty XD
Sewaktu menunggu buku ini diterjemahkan di Indonesia, saya sempat membeli dan membaca beberapa karya Stroud lainnya, seperti The Leap, Herroes of the Valley dan The Last Siege (yang kesemuanya juga diterbitkan Gramedia), tapi karena semua tokohnya berbeda jauh dengan Barty, saya merasa ada yang kurang. Yah, buat saya Bartimaeus adalah salah satu tokoh cerita fantasi yang selalu diharapkan kehadirannya terutama bagi mereka yang sudah jatuh hati dengan ‘sarkasme’nya yang ngga abis abis.
Belum baca bukunya? Saran saya beli deh dari seri 1-4, jadi kalau kangen Barty, baca lagi aja buku-bukunya, barengan sama saya. :D
Yah, sebenarnya tidak tepat juga dibilang ‘kembali’, karena cerita ini berlatar tahun 950 SM, jauh sebelum Cerita Barty dan Nathaniel di tiga buku sebelumnya.
Alkisah, Barty diperbudak oleh Ezekiel, yang merupakan salah satu penyihir kepercayaan Raja Solomon. Si Barty ditugaskan mencari barang berharga dari Eridu untuk dibawa ke Masternya, sialnya ketika Barty telah melaksanakan tugasnya, eh si Master mati karena ternyata ada jebakan di dalam patung yang dibawa Barty.
Begitu tahu bahwa seorang penyihirnya mati karena kelakuan Jin, Solomon marah dan menyuruh Khaba, penyihirnya yang lain, memberi pelajaran kepada jin level empat itu. Nah, seperti budaknya yang lain, Si Barty diperintahkan untuk ikut kerja dalam pembangunan istana bagi Raja Solomon. Syaratnya mereka tidak boleh menggunakan sihir dan pekerjaannya harus dilakukan seperti kecepatan manusia biasa. Dan jelas bukan Barty donk namanya kalau selalu nurut sama Masternya, si Barty ketahuan menggunakan sihir tepat saat Solomon lagi melakukan sidak di lokasi pembangunan.
Khaba yang kemudian dimarahi oleh Solomon, ia tidak ditugaskan membangun istana lagi tetapi menyelidiki serangan-serangan yang sering dialami kafilah kafilah pedagang. Mereka dirampok dan kabarnya Si Pelaku menggunakan Jin dan makhluk-makhluk gaib.
Di tempat lain, Ratu Sheba sedang merancang rencana untuk membunuh Raja Solomon. Laki-laki itu telah meminta upeti yang banyak kepada kerajaannya, dan tentu saja Sheba tidak bisa memberikannya dengan mudah. Dipanggilah Asmira, seorang pendeta wanita yang juga merupakan orang kepercayaan Sheba. Asmira ditugaskan membunuh Solomon dan mengambil cincin berharga yang terkenal dimiliki Solomon. Cincin itu kabarnya memiliki kekuatan gaib yang paling gelap, karena merupakan portal menuju Dunia Lain, dan ada Sesuatu yang berkekuatan besar yang tersimpan di mata cincin.
Sebagai orang yang setia kepada Ratu, Asmira berangkat dari negerinya menuju Yerusalem ke kediaman Raja Solomon dengan tekad yang kuat, ia akan membunuh Raja itu bagaimanapun caranya. Di perjalanan, ia bertemu dengan Barty dan Faquarl yang sedang bertarung melawan demon yang menyerang dan merampok para pedagang. Asmira kemudian dibawa ke lingkungan istana bersama Khaba yang malah memudahkan rencananya membunuh Solomon. Sayangnya meski Asmira sudah berjanji akan mengusahakan kebebasan Barty dan Faquarl (yang sudha menolongnya dari jin-jin di gurun) tapi Khaba tidak rela melepaskan Barty begitu saja. Jin itu telah menimbulkan banyak masalah, sehingga alih alih ia malah dikurung di dalam botol.
Nasib sial dan petualangan tidak berhenti menghampiri Barty, ia kemudian malah terikat dengan Asmira dan terpaksa mencari cara membantu Asmira mencuri cincin Solomon. Apa jin level empat ini bisa melakukannya? Yah, ikuti saja petualangannya :D
Setelah bertaun-tahun saya menunggu lanjutan kisah Barty, akhirnya buku ini terbit juga (dan akhirnya melowong-lowongkan waktu untuk membacanya). Barty masih sama kocaknya, masih dengan humor sarkastiknya, masih seenak egonya sendiri.
Ketika iring-iringan kerajaan itu berkelontang menghampiri kami, .., rekan –rekan kerjaku sudah aman berada dalam samaran tubuh manusia lagi….. Dan aku? Aku masih berbentuk kuda nil kerdil mengenakan rok, menyanyikan lagu-lagu….dan melemparkan batu raksasa… - Bartimaeus, Hal. 145
“Lagi pula, kalau kau akan tewas dengan cara mengerikan, sebaiknya kau mati dengan bergaya.” – Bartimaeus, Hal. 333
“Sang ratu bukan orang yang tidak berperasaan,” Seru gadis itu. “ Dia hampir menangis ketika mengirimku---“
“Ke sini untuk mati,” aku menyelesaikan.” Kau tidak bisa melihat apa yang ada di depan hidungmu, ya?” – Bartimaues, Hal. 356
Membaca buku ini seperti kangen-kangenan sama Barty, sayangnya ketika lembar terakhir ditutup lha kok saya malah makin kangen sama Barty lagi? >_<
Bagaimana tidak, kalau dulu kan memang maish ada gossip bahwa Barty bakal ada satu buku lagi, tapi kalau yang Cincin Solomon ini, jelas ini adalah buku terakhirnya.. Jadi wajar donk perpisahannya lebih berat? :D
Munculnya tokoh Asmira berbeda dnegan Nathaniel, sifat keduanya juga berbeda, mungkin karena saya terbiasa menghubungkan Barty dengan Nat, sehingga ketika membuat ikatan baru antara Barty dengan Asmira malah membuat saya bosan. Rasanya Cuma pingin teriak, “Jangan banyak banyak ambil porsi ceritanya Barty dooonk.”
Asmira sendiri memang dikisahkan cukup sempurna, ia cantik, pintar bertarung, dapat menggunakan sihir (meski masih pemula),tapi ia ceroboh dan keras kepala. Yah, sebelas dua belas lah sama kerasnya si Barty XD
Sewaktu menunggu buku ini diterjemahkan di Indonesia, saya sempat membeli dan membaca beberapa karya Stroud lainnya, seperti The Leap, Herroes of the Valley dan The Last Siege (yang kesemuanya juga diterbitkan Gramedia), tapi karena semua tokohnya berbeda jauh dengan Barty, saya merasa ada yang kurang. Yah, buat saya Bartimaeus adalah salah satu tokoh cerita fantasi yang selalu diharapkan kehadirannya terutama bagi mereka yang sudah jatuh hati dengan ‘sarkasme’nya yang ngga abis abis.
Belum baca bukunya? Saran saya beli deh dari seri 1-4, jadi kalau kangen Barty, baca lagi aja buku-bukunya, barengan sama saya. :D
October 17, 2016
Bartimaeus is in trouble with a powerful king, and is put with a harsh master, who he soon also annoys. When he is set out on a dangerous mission, he meets a girl who offers to try to get his freedom. He knows she is hiding something, but he goes with her. She eventually becomes his new master, but he is on a mission that will most likely result in death for her and Bartimaes the djinni, leaving Bartimeaus with a new goal of not dying.
This book takes place many years before the Bartimaeus Trilogy, and is full of action.
This book takes place many years before the Bartimaeus Trilogy, and is full of action.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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