Bartimaeus: The Ring of Solomon

Expectant fans of the previous Bartimaeus trilogy, which sold over half a million copies in Britain alone, have had to wait five years for a further instalment. But they will not be disappointed, since this latest story about the continually complaining djinn has all the brio, humour and quick-moving adventures that readers have so enjoyed before. This time the story goes back three thousand years to an age of mighty magicians and restless demons all conspiring to get hold of King Solomon’s Ring. While Bartimaeus remains his old vain, scheming self, he is forced to reveal his better side due to his unlikely alliance with Asmira, an innocent servant at the court of Queen Sheba sent out on what everyone else realises is a suicide mission. Stroud manages to keep the tension going throughout while never giving up on accompanying fun and games, with Bartimaeus’s cryptic footnotes as witty and cynical as ever. In terms of sheer unadulterated entertainment, this novel is hard if not impossible to beat. If you have not read any of the previous stories, start on this one and then recommend it to all your friends. It is as good as that.