The Bartimaeus Trilogy

Today's quick scribble comes courtesy of idly doodling something based on the cover illustration by David Wyatt for The Amulet of Samarkand the first book in the The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. Obviously I would think he took a little more time over his illustration than the half an hour I was idly moving the pen around the paper as a break from reading the second book in the trilogy.

I could be described as a voracious reader and cannot pass a book shop without entering to browse with the inevitable result that I always leave with new books to join the soon to be read pile. I totally loose myself in books. I find it very difficult to put a book down once I have started reading and while those pages are open I am totally immersed in the characters, time, place and situation of that book.

I still find myself delighted by children's books. In adventures and worlds inhabited by demons, vampires, dragons and the whole host of characters that constitute the world of fantasy literature. Yup, I am still pretty much a big kid. Out of this years kids reads there are a number of books that stand out as great reads: The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness - Wolf Brother and Spirit Walker by Michelle Paver,  Dragon Rider, Inkheart and in the to be read pile Inkspell by Cornelia Funk, Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini, The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill. The latest read has been the first two books in The Bartimaeus Trilogy - The Amulet of Samarkand and The Golem's Eye with the third book Ptolemy's gate sitting in the to be read pile as the next read once I have finished the last few pages in The Golem's Eye.

The books in The Bartimaeus Trilogy have proved to be very hard to put down. Set in a modern day but Dickenesque feeling world with the upper classes and society dominated and ruled by wizards and the lower classes consisting of anyone without magical ability. Unlike the world of Harry Potter though this is a wizard class whose source of power rests in the ability to summon demons through rituals to do their bidding. A world of internal struggle and maneuvers in the halls of government and of struggle to overcome oppression in the world of the commoners. A world of international power plays and empire, history having been shaped by the governments with the most powerful wizards and powerful demons to carry out their bidding. The sarcastic rhetoric of Bartimaeus captured as foot notes directed as a one to one conversation with the reader is a great touch to an already great read. The only shame is the lack of illustrations. These books cry out for and would lend themselves so well to ink illustrations. The kind of Illustrations that grace the pages of The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. Yes I am biased, to me there is nothing that can better fine ink illustrations, I grew up reading books graced with them and still search out books that contain them.

Anyway, that is a long enough post the gist of which was go read the Bartimaeus Trilogy and someone tell Jonathan Stroud that the books need re-releasing with illustrations!

The Technical Bit.

Fountain Pen on Cartridge Paper.

Comments

[Caroline]

Strange... the smile on this monster reminds me of your teddy bear in the IF below...

I love books too and live near a great Amnesty charity book shop which means I have every excuse to buy more books!

Have you read the Unlikely Exploits series by Philip Ardagh? I liked the first one best.

[Charlie]

Hi Caroline,

no I haven't read the Unlikely Exploits series, I will have to check them out.

[Imke]

Hello!
I read your blog about the trilogy bartimaeus.
did the third book already appear in english? If yes, I envy you because I live in germany and I cant read the book in english. I tried to but its really hard to understand it.
And you know inkheart from cornelia funke? shes a german author.
I started reading it in german but it was so boring that i bought it n english to make it more interesting.
Now I've finished and I love it. I just read the second book "tintenblut" how it is called in german.
lots of love, a german girl! ;)
P.S. I like your pics, theyre really wonderful. please go on with drawing tem!! ^^

[George]

Awsome. The Bartimaeus trilogy is cool. I thought too that it was different from Harry Potter :)

cooool

[Luis]

Kinda disappointing sketch,although I do love the Bartimaeus Trilogy.Jonathan Stroud should go on and write that Bartimaeus "Bible" of his.

Still,who's this anyway,Bartimaeus in Gargoyle form?I must admit I love your work,but this quick doodle doesn't give him enough justice,he looks like an imp.

Weird that I found someone else who likes the Inheritance Trilogy AND the Bartimeus Trilogy.Update the site more,Charlie!