Got me reading again!
I picked this up in the $3 bin at my local Big Lots. Let me tell you, I was a ravenous fantasy/sci fi reader in my teens about 20 years ago, and then suddenly I just quit. I was sick of the same old plots and bad writing. Since then, I've read maybe 2 books cover to cover. When I found this in the cheap bin at Big Lots, I thought it a bit dubious, but when I started reading, the old excitement of reading returned to me again!
Stroud has created a very believable universe where magic exists, but is only wielded by the demons who are enslaved by the upper class of humans, namely magicians. The main characters are well developed and have faults. Very human in character, expecially the non humans, such as Bartimaeus, one of the main characters. He's quirky, funny, and well, pretty much helpless when it comes to his situation, but his trials and tribulations make you really root for him and ultimately leads to redemption for the other characters in the book, but only after one really messy situation after another! This is definitely NOT your typical "Mary Sue" type of story. Excellent and very believable bad guys suck you into the plot quite effectively.
I definitely would recommend this whole trilogy to any fantasy fan. I've actually come to replace my paperback copies with hardback editions. I hope the next read is as enjoyable. I hear good things about Artemis Fowl. Perhaps I'll give that a try.
