Samarkand amulet

Author: (British) Jonathan Stroud
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Jonathan Stroud, a renowned British writer. This talented author began writing at the age of seven and later became an editor of children's literature, spending most of his time writing for children. His creation, The Amulet of Samarkand, was published in the UK and the US in October 2003 and has since sold rights to over twenty countries, causing a sensation in the global publishing industry. Traditional fantasy novels are often observed from a human perspective, where readers follow the protagonist into a non-realistic magical world and judge based on their own values. In contrast, the same fantasy-themed novel, The Amulet of Samarkand, presents the human world from the perspective of a monster, allowing readers not only to enjoy the reading experience but also to gain a pair of calm eyes to examine, critique, and even reflect.
Bartyrimes, a mid-level demon from another world, has lived for 5,010 years. Even as an ancient demon, he is subject to human control: anyone who masters the summoning spell, regardless of age or character, can summon him. Nathaniel is a young boy who can summon Bartyrimes. He is only 12 years old, an age when children usually coddle their parents at home, but Nathaniel has no one to coddle because he was abandoned by his parents at birth and adopted by his mentor. Such a child is marked differently from birth. He is willful, lonely, arrogant, and vengeful, struggling to get along with others and cooperate. However, he has two people in his life who he loves and trusts—his tutor and his mentor's wife. If these two gentle women could stay by his side for a long time, perhaps they could awaken the tenderness in his heart, but he loses them. Thus, he begins to act, determined to steal the Amulet of Samarkand and use it to take revenge on all those who have caused him pain.
Demons, once summoned, must serve their masters, and Bartyrimes is no exception. However, Bartyrimes refuses to be controlled by Nathaniel and prefers to return to his demon world, as he maintains the dignity of a demon. Yet, Nathaniel is relentless in his pursuit. "Even the mightiest demons are servants of the magicians." With his own wit and cunning, Bartyrimes manages to steal the rare Amulet of Samarkand for Nathaniel. Unbeknownst to them, this amulet brings them unimaginable danger. To uncover the conspiracy behind the amulet, the nine days they spend together form a strange, yet intertwined relationship of hatred and dependence between the child and the demon. When Nathaniel loses everything in a disaster, his words reveal the desperate reliance of a helpless child on the demon. Meanwhile, as Bartyrimes saves Nathaniel, he seems to develop a touch of sympathy, as well as the care and concern of an elder for the young.
In Jonathan Stroud's Amulet of Samarkand, Bartyrimes is an oddity among demons—he doesn’t like eating humans and has always loved a deceased Egyptian boy named Ptolemy, even though it has been centuries since his death. Bartyrimes often takes on his appearance to comfort himself with deep longing. All these unusual traits make Bartyrimes seem more humanized, as a thousand years of experience have softened even a demon. Meanwhile, when a soul is filled only with desire and ambition, even a 12-year-old child can become ruthless. At the same time, Bartyrimes possesses a millennium of human experience, giving him ample reason to judge the world. Bartyrimes also has a calm and rational perspective, mocking his master—Nathaniel—with a teasing tone as he lightly recounts the dialogues between humans and demons.
The UK is a highly developed country in the field of best-selling children's books, with works like Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh, Rowling's Harry Potter series, and Dahl's The Witches being both bestsellers and classics. Jonathan Stroud's Amulet of Samarkand, however, turns the perspective of the monster to reflect the human world and society, undoubtedly opening a new window for the fantasy children's book world.
A vengeful teenager, a wise demon, and the ever-changing nature of humanity
●A completely new magical world, completely different from Harry Potter
●Exciting and thrilling content, unique and refreshing in concept
●Already sold over 300,000 copies in neighboring Japan, topping the bestseller list
●Miramax has purchased the film adaptation and broadcasting rights for The Amulet of Samarkand
After the supernatural friends Bartyrimes and Nathaniel meet, the world is vastly different—Bartyrimes is a mid-level demon who has lived for 5,010 years; Nathaniel is a young magician, a 12-year-old boy. One day, Bartyrimes is summoned to his demon world by Nathaniel, with only one purpose—to steal the Amulet of Samarkand. Why is Nathaniel so eager to summon a demon? Can he control Bartyrimes? Why does he go to such lengths to steal the amulet? What secrets does the amulet hide? Why is Bartyrimes chased by so many people when stealing the amulet? There seems to be a conspiracy behind it. Why do Nathaniel and Bartyrimes feel restless day and night after obtaining the amulet? Did they give up the amulet? Has the truth been revealed? Why is it said that humans are more terrifying than demons? The truth is best left unsaid. But the conclusion will undoubtedly leave you stunned: the thousand-year-old demon Bartyrimes astonishingly discovers that humans are the real demons!
This book is the first in the Bartyrimes trilogy. Soon after its publication, it was snapped up by over twenty countries for rights acquisition. Miramax has purchased the film rights, and upon its release in Japan, it sold 300,000 copies, capturing the attention and affection of readers worldwide.