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 novel The Amulet of Samarkand has caused a sensation in the global publishing industry since its release in October 2003 in the UK and the US, with its copyright sold to over twenty countries. Traditional fantasy novels often observe the world of monsters or demons from a human perspective—the readers follow the protagonist into a non-realistic fantasy world and judge it with their own values. In contrast, the same fantasy-themed novel The Amulet of Samarkand reflects the human world from the perspective of a monster, allowing readers not only to enjoy the reading experience as usual 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 stubborn, lonely, arrogant, and vengeful, struggling to get along with and cooperate with others. However, he has two people he truly loves and trusts in his life—his tutor and his mentor's wife. If these two gentle women had stayed by his side for a long time, perhaps they could have awakened the tenderness in his heart, but he lost them. Thus, he begins to act, determined to steal the Amulet of Samarkand and use it to take revenge on everyone who has caused him pain.
Once summoned, a demon must serve its master, and Bartyrimes is no exception. However, Bartyrimes refuses to be controlled by Nathaniel and prefers to return to his demon world, as he retains the dignity of a demon. Yet, Nathaniel is relentless in his pursuit. "Even the mightiest demon is a servant of the wizard." With his wit and cunning, Bartyrimes manages to steal the rare Amulet of Samarkand for Nathaniel. Unbeknownst to them, this amulet brings unimaginable danger to both of them. To uncover the conspiracy behind the amulet, over the course of nine days, an extraordinary yet hostile relationship forms between the child and the demon, marked by mutual hatred and dependence.
When Nathaniel loses everything in a disaster, his words reveal the desperate reliance of a lonely and 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 a younger one. In Jonathan Stroud's portrayal, Bartyrimes is an unconventional demon—he doesn't like eating people and has always loved a deceased Egyptian boy named Ptolemy, even though it has been centuries since his death. Bartyrimes often transforms into his appearance to console himself with deep longing. All these unconventional 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 incredibly cruel. At the same time, Bartyrimes possesses a thousand years of human experience, giving him ample reason to judge the world. Bartyrimes also has a calm and rational perspective, using it to mock 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 Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, and Roald Dahl's The Witches being both bestsellers and classics. Jonathan Stroud's The Amulet of Samarkand, however, turns the perspective of the demon 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 fantasy world, unlike Harry Potter
●Exciting and thrilling content, with a unique and refreshing 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