The crafty djinni introduced in The Amulet of Samarkand (2003), the first volume of Jonathan Stroud's "Bartimaeus" trilogy, is back-and he's as cheeky as ever. In this stand-alone prequel (2010, both Hyperion), set 3,000 years before the trilogy takes place, Bartimaeus, the servant of the Queen of Sheba's chief guard, inadvertently becomes involved in saving the country from King Solomon. The wisecracking djinni's droll asides provide plenty of laughs in this spellbinding fantasy. British actor Simon Jones's narration is marvelous, and he clearly revels in Bartimaeus's plummy dialogue. Jones's wonderful sense of timing gives listeners the opportunity to enjoy this richly rendered adventure. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(Fantasy. YA)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Bartimaeus, the wisecracking djinni, returns in a prequel to his earlier adventures that began with The Amulet of Samarkand (rev. 11/03). This time he is bound into slavery to one of the evil magicians in King Solomon's court. Meanwhile, the queen of Sheba refuses Solomon's marriage proposal and, in retribution, the apparent tyrant threatens her kingdom with immediate destruction. Asmira, the queen's most trusted guard, is sent to Jerusalem on a desperate errand: to assassinate Solomon and capture his legendary ring, the source of his enormous power. As the plot wends its way to the end, Asmira comes to realize that her blind obedience to the queen is just as confining as any form of slavery. Stroud has crafted a worthy companion to the Bartimaeus trilogy, keeping what worked (the snarky first-person voice, the labyrinthine plotting) but adding enough new elements (the world of the ancient Hebrews and the characters that populate it) to keep it as inventive and satisfying as the previous books. So rarely do humor and plot come together in such equally strong measures that we can only hope for more adventures. jonathan hunt (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In this exciting prequel set in ancient Israel, Stroud presents an early adventure of his sharp-tongued djinn, Bartimaeus. King Solomon has risen to greatness due to the unparalleled power of his magical ring, but having had his marriage proposal rejected by the queen of Sheba, he now appears to be threatening her kingdom with destruction. Young Asmira, the fiery captain of the queen's hereditary guard, is sent to Jerusalem to assassinate the great king and steal the ring. Meanwhile, Bartimaeus, as sardonic, egotistical, and mouthy as ever, perfectly capable of "devouring [an] old magician and departing his tower with a burp and a smile," is currently controlled by the wicked Khaba, one of Solomon's court wizards, and is bitterly unhappy with his lot. When djinn and would-be assassin team up, complex court intrigues come to light and spectacular magics are unleashed. Although the Jerusalem of 950 B.C.E. is not quite as enthralling as was the London of the original trilogy, this is a superior fantasy that should have fans racing back to those books. Ages 10-up. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

*Starred Review* Called a Bartimaeus Novel, Stroud's latest opens in a time and place (950 BCE Jerusalem) so far removed from the nineteenth-century British setting of the self-contained Bartimaeus trilogy that even the word prequel overstates the connection. Still, one unforgettable character from the trilogy energizes the current book as well. After outwitting and slaying his master in the opening chapters here, the mouthy, sardonic djinni named Bartimaeus is summoned to the service of yet another magician from King Solomon's court. Meanwhile, across the desert in Sheba, a young royal guard called Asmira embarks on a dangerous quest, hoping to save the queen and their land by stealing King Solomon's ring. Although Stroud's writing is never less than inventive and entertaining, the first 100-page section feels like a prelude to the rest of the novel, which takes off when idealistic Asmira encounters jaded Bartimaeus and they begin to make their way toward Solomon and his ring of power. The climactic scenes hold surprises for the reader as well as the characters. As in the trilogy, some chapters are related in third person, while others are narrated by Bartimaeus, and the latter chapters often include informative and amusing footnotes in his distinctive voice. A riveting adventure for Bartimaeus fans, old and new.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist