Nathaniel is a magician's apprentice taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a
devious hot-shot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of his
elders Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss.
With revenge on his mind he summons the powerful djinni Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus
and controlling him are two different things entirely and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out
to steal Lovelace's greatest treasure the Amulet of Samarkand he finds himself caught up in a
whirlwind of magical espionage murder and rebellion.
