The Amulet of Samarkand: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1

Nathaniel is eleven-years-old and a magician's apprentice, learning the traditional art of magic.

All is well until he has a life-changing encounter with Simon Lovelace, a magician of unrivaled ruthlessness and ambition.

When Lovelace brutally humiliates Nathaniel in public, Nathaniel decides to speed up his education, teaching himself spells far beyond his years.

With revenge on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all and summons Bartimaeus, a five-thousand-year-old djinni, to assist him.