L'amulette de Samarcande

The Amulet of Samarkand is a children's novel of alternate history, fantasy and magic. It is the first book in the Bartimaeus trilogy written by English author Jonathan Stroud. First edition (paperback) was published in Sept. 2003 by Doubleday in the United Kingdom. The book and series are about power struggles in a magical dystopia centred in London, England featuring a mix of current and ancient, secular and mythological themes. It is well known for its liberal use of footnotes to voice the lead character's sarcastic comments, as well as story background. The book is named for a magical artifact created in the ancient Asian city of Samarkand, around which the story revolves.