The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

Amazon.com

Due to the success of his first campaign involving the Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel, now fourteen, has been appointed the youngest representative ever to the Office of Internal Affairs, and has been devising traps to capture members of the Resistance--a secretive group of commoners who are determined to undermine the ruling class of magicians. When a magic-sapping Golem's surprise first attack is labeled an act of Resistance terrorism, Nathaniel reluctantly summons Bartimaeus for help. Meanwhile, a zealous young member of the Resistance, Kitty Jones, is planning to rob the sacred tomb of the great magician Gladstone, and turn the power of his buried magical instruments against the spell makers. The towering clay Golem and its shadowy master unites the destinies of Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, and Kitty together in one fateful night--unfortunately, that night is much too slow in coming. Stroud's second book is far too long and gloomy, focusing more on the priggish Nathaniel and wronged Kitty than the dijinni readers have come to adore. Fans of Jonathan Stroud's breakout hit, The Amulet of Samarkand, may be a little disappointed to discover that Bartimaeus features so little his second book. While Stroud cleverly uses the class war between the ruling magicians and the disgruntled commoners as a metaphor for current political and social clashes, the text suffers overall from a lack of the dijinni's famous facetious footnotes. Avid fans are left skimming the slow parts and hoping that when Bartimaeus escapes his servile bonds he will be given more space to make them laugh. --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Due to the success of his first campaign involving theAmulet of Samarkand,Nathaniel, now fourteen, has been appointed the youngest representative ever to the Office of Internal Affairs, and has been devising traps to capture members of the Resistance--a secretive group of commoners who are determined to undermine the ruling class of magicians. When a magic-sapping Golem's surprise first attack is labeled an act of Resistance terrorism, Nathaniel reluctantly summons Bartimaeus for help. Meanwhile, a zealous young member of the Resistance, Kitty Jones, is planning to rob the sacred tomb of the great magician Gladstone, and turn the power of his buried magical instruments against the spell makers. The towering clay Golem and its shadowy master unites the destinies of Nathaniel, Bartimaeus, and Kitty together in one fateful night--unfortunately, that night is much too slow in coming. Stroud's second book is far too long and gloomy, focusing more on the priggish Nathaniel and wronged Kitty than the dijinni readers have come to adore. Fans of Jonathan Stroud's breakout hit, The Amulet of Samarkand, may be a little disappointed to discover that Bartimaeus features so little his second book. While Stroud cleverly uses the class war between the ruling magicians and the disgruntled commoners as a metaphor for current political and social clashes, the text suffers overall from a lack of the dijinni's famous facetious footnotes. Avid fans are left skimming the slow parts and hoping that when Bartimaeus escapes his servile bonds he will be given more space to make them laugh. --Jennifer Hubert

Customer Reviews:

Amulet of Samarkand and the Golem's Eye.......2007-09-19

So I met Jonathan Stroud last Friday, author of the Bartimaeus triology, of which the first two are out: "The Amulet of Samarkand" and "The Golem's Eye." He came to the bookstore I work at in Petaluma, Copperfield's, and was pretty entertaining. He was the classic English guy writing about a doomed England of magic and magicians and the regular people known as "commoners": average English accent from near London area with some clipped Cockney when speaking, but when reading clear, upper class southern England accent; a very ordinary looking guy in a t-shirt and slacks, totally unassuming and seemingly unaware that he's a big famous author who's growing and growing in notoriety.
I was talking to him about how I really liked that in his fantasy books involving magicians being separate and higher in social stature than ordinary people like you and me, Stroud pays more attention to what is happening socially with the paradigm, than just telling a story about a hot-shot wizard doing great things. And he seemed happy to know that I had spotted this in his books. That they took a different direction to most of the kids fantasy books out today involving the Harry Potter character, which has now practically become an archetype.

In the world of the Bartimaeus triolgy, magicians don't actually have that much power. They have all their control and magic from summoning djinn from another world and using them to do magical things, and all the summoning of imps, djinn, and higher level afrits is done through reading incantations from books. So in this world, the magicians really don't have that much power. The magicians control the entire government from Parliament to the prime minister.

And then you have the ordinary people, the "commoners" who are a subjugated people who work in factories and any and all jobs that involve labor. And are meek and always do as they are told, and it comes off as an almost Orwellian distopia. Except there are a few that somehow possess some ability to take attacks from magicians and djinn and not be killed by them and that they are able to see on multiple planes. There are seven planes, humans can only see on the first, and magicians with the aid of lenses can see the first three, while the djinn and afrits are on all seven planes. And this group are known as the "Resistance," as they try to overthrow the magicians and take back control of the country.

And then there's the nebulous rest of Europe in which you have the east consisting mainly of the Czechs who are warring against the English and have been for a long time, but are now at truce.

So it's a very interesting world with lots going on instead of just some tough wizard kid fighting a bad guy. I recommend it to all who want to read a different kind of fantasy.

For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com

Intelligent Fantasy, but not really for kids.......2007-08-01

Stroud's series is not for people who like their fantasy simple. He lays out a complex multi-tiered world with good guys who aren't good, and bad guys who aren't all bad. The magic acts in the books are performed by a variety of demons and imps who are forced to do so at magicians' bidding, lest they be killed in punishment.

This is the 2nd in the trilogy, and holds its own very well. I plowed through this book in two days, and am eager to read the third one. Highly recommended, but really, I don't think it's for children.

A sequel that surpasses the original.......2007-06-01

This next book picks up a couple years after the first one ended. The young boy Nathaniel is no longer an apprentice magician, and is now a high level government official at the age [..].

(Which is the first problem with this book. In the first book Nathaniel was an [..]boy, and I thought his portrayal as an [..]boy was pretty believable. In this next book however I couldn't believe he is [..]. He acts like he's a [..]yuppie.)

In the first book, brief hints were given that this was a separate universe from our own, but now this second book were learn a lot more about the world the magicians inhabit. It turns out to be kind of a disutopia 1984 esque world in which the magicians rule everything and the common British people are forced to be subservient.

In addition to Nathaniel and the sarcastic Bartimaeus, this book focuses on Kitty Jones, a resistance fighter to the magicians rule. Kitty appeared briefly in the first book, but in this book we find out a lot more about her. In fact, because this book covers a lot of the narrative from Kitty's perspective, as well as going into all of Kitty's back story, this book is more about Kitty than Nathaniel and Bartimaeus.

Because all of Kitty's back story has to be told, it takes a while before the forward story gets going. But once all the elements are finally set up (about 300 pages into the book), then the story really gets going with a vengeance. Once the story finally got going, I enjoyed this book much more than the previous one.

Despite being a children's book, there is once again a high body count in this book (the standards must have changed since I was young). There is a scene in which the Resistance fighters are on a dangerous mission to rob a haunted tomb, and the author really does his best to draw out the suspense as long as he can. And because you know he's crazy enough to kill off some of these characters, it really does get suspenseful. I was completely hooked. And then when the trap finally does spring, the horrifying pay off is well worth the wait.

Although political movements in these kind of fantasy disutopia books tend to be mainly stock characters and plot devices, I thought the characters in the Resistance were all very life like and their internal dynamics and squabbling were very realistic and believable.

Refreshing type of fantasy book!.......2007-05-20

I wish Mr Stroud and other writers had more books like this. It's a fun read, as a few other readers mentioned it's not the often repeated Tolkien copied fantasy. The footnotes can make you laugh as he explains things as if they are truly for real and make perfect sense. The character development is excellent and you'll quickly feel a keen liking for some and a distinct dislike for others increasing your interest in the book. I rarely find myself wanting to stay up at night and read but this book did just that. I enjoyed this book more than the first which usually is not the case.

Enjoy!

The Golem's Eye.......2007-05-07

Nathaniel was your typical everyday young magician. He tried to summon monsters way beyond his level. But somehow, he managed a level five summoning. The creature he summoned was jinn named Bartimaeus. The first task for Bartimaus was to steal a rare jewel, named the Amulet of Sanarkand, which he did easily, but then there was a war. The owner of the jewel was killed after fighting the duo which afterwards the jewel was destroyed. This book is a great read that every teenage reader would enjoy.

The Golem's Eye had many interesting ideas that most books don'. For example, Nathaniel was a poor kid that was brought in by a wizard as his pupil. Though he was taught many things, Nathaniel always wanted more, so one day he summoned alone. He followed all the instructions he was taught and was able to summon jinn far beyond his power. But since he summoned him while in a very powerful circle, the jinn couldn't kill him and was bound by him until he was set free. Another example is that Nathaniel actually was respected by all members of Parliament and was considered to be a Member of Parliament.

This book also had many interesting names and characters. One such example is the powerful jinns Bartimaeus and Ptolemy. They each can see things most can't due to the fact they are creatures from the seventh plane of existence. Due to this, they can shape shift, cast powerful spells, and control other people. Another example is the young magician/Parliament member Nathaniel. In the first book of the series, he exceeded all limits and risked all he had. Though his master was surprised, he was also furious for young magicians should never summon without their master present. For if they do, they may use all of their life energy and die due to the fact that certain things cost too much to accomplish.

One last thing this book had was that the chapters were actually different people's story. For example, instead of chapter one or chapter two, it went Nathaniel and then Bateaus and went back and forth. For though summons were only creatures, they existed and had their own story to tell as well. And because of this unique layout, the reader is able to tell more things about the other people from each perspective.

All teenage readers who enjoy magical and fantasy related books would enjoy The Golem's Eye. If you like this book, read the first one called The Amulet of Sanrkand and the third one Ptolemy's Gate. This series will always renew the reader's spirit to want to stay up all night until the books are finished. Yes, it does have slow parts, but fantastic battles and scenes follow soon after.

N. Koester

Golem in the Gears (The Magic of Xanth, Book 9)

Average customer rating:

It Was Alright
One of my favorites!
I LOVE this book!!
Loved it and Hated it!
Fun Fantasy!

Golem in the Gears (The Magic of Xanth, Book 9)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345318862
Release Date: 1986-01-12

Book Description

Grundy Golem got no respect. So, to prove himself, he volunteered for a quest to find the long-lost dragon, Stanley Steamer. On the way, he somehow manages to free a damsel in distress-- but not without incurring the wrath of the Sea Hag in the process. And when it comes to avenging herself on Grundy, the Sea Hag will never give up....

Customer Reviews:

It Was Alright.......2005-03-31

I enjoyed the book quite a bit, however, there was one thing I disliked about it. This goes for most of this authors books, but the majority of the characters all have an above average intelligence. It just makes the characters lack diversity, as well as making the book seem less realistic, although it is a fantasy novel.

With the exception of my prior statment, the book was marvelous - I paticuarly liked how they made Grundy golem a main character this time, because in previous books the main characters always seemed to be Bink or some relative of his.

Over all, I think this is a good book if you are a fan of this author or this genere. Its not the best book of his I've read, but it was good.

One of my favorites!.......2004-02-12

I've read all of the books before this one, and I am starting on the next, Vale of the Vole. When Grundy went out in search of Stanley Steamer, I kept wondering if he would shoot his mouth off and get eaten by a neighboring creature. It didn't happen though. He did shoot his mouth off, but that's also what got him out of a whole mess of trouble. It was GREAT!!

I LOVE this book!!.......2003-01-11

Of all the Xanth novels, this one is my favorite. I liked Grundy from his first appearance in the series, and Piers Anthony has a way to make the characters seem very real and human where in many of the fantasy stories I have read, the characters are the steriotypical overly heroic hero and wimpy maiden (Which isn't always bad). I especially liked the romance in it, the Xanth novels turned me into a hopeless romantic when I was 11. This is a great Xanth book, with suspense, excitement, a great villian, and a "little" romance.

Loved it and Hated it!.......2002-01-29

When this book first came out I was really excited. Finally a Xanth book centering in Grundy. The little golem had been there insulting everyone right from the second book. He'd earned it!
But I should've known better than to get too worked up. In my excitement I'd forgotten one very important thing about Peirs Anthony - All his lead characters suck!
No matter what the book or who is leading it, he always manages to make them boring, thick headed and clumsy in every way possible. It's a pity because he has a lot of supporting characters that are great. But as soon as they take the position of main characters, they somehow turn into Bink clones.
I loved Grundy until this book. I loved his rudeness and total disrespect for people's feelings. But in this book he became a hero and it didn't suit him at all.
But there were good points.
The sweet little relationship between Grundy and Repunzel.
The fact that women weren't insulted as much as in the other Xanth books.

Ummm...That's it, I think. I'm all out of good things to say.
This book destroyed my favourite character but still manages to be one of the better Xanth books.

Fun Fantasy!.......2000-08-29

I love the Xanth series and this one remains my personal favorite. Grundy is a great, unlikely hero. The resident lilliputian smart-mouth of earlier Xanth novels, he shows us here us that wise-acres have feelings too, as he goes on a great quest that may or may not bring him true love.

The thing I like about Piers Anthony's Xanth series are the things its detractors hate about it: its pure whimsy and silliness. Modern fantasy can sometimes be grim and self-important, whereas a trip to Xanth is anything-can-happen day.

Amazon.com

Gershom Scholem, who died in 1982, remains the biggest gun in kabbalah scholarship, and On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism is perhaps his most accessible book on the subject. It contains definitive essays on the relation of the Torah to Jewish mysticism, the mythology of the kabbalah, and the place of Jewish mystics in the Jewish community. This book helped reinvigorate 20th-century Jewish studies with an awareness of the living reality of God, after the 19th century's more astringent scholarly emphasis on law and philosophy. It shows how Jewish mystics have been less concerned with adherence to orthodoxy than their Christian counterparts, and freer in their expression of the divine aspects of eroticism. Furthermore, Scholem offers great insight regarding the ways that kabbalah has not only threatened the authority of institutional religion, but also served as a source of its vitality. --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

In On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism, Gershom Scholem guides the reader through the central themes in the intricate history of the Kabbalah, clarifying the relations between mysticism and established religious authority, the mystics' interpretation of the Torah and their attempts to discover the hidden meaning underlying Scripture, the tension between the philosophical and the mystical concepts of God, and the symbolism employed in mystical religion.

Customer Reviews:

Mystical image of God in Divine Name.......2006-01-21

Many years ago, knowing that Jesus cannot be claimed by any subset of religions, I saw the pivotal events in his life graphically depicted in the original scripts of the Divine Names from the World Religions. I sometimes wondered if I was being too childish until I read in this book that the letters of the Divine Name form the mystical image of God.

Introdaction to Kabbalah.......2002-04-08

As it's titel, this book is a must book for every freshman student in Kabbalah & Jewish Mysticism (although not easy to read).But not only for freshmen. As a Ph.D student,I need to use this book & the other musterpiece works of Prof. Scholem. Although many criticism was written about Scholem's views (mainly by Prof. Idel & Prof. Libbes), his books & his other works are & will remaine the masterworks of the Kabbalah study.

kabbalah.......2001-09-10

I learned a great deal from Herr Doktor Gershom Scholem (1897-1982) through his text, "On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism". Dr Bernard McGinn, Divinity School, University of Chicago, wrote in the introduction, "I believe that all students of mysticism should read Scholem, not only for his profound insights into the Jewish mystical tradition, but also to deepen their understanding of the dynamics of other mysticisms -- Christian, Islamic, and even those further afield." Professor Scholem presents an historical perspective with the full knowledge that there are other approaches. "From an historical point of view", he writes, "the sum of religious phenomena known as mysticism consists in the attempts of mystics to communicate their experiences to others." Within this context, this text explores broad sweeping topics in each chapter -- topics that deservedly have receieved attention by intelligent scholars for centuries. In the first chapter, "Religious Authority and Mysticism" Herr Doktor Scholem presents a thesis fundamental to his research, "there is no mysticism as such, but only the mysticism of particular religious systems, Christian, Islamic and Jewish mysticism, and so on". The mystic working within a religious system is, according to Scholem, at the same time both conservative and revolutionary. "Conservative" because the mystic tries to preserve the sources of traditional authority, and "revolutionary" because the mystic also may subsititue his own opinion for that prescribed by authority. In the second chapter, titled, "The Meaning of the TORAH in Jewish Mysticism", Scholem explains the dynamic relationship between the TORAH and the mystic. Scholem presents three fundamental principles on which the Kabbaslistic conceptions of the nature of the TORAH are based: (1) YWVH; (2) TORAH as oganism; (3) Infinite meaning of the divine word. As an example of the third, in addition to the the concept of written and oral TORAHs, the author of the "ZOHAR" speculates four levels of meaning: (1) literal (2) hermeneutic (3) allegorical and (4) mystical. The history of Judaism, Scholem explains in the third chapter, is a tension between the purity of the reality of GOD. The dynamic involved is clearly presented in the realization that the price of GOD's purity is the loss of her living reality. Scholem offers that the Book Bahir, a cornerstone of 12th century Kabbalistic thought, introduces myth into Judaism. Remarkably, it contends evil as an attribute of GOD. In a similar vein, the commentary on the Sefer Yetzirah by Judah ben Barzilai introduced speculative thinking to Jewish theosophy. The fourth chapter, "Tradition and New Creation in the Ritual of the Kabbalists" presents a solution to a problem faced by each new generation. Namely, how are the traditions passed on in a vital and meaningful medium. The Mishnal codified Jewish religious law and ritual for an agrarian community had survived for centuries. As the agrarian society diminished, the TORAH became obsolete and the natural rituals became less meaningful, historical rituals. The Spanish Kabbalists found a new ritual to express the old traditions. Scholem writes, "The rejuvenation of religion repeatedly finds its expression in a return to ancient images and symbols, even when these are 'spiritualized' and transformed into speculative constructions." R. Yanassan Gershom has already succinctly summarised the fifth chapter which deals with the concept of the Golem. I will take the liberty to direct you to his comments. If you are interested in historical issues of the Kabbalah, this is essential reading for you.

Historical view of Kabbalah.......2001-08-05

Speaking mainly in a historical sense, the author discusses many of the concepts that have developed in the study of Kabbalah. The concepts are not written about to be understood, only where they have developed. The author presents his material in a very objective way without any noticeable bias toward one system or another. Don't expect to walk away from this and be on the road to enlightenment. However, with that said, I do think it is important to the student of Kabbalah to understand the roots of the matter. This book does nicely in this respect. One should not start on the mystic road unless one knows who cleared the trees and laid the gravel.

Excellent Intro to Jewish mysticism.......2000-03-31

This book is a reprint of the now-classic work that was first published by Scholem in the 1960's, and still an excellent intro today. Not a "New Age" work by any means, Professor Scholem's book takes an academic (but readable) approach to such questions as: The meaning of Torah in Jewish mysticism, the nature and purpose of kabbalistic rituals, religious authority vs. mysticism, etc. Of special interest is the chapter, "The Idea of the Golem," which presents the theory that, contrary to popular folklore, the Golem was not some sort of physical automaton. Rather, it was a group exercise in meditative visualization!

Average customer rating:

Sanitized
a little intense for the younger ones - a poingant and moving story
Poignant
Sad and Somber
A clay man in Prague

Golem (Caldecott Medal Book)
David Wisniewski
Manufacturer: Clarion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0395726182

Amazon.com

Golem is the Hebrew word for shapeless man. According to Jewish legend, the renowned scholar and teacher Rabbi Loew used his powers to create a Golem from clay in order to protect his people from persecution in the ghettos of 16th-century Prague. (This was the time of the Blood Lie, when hostile gentiles claimed that Jews were mixing the blood of Christian children with the flour and water of matzo.) David Wisniewski's cut-paper collage illustrations--which earned him the Caldecott Medal in 1997--are the ideal medium for portraying the stark black-and-white forces of good and evil, pride and prejudice, as well as the gray area that emerges when the tormented clay giant loses control of his anger. Echoing the tension and mood of Frankenstein, Wisniewski sends the tragic giant back to the blood red earth that birthed him. The historical note on the last page offers a broader context for the legend, ultimately comparing the creation of Golem to the emergence of Israel. (Ages 8 and older) --Gail Hudson

Book Description

Retold from traditional sources and accompanied by David Wisniewski's unique cut-paper illustrations, Golem is a dramatic tale of supernatural forces invoked to save an oppressed people. It also offers a thought-provoking look at the consequences of unleashing power beyond human control. The afterword discusses the legend of the golem and its roots in the history of the Jews. A Caldecott Medal Book.

Customer Reviews:

Sanitized.......2007-03-31

The author has sanitized and de-Judaized the legend. For example, he has changed the original inscription on the golem's forehead, a mystical Name of God that actually infuses life into the image, to "emet," which means truth. A nice enough word, but hardly sufficient to breathe life into clay. The result is an OK children's story, but without the richness and meaning of the legend. Read I.B. Singer's version instead.

a little intense for the younger ones - a poingant and moving story.......2007-01-02

The tale of the Golem of Prague was told me by my Bohemian grandmother when I was a little boy, so I was pleased to find Wisniewski's book. The cut-paper art is magnificent, giving an almost 3-D perspective to it. However, the story itself is a bit intense for those under 5.

The golem, for those not familar with the story, was a man made of clay to protect the Jews of Prague from anti-Semites. Eventually it grew out of control, and had to be destroyed. It therefore deals with some pretty adult themes: intolerance, violence, death.

The deeper meanings of the story: that it is far better to be tolerant of others, that violence is not a good way to resolve disputes, and that we (like the Golem) will one day return to dust will probably be over the heads of the very young; the book does provide an opportunity to discuss these themes with older children, however.

It is a beautiful book, and the story is a good one - give its themes consideration before purchasing.

Poignant.......2005-12-20

This is one of my favorite books. Exquisite. Although intended as a "children's" book--the stunning artwork is geared toward youth--the deceptively simple story is probably better appreciated by adults. This is the inspiration behind all the Frankenstein, android, robot, purpose of life tales. What does it mean to be "alive?" How do we reconcile a belief in god with mortality? Because of this the story can be disturbing, for the moral seems to be that we are but instruments whose life may be ended by the creator when our purpose is finished. The golem, purpose be damned, stops to watch a sunrise.

In a sense then, the golem story embodies one of the most troubling questions of humanity: why would the beauty of life, once gifted to us, be taken away? As the golem pleads to Rabbi Loew, "life is so precious to me."

The book is not long, but the pages are large and quality prints, allowing one to appreciate the detail of Wisniewski's cut-outs. The Caldecott was well deserved. There is also a short historical overview at the end the explains the context in which the legends emerged as well providing some recommended reading and drawing an interesting connection between the modern state of Israel and the golem.

Sad and Somber.......2005-12-07

Golem is a unique retelling of an old myth in Prague. In the year 1580 many people in Prague believed that the Jews were doing terrible things...like drinking the blood of missing children. Locked away and left defenseless, one great Jewish leader named Rabbi Loew used his vast knowledge of the Cabala to create a giant. This giant, named Golem, was created for one purpose only...to protect the Jews from harm. Once the Jews are no longer threatened Golem will become the lump of clay he was to begin with.
Golem proves himself to be a very able defender...but there is one big problem. Golem is growing even bigger and becoming harder to control. The emperor of Prague finally promises safety to the Jews, but only if Golem is destroyed. Golem, however, doesn't want to die. He enjoys flowers and sunrises and passionately begs his "father" not to destroy him. The pictures in this book are very powerful and profound. The dramatic illustrations that this book displays add to the intensity of the story.

A clay man in Prague.......2004-08-10

People learn about the myth of the Golem in a variety of different ways. Sometimes they learn about it through literature (I credit, "The Adventures of Cavalier and Clay"), through song and story, or through children's books. David Wisniewski was not the first author/illustrator to create a picture book out of the myth of the man of clay. He was only the best.

In this tale, four hundred years ago the Jews of Prague were sorely oppressed. They had been oppressed in the past, it's true, but new evil rumors were being passed on about them. People were telling the "Blood Lie", which claimed that Jews were guilty of mixing the blood of Christian children with the flour and water of matzoh. Amongst these Jews lived the chief rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel. One night, in a dream, Loew was commanded by God to create a Golem. Obeying the command, Loew built a man out of clay and gave it life. The Golem, unofficially named Joseph, was sent to discover the men spreading the Blood Lie about the Jews and bring them to justice. When the Golem was successful at this endeavor an angry mob of enemies of the Jews set upon the ghetto to wreak massive destruction. Instead, the Golem protected the Jews and the emperor of Prague vowed never to let such a thing happen again. With that, the Golem's life was taken (much to his chagrin) only to be called back again if the Jews ever found themselves in trouble once more.

David Wisniewski provides and lengthy and incredibly in depth note at the end of this tale outlining the history of the legend as well as the history of the Jews themselves. You cannot help but be impressed by the depth and intensity of Wisniewski's research. As a writer he deftly tells the Golem's tale, even mentioning how the creature grew to love life. It is a truly sad moment indeed when Rabbi Loew chooses to dissolve his creature once the Jews are finally safe. The Golem's pleas for life go unheeded, and the Rabbi even goes so far as to inform his poor servant that when he is dead he will not remember anything of life since he is merely clay. It's a harsh moment for a picture book, but I greatly appreciate Wisniewski's decision to tell the story without Disneyesque changes. But a tale can only go so far on its own. As the 1997 Caldecott award winner, "Golem" had to be as visually interesting as it was well told. The fact of the matter is that the artistic quality of this story is breathtaking. The cut paper illustrations used in this story are beyond anything I've seen in a long time. From the tiniest cracks found in the earth to the crackles of lightning that fills the Golem's coarse clay and bring him to life, Wisniewski is a detailed and magnificent artist. I can say with little doubt that this book is perhaps the most beautiful cut paper tale ever produced for children.

I don't know enough about the original Golem tale to tell you whether or not Wisniewski is accurate in his interpretation. All I can say is that this book deserves to be read. We do not usually find such thoughtful beauty in our picture books. When we do we should catch ahold of them and love them dearly. Be sure to catch yourself a copy of "Golem". You will be impressed.

Average customer rating:

A delightful story, well presented, the basis for Michael Chabon's "Kavallier and Clay"
Jewish Mystical Story Telling at its Best
CLASSIC SINGER STORY, SUPPOSEDLY FOR CHILDREN
es la más bella versión del Golem que jamás leí

The Golem
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374327416

Customer Reviews:

A delightful story, well presented, the basis for Michael Chabon's "Kavallier and Clay".......2007-07-14

The Golem, as told by IB Singer, is a traditional Jewish mystical short story of a superhuman giant, made of clay, who is brought to life by the most religious rabbi in order to save Jews in times of trouble. And although it is a "children's" story, there are many layers of symbolism to keep adults interested. This particular edition was especially well done. I appreciated the artwork and overall esthetic presentation of the book.

I came to this book after reading Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize winning The Amazing Adventures of Kavallier and Clay, the "Clay" in the title being the last name of one of the main characters, but also the substance from which the rabbi made the golem. Chabon heavily alludes to and borrows from this story, the Golem of Prague, though never quite lets the reader know that this is what he's referring to, almost assuming that the reader already knows about it, which is for most people not the case. So it was especially rewarding to finally read the story.

Jewish Mystical Story Telling at its Best.......2006-07-20

This seeming children's story is really a parable for adults (which children can enjoy and eventually get on another level when they are ready). There are many well crafted sentences about the spiritual life, how to surrender into trusting God to take care of your life, about the hidden saints who help our life on Earth work, how to use our free choice, how to live in community with others, how to relate to believers and nonbelievers, how to handle being falsely accused, and how to be humble with power. You can taste a whole way of life behind the story which might be worth living or open it at random and find some messages that relate to challenges we meet in daily life.

CLASSIC SINGER STORY, SUPPOSEDLY FOR CHILDREN.......2005-02-09

The Golem is one fo the best known Singer short stories. Its theme is a Golem, a mythical figure imbued with life by cabalistic magic to help the Jewish people in a time of need.

This story begins with persecutions on Jews in Prague, which is when the Golem is sent to Reb Leib. After helping the Jews in their objective, Reb Leib decides to use the Golem, with its incredible strenght, for a less noble pursuit, which is when the Golem starts to disobey him. The story unfolds with the Golem, a creature made of clay, turning more and more human, with the mauturity of a child but enormous strenght. The probelms mount as the Golem destroys all in his way, falls in love (reciprocatedly) and gets drafted by the emperor.

The short story evokes many deep issues, such as what it means to be human, what one should do with unending power, what one should do to preserve the peace, and many others. Though originally a childrens story, any adult would enjoy it. It is the type of story that leaves one reflecting about certain issues for days.

es la más bella versión del Golem que jamás leí.......1998-12-15

El Golem tiene todos los ingredientes que necesita un relato para funcionar, pero en este caso, además, está escrito por Singer. Esto significa que el cuento está bellamente narrado. Singer cuenta de manera simple aún las historias más complejas.

Average customer rating:

Boring
good book!
Caitlynne Book Review
Intrigue and science fiction blend well in this outstanding story.
heavy metal futuristic marvel

Storm Thief
Chris Wooding
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439865131

Book Description

Orokos is a city of chaos, lashed by probability storms that re-order the world wherever they strike. It covers every inch of the rocky island that it dominates. It has stood for so long that history has forgotten it, and its citizens no longer question what exists beyond its walls. Then three of its denizens discover a map that holds the key to the secret at the heart of Orokos. But there are others, such as the Chief of the Protectorate Secret Police who would do anything to get their hands on that power...anything at all...

Customer Reviews:

Boring.......2007-07-03

I don't know if it's just me, but I did not enjoy this book at all. I thought the plot was predictable and the characters were two dimesional throughout the book. Personally I picked up and put down this book five times before forcing myself to finish reading it. Really great authors can create any world but still make their characters seem realistic, but this book went too far. The characters didn't seem real and were underdeveloped. I was looking forward to reading this book based on great reviews and was utterly disappointed when I completed it.

good book!.......2007-06-14

Ryan Scott
Storm Thief
Chris Wooding
310 pages

Rich, poor, powerful, weak, truthful, and the thieves, those are the six types of people that live in the city of Orokos. Also, it is known as the city of chaos. It is known as the city of chaos for a very good reason. Reason being is because every so often, there is a storm. You are probably thinking, "Well what's so terrible about a storm?" Well, this is no ordinary storm. This is a storm that when it comes, it acts like a normal storm. But when it leaves, it changes things. No one knows who or what it is going to change. Or what is going to change on or in that person or thing. Sometimes, it may be nothing. But sometimes, you may not live. Or you will have fewer limbs than you did before the storm. Things like that are why they named it, The Storm Thief, and also why it is called the city of chaos.
For many, this is the only city that they know of in existence! Actually, this is the only city that every one in Orokos knows exists. This is because Orokos resides on an island. But know one dares to try to leave the island to see what may be in the horizon! Why is this? Simply because legend has it that years ago, there was a group of people who tried to leave. But once they got to a certain point outside of the city, boats appeared and blew them up! Now, no one even thinks of that being an option. No one, except for Rail and Moa.
Rail is a teenage thief who works for the Thief Lord. He was once affected by the Storm Thief when it hit Orokos. His encounter with the storm left him unable to breath on his own. So now he has to ware a respirator to live. Moa hasn't yet been affected by the storm, but she has also endured her share of struggle! For her, she has had to live a life of shame as the daughter of dead rebels, as an outcast, and now, as a criminal because she is now Rail's help at thieving!
The two of them go through a lot of hardships and adventures together. But of all of them, my favorite is when they steal this ring that allows them to walk through anything! Of course, this is a thieves dream because now they can get in anywhere. But instead they use it to try and escape Orokos.
Now, I know that a lot of you out there would just like to read a book and get on to the next book. But as everyone knows, all books have a theme. In Storm Thief, the theme that I got from it was trust. I say this because since most of the people in Orokos are thieves, they are going to have to trust people. Also, trust play into this book a lot.
So all in all, I really liked this book. Why? Because it has a lot of action and suspense in it. Also, it has what I really like in books which is multiple story views. That way, you are getting the story from more than one person and you are able to image every angle of the scene of the story. That is what I really like the most about Storm Thief. And that's also the end of my review. Now go read it!
[...]

Caitlynne Book Review.......2007-01-27

Do you like lots of action? Well if you do Storm Thief is an excellent book for you. Storm thief (Anya-Jacana's) has a lot of action on her part that makes you want to keep reading. Storm thief's parts are exciting and it makes you sit on the edge of your seat. Storm Thief has a lot of powers and when she uses them everyone in the city gets scared and mad.
Rail and Moa were on a trip all over from a chaos city to a peaceful city on a boat. Finch is a secret police that's going after Rail and Moa because they both got him into a small town that is full of trouble. When they were traveling flinch and his commander Lysader Bane were following rail and moa. When finch shot moa, she went to the hospital, and met a new girl named kittiwake, and she forgot about Rail. Now every time moa tries to talk to Rail, Rail ignores her. The book Storm Thief is a fiction novel that has a lot of excitement and action.
Rail and moa were best friends in chaos city until Moa was shot and was in the hospital. When Moa was in the hospital she met a new girl, kittiwake and they kept talking and spending time together and Moa was ignoring rail. Now rail is giving it back to her. They were both thieves at first but know Moa is not, after years of thinking on quitting.
Storm Thief is actually Anya-Jacana. Storm Thief can do a lot of exiting stunts that might make you go crazy. One stunt she can do is can create a storm so dangerous it can destroy the whole entire city!
The theme of Storm Thief is to acknowledge you best friend, do what's right for you. Moa and Rail now how to have an adventure when there on the water.
I recommend this book for terrific readers because there are confusing parts and some confusing and hard words. I also got a little lost in some parts. There are also surprising parts that makes it really awesome. If you like action this is a book for you.

Intrigue and science fiction blend well in this outstanding story........2006-12-10

Chris Wooding's STORM THIEF tells of thieves living in a city affected by probability storms which change reality wherever they hit. Rail and Moa's lives have long been affected by these storms; but when they uncover a strange artifact it seems they will wield power themselves - if they can unlock its secret. Intrigue and science fiction blend well in this outstanding story.

heavy metal futuristic marvel.......2006-09-13

For the most part I really enjoyed this novel. This book could be for young adults, or adults, the writing being very advanced and above the level of most teen books. I didn't give it five stars for a few reasons. I thought the story too short. I felt it needed just a little more development in a few areas and with a few characters making the book a bit lengthier, and another reason is that I would have liked to have seen more done with the Probability Storm events. The world of Orokos is a post apocalypse place of rubble and deterioration, a world of chaos caused by strange atmosphere events called Probablity Storms. If a storm hits, you can be physically changed or your surroundings drastically altered. You may be a human being before the storm, and an animal after. The color of your eyes might change, the world could be frozen in ice, or like Rail, our male lead character, your breath could be taken away leaving you to wear a black mask respirator. This creative aspect of the story is mentioned as a fact of life in the land of Orokos but it only happens once in the book. I would have liked to have experienced a few more storms to have truly felt what it could do to these people and their world. There are strong characters in this book, both good guys and bad guys alike, including a very interesting golem, but all are likable and engaging. The lead characters Rail and Moa are professional thieves on the run, fleeing with an artifact of scientific technology from the past that can open doors and allow them to enter barriers allowing them to snatch items of value. Hunted down by a variety of people, their adventures are fast paced and exciting as they desperately try to find the key to the way out of Orokos and to search for a land beyond where they might find peace and hope to start a new and better world. Definetely two thumbs up for creativity!

Average customer rating:

Nice book but nothing special.
Face-paced Excitement!
The Dirty Dozen meets Indiana Jones. - Heartland Reviews
Don't waste your time
Nice little fast read

Golem
Greg Vilk
Manufacturer: Ricochet Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0977218902

Book Description

In 1942 a U.S. Rangers commando is sent to capture a remote Nazi base in Greenland. Upon arrival, the Rangers discover that the German crew has been massacred and that the lone, fear-stricken survivor hallucinates about ghosts in the snow. The Rangers soon find out that they're not alone in the base and that they're confronted with a faceless, deadly entity which can breathe life into non-living matter.

"Biblical arcana, ancient secrets, and highflying adventure" "Strap yourself in for the ride!"
--James Rollins, int'l bestselling author of Map of Bones

"Greg Vilk has penned a heck of a read"
--Stel Pavlou, bestselling author of Decipher

"A frightening tale...straight out of our worst nightmares" "Screams for a film adaptation"
--Jeremy Robinson, author of Didymus Contingency, B&N.com bestseller

Customer Reviews:

Nice book but nothing special........2007-09-19

I enjoyed the book, the story or a variation has been told many times before. Entertaining but not ground breaking. I believe the author could have developed the characters much more.

Face-paced Excitement!.......2007-03-09

Golem is a great book! Readers will easily visualize the face-paced story. Exciting and suspenseful, it is quick to capture your attention. Golem even has some hidden "secrets".
Very challengIng! Look for a movie of the booK soon (hopefully)!

Can't wait fOr more froM this author!

The Dirty Dozen meets Indiana Jones. - Heartland Reviews.......2006-06-29

I couldn't think of a better one liner so I quoted it.

The Story: A misfit squad of Rangers is sent to Greenland to capture a Nazi base. But upon their arrival, they find the place in ruins and everyone dead, save one man, who appears to have gone quite insane, firing his SMG at unseen figures in the snow. The Rangers soon discover that they're not alone, as someone starts to pick them off one-by-one.

Ok, you've figured out the "Dirty Dozen" reference, so where does the "Indiana Jones" part come to play? Well, the Rangers are escorting the daughter of an archaeologist who has been kidnapped by the Nazi's (everyone's favorite bad guys) and is helping them build their secret weapon, the namesake of the book's title.

But the coolest part of this novel, is what sets it apart from the others: cryptography. Contained within the book is the very puzzle that the protagonists are trying to solve to defeat the Golem. At the beginning of each chapter is a line of runes. A couple of clues are given at the beginning of the novel to help you figure it out. Mystery readers may think that they're special guessing whodunit, but that's nothing compared to this! Mr. Vilk even gave away $100 to the first person to solve it. You can find out more at his website (gregvilk.com).

Greg Vilk's writing style makes for an easy read. The dialogue and the action move the story along at such a fast pace that by the end you'll be as exhausted as the characters. The setting is well researched and Mr. Vilk's descriptions of the place make you feel like you're there, shivering in the cold. In fact, it screams for a movie adaptation. It was easy for me to visualize every aspect of the story. But don't wait for the film! Read the book today!

Don't waste your time.......2006-05-30

Based on the glowing reviews, I wonder if I read the same book. I found the storyline and characters very predictable. If you have seen any B-rated movie from the 50's, you do not need to read this book because you already know the plot. The author must have run out of ideas to steal from which accounts for the short story.

Nice little fast read.......2006-03-20

Kind of short, about 200 pages. I wish it could have been longer because I was enjoying it a lot. Kind of like if Saving Private Ryan had encountered the Thing! :) I'd like to see a sequal.

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Awesome
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000ILZ65U

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-02-08

The golems eye is a fast paced thriller with problems at every corner it's a must read book, in the book the magicins treat the the commoners (non magicins) like trash. A chosen few commoners with special abbilites have banded together to overthrow the magicins. The main character nathaneil a ambitious and talented magicin is assigned the job of tracking down the renegade commoners that threathen to overthrow the magicins with the help of his sly demon bartemius they envoke on a perilous journey to destroy the renegades. When a new enemy appears that is more dangerous then the renegades. but you cant take my word about it you have to read it yourself.

R.M (V.M)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-18

He's rude. He's surly. He won't hesitate to tell you when your haircut looks stupid. And in over 5000 years, he's seen some bad haircuts. I'm talking about my favorite djinni, Bartimaeus, back in book two of his young adult fantasy trilogy.

THE GOLEM'S EYE is an excellent sequel to the first book in the series, The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1). In the first book, we meet Bartimaeus, an ancient creature of enormous power that can best be described as a type of demon. Unfortunately, he and all of his kind hate the word demon. He classifies himself as a djinni, so we'll just go with that for the purposes of this review. Why annoy anyone who can shoot magical firebolts at you, right? Anyway, Bartimaeus, and other creatures like him, are summoned by human magicians to do their bidding. Needless to say, this forced servitude, or slavery, is not popular with the servants, so they do their best to turn the tables on their human masters whenever possible.

Enter Nathaniel, a boy who is in training to become a powerful magician. In book one of the series, he summons Bartimaeus from the netherworld and an involuntary partnership begins. In THE GOLEM'S EYE, young Nathaniel again finds himself in need of the djinni's aid, so he again turns to reluctant Bartimaeus. This time, a revolutionary group is blowing things up in London, which may or may not be related to a series of unusual occurrences that have the police stumped. Nathaniel feels that his career would take off if he can solve these crimes. But the stakes are high because he knows that his career, and possibly his life, are in jeopardy if he fails.

A key part of THE GOLEM'S EYE storyline centers on the activities of a London resistance group that is fighting to overthrow the magicians' government. Nathaniel's inability to track down these criminals is part of the reason he needs Bartimaeus's help. Of course, the djinni has little interest in helping magicians maintain their dominance. After all, they're the ones who continually force him and his kind into servitude. This conflict of interest makes for some entertaining scenes and conversations.

If you have not read The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1), I strongly recommend you pick that one up before diving into THE GOLEM'S EYE. Technically, you don't have to read the first one, but there is an awful lot of background you will miss if you don't. Plus, it's really fun.

Normally I find myself disappointed in sequels. Somehow they never seem to live up the expectations established by the original. But in this case, I was pleasantly surprised. This book is full of excitement, political intrigue, and humor. Bartimaeus is back with all of his cheeky comments, and there are plenty of thrills to go around. Overall, a great book.

Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2).......2007-01-11

This is a great series of books. I bought the first book of the series in the Tokyo Narita airport and read it on the way back to Texas. I was hooked. My wife enjoyed the book so much that we bought the entire Trilogy.

Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

An Amazing Piece of Americana
Get yourself a Golem
A Home Run
Great Book
a graphic folktale of baseball

The Golem's Mighty Swing
James Sturm
Manufacturer: Drawn and Quarterly
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1896597718

Book Description

James Sturm pens this richly evocative graphic novel set in the 1920s. The Stars of David, a barnstorming Jewish baseball team, travel from town to town earning a living by playing local squads. They all sport beards, a gimmick to attract patrons but when financial difficulties threaten to end their season they cast their lot with a Chicago promoter who has just seen the hugely successful German silent film Der Golem... With the golem, a baseball game is transformed into a mythical pageant. Fear and curiosity fills the stadium, but it also stokes the flames of anti-Semitism. Winning the game for the Stars of David becomes less important then surviving it. With a sepia-tinted cinematic style, this compelling book reminds us that making it home is at the heart of baseball.

Customer Reviews:

An Amazing Piece of Americana.......2007-06-16

While baseball stories set in the early 1920's can ring false with nostalgia at times, Sturm has crafted a beautiful allegory about a busload of travelling Jews. A great book for baseball and comic fans alike, soon to be collected with other James Sturm works in James Sturm's America: God, Gold, and Golems.

Get yourself a Golem.......2006-03-09

Author: James Sturm
Genre: Graphic Novel

Plot Summary:
Noah Strauss, known as "The Zion Lion" during his brief stint with the Boston Red Sox, is now the hobbled manager and number three hitter for The Stars of David, an independent "Jewish" traveling baseball team. Baseball was truly America's pastime in the days of Prohibition, and a good team with an intriguing gimmick, skilled players, and some marketing savvy, could make a good living by busing through small towns and taking on the local teams. The Stars have plenty of talented players, but they are missing that extra element of spectacle that can draw the really big crowds. They are barely scraping by and suffering from low morale. Their bus is in a sad state, they are forced to sleep in cheap flophouses, and they must endure the racial bigotry that follows them everywhere they go. Just when things seem to be at their worst, Noah is paid a visit by the fast-talking baseball promoter, Victor Paige. After taking in one of their games, Paige has decided that The Stars could pack the stands if only they had a Golem in their lineup. Paige goes on to explain that a film featuring a Golem (an enormous mythical being of Jewish legend) is captivating audiences in New York City, and his agency has obtained the original costume used in the film. If the Stars' hulking African American clean-up hitter, Henry Bell, would don the costume he would be sight to see. Noah reluctantly agrees to go along with the scheme after initially rejecting the offer. Paige immediately begins to hype up the arrival of the Golem in the town of Putnam, where The Stars will battle the local "All Americans." In his fervor to create interest in the game, Paige fans the flames of anti-Semitism within the community by playing on their fears and misconceptions. At game time, the stands are filled with a tense, angry and vocal crowd.

Geographical Setting: Michigan; New York City; Greenville, NC
Time Period: 1920s
Series: Part of the "American Trilogy" (non-sequential)

Appeal Characteristics:
This story takes the reader back to the days before steroids and million-dollar contracts, when ballplayers struggled to make a living playing the game that they loved. There is a mood of stoicism that runs throughout the story, as the hard-nosed players struggle with a hardscrabble existence on the road. Baseball fans that long for the purity of old-time baseball will love this book. The prose and the illustrations are clean and spare, reflecting the tone of the story. The action unfolds quickly and compels the reader to turn the page. Though this is a short book, the author does a good job of creating characters that have a depth of personality. Anyone with even a passing interest in the history of baseball will enjoy the terrible and fascinating anecdotes that these characters relate to one another.

Read-Alikes: Fans of the writing style and artwork of The Golem should check out Above and Below: Two Stories of the American Frontier (2004), by James Sturm. These two stories complete his "American Trilogy," and showcase more of his stark and understated illustrations. God's Man: A Novel in Woodcuts (1929) by Lynd Ward, will offer similarly dark, colorless, and striking images. For more on traveling teams of the 1920s, see Alan J. Pollock's nonfiction book: Barnstorming to Heaven: Syd Pollock and His Great Black Teams (2005). This will convey the racial bigotry encountered by minority ballplayers and share some great old-time baseball anecdotes. The Celebrant (1983, novel) by Eric Rolfe Greenberg, gives a realistic portrayal of early 20th century professional baseball. It also deals with the issue of Jewish assimilation. The Southpaw (1953, novel) by Mark Harris, concentrates on the gritty life of a pitcher who is trying to deal with the ups and downs that come with playing professional baseball. It is not as fast-paced as The Golem, but it is a gripping read and is narrated in a laconic tone.

Red Flags: Profanity; racial bigotry; racial slurs; some violence (off stage); alcohol consumption

A Home Run.......2004-07-25

The Golem's Mighty Swing works both as a tale of Prohibition-era barnstorming baseball and as a tale of ethnic relations. James Sturm sharply observes the baseball details, including a number of interesting and authentic-sounding anecdotes about the game. And by telling the story through the eyes of a man who is accustomed to the prejudiced attitudes of the day, Sturm gives us not a rabble-rousing screed with the obvious moral that anti-Semitism is bad, but a highly evocative portrait of life as an ethnic outsider that gives us some feeling for what it's actually like.

Sturm's art is clean and says a lot with a little, as other reviewers have said. But Sturm's talent for saying a lot with a little is true of his prose as well. For a hundred-page comic, this book has a remarkable number of memorable and realistic characters. Also, the book design itself, from the color of the pages to the art inside the front covers, gives a retro feel that enhances the mood of the story.

Sturm obviously sweated the details to create something as simple in outline yet as emotionally and thematically complex as The Golem's Mighty Swing. His effort pays off. The Golem's Mighty Swing effortlessly sweeps the reader up in the story, the characters, and the setting, making for a quick read at first, and then a thoughtful mood after the reading is done.

Great Book.......2003-05-17

Even though I'm not a believer in the whole theory/vision of baseball as part of the American myth, Sturm does a pretty nice job with the metaphor in this understated but striking graphic novel. Set in the 1920s, the story concerns "The Stars of David", an ostensibly all-Jewish (one ex Negro League star qualifies as a "member of the lost tribe") barnstorming baseball team. With a decent amount of talent, they tour small towns as perpetual visitors, perpetual bad guys, and perpetual outsiders, earning just enough to scrape by. Until the team captain is approached by Victor Paige, of the Big Inning Promotional Agency. Paige convinces the team to create a Golem, "a creature that man creates to be a companion, a protector or a servant" as a gimmick to increase attendance. The gimmick works, but rather too well, as when they arrive in the next town, they are met with hostility and anti-Semitism beyond what they've ever faced before. The outcome is, well, predictable, and a metaphor for the times. The art is a lesson in the effectiveness of elegant simplicity, and captures the movement of baseball amazingly well. As per usual for Drawn & Quarterly, the book is very nicely printed and produced.

a graphic folktale of baseball.......2002-07-20

Sturm's spare and evocative artwork is the best I've seen in a graphic novel. Baseball is the most mythic of American sports and in this book its myths intersect with even deeper and more potent myths, myths of group identity and salvation. Sturm narrates a truly fabulous tale of social crisis and personal failure relativized and ennobled by "the big picture".
If "Maus" by Art Spiegelman is the only graphic novel you've read, this should be your next one.

Average customer rating:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
A worthy sequel
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! (did I mention I liked it?)

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0807219789
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-18

A worthy sequel.......2006-02-27

The Golem's eye is the second book in the delightful and superbly written Bartimaeus trilogy.
Like its predecessor, there is plenty of action, intrigue and humour, largely provided by everyone's favourite djinny Bartimaeus. As with the Amulet of Saamarkand, he manages to steel the show whenever he's given page time.
Jonathan Stroud continues to show the style and attention to characters and detail that he displayed in his first book, only this time, the pageant of characters has been augmented by Kitty, a commoner struggling to live her life under the magician's rule. In Kitty, Jonathan Stroud has created a strong feisty young woman who stands up for what she believes in, and I feel that she is definitely one of the better modern female heroines to emerge in recent years.
Nathaniel is also developed well. Stroud has depicted a deeply flawed, but essentially human hero, whom it is always hard to predict.
The reader is drawn in to the separate stories of Nathaniel, Kitty, and Bartimaeus, and is hooked long before the inevitable moment when their worlds collide.
A worthy sequel. Just as difficult to put down as the first one, and of course, the superb narration of Simon Jones is just the icing on the cake.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! (did I mention I liked it?).......2004-09-19

I have always preferred "real" books to audio books, until now that is. Simon Jones perfectly captures the characters in this book (especially Bartimaeus). The story is wonderful and well-written. My sons and I listened to the Amulet of Samarkand on tape and knew we had to have this one as well. I hope the third one comes soon!!!!!

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