* "The trilogy wraps up with excitement, adventure and an unexpected wallop of heart and soul. . . Stroud masterfully weaves together four characters and an unearthly realm of existence in an explosive culmination..."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Praise for the Bartimaeus Sequence series:

* "A must-purchase for all fantasy collections."--School Library Journal, starred review

* "This closing installment is the best yet...Stroud is a masterful storyteller, balancing touching sentiment with humor, explosive action scenes with philosophical musings on human nature...a stunning end to a justly acclaimed trilogy."--Horn Book, starred review

* "For readers who loved the earlier volumes for the sheer adventure, this, with its battles, magic and great crashing conclusion, will not disappoint. A worthy ending to an exceptional saga."--Booklist, starred review

* "So rarely do humor and plot come together in such equally strong measures that we can only hope for more adventures."--Horn book, starred review

"In a contemporary London full of magic, a thrilling adventure unfolds."--Kirkus Reviews

"The pace never slows in this wisecracking adventure...Stroud has created a compelling fantasy story in a well-realized world, but it is the complementary characters of Bartimaeus and Nathaniel that will keep readers coming back for the rest of the [series]."--Horn Book

"Not since Gulliver's Travels has a children's writer managed to combine a thrilling tale of magic and adventure with such deliciously pointed comedy."--The Times

"The truly original touch is the way Stroud alternates Nathaniel's story with the djinni's own knowing and irascible first-person narrative."--Diana Wynne Jones, Guardian Review