incongruent mix of modern and antiquarian technologies, Britain has jets but their most modern ships are civil-war ironclads. The Roman Empire survived another 1500 years until the middle of the 19th century, spanning at least central Europe. A second empire, centered in Prague, arose after the conquest of the Romans by Britain at that time. The events, except the prologue, are set in approximately the current day. The only date reference for the trilogy is in this, the second book, which states that Gladstone has been dead 110 years. The historical figure British prime minister William Gladstone died in 1898, so the timeframe of the second novel is 2008, and that of the first novel is two years before, i.e., 2006. The books were published in 2003 and 2004, so the author had written a (slightly) future history. Plot Two years after the events of the first novel, Nathaniel (alias John Mandrake) serves in London’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, working to eliminate the anti-magician Resistance. Under pressure from his superiors, he summons his former servant, the djinn Bartimaeus. Though furious that Nathaniel has broken their bargain – having sworn never to summon him again in return for the djinn never divulging Nathaniel’s birth name – Bartimaeus agrees to six weeks of service if he will not be sent to the ongoing North American war. Meanwhile, commoners Kitty Jones and Jakob Hyrnek are attacked by a magician; Jakob suffers extensive burns while Kitty is unharmed, demonstrating a natural resilience to magic. Denied justice, Kitty is approached by Mr. Pennyfeather, whose wife was killed after rejecting a magician’s advances. Convinced to help undermine magicians and their unjust rule, Kitty joins the Resistance, carrying out minor attacks and thefts. During a nighttime heist, she witnesses an enormous creature march through a street of magician-owned businesses, leaving massive damage in its wake and several Night Police officers dead. Believing the Resistance responsible, police begin a crackdown on the city. Investigating the attack, Bartimaeus reunites with fellow spirit Queezle, who has learned the creature can destroy Spirits. The creature reappears and Queezle is killed; Bartimaeus battles the creature at the British Museum but is knocked out, and it escapes. At a meeting of high-ranking magicians, Bartimaeus reveals that the creature is a golem. Chief of police Henry Duvall insists that the Resistance are responsible, and lobbies the Prime Minister for expanded powers. Mr. Pennyfeather organizes