Nathaniel is a magicians apprentice taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hot-shot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of his elders Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace whos boss. With revenge on his mind he summons the powerful djinni Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal Lovelaces greatest treasure the Amulet of Samarkand he finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage murder and rebellion.