Review: #161
Title: The Ring of Solomon
Series: Bartimaeus - 4th book
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Read Before: no
My Comments: I had high expectations for this book, and it didn't disappoint, granted, it was not as great as others in the series, but it was still a great book on its own. I felt that the story wasn't as structured or focus as it could be, over half the book passes before you are certain of the aim of the plot, and allowing you to anticipate what is going to happen next. The humour is top notch, and succeeds far and beyond any previous instalments, there were a lot of laugh out loud moments, and the sarcasm by the narrator was awesome. It takes a bit to get used to the different setting that you’re used to (ancient compared to contemporary), and also the different cast of characters (apart from the titular Bartimaeus). The plot isn’t as ingenious or innovating as you would expect, it feels more generic this time around (but then again, it is more of a prequel, so there’s only so much you can do), the author plays the suspense and foreshadowing fairly well. The beginning was fairly drab and uninspiring, while it picks up very quickly once you’re over halfway, getting to the meat of the book. It is an excellent read either way, and worth the time spent on it.
Rating: 7.5/10