The Golem's Eye

One nice thing about reading trilogies a few years after they come out is that you can read all the books in a row and not have to wait for years to read them all (or for your turn to come up at the library).  It's particularly nice with this series because I'm really enjoying it, even this second book.  The Golem's Eye isn't just a placeholder in the series; it's not just getting us from the first book to the last one.  It's a good book on its own.

I think what I'm most enjoying about these books is that there's so much more than just the basic story. There's lots of mythology from various cultures, bits of history, and plenty of interesting social commentary. I especially like the twist of having the main characters working for the strong side. Usually you're following the underdog much more closely. And the Bartimaeus chapters are just fun whenever they come up.