The Amulet of Samarkand, Chapters 11-14 with James Lark

In this episode, James Lark returns to discuss chapters 11 thru 14 of Jonathan Stroud's fantasy masterpiece, The Amulet of Samarkand. In these chapters, we discuss Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, being handcuffed to your enemy, the election of popes, and more!   Please join our Discord server and get to know the fam!  https://discord.gg/vtJnpkhd Recommendations   Conclave (2024) Blue Velvet Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016) Citadel Diana   Possible Show Titles   A Noble Entity From Another Place Unwillingly Entwined Suppress the Fanboy Obscene and Fetid and Fug   Jeff's podcasts   Shattered Worlds RPG Everything is Awesome with Jeff and ? Omniversal Escapades (Jeff's livestreaming RPG show) James's podcast   Neurotic Literature James Lark (composer, podcaster) wrote the theme song for the show Licensed for show use, copyright 2024 Here's James website for all his activities:  jameslark.co.uk Social Media   Jeff Richardson   @eljefetacoma on Facebook, Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram, and Mastadon   James Lark   @worksoflark on Instagram and @jameslark on Twitter Links "Resurrection of the Daleks" - Doctor Who Joe Ford, podcaster extraordinaire genius loci from Dresden Files Mills and Boone romance novels American Psycho the real Gladstone and Disraeli Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Nicholas Nickleby The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Hugo The Avengers Lois McMaster Bujold Strictly Come Hamster Gary Russell election of a pope Isabella Rossellini Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016) Peter Rabbit Watership Down Dirk Gently (2010) Sherlock Douglas Adams Life, the Universe and Everything Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy  Doctor Who (TV movie) "Web of Fear" - Doctor Who Extended Notes   Chapter 11 B is impressed that N is framing his master N denies it B explains how unusual it is to target your own master, especially so early in your education B explains how apprenticeship is meant to work "Since the days of the Median Magi, students have always lived alone in their mentors' house—one master to one pupil, conducting their lessons with secrecy and stealth. From ziggurat to pyramid, from sacred oak to skyscraper, thousands of years pass and things don't change." B likes that the kid is so ambitious, willing to get his master killed B hadnt heard of Underwood so he figured he was a lowlevel nobody. This suggests that B has been summoned in the past few decades (unless wizards have extra long lifespans) "he had all the time-honored attributes that other humans associate with great and powerful magic: a mane of unkempt hair the color of tobacco ash, a long whitish beard that jutted outward like the prow of a ship, and a pair of particularly bristly eyebrows." Martha is fully dressed and B is relieved. He must not like female nudity - that or hes not into older women Underwood complains about the spider (B) to Martha B goes to study, sees a pentacle on the door B puts on a shield the amulet sucks up the fire from the trap he slips in and sees the study he remarks that the security is pretty weak he goes into the cabinet and is underwhelmed by the objects inside he slides the amulet behind a bird token B goes up stairs but stops when he sees Mrs U leading N down N knows hes screwed because B is supposed to quietly stick near to him until summoned U is so rude to N and his wife B hears Nathaniels name! B studies the boys appearance and manner B capers to attract Ns attention Underwood complains about the PM hanging with Makepeace, who writes misonformation into his plays he thinks the PM should help the interior dept instead of socializing U says N has done well enough to perform his first summoning U thinks the boy is scared of summoning but its actually cuz N is tripping about B hearing his real name the plan is to summon a natterjack impling or a mouler. B is unimpressed Ns contact lenses have arrived N hears a noise at the door U disregards it he wants N to bring a book of names N clearly can tell B got his name The boots were on the other eight feet now Chapter 12 He complains about U not teaching him enough he says how hes read all these books N says its peaceful and he likes the statue. Who is it? Its Gladstone! he was a powerful PM fought duel with Disraeli over a woman he gets shirty about it and starts ranting about how good the govt is she explains that some countries dont need magicians he says she doesnt know anything because shes a commoner she says commoners can be smart he asks if she wanted to be a wizard she says no and shes happy to be an art teacher N is surprised she has other pupils it makes me feel queasy Mrs U blows in frantic Apparently U wants him to meet some guests Miss L thinks this is good news U is daunted by the thought of meeting all these magicians they dont look like magicians N is underwhelmed U is schmoozing when he sees N he waves him over meets three wizards old tomato face clammy doughboy slickback big teeth aka simon lovelace doughboy has a question big teeth is super rude N contradicts one of them U sends him away BT observes that hes not afraid of his elders perhaps you dont think we're your betters? N doesnt answer cuz hes confused BT demands a quiz from N U isnt protecting him at all N answers all the questions right Simon asks him about six words of direction U objects because he shouldnt know that yet N does it men are impressed SL says some rude shit and N claps back calls him a sore loser SL has demons attack the boy everyone is staring at N he looks to U who is mad at him instead of SL? he leaves and goes upstairs he runs into Mrs U he asks her who the bigteeth guy is she says its Simon Lovelace repetition of You're capable of nothing. You're helpless. You're too weak to fight back does James ever use this technique? he goes to the workroom and grabs the box of mites the party is breaking up, with wizards at the door. N says the words and smashes the box with a hammer the six mites go for the magicians Simon bats his away dough face falls down outside and gets a couple attacking his skin old man barely reacts, sending his into the carpet, where Simon smashes it with his foot U is shocked. He goes to doughface and deactivates the mites N rushes to the schoolroom Ms Lutyens is there she realizes N is upset and goes to comfort him SL uses magic to lift N into the air, tips him up butt first, and spanks him repeatedly until he loses all sense hes stuck in his room for a month, punished severely. he hd no lessons and could only sit in his room and look out the window he finds a pen and starts sketching the outside. then he begins intricately plotting his revenge did you plot anything at age 10? seems unusual Mrs U is forbidden from talking to him when school starts again he learns that Ms Lutyens has been fired chapter 13 he spends a lot of time in the garden, plotting revenge or reading books he looks to the statue of Gladstone for inspiration, to keep his determination up he plans to emulate Gladstone by punishing his enemies N decides to come at Lovelace with sneakiness and trickery, not head on N pretends to be reformed, wearing a meek and pliant mask he controls his face just like a master liar/sociopath he doesnt see U as his master anymore Underwood not defending him made N lose all respect. A master should treat an apprentice like their child why didnt U protect him? because hes a coward afraid of Lovelace's power did you ever have a situation like that? sacking Ms Lutyens was among U's worst crimes N could not forgive U for this Mrs U was his only light, but he couldnt be totally honest with her he doesnt have his own lenses yet so he used the masters to summon an imp he makes a polished bronze disc he waits until the Us leave for a trip he makes a circle and uses a bowl of rowan wood and hazel he steps into his circle and begins he starts his incantation and wishes he had some water once you start you cant safely stop a naked baby with yellow eyes and red lips appears N confines it into the disc N can now spy all over the place. he keeps the disc hidden under the roof tiles first he spies on his masters office, but gives up after seeing how boring it is he spies on Ms Lutyens and her pupil N orders imp to spy on Lovelace. it balks at this given how powerful S is this job its not impossible, just difficult he sees SL typing on a computer imp is getting bored, N orders him to stay he says a word that causes the imp pain he cant get too near in case Lovelaces defenses twig  this brings us to the introduction of the scary huge beardo L is startled by the mans appearance, suggesting that the guy bypassed all his security. how does he do that? L whips out a bunch of cash Imp warns him that a watcher is on its way N tells him to stay until the last second L reaches out for his prize Big Beardo gives him a small parcel, which he frantically unwraps imp dips out but before he does N sees the amulet  hes being annoying but N demands to know what he saw and heard L was super eager Big Beardo says "the Amulet of Samarkand is yours, Lovelace." six months pass while he prepares his plan. the imp cant get that close again U is still slowrolling him, thinking hes too dull to teach new things chapter 14 Bartimaeus decides to manifest as a human next time hes summoned he decides to look like Ptolemy, a fourteen year old Egyptian boy. he thought it would inspire the boys jealousy and rivalry B is stoked cuz he has a handle on the kid now N goes to his circle B appears in London gear N tries to order B Bs like give over, kid N is losing his cool Nathaniel goes for the Systemic Vise Bartimaeus intones Nathaniel's name, followed by a counter-spell the kid cancels the spell before it can rebound on him Bartimaeus keeps flippin shit B says he'll go back to his bag of tricks the kid busts out the Stimulating Compass B launches this one back and nearly kills the kid a second time Bartimaeus is like careful your master will come up to see what youre doing N isnt worried he realizes that B learned his name and thats how he could counterspell (but didnt he already show that he was anxious about it in the scene with the master about getting his name?) N gets mad when B talks like a teen he starts to get into a fighting stance, B follows his lead Ptolemy was very similar in look to Nathaniel, though much better looking (I'm wondering if Bartimaeus's love for him is sexual as well as filial) N ponders how he can break Bartimaeus without being countered B hopes that he can exhaust the boy by making him angry B finds out that N isnt working for anyone else, he's doing it on his own B tells him some girl tried to take the amulet N is intrigued, but charges on he tells B about big beardo about how he was covered in blood he thinks Lovelace is up to some bad business N starts to give B new orders but B explains how he has no leverage he tells N that he could spill Ns name to friends and enemies N decides to pull that move where you send multiple copies of the blackmail info to your attorney to be mailed to the media in the event of your death it works! B gives in and agrees to continue working