Rating: 
Summary: Review For The Subtle Knife
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. I think it had some flaws but after everything in said and done, I think this is a wonderful book.
The worst part of the book was the confusing scene changes. It kept bouncing from one new world to another. It was hard for me to keep all the events happening at the same time straight. I got all the little specific details mixed up. I questioned what was happening. I had to go back to remind myself who some characters were. I think that the book would have been better if it was clearer.
After reading the first book I was really looking forward to reading the second. In the first book I enjoyed the strong willed character Lyra. In this book I can see that her presence is important. She is a solid character.
I would definitely recommend this book. I was hooked on it. I thought it was well written and had a wonderful, solid plot. I thought that it had new interesting ideas to think about and ponder. I was a little disappointed with the ending, so I probably would recommend this book to someone who is willing to read all three books. I also wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hasn't read the first one because it would be hard to understand what was happening.
Rating: 
Summary: Huge Disappointment
Review: I really liked the first dark materials book. It was very exciting and Pullman created a great character in Lyra. What the hell happened to her between the first book and the last 2? She suddenly hooks up with a male figure, Will, and she's suddenly a sidekick? Her deferential attitude in this book is completely at odds with her fiery persona from book 1.
Also, if the whole point of these books was to prove you should think for yourself, why have the characters blindly follow this alethiometer when they don't know whose controlling it? It seemed a pretty weak plot device to me.
I won't bother telling anyone not to read it, because if they read the first book they'll be too anxious to find out what happened to Lyra to listen. I know I was! Just borrow it from someone or visit a library so you don't waste the cash. It isn't one you'll reread.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: I thought the subtle knife and Golden Compass were in fact absolutely wonderful. Philp Pullman is one of the few writers (of any genre) in the past two decades who actually knows how to write and tell a story. The writing is lyrical and breathtaking. Having extensively read and analyzed Paradise Lost throughout my college career as an English major, I was nothing short of amazed at how well His Dark Materials Trilogy followed Milton's great work. Due to this, unlike some of the past reviewers however, I was actually expecting many of the controversial themes in the Subtle Knife before I even read teh Golden Compass just by the passage from Paradise Lost at the beginning. I will fully acknowledge that in the Subtle Knife, Pullman discusses a rebellion against God. He seems sympathetic and even at times advocates the actions of Lord Asriel. He questions the judgement of God and the intolerance of the Church, and yes we are to some degree supposed to relate it to the our own society. Though even just picking out these themes is not a strong reading of this work. My recommendation, if you don't see where this is headed...READ PARADISE LOST! Milton does the exact same thing in his magnificient work. Paradise Lost deals with the rebellion against God, and at times Milton shows sympathy to Satan (in fact the most compelling interpretation is that Satan is the hero of the book), and constantly questions the judgement of God and the Church. Even though Milton was a Christian and made that clear throughout his work, he still kept the ambiguity between Good vs. Evil. And 300 years ago, Milton was extremely controversial for his views (in fact, a lot of the same criticisms against His Dark Materials Trilogy were almost the same as they were 300 years ago in the Milton Controversy). In the Golden Compass, Pullman gave the a notion of Good vs. Evil, in the Subtle Knife, he confuses these issuse, in the Amber Spyglass, will he set the record straight? Honestly, if he follows Paradise as well as he had, probably not. I do think, like Milton, Pullman has made it obvious from the Golden Compass that he sides with Lyra (Milton sides with Adam and Eve and mankind) on her quest to stop her parents in mounting the "rebellion against God", but he will still question God's judgement like Milton did. His Dark Materials Trilogy is a story of a possible second Fall of mankind. It is a very beautiful work of fantasy. It also discusses themes as friendship, love and truth and of course it provokes thought on both the part of the reader and the characters -- and that is the point of a book (not to mimic a reader's point of view) I am very curious to see how Pullman deals with these issues in the Amber Spyglass. I wouldn't be surprised if he explores another thought-provoking theme of humility of Lyra, mankind, and the Church for them to regain Paradise...
Rating:
Summary: Hard to find a fault...
Review: I was unsure as to how I was going to like it for the first five pages or so. That is only because The Golden Compass ends with the title charater heading off into a new world, but this book starts with a completely new character. Lyra showed up soon enough though, so no worries.
I don't want to give anything away, so I will try to be a general as possible. The author does a spectacular job of weaving an incricate tale and at the same time keeping the story moving forward that you don't get lost. Lyra finds herself in a new world with no idea how to do anything for herself. She meets a boy form yet another world who....'gasp'....has no daemon. They befriend each other and evutually are traveling between worlds looking for the answers to the questions of Dust and other 'new' things. The appearance of new character types, such as angels and humans from are world, are a very nice addition. And, just wait until you find out what the "Subtle Knife" can do.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy fiction that intertwines real life themes. If you are a staunch Christian who is easily offended by different takes on theology, then stay away.
Rating:
Summary: Lives Up to the Golden Compass
Review: If anything, this book is even better than the first. Pullman does such a wonderful job of creating characters who are complex and believable. He does not shy away from the difficult situations his story necessitates. Wow. Hard to believe this trilogy are supposed to be for younger readers--I'm over thirty and I love them and highly recommend them.
Rating:
Summary: The Magic Continues
Review: In the debate people have over sequels versus originals, I'd have to chalk one up for the sequel camp. Having just read "The Golden Compass", I wouldn't of believed Philip Pullman could top himself, but boy does he ever. The second installment of the "Dark Materials" trilogy begins with the introduction of Will Parry. Twelve years old, smart, and fiercely protective of his Mother, in self defense he commits a murder.Consequently, this sends him on a wild chase that at its' end finds him face to face with our heroine, Lyra. What happens then, and how their individual quests are related through possibly hundreds of worlds is the heart of part two.I loved this book. I loved the addition of Will, and the beautiful friendship he and Lyra develop. I thought the action never let up for a second, and had no idea where it was headed. I also loved the focus moving from just Lyra, as it was in the first book, to ample time with all the other various characters. It made them more tangible, more easy to connect with. The only thing that's misleading about the book is its' reading level.The cover art makes you think you're about to read something lightweight and sugary. A fairy tale to share with the kids. It's not! I would love to give these to my nephew who loves the Harry Potter books, but don't know if he'd grasp all the concepts Pullman is weaving. He's constantly making you question who's bad and who's good. And maybe that's his intention, and it will all be clear in the final book. I can't wait. Cause this one ended as a true cliff hanger.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome back to Lyra's magical world
Review: In The Subtle Knife we meet again the 11-year old courageous Lyra Belacqua on her quest for the origin of the Dust. Having just slipped through a newly formed astral gate, she finds herself in the world of Cittàgazze, in a city ruled by children because all adults had to flee for the soul-eating Specters. But Lyra is not alone. The 12-year old Will Parry has stumbled by `accident' in this weird realm too. Will is special. He comes from a world where people do not have personal daemons and where they preserve food in tin cans. Despite their differences both decide to continue the search for the truth behind the ever mysterious Dust. Will's own quest to find his father doesn't seem that important anymore, but little do they know that ultimately both will have to pay for this ignorance.
The Subtle Knife is the second part of the His Dark Materials-trilogy. Whereas the first part (Northern Lights, aka The Golden Compass) took quite some time to draw the characters and their setting, it becomes clear early in the second episode that the story really has begun. The breathtaking narrative is dispersed over a few interwoven storylines that neatly come together in a superbly composed climax. But do not be fooled: the climax drives you to a humongous cliffhanger that will let any reader beg for the final episode.
What makes His Dark Materials so special is that although intended as a book for young adults and dealing with a fantasy world, its plot is surprisingly mature. Nothing is taken for granted; the main characters have a strong conscience and consequently will have to deal with it. As a 12-year old boy having to kill a man, no matter how evil he turns out to be, is not something you can easily put away and ignore. Pullman takes this as a given fact and works it neatly into the story. This kind of depth makes His Dark Materials worthwhile for any imaginative young adult, but of course also for anyone who felt like one before.
Rating:
Summary: The middle book of an amazing series
Review: Middle books are hardly ever as good as the first and last but for a middle book, actually, for a book at all, this one is pretty good. Sure, it had some very boring parts involving the witches but the only reson these parts were so dull was because you were so excited to find out what Lyra and Will were doing. This book is also better than the others in some aspects, and entirely different in others.
The subtle Knife continues in the amazing creatures such as daemons that we learned about in the first. Now we are introduced to spectors, soul-eating creatures that only adults can see. I also love the sense of culture-shock for Lyra when she enters our world. It really makes you think-"What would someone from an other world think of the place we live in?" and since we have never known anything else we can barely imagine. But Philip Pullman can. And he gives us an entire view on Lyra's surprises, horrors and joys at this different civilization (us). I also find Will a fastinating character. One of the best things about these books is that none of the characters are perfect and flawless but not so unlikable that you start rooting for the antagonists. Lyra also undergoes such a change over the course of the three novels that it makes you feel like you really knew her.
This is an amazing book and my advice to you is that unless you are majorly religeous or under the age of ten, you should read this book as soon as you can.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful but can be disturbingly provocative
Review: NOTE: these reviews encompass all three books of His Dark Materials
These are books aimed at children and written in that vein. The heroine is a 12 year old girl (verging on 13). The books are couched in the fantastic and the allegorical. However, that is not to say that Pullman does not take his readers seriously. He is absolutely unflinching in his portrayals-including those involving violence and disappointment. These are the ways in which they begin to appeal not just to children (who so desperately crave to be taken seriously) but to adults as well. These books have enjoyed some astonishing success and they are well-deserved. Their influence on the genre will be in their presence-we don't think that many authors will attempt to imitate Pullman because they will be too timid to do so. He cannot be matched for how brutally honest he can be with the youth. It will be interesting to see how His Dark Materials will survive the test of time but because they are so antithetical to so many deeply entrenched "traditional values" we think that they begin to suffer a swift decline in future generations as the fear Pullman engenders in other authors will also be felt by parents when recommending books to their children.
WHO SHOULD READ THIS:
A difficult question to put to these books! Indeed, who should read them? Precocious and intelligent children should be introduced to His Dark Materials for they teach and celebrate simultaneously imagination, history, engineering, and physics. For many young readers, these books may be the first that seriously challenge their notions of justice, faith, and adulthood. There is such a great deal to admire about these books and parents trying to suppress them may in fact spur children in to reading them with greater furor. For wit, plot, and technique Pullman is certainly a match for anything Rowlings is doing (if not her equal in reaching larger audiences).
WHO SHOULD PASS:
Very conservative religious parents will be appalled by the last half of the trilogy. In fact, religious adults who read these books often complain of how profoundly annoyed and attacked they feel. Considered and educated readers will sense what we mean when we say Pullman's arguments become a bit facile by the end. Really, it's too bad--though how it could be avoided, we don't know--that His Dar Materials tackles the notions of faith in the way they do because in all respects they are very finely crafted and well-worth the time to read.
(...)
Rating:
Summary: Into this Wild Abyss...
Review: Phillip Pullman does it again. His second book in the His Dark Materials trilogy still contains the fantastic storyline and adventure from the first. Some argue that the new character, Will, steals from Lyra and her fight to avenge her friend. I feel that with the third (a balance of the two), this one acts for Will as the first did for Lyra. Pullman is simply introducing a new character, switching the spotlight slightly.
In the story, Will has known for some time the government wants his mother locked away from her problems. Not wanting his mentally ill mother taken from him like his father, an explorer who disappeared in Alaska, Will kills one while trying to escape his house. Now on the run, he enounters a strange rip in the air, one that leads him into another world. There, he meets Lyra, the central character in 'Northern Lights'/'Golden Compass (same book), who seeks out Dust. They begin to learn more of these "other worlds", the mysterious powers of Dust, and the cruelty of the Church.
Definately a reader. The story does change its perspective frequently though, but if you reread the first before proceeding to this, you'll find it easy to manage. I also stress this book ISN'T a religious statement. The ominious Church is that of one returning to the roots of the Inquisition and expanding. The book simply shows how people use God and his name to justify their malicious acts. Five Stars.
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