Rating: 
Summary: A great read!
Review: I was completely hooked once I'd read the first page of this book. Pullman's ability to combine human needs and out of this world fantasy is amazing. I literally couldn't put this book down. I read it in instalments, counting the days until the next part would come out. This is truly a breakthrough book, and I would recommend it to anyone of any age. I made my mother read the first book when I finished it, and she became obessed too. Read it!
Rating:
Summary: An absorbing fantasy book
Review: Before I talk about the collection, I would like to say this: These books are works of fiction; FANTASIES. People who have read His Dark Materials and claim that it is an attack on God need to get a grip. It is NOT an attack on God or the Christian faith, but is about growing up and the loss of innocence. The trilogy is labeled as a work of fantasy, and its positions on issues such as religion are not to be taken seriously. That being said, on to the books!I'm not going to say what the books are about, you can read the other reviews for that. Instead I'm going to say what a great piece of work this trilogy is. The characters are very well developed; you feel a personal connection to each of them. There are many biblical references throughout the books, and most of them are indeed contrary to what Christians believe in. I personally find it refreshing that Philip Pullman can so openly write about this touchy subject. The scope of the trilogy is amazing, and you will instantly find yourself drawn into the worlds that Pullman has created. I simply could not put these books down, and there were many occasions where I found myself reading hundreds of pages at a time, and I loved every minute of it. However, I would not suggest these books to children under 14 or 15...some of the concepts are rather complicated, and some younger children might not be able to appreciate the absolute extent of the books. Also, if you are a close-minded Christian I would not suggest these books, as they do question certain aspects of the Christian faith. Other than that, I highly recommend this trilogy to any fantasy fan, or anyone that would like to get into the genre. Hope this review helped! Have fun!!
Rating:
Summary: Best Book Ever
Review: This is one of the best books i have ever read, it is better than Harry Potter and anyone who compares the two is mad, Pullman creates an exiting new world and shows it through the eyes of caracters so amazing you will fall in love with them, Lyra, Will, Iorek, and the rest of the gang will blow your mind, it was funny, exiting, and even heartbreaking, i do recomend that this book be considerd for teens mostly because at some point it may be confusing, but it has nothing to do with the opinion of others who say it is '' questioning gods existence'' , that is not true after all its only fiction, i recomend this book to anyone it is a great pice of literature.
Rating:
Summary: Not just for young adults!
Review: ... I didn't get to sleep before 5 AM on any of the nights that I read them because I couldn't put them down. They are interesting with ideas that adults can relate to as well. I kept having to remind myself that they were for teenagers!
Rating: 
Summary: Not a kid book
Review: I am am eight grader and when I read this book back in the 7th grade, it flew right over my head. I did not understand this and I did not get as much out of this book as more mature people may have. Even though I am only a year older, I may understand it more. It was very good and a great piece of liturature, but I recommend it for 8th, but probably 9th or older.
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic story that does not deserve religous critisism.
Review: Reviewers who give books such as this strong negative reviews because the theme conflicts with their personal religous belief should not affect your decision to purchase this book. This series is not attacking the exsistence of God. To attack one aspect of this novel such as the exsitance of God is to attack the nonexistance of the armored polar bears which appear in book one of this trilogy. The person who states (in another review) "The author is obviously talented and it's a shame that the thrust of the trilogy was to try to denounce God's existence..." obviously is mistaken and has not allowed him or herself to forego this independent ridculous suggestion and denounce a quality piece of literature by Pullman. For God's sake, its fantasy! The person who made this abominadble comment is misinterperting this story as one thats sole purpose is to blatantly attack the exsistance of God. Clearly this is not the case: The Amber Spyglass continues the captivating trilogy set in motion by the Golden Compass and continues to develop the characters of Lyra and Will while the story reaches an extrodinary, unprecedented and ultimate climax. It is a quality piece of work which, as Terry Brooks commented, is of the quality of Tolkiens best. Do not pass the the His Dark Materials Trilogy. It is a FANTASTIC read for ANYONE, young or old, regardless of religous affiliation. Concerned parents who wish to shield their children from literature which they feel may contradict their beliefs only succeed in revealing the insecurity which they have vested in their own beliefs. As a teenager, this series revived my interest in reading of which I had previously none. It was this series that propelled me into the world of fantasy and gave incentive enough to read more difficult literature produced by authors like Robin Cook, Tolkien, and Orson Scott Card. This book and the rest of the His Dark Material Series: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass are superb pieces of literature which despite the aforementioned critism, have continued to maintain high acclaim among critics and readers alike. To pass up this series is most definately a mistake.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best i've read
Review: Pullman's excellent style of writing, mixed with his provocative ideas lead to the most magnificent fantasy series since "The Lord of the Rings".
brilliantly written, and not at all childish.
NOTHING LIKE HARRT POTTER!! I disagree with everybody who compares the two, they're like day and night.
Its provocative ideas, such as the contestation between good and evil, lead to great results. When I read it, I couls hardly put it down...
Rating: 
Summary: shocked that this was children's reading material
Review: The author is obviously talented and it's a shame that the thrust of the trilogy was to try to denounce God's existence and authority. In the first book, the author takes a section of chapter 3 in Genesis, adds a few lines of his own and presents it as a direct quote. The second novel denounces God and his place by name and goes to great effort to do so while skillfully weaving this within the fantasy of the story line. The third book states "The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all." This was quoted by a character, ironically named Mary, who denounced her faith in God and became a physicist specializing in "shadow particles". Her character concluded that there was no God and that physics was much more interesting. Portions of the story could have been a wonderful tale and did not need to utilize atheistic theology or undermine faith in God. It presents the Kingdom of God as a tyrannical place that denounces freedom and real thought. The thrust of the books was to overthrow the Kingdom and make it a republic. God was presented as a weak, old deceiver -- an angel claiming to be creator hiding behind the tyranny and hypocrisy of his churches. The main characters were to aid the rebel angels in a new battle, thus creating a republic that would let free thought reign and put them in complete charge of their own destinies. God was unnecessary. I am still trying to determine how this could be considered such good reading material for children. One caveat that I would like to add is that this is NOT an epic story on good versus evil where this time the other side wins. This author lets the reader get interested in a character and at the end of the first book starts in on a direct battle with God. But then he gives it minimal effort as to why this is a battle, why there is such a vicious attack on the validity of God's very person, and then lamely says that it's the "life stories" that are most relevant. He tries to completely nullify good and evil and then doesn't provide a clear-cut battle ground or resolution. For an author so capable of depicting the feelings of his characters and making them seem personal, this was beneath his talent and seemed more a venue for expressing his contempt for God and wrapping it around the facade of a children's story.
Rating:
Summary: Great books, but with a bias to be discussed with parents
Review: I first enjoyed The Golden Compass by itself, and found it to be a compelling, well-developed story. I later read the second and third books in the trilogy and was both impressed by the detailed world created by Pullman and shocked by some of the apparent bias of the author. Although I am a strong advocate for free-speech and I am happy that I read these books, I am also an adult who enjoys comparing differing religious viewpoints. For those who hold strong Judeo-Christian beliefs, this can be a very disturbing series. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND PARENTS OF CHILDREN UNDER 14 READ THESE BOOKS BEFORE THEY BUY THEM FOR THEIR CHILDREN. In my opinion, the books are a direct, literal attack on "God", and will likely raise questions that I believe should be discussed by families. I am also upset that the author's bias does not appear until the second book, allowing readers (i.e. parents and teachers) to read the Golden Compass and determine it to be acceptable, referring young readers to it who then go on to the Subtle Knife and the Amber Spyglass on their own, without adult guidance on the issues raised.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous trilogy for thoughtful readers.
Review: Many young readers will, I'm sure, move from the simple action-based stories of Harry Potter to this more complicated and subtle fantasy trilogy. A beautifully written and well-thought out series, it is contemporary fiction at its best: it enchants while it encourages thought and debate. Do your kids (and yourself) a favor: get these books and read them together.
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