The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, Book 3)

Rating:
Summary: An absolute must
Review: This is one of the most incrediblly spectacular books I'v ever read.
With his outstanding skills of storytelling, Phillip Pullman weaves the story of a boy and girl who must journey to the dreaded land of the dead and save more than a million doomed souls.
This they will do, but not the impossible.
Yet do the impossible they must, or put the conscious beings and wisdom of all the worlds at risk.
I highly recomend this wonderfully engrossing fantasy as a definite must-have.

Rating:
Summary: Pullman's ideas didn't bother me, but . . .
Review: but his change from a story about a protagonist to a story about an idea did. I have no objection to alternative POV Pullman creates here, I don't believe it--but it'd be a shame if everyone only wrote about the things I believe in. I enjoyed the story for its literary skill and Pullman's own theories on creation. My problem is that I wasn't looking for this in the series. The first book was about Lyra--her adventures and her perceptions. The second book still focused on Lyra but a larger scope of people were introduced and suddenly it became more about the story than the people. By the third, Lyra's become lost in the war of ideas and theories being crafted. I missed having the more traditional story here. That being said, its an amazing book--but its not for everybody. It offers a different religious view--one set against Christianity and focusing on a very different set of values. It's interesting and good to get a different take on things, but not everybody's going to like it, and less are going to agree with it. My best advice to readers, don't beware--but BE AWARE that this is not a sweet or simple fantasy that will leave all questions answered.

Rating:
Summary: The Amber Spyglass
Review: Seriously I would give this book along with the rest of the series 1 million stars if I could. It beutifully finishes the fantastic three part story His Dark Materials. I put my nose in it and never took it out untill I was finished. In other words THIS BOOK IS VERY HIGHLY RECOMENDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Worst Book of the Year
Review: The first two books in this trilogy were thought-provoking and exciting. However, I think they were also very misleading. My family and I first thought that Pullman was writing from a Christian point of view. We knew he was buidling up to a final war between God and the "fallen" angels who rebelled against God at the beginning of the world. However, we were unprepared for, and shocked and dismayed to read, his portrayal of God and His angels in this third book. Pullman is nothing more than a God-hater. This is evident in his descriptions of God and His angels as either powerless and cowardly, or powerful but evil. This book was a terrible waste of time, and our time could have been far better spent reading anything else.

Rating:
Summary: Out of the Ordinary!
Review: This book was out of the ordinary. I'm also a harry potter fan, but this book i thought was so much deeper. It made you think. I'd read a book anytime if it had depth and quality. It was really touching at the end. I must have read the ending chapters 12 times and I just finished it last night. Great book. It's ending was so right. but it was so sad, i wish the author changed the ending. Read the whole trilogy, but this book is by far the best of all.

Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Trilogy
Review: I have loved the first two book in the HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy, but this book is my favorite. It ties up all the plot lines that were created in the first two, while still having rivoting adventure scenes, quiet discoveries, plot twists, and new worlds/characters. every character is given it's own fully-developed personality; the same with the worlds. it is a heart-warming ending, that is also a tear-jerker. i was sad to know that the adventures were over. However, Phillip Pullman doesn't leave the reader knowing everything. There is a sense of mystery about the ending that lets your imagination finish the story to your heart's content. i loved this book, and recomend it to everyone. however, if you haven't read the first two books, i strongly recomend reading them first, or you will be completely lost. also, if you haven't read any yet: READ THEM NOW!!!!! Phillip Pullman is an author worth reading. and THE AMBER SPYGLASS is his finest book.

Rating:
Summary: Great book, trashy ending
Review: I started out with anticipation. The first two books were great. By the time this one ended I was very disappointed. I don't mind Pullman's anti-christian polemic so much, lame and contradictory as that is. The thing that annoyed me most is the portrayal of pre-teen infatuation and sexual discovery as the savior of the universe. Very silly and irresponsible. Let's tell kids that puppy love is the glue that holds everything together. I wouldn't put it on any recommended parents' list.

Rating:
Summary: I got lost somewhere...............
Review: It may have been the time period between the second book and when the third got published. I found this trilogy better than most fantasy out there today, though it seemed to flounder and become confused as if the author was not sure how to end it or come to a climax. There are also parts where new qualities or features that turn up anew in this novel are explained away with a single sentence, leaving a contrived feeling sometimes. All said, I would recommend it for the fantasy reader out there....but maybe from the library.

Rating:
Summary: This is the best trilogy i've ever read!!!!!!!!
Review: I LOVED THE HIS DARK MATERIALS TRILOGY!I liked the Subtle Knife the best out of the three...but i couldn't put any of them down! Though i dont completely agree with the religious insights, they fit in with the plot. These are the best books and i would recomend them to everyone who loves a great fantasy book! I completely liked the end, though it was sad. the trilogy made me laugh, smile, cry, and i was on the edge of my seat for almost the whole time!the characters were amazing and after reading these books i feel like i've known them all my life. if you have any extra time i would advise you to read these books.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: Although this book does not quite have the same, uh, i guess "magical" would be the right word for The Golden Compass, not to sound corny or anything. But still, what it lacks in creativity as far as fanatsy books go, it gains in complexity and philosophy. This is an amazing book which, as doesn't often happen in children's books, attacks organized religiong, Christianity and the Catholic church in general. Philip Pullman does not beat around the bush, trying to subltely put down anything the Church does, he flatly and obviously says "This is what is bad about the Church, this is why I don't like it." It's great. Another aspect about this book and all of Philip Pullman's works is that it is amazingly convincing. You know how in most books the bad guy may be fooling the characters in the book, and yet the reader always knows the real truth, that the bad guy is lying, or tricking the other characters. Well, I have only read two books where I, the reader, am in doubt of whether the bad guy is telling the truth or not. The first one was The White Mercedes (which also happens to be by Philip Pullman) and the other is the Amber Spyglass. It is awesome to be that convincing and I admire Philip Pullman for his talent.