Rating: 
Summary: A sad failure
Review: I've seldom been so dissapointed in a book as in THE AMBER SPYGLASS.The first part of this trilogy is a masterpiece, the best novel I've read in over three decades. The second is very good. This one is mediocre. The problem is that Pullman has a Message: 'Have an Open Mind.' Unfortunately, none of the characters in THE AMBER SPYGLASS do. It never occurs to any of the 'Good Guys' to find out anything about the 'Bad Guys' on their own, to doubt anything they're told, or to use their brains to independently evaluate the evidence -- but then, they never bother to get any evidence. And what the author does show us of the 'Good Guys' suggests they're as evil and ruthless as the baddies. So who cares who wins? A lot of the reviewers suggested that this series is "better than J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series." Hah! THE GOLDEN COMPASS was better than Rowling, and THE SUBTLE KNIFE was almost as good, but THE AMBER SPYGLASS isn't even close. It's a pity. Pullman had the makings of a great series here, but he threw it away in order to deliver a lecture about 'thinking for yourself.' Too bad he doesn't practice what he preaches.
Rating: 
Summary: A Beautiful and Ugly Portrait of Humankind *sundancer*
Review: This book, although commonly categorized with contemporary fantasy novels, does not at all belong on that shelf. Despite its rather surreal settings, The Amber Spyglass is in nature the reality of humakind: its irony, cruelty, love, comeradeship, and anger painted with a master's hand. And although the details of the rebellion against the overbearing Authority, the lines of trust and betrayal between bear and witch and angel and human are complicated, the theme in the end is a simple one of belonging and of rebuilding, and of being content with one's nature. The story carries the reader through the ancient Cittagazze, a city of dust-covered mystery in which the wingbeats of angels resound against the crimson sky and groves of gnarled lemon trees lean by the broad boulevards, where children run through the streets among elegant crumbling cathedrals. But deep within the heart of the metropolis sits a mysterious stone tower that no one dares approach, and nearby a patch of air three feet by three feet hovers above the ground. Unmoving, it shows a patch of grass through its windowlike form, the same as the surrounding lawn--except for the fact that the grass seen in the square is part of another world. Mysterious Specters haunt the city, feasting upon the souls of adults, but not on the less experienced ones of the children. In the utopian lands where the Mulefa dwell, Sraf is draining from the sky. It is their word for rememberance, wakefulness, experience, awareness that came as the younger ones matured, as long as they held fast to their tradition, it would come to enrich their people. But, for a reason none, not even Sattamax could explain, it was moving, draining away, in a steady current. Can any act save them from the fate of becoming mere animals once again? There is one who can. Two: a second Adam and Eve, or Lyra and Will. These are destined to re-enact the Garden of Eden, but they are not destined to be tempted as those before them were. Destiny ends when they enter the garden. The Church plots to kill Lyra before she can be tempted, so as to save mankind from being banished from innocence and paradise once more. But the tempter knows the cost of paradise: Sacrificing love, emotion, memory, wisdom, all that once was human, and become unfeeling to guilt and remorse, yes, as soul-less beasts. And Mary Malone is determined. To fight the power of God with bare humanity, love, and wisdom. A song that well represents this novel is Grieg's "Melodie" from Lyric Pieces Op.38, No.3
Rating:
Summary: A true literary masterpiece
Review: I was totally thrilled at this book as an end to Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. It was my favorite installment, in fact. I am in total agreement that he truly is a master of his art... every scene is written so powerfully and intentionally... I would find it difficult not to marvel at his skill as an author and storyteller. And now for my review: Although I thought that the book started off a little slowly, and the momentum fell somewhat at one or two parts, most of the book is written with an intensity that is rarely found in young adult literature. The characters have been so well developed through the Golden Compass/Northern Lights and Subtle Knife, that I felt I really knew them, and just when I did, Pullman threw in twists that left me rethinking everything. Many scenes were incredibly enthralling, and there were moments when it was literally impossible to put the book down. I have a distinct interest in the subject matter addressed in this book, and I think it admirable that Pullman would address religion as he does in a series targeted at young adults. I felt emmersed in Lyra and Will's yet-unknown epic quest. Even the "villians" were fascinating. (I found Lord Asriel to be one of the most interesting characters). The reason, in my opinion, that this book deserves such acclaim is its ending. I don't know that I've ever read such a beautifully written (or heart-wrenching,for that matter) conclusion to a series. I was not "let down" at all by the way that Pullman ended it, quite the contrary. I felt everything that the characters were feeling, and I cried through the final chapters along with them. A happy ending would be too cliche, which Pullman certainly is not, and not real enough for the depth of this particular trilogy. My single complaint about the end is that the "War in Heaven" should have been taken into more detail, but perhaps the slight indefinite conclusion to that aspect was intended to leave something up the the readers' imagination. I didn't feel any of the disappointment that I've heard some readers express, but I just recently discovered Pullman's works, so I didn't have more than a few days to wait and speculate between books. Maybe that's why. In short, I strongly reccomend The Amber Spyglass, but must caution that it isn't for everyone. Those easily offended by religious subject matter may want to look elsewhere. Reading this trilogy also requires a degree of patience, because although most parts are captivating, the constant switching between different aspects of the plot can contribute to a momentary drop in the action. Of course, these temporary drop-offs are more than compensated for later on. His Dark Materials gives a totally different take on the fantasy genre than J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Whereas Harry Potter is more simple and yet unpredictable, His Dark Materials has more depth and complexity, but at an occasionally slower pace.
Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Conclusion To An Incredible Trilogy
Review: In a world where tyranny reigns supreme, where knowledge must succumb to ignorance, the destiny of the world, of many worlds, lays in the hearts of a girl and boy . . . . Have you ever dreamed of different worlds, other dimensions? Have you ever questioned the ideas and beliefs of humanity? Have YOU dared to be different? If so, this book is for you! I felt that this book was a wonderful conclusion to the series. When I first heard that it would be 518 pages, I still felt that it would be impossible for every "loose-end" to be "tied up". With the complex cast of characters, including brave Lyra, steadfast Will, and the ruthless Mrs. Coulter, how could everything be completed in only one book? However, I was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events, especially the ending, by which every character's fate was made clear, and the mystery surrounding the fate of Lyra and Will revealed. I would like to conclude my review by saying that this book was marked by its cast of characters. Each one is so complex, marked by internal conflicts and struggles that mold them and the change is evident throughout the series. The character development, especially the growth of Lyra, was also impressive and enhanced the quality of the book. Sometimes, especially with Mrs. Coulter, a person isn't sure if they are good or bad! I won't say anymore, because this book is one surprise after another, and I don't want to ruin anything! Enjoy reading this fantasy novel, every one of the 518 pages is worth it!
Rating: 
Summary: "DARK MATERIALS" FALLS AT THE THIRD FENCE
Review: It would be churlish to knock "The Amber Spyglass" too hard as literature. After all, whatever its faults, it is the finale of one of the best pieces of fiction writing for half a century. And yet even as I draft this review, I am undecided whether to give this final volume four or three stars. Taking the trilogy as a whole, "His Dark Materials" is a throwback to the days when fantasy writing could stand up as serious literature and still be enjoyed by young readers. In fact in many ways it's better than either the "The Lord of the Rings" or "Gormenghast". Its characters are better drawn and more likeable, it touches on the real-life obsessions of adolescence in a way that would have been taboo in the days of Tolkien or Peake, and it's written in better prose than either of them. What's more, most of the individual elements that made "Northern Lights" and "The Subtle Knife" real five-star material are to be found in abundance in "The Amber Spyglass": superbly paced narrative, glowing descriptive passages, characters who come to life, a wealth of poignant incidents - in fact the very final scenes are among the finest in the entire trilogy. So where does it go wrong? I want to suggest three fundamental errors of judgement that spoil what could have been truly great: 1). The monster is made of papier-mache. We've all seen sci-fi/horror films where the early atmosphere of threat and mystery is spoilt when a creaky monster made of wire and papier-mache lumbers onto the set ten minutes from the end. That's what we have here. When the great and fearful gods who have been manipulating human events from an unimaginable other-world of light and darkness finally lumber on, it is all too much like "The Trollenberg Terror" or the little man behind the curtain in "The Wizard of Oz". 2). The setting is out of touch with real life. The strength of the early volumes was that their fantasy elements were rooted in a world we could all recognise as a dark, twisted, sardonic reflection of our own. Sadly, as the trilogy progresses and the background becomes more and more fantastical, the author seems to get carried away with dreaming up bizarre new world-scapes and to lose the thread of his story. What seem at first sight to be interesting new plot threads are often unceremoniously dumped as soon as they have served their immediate purpose, and few of them are developed satisfyingly. A good example is Mary's prophesied (but never quite fulfilled) role as a temptress comparable to the serpent in the Garden of Eden. More seriously, the cosmology of "Dust" is used as a pretext for most of the important plot developments, but in the end it turns out to be little more than a "McGuffin" - that's the name the film industry gives to the sort of wondrous but unexplained gadget/formula/secret that is a pretext for the action in every secret agent film you ever saw . In the end, it is easy for the reader to get into a "so what?" frame of mind. 3). The most serious flaw in "The Amber Spyglass" is that the author follows a personal agenda to the point of spoiling the story for others. Tolkien worked for years on the ethnology of Middle Earth before writing the "The Lord of The Rings", but his philosophical ideas were never allowed to get in the way of a good story (at least, not until Silmarillion, etc.) In contrast, Pullman seems determined to share his rather disturbing personal theology with us, to the point where Lyra's story sometimes seems like an unwelcome distraction. Ideas about the nature of God and the place of mankind in the universe that are no more than undercurrents in the earlier volumes are here brought out into the open, with key characters sometimes almost spouting sermons. Christian, Jewish or Moslem parents may find the distortion of their shared spiritual heritage and the parodying of established religion particularly distasteful. There is a right time for people to grapple with the nature of sin and grace, but it's not through dime-store metaphysics a children's novel intended to be read as entertainment. In the end, the first two volumes could be recommended to almost anyone over the age of 12, provided they have a strong stomach and they or their parents do not object to the unhelpful spiritual input. And once you've read the first two, you'll want to read the conclusion. But to me it was a disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Writing but not quite the Magic Touch of the other two
Review: This book doesn't quite capture the magic of Northern Lights and the Subtle Knife, but still Phillip Pullman displays his descriptive genius and his massive knowledge of physics and many other things. He just can't get the story off the ground so I didn't really have any trouble putting this book down.
Rating:
Summary: A Stunning end to an amazing trilogy.
Review: This book is one of the best I have ever read. And I am not just glamorizing it for the sake of something to do. I have read many a story in my so far eighteen years of life and this ranks right up there with the best of them. The other two in this series were remarakable as well. The Subtle Knife left me hungering, begging for more. And I was rewarded in this end to an amazing trilogy. Although it claims to be, I feel that this is not a children's book. Not in the sense of Dr. Seuss or even the Hardy Boys. There is more substance and depth to this story then in a whole slew of Hardy Boy Mysteries. The book does have certain parts of anti-religion, but we must remember that this is a story. I myself am a christian, and though I found certain parts made me do a double take, overall I felt that it was not offensive. It is fiction, and a person's religious views should not discourage them from reading this book. The plot is absorbing and the characters leave a lasting impression. I have re-read this book twice already, done a report on it for a 12th grade english assignment and plan to read it again to pass the summer time. Will and Lyra have forever been engrained into my mind. The bitter-sweet ending moved me to tears. It was not at all what I expected, but as I saw them begin to fall in love I soon reliased that something had to give. The ending could not just end with sap and a sunset. If it did I would have been very upset. The world is not as simple and cliched as that. I am an unpublished free lanced writer and I know how hard it can be not to put a mushy gushy finish at the end of a story. The pull can be very strong. I am greatful that Pullman is the talented writer that he is and gave us a work that may leave us sad and heart broken but one that did not sell itself short. And as for Will and Lyra being to young to fall in love I just have to say, they never had the chance to be young. Think about it, what other twelve year olds do you know of have had the fate of humaity rest on their shoulders? Or had to journey into the land of the dead and fight the army of the End Time? They may be only children, but they underwent more then anyone, young or old should ever have to go through in a lifetime. And love know's no boundaries, it just happens. Their relationship was short lived but sweet and tragically sad. In conclusion I encourage you to read this book, not for all it's awards, and good reviews. But because it is something worth taking the time to read. You will not be dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Good Writing but not quite the Magic Touch of the other two
Review: Phillip Pullman's 3rd His Dark Materials Book is beautifully written and the more you read Pullman the more you realise what a genius he must be. The story line is a slight disapointment after Northern Lights and The Subtle Knife both of which sucked you into the dark, strange world of Phillip Pullman's mind. In this book Pullman displays his knowledge and descriptive power but can't quite capture the magic. Still, it's not that bad a book.
Rating:
Summary: An Incredible- and unforgettable- book!
Review: A while ago, I got a call from my best friend saying that I had to read this series. Unable to resist a good book, I went out and bought the first one the wek after. I was incredibly pleased with The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife and couldn't wait for more. When I first saw The Amber Spyglass, I was surprised about the length (518 pages!). Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down (just like the first two). The characters are all incredible- it is one of those books where you feel like you KNOW each and every one of them as if they have jumped out and into your world. The ending was completely unpredictable (no, I WON'T give it away) and I felt myself shaking with emotion with tears running down my face at the end. In my opinion, it is the best book in the series. The only negative about this book is that it is the last of the trilogy and I crave more. I am sure you will hear from some that this is an overrated book and that it has no value, but those people must not appreciate a good book when they see one- and most have never actually read it, just heard of it. Personally,every person I have talked to that has actually READ it has loved it- and I think you will too. Readers will find themselves believing in true love, wondering about death, and hoping that maybe life is not the way we really see it, then questioning all of those beliefs again. It really gets you thinking. If this series doesn't make you a Phillip Pullman fan, nothing will.
Rating:
Summary: A gem to own!
Review: When I first read "The Golden Compass," the storyline took me away and swept me off my feet-which is more than I can say for a lot of other books. Truly, the trilogy has kept me going, and I recommend it to anyone who has never read it before. "The Amber Spyglass" finishes the exciting tale of Lyra and Will and the mysterious Dust particles, but I was by no means satisfied at the end of the novel. I was dying as I neared the end, silently screaming, "Why is he doing this? He can't do this to them!" I was in a fit of rage at Pullman for ending the story the way he did, but that does NOT mean I didn't like it. It doesn't mean it's a bad ending either. It evoked emotion, and when as story does that as well as Pullman has done, you know it's worth reading.
| 
