Rating: 
Summary: bad ending
Review: This trilogy was great in the first two books although this one was rather disappointing. Pullman had created a wonderful world of magic and alternate worlds, of action and romance, but this book was offensive to Christians and was just to cheesy with all the love and heartbreak that the main characters Will and Lyra experienced. The two go to a world where dead people go and free them they also say that there is no god, but the first angel apparently called himself god and claimed to create the rest of them. Will and Lyra then take the ghosts from the world of the dead and all the dead people just turn into molecules. It slaughters the book when Pullman tries to make fun of Christians. The love between Will and Lyra lasts for the last few pages then they must leave each other since they are from different worlds, boo-hoo. One thing that doesn't make sense in this book is when all the ghosts evaporate some stay behind to help Lyra's dad fight heavens forces. if the ghosts evaporate how can some stay behind to fight? Pullman must have been to eager to finish this book and just didn't care. he really should have made a better ending for it, it simply ends with Will and Lyra heartbroken and stuck next to each other, but worlds aparate, it just doesn't seem like a it gives enough closure. This last book was really a bad ending to the trilogy although it did have some good times it just wasn't the same as the first two.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, but slow-moving story
Review: Pullman did not let his readers down with the final book of His Dark Materials, The Amber Spyglass. The plot gets interesting from the first pages of the book, and picks up right where its predecessor, The Subtle Knife, trails off. The plot is very intense and provides for hundreds of pages of good reading. Pullman has created a masterpiece of a conclusion to his fantastic trilogy.
Even though the plot is very exciting, it is too slow-moving to receive a five-star rating. Some chapters were tedious to read even though the plot was good. Pullman went way too in depth in some areas, such as the chapter about the Constitorial Court of Discipline's descision to kill Lyra. It is woven with a complex and suspenseful plot, but a chapter of boring description in the middle of a heated story makes for a difficult read. This is also the case with Pullman's descriptions of the Mulefa, the wheeled beasts Dr. Mary Malone encounters. At times, it seemed as though Pullman was simply trying to add length to his concluding novel simply for the sake of making a longer read. This actually detracted from his plot and made it less exciting.
All in all, The Amber Spyglass is definitely worth reading. Pullman creates an unbelievable amount of suspense when he reveals that Lyra will have to make a descision deciding the fate of the world. Pullman uses great language and a complex plot just as in the first two novels of the trilogy to create his ending piece. Even if it moves slower than its predecessors, you should read The Amber Spyglass and discover Pullman's closure to His Dark Materials.
Rating:
Summary: Dark, brilliant, but with a few blemishes
Review: I just finished this book in geometry class, and let me tell you, it is fantastic! It has everything you'd ever want in a fantasy epic - love, treachery, amazing imagry, well-developed and likeable characters... Pullman really pulls you into the series, especially this one, with the blooming romance of Will and Lyra(who despite their age are obviously quite mature, although some people who read this might feel a bit confused at their ascent).
The only thing that really bothered me was a chapter, no, not even a chapter, a fragment of a chapter, in the end when Pullman uses one of his characters to vent on his atheism. I'm an agnostic, so either way, it doesn't so much matter that he's bashing orthodox religion... The fact is, it doesn't make sense that people could go through so something so eye-opening and fantastical and then openly outrule the existence of something like a creator. It was obvious that he was absent, but non-existant? Isn't that just as rediculous as orthodox religion? Pullman needs to read his own novel, I think. Anything's possible. That's the message I got, anyway.
Either way, the book's a great read, and the best in the series. Read it; you'll enjoy it....
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent fiction writing & deplorably heavyhanded preaching
Review: Finishing the trilogy leaves me rather depressed. The degeneration of such a marvelous imaginative world of fantasy and science fiction into barely veiled juvenile swipes at Christianity left a bitter taste for the whole series in my mouth. As an elementary school teacher who loves to read out loud to his class I was hoping I'd found another series to use. Unfortunatly not. There is no way this book is appropriate for younger children of parents of Christian backgrounds. I can just imagine the parent calls now... There were also numerous plot holes in this last book as well, ... It strikes me that perhaps Pullman was so eager to set about Christian bashing that he lost sight of the literary integrity of the story itself. Perhaps he was just falling all over himself as the end of the trilogy came to get to his sermon.
All that talent... such a shame... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
Rating:
Summary: The Amber Spyglass
Review: Let's see...if you want to be depressed for a week after reading an exciting, wonderful book that just happens to have a horrible ending, read The Amber Spyglass. It all starts out great. Will, the bearer of the subtle knife, sets out on a journey to save Lyra from Mrs. Coulter, her dreadful mother who finally realizes her love for Lyra after all these years. Once Will rescues Lyra, the two decide to visit the world of the dead, where their loved ones are suffering after their horrible deaths. When the duo actually arrives, they experience the heartbreak of losing their daemons as well as as the feeling of anxiety and overwhelming fear. However, with the help of John Parry (Will's dead father), Rodger (Lyra's dead friend), and the other dead ghosts, they mangage to open a window into the real world. With the help of friends, Will and Lyra are able to escape the war between Heaven and Earth that Lyra's parents are involved in. Soon, though, after all the trauma, Will and Lyra start to realize their undying love for eachother. But, just when the now "couple" was having the time of their lives and finding themselves in a deeper love than anyone could imagine, they learn that they can't be together. So...after reading this amazing (and now ruined) book, I was furious. Why would you end such a well-written, award-winning, exciting book in such a depressing way? It doesn't make sense.
Rating: 
Summary: Shocking
Review: Published in 1999 THE AMBER SPYGLASS is as follows
Astounding...Breathtaking...A Fun-loving Book...Phillip Pullman wrote this book like a cat stalks a mouse. He uses drama and adventure to catch the readers attention then draws him in with a dazzling display of action and new discoveries. Lyra (a stubborn and innocent child from Old Oxford) and Will ( a compassionate companion from New Oxford)travel through the Aura worlds trying to save original sin.
In order to do this they have to find the world of the dead, their daemons true form, and Mrs. Coulters love for Lord Asriel. Phillip Pullman will teach you love and kindness. You will definatley enjoy this book if you are between 8 and 12 and are a reader of fantasy and adventure. This is the third book in the series and I would say this is great compared too THE SUBTLE KNIFE (the second book) and THE GOLDEN COMPASS (the first book) because of the action and suspense in THE AMBER SPYGLASS. You should read this book; it will make you wish it never ended. A book not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: The Amber Spyglass
Review: ...All sentient life is soon to die everywhere. We must stop this now or cease to exist. This problem makes all sentient thoughts disappear! We must save sentient beings everywhere! This book is also about losing but meeting again. Will loses his dad just to find him dieing. While Lyra tries to say sorry to a long lost friend.In the end many people have to say good-bye to people you though they never would and many shall say good-bye for ever. In "The Amber Spyglass" two children, Will and Lyra must make the hardest decision for themselves in order too save the lives of all that is sentient. They over come all the evils in "the worlds" just to have to face an evil that is worse then them all. This evil makes them leave each other forever. It doesn't seem bad but, the hassles brought them so close both are willing to die just so to see the other for maybe ten years or less. This is a book where two children over come all odds, save the dead, and suffer many hardships that most people would give up on. These children must save the "worlds" and in order to do so they cause themselves more pain than most can imagine. Many "people" were counting on them. This book is better than the other two books in this series combined. Joy, sorrow, and extreme happiness are just some of the many emotions that will take over your soul. In this book there is never a dull moment between fighting attack squadrons of angels to "sneaking out of death". Some examples of this are the meeting of Lyra's death, the freeing of the ghosts, the battle with the harpies and many more. I will even say that this book is one of the best books I have ever read....
Rating:
Summary: Christianity Contradicted
Review: I recently read The Amber Spyglass and the last third of the book would give any reader pause for thought, but especially Christians in America. I couldn't help but think that if an American author had written this book, it probably wouldn't have been published. We have a very strong Christian contingent in this country, and publishers hesitate to take a chance on anything outside the norm. The Christians are the "bad guys" in Pullman's trilogy. Philip Pullman is a British author. So is J. K. Rowling. Before Harry Potter, Philip Pullman was just another children's book author whose books were known within a small group of children's book advocates. Now he is recommended as a follow-up to Rowling. His books are well written and layered; the characterizations are memorable, and the ideas presented will color a reader's thoughts for a long time. I hope many copies are sold. But if so, it's not the quality; it's public demand in the United States. It bothers me that so few foreign language books are translated into English and published in the United States, while the opposite is true of American books....
Rating:
Summary: A 'must read' for all
Review: This book is one of the best young adult books i have ever read.
Lyra and her companions travel through diffrent worlds to make a wonderful end to the series. The best part about this book is that it doesn't treat the christian religion with too much respect. This book gives a new view to god and the kingdom of heaven as a source for imaginitive writing rather than too much reverence.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing book
Review: In this thrilling conclusion to the Dark Materials trilogy Philip Pullman questions theology itself. Lyra must confront the kingdom of the angels itself in order to unravel her destiny. This is a fine example of a "stay up all night to find out what happens to the protaganist" book. I highly recommend it to everyone who has read the preceding books.
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