Rating: Summary: 4.5 rounded up ;-) Review: I was a little nervous about reading this book as it touched religious issues. The resolution still confuses me somewhat, I can't see how that possibly ends things, and I'd better not say any more.To give you a better idea of what this is about, THE AMBER SPYGLASS is the third book of the intriguing His Dark Materials trilogy. The beloved characters Lyra, Will, Mrs. Coulter, and Lord Asriel return with many more new creatures and twists in the plot. Their fate is on play and we all read in fascination to see what becomes of Lyra, who is held captive at the beginning of the novel. She and Will have been separated, and he struggles to reunite them for their ultimate battle. The scene is set for a reenactment of Eden and the atmosphere is intense. Those that have read the preceding books, I don't know how you can wait or avoid this incredible conclusion! I didn't give this the full rating because of some of the controversy in and out of the text, but that's just me... I'm going to miss Lyra and Will after this - Philip Pullman is truly a wonderful author, worthy of every bit of praise. I look forward to more novels from him in the future.
Rating: Summary: Could barely be better Review: This is far and away the best book I have ever read. I couldn't put it down, and I still can't. After I finish the third book, I pick up the first book and start reading the trilogy all over again. I just love it so much! And "love" isn't the most common word for a 15 year old boy. I really enjoyed the ending. There are many people who complain about how sad it is, but think about what would happen if he didn't do that. It would be rather horrible in my opinion. So why did I say "could barely be better"? Some parts dont make sense to me, like how the monk tries so hard to get the locket off Ms. Coulter while she is sleeping, then just returns it lying next to her, or why Ms. Coulter didn't reveal Lyra's destiny to her, in a way sealing it. Anyways, if you haven't read this book you must. I wouldn't have done it either if not for my friends urging me to. If you really liked the trilogy and looking for more, the anime show "Cardcaptor Sakura" (the Japanese version, not the American) has many plot similarities, but of course it takes much longer to see the whole story.
Rating: Summary: One of the best!! Review: I think that this book was so, so, awesome. I have read The Golden Compass and that seems to revolve around Lyra(love that name), the girl in the book, her "golden compass", and her history, life, and world. The second, The Subtle Knife, is mostly about Will's life, his going through worlds, and acceptance of the subtle knife. I REALLY wish that Mr. Pullman had written more books, because they kind of leave you hangin at the end, just saying "Ok, now lets build the republic of Heaven." and end of book. And also with Will and Lyra's relationship, "Right, let's meet every year, in our seperate worlds, at this same bench, so we can still always be together, even if we're all grown up." My favorite book of the whole series is the Subtle Knife, because of all the suspense with the power of the knife, and what Will and Lyra do with it. I like the way with all of the books they switch from what one person is doing to another with each chapter. P.S. READ LORD OF THE RINGS,ITS GREAT!
Rating: Summary: 3 words, Adam, Eve, and temptress. Review: This is the third and best of these books. The best part is all of the different worlds there are in the book. Each chapter is action packed and unexpected things happen. Once I got hold of this book I couldn't stop reading it. If you read the first books you have to read this one because the conclusion is amazing and sweet. The ending is soo good!
Rating: Summary: imaginative and rewarding Review: Philip Pullman has really done a masterful job with this third book in his trilogy. One of the magical things about the book is that it will lend itself to repeated re-readings as readers grow with the book. Ostensibly for young adults, the themes and ideas running through all three novels will continue to be appreciated by young readers as they grow into adulthood. And these are some really interesting, wonderful ideas to grow with. I was very impressed with how Pullman drew everything together in this final book. It's a neat trick he pulls off in beginning this trilogy in such a focused way - with Lyra the central protagonist who knows only the world of her Oxford - and then expanding it by this third book to embrace a profoundly HUGE, everything-AND-the-kitchen-sink concept of the universe, but still giving us indivduals to care about and keeping the strong emotional center of Lyra (and Will). Amazing.
Rating: Summary: Disappointing ending for trilogy Review: The Golden Compass absolutely enthralled and captivated me, and the Subtle Knife was also quite beguiling. But this third book was a letdown. There were some thrilling moments: three kids running down a path, suddenly being confronted by three guards, as an armored bear is rushing in to help them, an angel intercedes and two miniature spies swoop in on their golden dragonflies! But fearsome characters introduced in the beginning (the assassin, for example) meet their ends without having been of any real threat to their targets, monstrous creatures of the Dead world suddenly become cohorts with Lyra and Will. The final battle was horrifically confusing: it was hard to follow what and who were fighting, and I couldn't figure out how big this battle was supposed to be. And what was the thing about the scientist acting as "the serpent"? All the big, portentious elements put in place early in the book and in the trilogy seem to come to nought.
Rating: Summary: This is the best book ever!!! Review: In the Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman creates a cunning story full of excitement, betrayel, and adventure. Lyra and Will are incredible characters whith bravery and strength. Their adventures through the World of the Dead to find Lyra's friend and Will's father create an exciting mix of emotion and courage. These two children's destiny relies on their actions, which are being monitered closely by good and evil. Pullman creates a story worth reading again and again. I would DEFINETLY recommend this book to anyone searching for a good book.
Rating: Summary: BEST BOOK EVER! Review: An amazing book that is definetly worth reading (it's better to read it if you've read the other two)! I wish I had a DAEMON! The only complaint I have is about the ending, it's too sad and abrupt. However this book still gets my rating as the best book ever written! Read it!
Rating: Summary: The Best Ever! Review: First I'd like to say that this is my favorite book, and no matter how many times I read it, it never gets boring. Harry Potter is a good series, but it's kind of "happy-go-lucky" where everything turns out well, and this book is focused more for young adults. first you have to read the Golden Compass, and then the Subtle Knife, and i promise you that when you get to this book, you're in for a treat. Pullman added a little romance to this book (which I thought was great) but I cry everytime I get to the end. If you're 12+ I bet you'll enjoy it =)
Rating: Summary: The final countdown Review: In The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman brings His Dark Materials trilogy to a close with a big, sprawling, apocalyptic piece of work that ties up all those loose ends in a satisfactory manner... Satisfactory, that is, to anyone who is open-minded enough to accept new, imaginative thoughts. In essence, there are two kinds of great innovative stories - those that fit new situations seamlessly into an existing body of thought and make you wonder why no one did it before, and those that do exactly the opposite and massage existing situations into a new line of thought. Then there are the third kind... the kind that only rise to the surface once every century or so... the kind that can take new situations and place them into a new stream of thought. Such is the trilogy of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Imaginative, compelling, thought-provoking and innovative... no other way to describe them. Pullman is known for other fine works as well as His Dark Materials, but I'm willing to bet that these three books will be the ones he'll be remembered for. The most amazing thing about The Amber Spyglass is that Pullman could, at any time, have taken the easy way out and written a happy ending... an ending that the church would have blessed and sanctified... an ending that the feminists would have been comfortable with... happy endings all around, in fact. The world is saved - God saved the world. But no! Pullman stood firm and allowed his characters to think for themselves. In doing so, he has taken the heat from all manner of religious fanatics. But this is REAL LIFE people, so you either accept that all three books were just a little fairytale with a difficult ending, or you accept that they were an analogy of life itself. Heads you win; tails you can't lose! Unless, of course, you're too closed-minded to see it.
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