Rating: 
Summary: Powerfully inspired!
Review: I wish that I could have experienced this masterpiece when I was 12 or 13. That way, I could have grown up rereading this trilogy until the covers fell off! Oh, well... anytime is perfect to jump into Pullman's dramtic universe.Lyra's capture and visions of the Land of the Dead are thoroughly gripping. I no longer could say that her captor was 100% evil, which is a credit to Pullman's character development. His villians are far too complex to hate with perfect impunity. With regards to the actual Land of the Dead, I can't remember when I have read another author who could create a landscape that was so vivid in its despondency. It was like walking through the bombed out ruins of Dresden after World War II (and that's just the entryway!) I also loved Mary Malone's interaction with the mulefa, the wonderfully strange creatures who live in absolute harmony with their environment. If you have ever read the space trilogy by C.S. Lewis, you might see some parallels between the mulefa world and Lewis's middle book, "Perelandra". There are so many wonderful instances and scenes in this book that its impossible for me to pick one favorite. I think that one major theme in this book (and in the whole series) is the importance of keeping promises. Lyra and Will not only will do anything for each other, but they are also willing to sacrifice their very beings to help their friends and loved ones. It feels good to read about imperfect people who discover thier hidden talents and use them to better serve those around them. An apt reminder for both children and adults.
Rating:
Summary: A triumphant end to an astonishing series
Review: Unpatronising, dark, humanist, epic, deep - a series based on a Seventeenth Century religious poem... this is children's literature? Yes. Rewrite the critical textbooks because this is the triumphant conclusion to a series for children (and adults) that doesn't talk down or compromise artistry in any way. Not many people have been able to do this - perhaps only Alan Garner, and Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea books. A lot has been written about Harry Potter recently, and while that series is amusing, diverting and fun, J.K. Rowling doesn't have half of the humanity, understanding, emotion, style and characterisation of Philip Pullman. 'His Dark Materials' is withtout doubt the best fantastic series that has ever been written for older children. I'll restrict myself to some key reasons: first of all Pullan is honest and courageous enough to stand up to the cheap and patronising relgious morality that has characterised a lot of children's literature, and not just overtly religous series like C.S. Lewis' 'Narnia' sequence. Pullman is a passionate humanist whose belief in the complex, difficult but wonderful variety of humanity infuses this book. And he even manages to kill God in a very humane way! However, the characters don't all survive and have happy endings - there is death and loss and pain, which are all essential to the series. The books are full of darkness, but it is a darkness which can be wrestled with and overcome. A particularly fine part of this final book is set in the dismal realm of the dead, full of the disappointed and the hopeless spirits of those who had believed in something transcendant after death. The key to the unpatronising nature of the Series is the way in which the characters change and grow up through the three books. They don't remain children - there is even a sensitive and effective description of sexual awakening - you don't find that in many children's books. Finally, there is the incredible scope of Pullman's worlds. He has created not just one, but several beautfully detailed worlds, complete with their own evolutions: armoured bears (my favorite!), tiny people who fly on dragonflies, a whole world whose symmetries are different from our own, complex villains, an underlying universal system that succesfully combines magic religion and quantum physics... I could go on. Suffice it to say that this is a work of genius that should be read to children, by children and by adults.
Rating: 
Summary: Sadly disappointing
Review: After waiting for ages with baited breath for this third and final novel, I felt myself feeling sadly let down as I finished it. Actually, the previous sentence rather understates how I felt. When I finished the novel I threw it against the wall and yelled, "This is what I waited for?!" First of all, where the second novel leaves off at a very climactic point, the third one picks up as if it is no big deal. Like if someone says, "Hey! You're hanging over a cliff and you're gonna die if you don't do something right now!" and then five minutes later says, "Well, actually, you're not really hanging over the cliff, you're just a good twenty feet away from it, and if you're not careful you might fall over." Secondly, the book wandered, it was like he didn't really know where he was going with the novel. Pullman drifts from place to place, picking up his characters, pulling them back into the main story, and then once more losing them as he gets distracted with another idea. It was incredibly discombobulated. Next, the explanations of Dust, the war between the heavens, and all of those other-worldly things we've been so taken with were just, well, contrived. And a cop-out. There was nothing grand or spectacular. Once more, it seems as though he didn't think things through, as though he sat at a table with his editors and said, "Well, I have to figure out the deal with this Dust stuff. What do you think would be a good explanation?" Finally, the way everything worked out in the end was just, at the risk of sounding repetitious, contrived. "Whoops, I've reached five hundred pages! I should end this pretty soon!" I feel cheated. I waited for so long that I was fully expecting the novel to be worth it. It wasn't. If you want my advice, if you're looking for epic trilogies with wonderfully compelling characters, plots, and worlds, go check out Robin Hobb. I promise you won't wind up throwing her books out the window.
Rating:
Summary: This is now my all time favorite book!
Review: Never in all the years I have been reading books has any book effected me so much. I love this book. It made me cry (I am not a crier.) As I got closer and closer to the end I could hardly wait for the point when Lyra and Will finally told each other that they loved the other. (You know what I mean.) Then it happened and I felt light-hearted and smilied. Then I kept reading and before I knew it I was crying. The end was just too sad. I won't give the end away, but I warn you blubberers this book is really, really sad. More so then Titanic! Pullman writes this book beautifully and eloquently. The suspense "ball" began to roll at the begging and never stopped until the end when the tears began to fall. My final comment on this excellent book is buy a box of tissues before the last two chapters and thank you Philip Pullman for this beautiful addition to literature. I think the world is richer for it.
Rating:
Summary: Six Stars!
Review: All I can say is "Whoa!" This is definitely the best book in Philip Pullmans series "His Dark Materials". This book is non-stop action, it keeps u guessing, and never wanting it to end as Will and Lyra lead you into one adventure after another! I definitely would recommend this book to anyone who loves fiction and action filled novels. If you lliked the first two you'll fall in love with this one.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!!!!
Review: I started this series aprehensivley, but it was all worth it! It was exciting from the beginning, and I found myself wishing I knew the ending, but hoping it would last forever! All the books Philip Pullman has written have been great, and this was a wonderful book to finish 'His Dark Materials' series. If you liked the other books, this one has it all: action, a good plot, lots of turns to keep you guessing, and. . . well it's just good, trust me!
Rating:
Summary: 6 stars!!!
Review: This was the best book ever! No joke! It was better than the other two and had a more complex, more interesting plot. I didn't put it down until i finished it! After i did, it left me kind of numb;this was the last book? really? nothing more? i couldn't believe it. to rub salt in the wound, it was an incredibly sad ending.. i cried and cried! he writes such sad endings..why? Pullman also introduces some interesting, thought provoking questions about heaven and evolution... all of the characters are back, and the same surprises and connections (like when in book one, lyra found out who her father and mother were). Definetly read the first two first. It sort of reminded me of the sally lockheart series-some of the characters. Again, it is easily one of the best books ever.
Rating:
Summary: Amber Spyglass
Review: This was easily one of the best books i have ever read by far! You definetly have to read the other books first, though. I think it is the best of the three. There is adventure, suspense and a little love. When i finished it, i couldn't believe that was the end of everything! No more books-- it left me sort of numb. It was such a sad ending i cried and cried. Why does he always have to be so sad?? A total page turner that leaves nothing behind. Pullman introduces a pretty shocking topic-something that made me think alot. His writing is so good. After i finished that series i read the sally lockheart ones, which sort of reminded me of them. Anyway, the best book ever---seriously. Definetly one of those desert island books. So read it!
Rating:
Summary: This book was the best of the His Dark Materials Trilogy!!!!
Review: The Amber Spyglass is a wonderful conslusion to the three books in the His Dark Materials Trilogy. It answers all the questions left unanswered from the earlier books, pulling all the minor details together. Philip Pullman is a very descriptive author, and this book is full of great description and word choice. I love how Lyra and Will fall in love at the end. In an earlier review that I read on this page, someone said that this fact disappointed them because Lyra and Will were "only kids". Well, they are actually 13 years old in this book, and while this may be considered young to fall in love by some, they are actually quite mature and have aged a lot after all they've been through. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has read the first two books in the trilogy!!!!!! I would recommend it to 8-12 grade readers, it is definitely got some parts in it for mature readers. The Amber Spyglass is an overall awesome book!!!!
Rating:
Summary: I dunno bout everyone else but i loved it!
Review: I LoVeD this book! Its full of exciting adventures with Lyra & Will! Plus at the end it was sooo sad but very good! It made me shed sum tears...which i don't do often lemme tell ya. I spent the whole day just sittin on the couch reading it. Golden Compass was great! I couldn't put it down! Subtle Knife was boring me in the beginning but as I got into it I really like it too! So in other words~ all three books r worth ur time! So if you have read it good for u! If u haven't...WhAt R u WaItInG fOr? BUY IT, READ IT, ENJOY IT!!! ;)
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