Rating: 
Summary: atheistic fantasy
Review: Pullman is a skilled novelist, but from the beginning a reader should know that this book is blatantly atheistic. In and of itself that is not wrong. Pullman may write about whatever he chooses. But I have a hard time that this was marketed as juvenile fantasy and nowhere on the cover did it mention they would kill God, who was never really God anyway but just one of the older angels. The "tempter" (his word) Mary guides the children Lyra and Will into intimacy when she tells them her own stories of sexual discovery. Their intimacy changes the world since they are the new Adam and Eve. Mary then flatly announces that Christianity is a big mistake that went on too long. Had the cover been honest about what the series was really about from the beginning, I would not have read it.
Rating: 
Summary: WOW.
Review: I read a lot of books, and let me tell you there are plenty of amazing ones out there, but every so often there comes a book that is beyond stars or exclamations of praise. The Amber Spyglass one of those books. I could not think of anything but this book for days after I read it. I love the characters, who become much more human in this book; I love the story; I love how it made me think about so many things. It was action-packed and suspenseful but also thought provoking. Pullman explores on the basic but timeless themes of god, death, and love. I hate to even make the comparison, but I was shocked that in all the fuss over Harry Potter (which I read and enjoyed) there was hardly a word for His Dark Materials which has SO much more substance. To anyone unfamiliar with the series, you MUST read the first two before this one, and beware of reviews that give away major parts of the plot. For the people who are up in arms about Pullman's use of religion in the story, I think you have no basis to criticize him. The book would be worthless if it didn't make you think. And he never claimed to be writing a theological tract. It's just another perspective, and in my opinion that's what counts. As for the ending, which I will not give away, it would diminish the power of the book to have a perfect happy ending. I would just like to add that I feel this is in no way a "children's book," although it involves children and could be enjoyed by young people.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing work of literary genieus
Review: First of all, I shall shake my head at those people who say that this book is less than a work of art. I recieved this book for christmas, and read it in one night, all the while marveling at the intricate descriptions and the unique fantasy world that Phillip Pullman has created. The idea of a diamond-shaped skelatal frame for the mulefa, and indeed, the entirity of the mulefa world, are incredibly well concived. This book was so good, and the ending so well written, that I cried at the sheer beauty of the human interactions. The next day, I found myself re-reading the series again, and marveling that such an epic could have such humble beginnings as in the golden compass. I would also like to say, that while I myself have no particular views on religon, my feeling is that those people who feel offended by the "Jesus bashing" should realize that there is more to this series than a "campaign against god." It is a truly well-written book, and my feeling is that the religous ideals expressed by Phillip Pullman have no effect whatsoever on the sheer emotion of the novel. And to those people who see "serious holes in the plot" try rereading the book. I had a few problems as well, but found they disapeared when put under closer scrutiny. To all potential readers out there, I recommend this book. It's the best one I have read since Where the Red Fern Grows. I wholeheartedly recommend this to all.
Rating: 
Summary: A captivating end to a brilliant series...
Review: From the moment I first read "The Golden Compass," I knew that I was going to read the ones to come. "The Subtle Knife" not only made the series take astounding turns, but it introduced Will, who I hoped would fall in love with Lyra. When I read "The Amber Spyglass" and about the relationship between Lyra and Will and how it grew into love, I became beautified at the lyricism and the joy it brought to the story. Although the book did tend to be a tad long and eccentric, altogether I loved reading it. It was a great ending to the trilogy. Let's just hope that Pullman continues on another series.
Rating:
Summary: Fresh and interesting
Review: If you're looking for a shocking work of art that will blend new ideas with old in a fresh way, this is definitely an excellent book to start with. Philip Pullman takes the classic battle between good and evil that shows up in about every book, and switches elements just enough to keep the reader guessing. This book ought to be enjoyable to any audience, due to its rich layers. Children will love the protaganists Lyra and Will and the fast-paced adventure; young adults will love the melodramatic ending; theologians will find Pullman's ideas about life and death extremely thought-provoking; and those of us fixated on imagery and deeper meaning will find an ample supply with this novel. I can't believe people are making a fuss over Harry Potter being banned and no one has made a fuss over this book's unique look at God at all. It's useless to compare this series to another "fantasy" series; it's actually quite unlike anything I've read.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter meets Hyperion meets Paradise Lost meets....
Review: Right, first off, let me say that I don't think this is a children's book. The subtlety of the ending (I had to think about it for a while before I got what had happened) and the maturity of the story are too challenging for anyone younger than 12 (coincidentally, the age of the two main protagonists), in my opinion. This goes for the His Dark Materials series as a whole, but for this third and final instalment in particular.
Secondly, I can't believe Philip Pullman got away with such an audacious premise without being lambasted more! The central premise is nothing less than a war against what Christians would call God, yet the much less radical Harry Potter books have got a lot more stick. I think that devoutly religious people might have a serious problem with the anti-religious message, unless they were pretty open-minded.
On the whole, I enjoyed The Amber Spyglass's rebellious, think-again message as well as its fantastical settings, but I feel that the plot could perhaps be a little better handled. The major events seem terribly low-key, and the ending is perhaps a little *too* subtle - not enough seems to have changed, at least 'on-screen'. Perhaps, though, the author meant it that way - implying that change comes not in huge leaps but gradually. The age of the protagonists, while fitting nicely in the first two books, also makes the ending less believable.
On the whole, though, I think the His Dark Materials series is well worth reading. It has the potential to both fascinate and open minds.
Rating:
Summary: A whirlwind
Review: It was interesting, each book in this trilogy was of an entirely different sort. The Golden Compass was a highly spun story, but bore more direct resemblance to a fairy tale, with few gory details to pull you down, and the symbolism of Dust was so far off it had no real pertinence. The Subtle Knife was more direct, more intimate, it involved the world directly, Will's and Mary Malone's situations brought a riveting focus to it...more drama entered into this one as well, and some of the symbolism came out more, but at the time I was too young and it only sufficed to confuse me. Although the Sublte Knife was different from the Golden Compass, both books bore more resemblance to one another than to the last. The Amber Spyglass (and this instrument played far less of a role in the plot line than did the other two dark materials) was a thing unto itself, and the scope of it was broader, stranger, amazingly well written. Most, but not all elements were resolved, a few inconsistencies blossomed, but it was a good and startling read. Finally though, in finding out the significance of Dust and the place of Lord Asriel and the Authority and all that, I admire Pullman's course of symbolism, which is well-wrought into the book, and I admire his strikingly reavealed message, but I just think he has the message wrong. By his exeptionally well-done Ruby in the Smoke, etc. trilogy, he makes smaller, bejewelled gorgeous meanings known in just as striking but far subtler ways. Yet, here, especially at the end, it was anything but subtle, even ludicrous. Though supposed to be dramatic, his details that were so riveting fell away into corny pseudo-edenesque obscurity...I think my favorite of the three was the subtle knife, because it was well, subtle. And I really loved the kind of unaware, unconfessed, but active bond between Lyra and Will rather than the gooshy fruit-eating that made me a little more than vaguely queasy. Pullman is a master of the dramatic epic, but as for the moral allegory, I don't think he quite hit the mark. Has to get Serafina Pekkala and her witches doing a little more target practice :)
Rating:
Summary: a great adventure yet the subject matter isnt for everyone.
Review: This was a very exciting adventure. I'm not religious and some of the subject matter was slightly disturbing but its just a work of fiction. Science fiction/fantasy at that. No one got upset with Star Wars and the New Age "The Force" Religion. So why get upset here. ... I don't believe that the authority was god. I think that the dust was God. Or the form he took in this story. The dust was everywhere, Knew everything and touched everything we did. It cared for us and love us. It seem to cling to us more when we lost our innocence. I'm sure there is lots about this story that I didn't get correctly. That went over my head. I'll have to think on it and figure out some of that deeper meaning of it all. Yet I did enjoy the story and to me that's what's important right. So if your not upset with controvesial themes give this trilogy a try.
Rating: 
Summary: Not what you expected
Review: The book starts out fine (though I find it hard to get back into the plot after waiting for three years.)He ruins the book by making it all religious and adding stuff about the underworld. PLus he seperates Will and Lyra right when they figure out they're in love, though they're only 12 or something. Just when I start to like her parents he throws them in a bottomless pit. Also, I don't see how the scientist lady tempted them, what happened to Will and school, and wasn't Asriel trying to kill the authority? what happened to that? I got really confused. So I guess just cuz I couldn't put the book down, doesn't mean it was the perfect finish for the series.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous
Review: i was introduced unintentionally to this searies four years ago by my mum. i was going on a trip with my dad and we were at the library taking out tapes to listen to on the journey. one of the tapes was the golden compass, the first in the series. irefused to listen to it for a long time, because i didn't want to hear about the experiments being preformed on the children were:but when i listened to it i loved it. I anxiously awaited the publication of the next book, the subtle knife, and i got it for a christmas present. It was just as good as the first, the only dissapointing thing about this was the agonizingly long wait for the next book. Now, after a greulling three year wait I have got and read the book. it is worth the wait, to use a cliche. The plot was fabulous, the charectars original, and the ending an excellent finish to he series. Amoung my favorite charectars is the unfathomable Mrs Colter, the cynical angel Baruch, Dr. Mary Malone and most of all the incorrigable Lyra. i thought this series to be one of the best things i have ever read, and Phillip Pullman is my favorite author. Who else has the guts to cast god as the villian in a book.
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