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Philip Pullman

The Amber Spyglass

The Amber Spyglass is the final book in Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy. I felt that it continued the trend away from the action of the first book, towards a Miltonesque saga, which leaves me even more confused as to who the readership of the books is supposed to be. Possibly Pullman expected his readers to grow up as the books were published, so the first is more (although not totally) suitable for children. That is all very well, but now that they are all available, it makes it hard to recommend the trilogy as a whole (which is how it needs to be read) to any particular readers.

The book is slower to get started than the previous two, with multiple threads to follow, but there's still plenty of Pullman's unique inventiveness, and his mixing of magic and science. Finishing off a trilogy like this is no easy task, and I thought that Pullman did pretty well, although I was a bit confused about Mary Malone and Lyra's temptation, which seemed to be what the book was leading up to. I would say that if you like a good story and don't mind Pullman's strange take on various subjects then you should give these books a try.

Amazon.com info

Paperback 544 pages
ISBN: 0440418569
Salesrank: 259534
Weight:0.75 lbs

Published: 2003 Yearling

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Amazon.co.uk info

Paperback 544 pages
ISBN: 043999358X
Salesrank: 29565
Weight:0.88 lbs

Published: 2001 Scholastic Point

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Amazon.ca info

Paperback 544 pages
ISBN: 0440418569
Salesrank: 15537
Weight:0.75 lbs

Published: 2003 Yearling

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Product Description
The Amber Spyglass brings the intrigue of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife to a heart-stopping end, marking the final volume of His Dark Materials as the most powerful of the trilogy. Along with the return of Lyra, Will, Mrs. Coulter, Lord Asriel, Dr. Mary Malone, and Iorek Byrnison the armored bear, come a host of new characters: the Mulefa, mysterious wheeled creatures with the power to see Dust; Gallivespian Lord Roke, a hand-high spymaster to Lord Asriel; and Metatron, a fierce and mighty angel. So, too, come startling revelations: the painful price Lyra must pay to walk through the land of the dead, the haunting power of Dr. Malone's amber spyglass, and the names of who will live--and who will die--for love. And all the while, war rages with the Kingdom of Heaven, a brutal battle that--in its shocking outcome--will uncover the secret of Dust. Philip Pullman deftly brings the cliff-hangers and mysteries of His Dark Materials to an earthshattering conclusion--and confirms his fantasy trilogy as an undoubted and enduring classic. From the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

The Amber Spyglass brings the intrigue of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife to a heart-stopping end, marking the final volume of His Dark Materials as the most powerful of the trilogy.

Along with the return of Lyra, Will, Mrs. Coulter, Lord Asriel, Dr. Mary Malone, and Iorek Byrnison the armored bear, come a host of new characters: the Mulefa, mysterious wheeled creatures with the power to see Dust; Gallivespian Lord Roke, a hand-high spymaster to Lord Asriel; and Metatron, a fierce and mighty angel. So, too, come startling revelations: the painful price Lyra must pay to walk through the land of the dead, the haunting power of Dr. Malone's amber spyglass, and the names of who will live--and who will die--for love. And all the while, war rages with the Kingdom of Heaven, a brutal battle that--in its shocking outcome--will uncover the secret of Dust. Philip Pullman deftly brings the cliff-hangers and mysteries of His Dark Materials to an earthshattering conclusion--and confirms his fantasy trilogy as an undoubted and enduring classic.

From the Hardcover edition.

good audio book ****
interesting story with a full cast of voices. Pullman takes a long time to finish up the narrative, but it's probably necessary. no bad music in this volume, but the poetry at the beginning of each chapter is hard to get when read quickly out loud. it adds nothing to this audio version. that part would make more sense in print.

good audio book ****

interesting story with a full cast of voices. Pullman takes a long time to finish up the narrative, but it's probably necessary. no bad music in this volume, but the poetry at the beginning of each chapter is hard to get when read quickly out loud. it adds nothing to this audio version. that part would make more sense in print.

Good Read, Sad Ending ****
I confess I truly liked this trilogy. I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to those people who liked books such as the Harry Potter series. The three books together were compulsive reading with a tinge of sadness that it's now over, and the adventure has come to an end. Having said that I do have a gripe and that is to do with the ending. I just don't buy the idea that Lyra & Will would simply walk away with the ending that we are presented. These kids were given some hefty challenges, faced some nasty characters and came out trumps. And then we get the ending we did. No sorry, to ask 12 & 13 year olds to calmly swallow, what I would call a cold, callous adult logic, didn't wash for me. If they were so wholly in love, then it would take mths, years if at all, for them to come to a conclusion that definitive. Most I think, in the absence of any other solution, would take the 10 years as a life time to enjoy and relish (and who knows what you can think of in 10 years). But still I'm not the author and I have the feeling the ending was conceived long before the last chapters were ever crafted. I would agree with some as to the title of the 3rd book. The amber spy glass has little impact on the story. When compared to the 1st two books their titles were significant objects within the books themselves (on a scale of 1 to 10 they would be 10s). The amber spy glass as an object that impacts the story would rate at best as a 3 or 4. But as I said I did enjoy the 3 books immensely, so if you are looking for a void to fill, I would recommend this trilogy. However if you are looking for a feel good, rosie `happy ever after' type ending, you in for a shock. The romantics may even require a tissue or two. As a conclusion, I was interested to see that they didn't put the end of book one in the first film. Why I can only speculate. I'm now interested in seeing how they conclude the last film, and how true to the book they will remain.

Good Read, Sad Ending ****

I confess I truly liked this trilogy. I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to those people who liked books such as the Harry Potter series.

The three books together were compulsive reading with a tinge of sadness that it's now over, and the adventure has come to an end.

Having said that I do have a gripe and that is to do with the ending. I just don't buy the idea that Lyra & Will would simply walk away with the ending that we are presented. These kids were given some hefty challenges, faced some nasty characters and came out trumps. And then we get the ending we did. No sorry, to ask 12 & 13 year olds to calmly swallow, what I would call a cold, callous adult logic, didn't wash for me. If they were so wholly in love, then it would take mths, years if at all, for them to come to a conclusion that definitive. Most I think, in the absence of any other solution, would take the 10 years as a life time to enjoy and relish (and who knows what you can think of in 10 years). But still I'm not the author and I have the feeling the ending was conceived long before the last chapters were ever crafted.

I would agree with some as to the title of the 3rd book. The amber spy glass has little impact on the story. When compared to the 1st two books their titles were significant objects within the books themselves (on a scale of 1 to 10 they would be 10s). The amber spy glass as an object that impacts the story would rate at best as a 3 or 4.

But as I said I did enjoy the 3 books immensely, so if you are looking for a void to fill, I would recommend this trilogy. However if you are looking for a feel good, rosie `happy ever after' type ending, you in for a shock. The romantics may even require a tissue or two.

As a conclusion, I was interested to see that they didn't put the end of book one in the first film. Why I can only speculate. I'm now interested in seeing how they conclude the last film, and how true to the book they will remain.

I was not disappointed. *****
Smitten: A Long Time Ago...in a Far Away Land... I finished the Amber Spyglass. With the first book, Golden Compass I was hooked. The action, adventure, and twists of the Golden Compass and then the Subtle Knife put me anxiously into the final book, The Amber Spyglass. I loved the characters Lyra, Will, the witches, the bears, the Egyptians, the angels, the ghosts, the harpies, even Lyra's parents. This book was filled with the same action as its predecessors. What a ride. I love the intrigue. I never knew or even suspected what would happen next. This trilogy is a fantastic read. I don't recommend it for the under middle school. Some may think it challenges religion and Christian churches, but I thought it showed realistic choices we make. It shows how something good can really be bad. It shows we make our choices and then we assume responsibility for those choices. Some may dislike the ending, but I thought it a perfect ending. Will and Lyra chose a path of understanding. The two youths sacrificed their love for the greater good. It showed two unselfish youths. All I can say is read the trilogy. It is equal or in my belief, better than Harry Potter.

I was not disappointed. *****

Smitten: A Long Time Ago...in a Far Away Land... I finished the Amber Spyglass. With the first book, Golden Compass I was hooked. The action, adventure, and twists of the Golden Compass and then the Subtle Knife put me anxiously into the final book, The Amber Spyglass.
I loved the characters Lyra, Will, the witches, the bears, the Egyptians, the angels, the ghosts, the harpies, even Lyra's parents.
This book was filled with the same action as its predecessors. What a ride. I love the intrigue. I never knew or even suspected what would happen next.
This trilogy is a fantastic read. I don't recommend it for the under middle school. Some may think it challenges religion and Christian churches, but I thought it showed realistic choices we make. It shows how something good can really be bad. It shows we make our choices and then we assume responsibility for those choices.
Some may dislike the ending, but I thought it a perfect ending. Will and Lyra chose a path of understanding. The two youths sacrificed their love for the greater good. It showed two unselfish youths.
All I can say is read the trilogy. It is equal or in my belief, better than Harry Potter.

Heartbreakingly Lovely *****
I was enraptured, I practically drove around just for an excuse to keep listening. The theme of Lyra & Will's love is so beautiful, and so heartbreaking. And I was deeply touched by Pullman's portrayal of death -- it happened that I was listening to this as my dad was dying, so I'm sure that lent poignancy to my experience. By the end of the story I was crying, even sobbing - could make for dangerous driving! My kids & wife & I listened to the first 2 books together and I continued to this one myself. I'd read the books, but found the audiobooks to be far more compelling -- the story came alive, and the detail of the writing was so vivid (I guess I did a lot of "skimming" when i read the printed book). Amazing cast, excellent acting, and the production is so well done - usually I find audiobooks with a "cast" to be slow, this flowed. I wish there was more!

Heartbreakingly Lovely *****

I was enraptured, I practically drove around just for an excuse to keep listening. The theme of Lyra & Will's love is so beautiful, and so heartbreaking. And I was deeply touched by Pullman's portrayal of death -- it happened that I was listening to this as my dad was dying, so I'm sure that lent poignancy to my experience.

By the end of the story I was crying, even sobbing - could make for dangerous driving!

My kids & wife & I listened to the first 2 books together and I continued to this one myself. I'd read the books, but found the audiobooks to be far more compelling -- the story came alive, and the detail of the writing was so vivid (I guess I did a lot of "skimming" when i read the printed book). Amazing cast, excellent acting, and the production is so well done - usually I find audiobooks with a "cast" to be slow, this flowed.

I wish there was more!

HORRIBLE! *
This series was SO bad! I can't believe I managed to force my way through it. The Golden Compass was a decent enough movie, but this is one of the rare cases where the movie is better than the book. First, the plot is extremely confusing. He keeps opening up random worlds, and going into detail about Dust (which in itself makes no sense), and throwing random foreign sounding words into the mix just to convince us that he's dealing with something not of our world. A lot of them are even italicized! Second, the overall anti-religious message is very poorly thought out and crushed into the storyline: "Organized religion is bad." It's not new, and it's not even done well. Third, the writing is downright horrible. Most writers tend to get better as they write more, Pullman seems to have snuck past his editor and submitted something that he wrote during a week awake on crystal meth. Don't buy this book. Don't buy this series. I'd suggest that you spend a few weeks hitting yourself in the head with a hammer and consider yourself having made a better choice!!!

HORRIBLE! *

This series was SO bad! I can't believe I managed to force my way through it. The Golden Compass was a decent enough movie, but this is one of the rare cases where the movie is better than the book.

First, the plot is extremely confusing. He keeps opening up random worlds, and going into detail about Dust (which in itself makes no sense), and throwing random foreign sounding words into the mix just to convince us that he's dealing with something not of our world. A lot of them are even italicized!

Second, the overall anti-religious message is very poorly thought out and crushed into the storyline: "Organized religion is bad." It's not new, and it's not even done well.

Third, the writing is downright horrible. Most writers tend to get better as they write more, Pullman seems to have snuck past his editor and submitted something that he wrote during a week awake on crystal meth.

Don't buy this book. Don't buy this series. I'd suggest that you spend a few weeks hitting yourself in the head with a hammer and consider yourself having made a better choice!!!

Overrated **
Although I generally enjoyed the trilogy there was a steady decline as you read each book. Whereas the first book is excellent the reader may get sidetracked by Pullman's strong atheist views which start to get on your nerves. I feel he should have concentrated more on the story rather than his viewpoint. Saying that there are some nice parts in this last book and the ending is a good one for the trilogy.

Overrated **

Although I generally enjoyed the trilogy there was a steady decline as you read each book. Whereas the first book is excellent the reader may get sidetracked by Pullman's strong atheist views which start to get on your nerves. I feel he should have concentrated more on the story rather than his viewpoint. Saying that there are some nice parts in this last book and the ending is a good one for the trilogy.

eventual satisfaction *****
Some of the reviews of 'His Dark Materials' seem to show disappointment that a promising Potter-esque fairytale concludes with a fractured essay on existence. For me, it has the opposite effect. 'Northern Lights' was OK, but it never really grabbed me. I kept going because I trusted that the series would eventually say something, and it did. 'The Amber Spyglass' is a wonderful meditation on the nature of life. It is healthily anti-theist without ever making its message obvious and preachy. The chapters concerning Mary Malone's stay in a bizarre parallel world could have been an irritating diversion, but they're the most beautiful, convincing passages of the whole trilogy. If they ever get round to filming it, they'll have a tough job converting it into a family-friendly Christmas movie. Easily the most satisfying book of the three.

eventual satisfaction *****

Some of the reviews of 'His Dark Materials' seem to show disappointment that a promising Potter-esque fairytale concludes with a fractured essay on existence. For me, it has the opposite effect. 'Northern Lights' was OK, but it never really grabbed me. I kept going because I trusted that the series would eventually say something, and it did.

'The Amber Spyglass' is a wonderful meditation on the nature of life. It is healthily anti-theist without ever making its message obvious and preachy. The chapters concerning Mary Malone's stay in a bizarre parallel world could have been an irritating diversion, but they're the most beautiful, convincing passages of the whole trilogy. If they ever get round to filming it, they'll have a tough job converting it into a family-friendly Christmas movie.

Easily the most satisfying book of the three.

A great disappointment ***
I have just finished reading this final book in the trilogy & frankly I feel cheated at the abrupt and unsuprising ending! I enjoyed the first book & agree with other comments that it is best read as a stand alone novel. The second book is merely a middle section, but unfortunately this final novel does not really draw a satisfactory conclusion after the build up of the 3 books! I do not agree with others that the love between Lyra & Will was a suprise as it had been obvious to me since their meeting. However after the entire story had been built around these two pivotal characters I had at least expected a spectacular conclusion which tied together the many threads of the story. Unfortunately it appears that the author simply ran out of ideas and after fighting many insurmountable obstacles our hero & heroine simply bow out like little lambs. It seems a shame that after all the complex themes of the book the ending was such an anti-climax

A great disappointment ***

I have just finished reading this final book in the trilogy & frankly I feel cheated at the abrupt and unsuprising ending! I enjoyed the first book & agree with other comments that it is best read as a stand alone novel. The second book is merely a middle section, but unfortunately this final novel does not really draw a satisfactory conclusion after the build up of the 3 books! I do not agree with others that the love between Lyra & Will was a suprise as it had been obvious to me since their meeting. However after the entire story had been built around these two pivotal characters I had at least expected a spectacular conclusion which tied together the many threads of the story. Unfortunately it appears that the author simply ran out of ideas and after fighting many insurmountable obstacles our hero & heroine simply bow out like little lambs. It seems a shame that after all the complex themes of the book the ending was such an anti-climax

A poor ending to a thought provoking trilogy **
Whilst I enjoyed 'Northern Lights' as an interesting, pleasantly entertaining piece of fantasy writing, I became increasingly disappointed as the trilogy progressed. Once the action shifted into 'our world' in the 'Subtle Knife', I had difficulty viewing it as a piece of fantasy and then by the 3rd book, once Pullman had began his anti-christianity diatribe at the expense of meaningful story and plot, I was completely underwhelmed. As a Christian, it would be easy to feel threatened by the book that points to Satan as the saviour of all worlds but it is not that good a book to be remotely bothered by!

A poor ending to a thought provoking trilogy **

Whilst I enjoyed 'Northern Lights' as an interesting, pleasantly entertaining piece of fantasy writing, I became increasingly disappointed as the trilogy progressed. Once the action shifted into 'our world' in the 'Subtle Knife', I had difficulty viewing it as a piece of fantasy and then by the 3rd book, once Pullman had began his anti-christianity diatribe at the expense of meaningful story and plot, I was completely underwhelmed. As a Christian, it would be easy to feel threatened by the book that points to Satan as the saviour of all worlds but it is not that good a book to be remotely bothered by!

I must be missing something. *
I'm not going to beat around the bush with this review. This book was awful! I had gone into the series with much trepidation because no-one, and I repeat no-one with whom I had discussed the series, had liked it. However I must admit to rather enjoying the first book - The Golden Compass. It moved along at a reasonable pace, the story was taut and I could identify with enough of the characters to ensure that I read it quickly and was eager to move onto The Subtle Knife. This was more disappointing than the first with a number of bits that didn't seem to make much sense but that was nothing to what transpired in the final volume - The Amber Spyglass. Almost nothing in the final book made any sense whatsoever. Characters and events introduced with no warning and with no necessity. The 'story' seemed to fly off at too many tangents to be coherent and I had frankly lost all empathy with the lead characters before the book's ending. However I do think that the ending has something to recommend it. It was the end and I will NEVER have to re-visit this series again. My recommendation? Read the first volume and pretend that it's a stand-alone book and never dirty your bookshelves with the remaining two.

I must be missing something. *

I'm not going to beat around the bush with this review. This book was awful! I had gone into the series with much trepidation because no-one, and I repeat no-one with whom I had discussed the series, had liked it. However I must admit to rather enjoying the first book - The Golden Compass. It moved along at a reasonable pace, the story was taut and I could identify with enough of the characters to ensure that I read it quickly and was eager to move onto The Subtle Knife. This was more disappointing than the first with a number of bits that didn't seem to make much sense but that was nothing to what transpired in the final volume - The Amber Spyglass. Almost nothing in the final book made any sense whatsoever. Characters and events introduced with no warning and with no necessity. The 'story' seemed to fly off at too many tangents to be coherent and I had frankly lost all empathy with the lead characters before the book's ending. However I do think that the ending has something to recommend it. It was the end and I will NEVER have to re-visit this series again. My recommendation? Read the first volume and pretend that it's a stand-alone book and never dirty your bookshelves with the remaining two.

Brilliant and disappointing ****
This book, the last of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, was disappointing in that it didn't, to me, show the big picture clearly. However, the smaller stuff - Mary's back story, Will meeting Iorek - was excellent and just having finished the book, I can say that I will remember the characters for a long time.

Brilliant and disappointing ****

This book, the last of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, was disappointing in that it didn't, to me, show the big picture clearly. However, the smaller stuff - Mary's back story, Will meeting Iorek - was excellent and just having finished the book, I can say that I will remember the characters for a long time.

The Temptation of Lyra SPOILER ***
I thought I agreed with everyone that this last book in the series was a complete disappointment. BUT....hear me out, I'm sure I'm not the only one that put down the book in order to really think for a moment(or threw it, as seems to be the case in many reviews since it seems to abrubtly stop without a hint of resolution). Perhaps the last book is so subtle compared to the first two and Pullman actually has a point that isn't spelled out and repeated over and over as many of his ideas in the writing are (the diamond shaped bodice of the mulefa....seriously, did any of you NOT miss that point? ). So, here is what I have deciphered as a coherent meaning to the end of The Amber Spyglass: Mary Malone's role with the Mulefa IS important because it helps her to regain that feeling that she once had as a child falling in love (through her experimentation and understanding of Dust). She is led to the opening for the dead and is reminded to "tell them stories" which leads her to share this notion with Lyra. Lyra in turn has a "door open inside of her that she never knew existed" which causes her to acknowledge her love for will. That moment becomes the pebble that changes the course of the river (or whatever metaphor you prefer) and Dust, as a concious substance, uses that moment in time as a foothold to save itself. Shaky, yea...but it works. As for the whole "fall" comparison....Just as Adam and Eve are cast out of Eden at the realization of themselves to a life committed to finding a way back into Heaven, Will and Lyra are unable to stay in their "Eden" (being together) after their realization of love and are cast back into their worlds to a life committed to building the Republic of Heaven. Now, I must say that this is by far a disappointment when compared to the other two books, but only in the sense that where Pullman has been anything but vague or subtle anywhere in the first two books; all of a sudden when you are expecting this amazing battle and armageddon, the death of the creator, resolution, etc. There's silence. Instead, he gives us a moment. One moment that this entire trilogy builds to. Over and over we are reminded that the different worlds exist because at one time when something happened in one, chances caused something different to happen in another and by that moment, caused another world to come into existence. The moment where Will and Lyra fall in love seems like a complete disappointment when in fact it is the only act that changes the course of everything. Anticlimatic, you bet. Annoying, to me at least. Pullman, however, does manage to end things and not leave you hanging you just have to read a little deeper than you had been. So, I still think the book was a complete disappointment, but only because I desperately wanted a different ending. I wanted more of the characters I had grown to love, I wanted an amazing battle, resolution between Lyra and her parents, Will and his mother, etc. The book itself could never stand alone, yet you need to read it to come to your own terms about the trilogy.

The Temptation of Lyra *SPOILER* ***

I thought I agreed with everyone that this last book in the series was a complete disappointment. BUT....hear me out, I'm sure I'm not the only one that put down the book in order to really think for a moment(or threw it, as seems to be the case in many reviews since it seems to abrubtly stop without a hint of resolution). Perhaps the last book is so subtle compared to the first two and Pullman actually has a point that isn't spelled out and repeated over and over as many of his ideas in the writing are (the diamond shaped bodice of the mulefa....seriously, did any of you NOT miss that point? ). So, here is what I have deciphered as a coherent meaning to the end of The Amber Spyglass:

Mary Malone's role with the Mulefa IS important because it helps her to regain that feeling that she once had as a child falling in love (through her experimentation and understanding of Dust). She is led to the opening for the dead and is reminded to "tell them stories" which leads her to share this notion with Lyra. Lyra in turn has a "door open inside of her that she never knew existed" which causes her to acknowledge her love for will. That moment becomes the pebble that changes the course of the river (or whatever metaphor you prefer) and Dust, as a concious substance, uses that moment in time as a foothold to save itself. Shaky, yea...but it works. As for the whole "fall" comparison....Just as Adam and Eve are cast out of Eden at the realization of themselves to a life committed to finding a way back into Heaven, Will and Lyra are unable to stay in their "Eden" (being together) after their realization of love and are cast back into their worlds to a life committed to building the Republic of Heaven.

Now, I must say that this is by far a disappointment when compared to the other two books, but only in the sense that where Pullman has been anything but vague or subtle anywhere in the first two books; all of a sudden when you are expecting this amazing battle and armageddon, the death of the creator, resolution, etc. There's silence. Instead, he gives us a moment. One moment that this entire trilogy builds to. Over and over we are reminded that the different worlds exist because at one time when something happened in one, chances caused something different to happen in another and by that moment, caused another world to come into existence. The moment where Will and Lyra fall in love seems like a complete disappointment when in fact it is the only act that changes the course of everything. Anticlimatic, you bet. Annoying, to me at least. Pullman, however, does manage to end things and not leave you hanging you just have to read a little deeper than you had been.
So, I still think the book was a complete disappointment, but only because I desperately wanted a different ending. I wanted more of the characters I had grown to love, I wanted an amazing battle, resolution between Lyra and her parents, Will and his mother, etc. The book itself could never stand alone, yet you need to read it to come to your own terms about the trilogy.

A huge disappointment *
I loved the Golden Compass and the Subtle Knife but this book disappointed me terribly. I was outraged. To much ranting about Dust, 'we have to seal all the holes' 'oh but then we cant see each other any more' really, who cares!? Lyra and Will falling in love was terrible, ruined the plot with nonsense

A huge disappointment *

I loved the Golden Compass and the Subtle Knife but this book disappointed me terribly. I was outraged. To much ranting about Dust, 'we have to seal all the holes' 'oh but then we cant see each other any more'
really, who cares!? Lyra and Will falling in love was terrible, ruined the plot with nonsense

The real value of this book is not to be found as a standalone, but rather as the conclusion of an outstanding triology... ***
"The amber spyglass" is the third and last book in Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" triology. It is good, but not nearly as engaging as the previous two books in the series, "Northern lights" (or "The golden compass", the name given to that book in USA) and "The subtle knife". I must say that I didn't love "The amber spyglass", but I'm glad I read it. The books in "His Dark Materials" are the kind of books that make you happy someone taught you how to read. They are full of magic, interesting characters and weird events. In a nutshell, they make you dream, and awake your imagination, whether you are extremely young or already an adult. From my point of view, that is extremely important, and that is the reason why I recommend "The amber spyglass" to you, even though I only give it 3 stars. Truth to be told, the real value of this book is not to be found as a standalone, but rather as the conclusion of an outstanding triology that is already a classic. Recommended! Belen Alcat

The real value of this book is not to be found as a standalone, but rather as the conclusion of an outstanding triology... ***

"The amber spyglass" is the third and last book in Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" triology. It is good, but not nearly as engaging as the previous two books in the series, "Northern lights" (or "The golden compass", the name given to that book in USA) and "The subtle knife". I must say that I didn't love "The amber spyglass", but I'm glad I read it.

The books in "His Dark Materials" are the kind of books that make you happy someone taught you how to read. They are full of magic, interesting characters and weird events. In a nutshell, they make you dream, and awake your imagination, whether you are extremely young or already an adult.

From my point of view, that is extremely important, and that is the reason why I recommend "The amber spyglass" to you, even though I only give it 3 stars. Truth to be told, the real value of this book is not to be found as a standalone, but rather as the conclusion of an outstanding triology that is already a classic. Recommended!

Belen Alcat

Enjoyable. ****
This is the third and last book in the His Dark Materials trilogy (after Northern Lights, or The Golden Compass in the US, and The Subtle Knife). This volume starts just where the previous left off: after the conflagration on the hills near Cittàgazze, Lyra is nowhere to be found. Looking for her, Will meets two Angels, Balthamos and Baruch, who urge him to bring the Subtle Knife to Lord Asriel. He promises to help them, as soon as he's recued Lyra. Lyra is actually in another world, where Mrs. Coulter is keeping her asleep with drugs, and telling the local population that she's a holy woman and that she's trying to heal Lyra, so as to be left alone and unquestioned. Soon though, with the help of a little village girl named Ama and of two tiny spies in the service of Lord Asriel, Gallivespians known as the Chevalier Tialys and the Lady Salmakia, Will finds her again and saves her. But now the most dangerous part of the journey begins, because both children want to go to the Land of the Dead, to make amends and try to rescue Roger and Will's father. As for Dr. Mary Malone, who crossed into Cittàgazze and then in yet another world, she meets a strange people called the Mulefa. Living with them for some time, she finally learns their language, make friends and discover they also know about sraf, the Shadow particles she was studying in her laboratory, or what Lyra calls Dust. She'll build a spyglass to see sraf and understansd its purpose. Meanwhile, Father Gomez, an emissary of the Church, is on a Holy mission to kill Lyra, to prevent her from committing the original sin again. I still don't know what to think of these books. The story is sometimes very moving, with some heart-wrenching passages, but the rest is sometimes dull and not very believable. I didn't think this final book tied up all loose ends either. It was enjoyable, but I wouldn't call hid Dark Materials my favourite series.

Enjoyable. ****

This is the third and last book in the His Dark Materials trilogy (after Northern Lights, or The Golden Compass in the US, and The Subtle Knife).

This volume starts just where the previous left off: after the conflagration on the hills near Cittàgazze, Lyra is nowhere to be found. Looking for her, Will meets two Angels, Balthamos and Baruch, who urge him to bring the Subtle Knife to Lord Asriel. He promises to help them, as soon as he's recued Lyra.

Lyra is actually in another world, where Mrs. Coulter is keeping her asleep with drugs, and telling the local population that she's a holy woman and that she's trying to heal Lyra, so as to be left alone and unquestioned. Soon though, with the help of a little village girl named Ama and of two tiny spies in the service of Lord Asriel, Gallivespians known as the Chevalier Tialys and the Lady Salmakia, Will finds her again and saves her.

But now the most dangerous part of the journey begins, because both children want to go to the Land of the Dead, to make amends and try to rescue Roger and Will's father.

As for Dr. Mary Malone, who crossed into Cittàgazze and then in yet another world, she meets a strange people called the Mulefa. Living with them for some time, she finally learns their language, make friends and discover they also know about sraf, the Shadow particles she was studying in her laboratory, or what Lyra calls Dust. She'll build a spyglass to see sraf and understansd its purpose.

Meanwhile, Father Gomez, an emissary of the Church, is on a Holy mission to kill Lyra, to prevent her from committing the original sin again.

I still don't know what to think of these books. The story is sometimes very moving, with some heart-wrenching passages, but the rest is sometimes dull and not very believable. I didn't think this final book tied up all loose ends either. It was enjoyable, but I wouldn't call hid Dark Materials my favourite series.