His Dark Materials Trilogy: The Golden Compass / The Subtle Knife / The Amber Spyglass

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The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials #1-3)

by Philip Pullman

4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 · rating details · 59,033 ratings · 3,553 reviews

Box Set Edition of His Dark Materials. Includes: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.

Paperback, Box Set, 1243 pages

Published May 27th 2003 by Yearling (first published May 31st 1999)

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Best Books Ever for Young Women

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His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman

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Sep 01, 2010 Seth Hahne rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: no one who is alive. the dead might find it as boring as being dead though, so...

Day late and a dollar short with this one.

My hope was to have read and reviewed His Dark Materials trilogy before the film adaptation of the first third, The Golden Compass, came out last Friday. And I would have too - if it weren't for that sheer enormity of suckiness that was the third book in the series (The Amber Spyglass). *sigh* But then, life doesn't actually work out perfectly for us as often as we'd like. Sometimes there are earthquakes that level cities in Turkey. Sometimes Spinach is...more

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Sep 18, 2007 Corie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone 12 and older

Shelves: top_5, fantasy-science_fiction, book-i-will-never-part-with, bought-based-on-recommendation, young-adult, true-love

Until recently, this series had somehow flown under my radar. It wasn’t until I saw the trailer for the upcoming The Golden Compass movie that I was introduced to Lyra’s world. The trailer made the movie look AMAZING, so naturally (as I always do), I thought…”I MUST read this book!”.

His Dark Materials creates a beautiful, vibrant world with characters as deep as if you had known them your whole life. The books themselves deal with heavy subjects. Nuclear Physics, Parallel Worlds, Quantum Partic...more Until recently, this series had somehow flown under my radar. It wasn’t until I saw the trailer for the upcoming The Golden Compass movie that I was introduced to Lyra’s world. The trailer made the movie look AMAZING, so naturally (as I always do), I thought…”I MUST read this book!”.

His Dark Materials creates a beautiful, vibrant world with characters as deep as if you had known them your whole life. The books themselves deal with heavy subjects. Nuclear Physics, Parallel Worlds, Quantum Particles and Theology snuggle right up against equally introspective looks at Love, Friendship, Loyalty, Family and Honor. Quite frequently, I found myself looking at the cover of these books again and again to ensure that I was indeed reading a “children’s” novel. When did this genre get so deep? I don’t remember reading anything this remarkable when I was younger. No offense to you, Encyclopedia Brown, my dear friend.

While I hesitate to compare to Potter, I want to point out one main difference which I think is very important to anyone thinking about purchasing this series for their intrepid young reader….while HP deals with the strong ideals of good vs. evil, HDM leans heavily into the actual concepts of both, dissecting each, questioning the origins, challenging the pedestals each stand on. In HP, evil is simply evil. HDM doesn’t assume any such nonsense. If there is evil, it forces the reader to consider why they think that something is evil. Is it really? Or are you just looking at it from a different perspective? Also….for those who thought the HP series was too religious, reader beware of the HDM series. Pullman isn’t vague. He labels his players in the battle of good vs. evil – calling the church, the creator and religions out by name. Note this example: In book three, this sentence appears: “The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all.” Again – I wondered if this was merely an adult book cloaked in child’s clothing (as I lapped up every word).

I thought that the struggles between the Church, The Authority, the Creator, Dust, The Council etc. were deep but thoroughly engrossing. I embraced how Pullman questioned the very beginnings of organized religion and of the creator himself. He turned everything on its ear: Ghosts, Angels, Witches and even Death. He is essentially challenging every reader, regardless of age, to look at the world around you. Why do we trust, why do we believe, what is faith, what is truth? Maybe things are different than what they seem. Perhaps there is more out there than our extremely limited view of physics, theology and cosmology is currently telling us. Maybe the world isn’t round after all. Maybe it’s infinitely layered and unbearably more beautiful than we ever knew.

I’m putting this in my top five for now. Those of you who know me know that this category fluctuates a bit here and there. New favorite reads come along, old one’s fade away as I forget why I loved the world it painted for me. But for now, this series goes in my five. Because, as with every other book in my top five, the characters stayed with me long after I closed the back cover. I cared about them, I felt like I had made new friends and was physically sad to say goodbye to them. And THAT is what makes a book better than just “good”. That is what makes it endearingly wonderful, to the point that you carress the book's cover lovingly everytime you come across it. And becomes one you would recommend to others without hesitation.
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Oct 05, 2011 Mathew rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everybody

Could you imagine a story that weaves history, quantum physics, theology, cosmology, trepanning, shamanism, love and the seriousness of adolescence into a coherent narrative? I could not. Yet Phillip Pullman has done just that, and a world more. This wonderful trilogy will lead you along a most unlikely path through some of the biggest questions of life - in philosophy, religion, history, science, and not least literature. That it does so as a masterful, child-accessible and wholly engaging stor...more Could you imagine a story that weaves history, quantum physics, theology, cosmology, trepanning, shamanism, love and the seriousness of adolescence into a coherent narrative? I could not. Yet Phillip Pullman has done just that, and a world more. This wonderful trilogy will lead you along a most unlikely path through some of the biggest questions of life - in philosophy, religion, history, science, and not least literature. That it does so as a masterful, child-accessible and wholly engaging story is a feat of imagination and storycraft easily on par with Madeleine L'Engle's classic A Wrinkle In Time and its sequels. The book has recently won an award for being
"the best children's book in the last 70 years". I am inclined to agree.

The first book, The Golden Compass, features the adventures of 11-year-old Lyra Belacqua, a precocious hooligan in a world almost but not quite ours, and the eponymous mechanism around which much of the story's plot is based. By itself, it might seem like a bit of a flighty read - fun, engaging, imaginative, but a bit strange at times, slyly heretical, even gruesome, leaving one to wonder "What is this really about?" Some critics (mostly of the sort that would have books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn banned) have come to the shallow conclusion that the series is nothing but a vessel for diatribe against certain religions institutions, never named but nevertheless obvious in reference. While Pullman shows a certain wicked zeal himself in creating a world in which wicked zealotry is as obvious - and as taken for granted - as political corruption in our own, his purpose is far grander than any partisan attack on stale religion. Rest assured, dear reader, every scene in the book is building towards a conflict simultaneously metaphysical and worldly which is only fully revealed in the third book.

The Subtle Knife introduces Will, a boy of unquestionable grit who is destined to become Lyra's companion. Will hails from our world, but unexpectedly finds himself in a welter of parallel worlds, where he comes into possession of a knife. This knife has two edges; the first edge can cut any material in the world, while the reverse edge is "more subtle still", according to the knife's guardian. The knife quickly becomes the focus of a conflict that not only transcends worlds, but also intersects Will's troubled home life in a profoundly personal way. As new characters and new revelations enter the story, Will and Lyra come to realize that their struggles are part of something much, much larger.

The third volume, The Amber Spyglass, brings into view the literally cosmic scope of a battle that centers on Will, Lyra, and the strange objects in their possession. The volume builds to a literally universe-shaking climax, as pivotal events never fail to surprise and yet mesh perfectly with the grand flow of the story.

I will say no more, lest I spoil any of the surprises, except to reiterate that for once I agree wholeheartedly with the critics: this series, and in particular its masterful conclusion, is transcendent, magnificent, and astonishing.(less)

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Mar 05, 2008 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Young Adult fiction lovers

Shelves: books-i-loved-when-i-was-younger

(Spoilers below)

I read the first two books when they came out (my middle school years) but got tired of waiting for the third. However, when this whole controversy over The Golden Compass film adaptation was started by the Christian right, I decided it was time to read the series again. I simply didn't remember Philip Pullman's message about God and the Church disturbing me as a regularly church-going 12 year old. Sure, it made me think about what a corrupt church could do, but it all seemed hyp...more (Spoilers below)

I read the first two books when they came out (my middle school years) but got tired of waiting for the third. However, when this whole controversy over The Golden Compass film adaptation was started by the Christian right, I decided it was time to read the series again. I simply didn't remember Philip Pullman's message about God and the Church disturbing me as a regularly church-going 12 year old. Sure, it made me think about what a corrupt church could do, but it all seemed hypothetical at the time and certainly didn't present any doubt that hadn't entered my mind before. When various websites quoted Pullman as saying his books are about killing God, it just seemed to me like there was an obvious caveat to that, i.e.: my books are about killing a God in a fictional universe where false authority is used to corrupt, control and destroy lives.

Now, having read all three books and knowing just a little bit more about faith, religion and the history of Christianity, I can see why parents would be concerned but not why they would forbid their children from reading the books or watching the movies. While Phillip Pullman is a known atheist and our "world" undeniably plays a part in Pullman's trilogy, the story is still fictional and Pullman's portrayal of God is just one many hypothetical possibilities. "God" is killed in Pullman's trilogy, but one must distinguish between Pullman's depiction of the Authority and the Christian image of God. Although Pullman's Authority is supposed to encompass all monotheistic and polytheistic beliefs in a god, God turns out to be just a corrupt angel and there is no one obvious creator. But even in Lyra's adventures I could not see anything refuting what I call God (an inexplicable higher force or reason behind all things). Although Dust makes up all living things in this trilogy, there is no discussion of why Dust came to be, just that for Dust to remain people must live truthful and full lives. So for me, it seems entirely consistent with my belief that there is an unseen God or higher uniting power in Lyra's universe that is ultimately good and has some relationship to Dust.

Pullman's books absolutely do not preclude what I call God, or even the God I think most Christians believe in. Pullman does promote healthy skepticism and warns against blind faith and a failure to embrace life in this world, but if anything, I think his books would help parents talk to their children about these abstract and important issues. So whether parenting from an atheistic standpoint or a strong Christian (Muslim, Buddhist, etc.) perspective, I'd encourage parents to let their children read the books if they desire to. Just talk to them afterwards about it. After all, helping children and young adults to try and understand the world around them and discover truth in whatever form they ultimately find it, is never a bad thing and is actually a necessary part of the process of achieving a deeper faith. By the time a person is old enough to understand any anti-religion message in these books, he is old enough to start critically evaluating his belief system.(less)

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Feb 12, 2008 Karen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So, I was interested in reading The Golden Compass series by Phillip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) because some parents have asked us to remove it from the shelf at the school library. After hearing the allegations about the books (that they are intended to persuade children to become atheists), I was feeling like people had not given them a chance. I had already begun to read The Golden Compass before I had heard about any of the controversy, after all, and...more So, I was interested in reading The Golden Compass series by Phillip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) because some parents have asked us to remove it from the shelf at the school library. After hearing the allegations about the books (that they are intended to persuade children to become atheists), I was feeling like people had not given them a chance. I had already begun to read The Golden Compass before I had heard about any of the controversy, after all, and there was nothing that I could find that was questionable. So I continued to read. Even after the second book, it seemed as though he was only speaking out against corrupt religion, which I think is a good thing. Not too far into the third book, however, it was clear that he believes all religion is corrupt.

The premise of the books is essentially that there was an angel a long time ago that put himself above the other angels and called himself God and the Creator (even though he was not) and that his goal is to keep people from gaining knowledge(that's why gaining knowledge was the original sin). The rebel angels (you know, that 1/3 from the war in heaven) have been fighting against him ever since and trying to help humans learn. And they enlist the help of two children to help them destroy God and create the Republic of Heaven (rather than the Kingdom).

There's a lot more to the stories, of course, and they are well written and interesting, but they still really hurt my feelings. In his books, the only religious people are either power-hungry hypocrites or fearful and ignorant. He writes about love and accepting people even with their faults (his main characters are flawed on purpose, I think) and the power of human relationships and following your instincts and the great value of learning. I am in complete agreement with pretty much everything he writes about those things. He seems to have a good understanding of how we all interact with and need each other. But the major flaw I see is that his goal is to show that religion is the antithesis of all of those good things; it is only useful for repressing people. So, while he may know a lot about life, he is quite ignorant about religion and people's reasons for being religious. Maybe he should stick to writing about things with which he is familiar.

For the record, I still don't think it should be removed from the shelves at school. As my sister said to me, "Nothing good ever came from censorship." I agree. It would probably create more problems than it would solve. And I want to have my freedom of expression protected, so I can't take away someone else's. Still, I think parents should be making informed decisions about what their children are reading. (less)

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Oct 22, 2010 mark monday rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alpha-team

i am actually assuming that i will be Left Behind, so my concern is more for others. i hate seeing families and friends split apart!

when it does occur, i would like to be someplace where there will be lots and lots of folks being Raptured....that way, right afterwards, i'll be able to pick up all the wallets and purses that are also Left Behind. you don't need money in heaven, right? and so with all the honest folk gone, i also feel confident that post-Rapture will be ripe for money-making opp...more

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Mar 05, 2009 Collette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

This was a truly amazing story. I'm actually giving it a 4.75 instead of a 5. It was getting a strong 5 until the ending. It wasn't a horrible ending but it could have been better. I cried if that tells you something. : /

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Dec 10, 2012 David rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

The first sentence that came to my mind after finishing this book was: anyone who would give this novel less than five stars has to be either a philistine, a charlatan, or a cynic. To add to that: a cynic grown so dull with the slop of the world that they have been rendered unable to see the raw charm of these characters Lyra and Will, and the amazing sad kind of beauty that comes with making the irreversible passage from childhood to adulthood.

Pullman is able to weave together in the thread of...more

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Dec 25, 2008 Christina Stind rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008, fiction, favourites, fantasy, ya-and-children-s

I didn't know about Philip Pullman and 'His Dark Materials' before the trailers for 'The Golden Compass' aired - and I'm a bit sad about that. I would have loved to have read this when I was a teenager!
Anyways, on to the review:
The Golden Compas
The storyline in The Golden Compas is so well-crafted, compelling and interdependent that it's hard to tell much of it without revealing too much but I'll try.
Lyra, the main protagonist, is a little girl, living at Jordan College, Oxford. She's a tomboy w...more

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Oct 14, 2007 Yeany Dahlan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: retna asmoro

If Harry Potter series were considered heretic by some groups of people, I don't know what will they say when they read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials as the books do reflect anti-Christianism with God portrayed as vindictive and authoritarian figure growing ..dare I say it? ...senile and need to be ousted (Oh my God)..

His Dark Materials is a trilogy beginning with the shocking The Golden Compass, and followed by The Subtle Knife and ends with The Amber Spyglass. And if we disregard the ant...more

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Sep 27, 2007 Christy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-and-fantasy, young-adult-and-children-s-lit, 21st-century-british-lit, want-to-reread

I've just finished The Golden Compass. I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. It was simple yet lovely, with interesting characters, setting, plot. It was so engrossing that I managed to read the last third of it at the courthouse, between jury duty sessions.

I'm sure that a large part of my sheer pleasure at reading this comes from the setting itself, having long been fascinated by the far North, but I think there's quite enough there for those less enamored of snow, ice, and polar...more I've just finished The Golden Compass. I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. It was simple yet lovely, with interesting characters, setting, plot. It was so engrossing that I managed to read the last third of it at the courthouse, between jury duty sessions.

I'm sure that a large part of my sheer pleasure at reading this comes from the setting itself, having long been fascinated by the far North, but I think there's quite enough there for those less enamored of snow, ice, and polar bears to also love this book.

Can't wait to get started on the next book!

*****************************

The Subtle Knife follows through on what is set up in The Golden Compass (although with significantly less snow and fewer polar bears). The characters continue to gain depth, the plot moves forward quickly and in interesting ways, and the world-building is fabulous.

I really like the way Pullman plays with big and important ideas about the basic nature of reality and about faith without the book ever feeling preachy, heavy-handed, or overly intellectual. Moreover, he plays with these ideas at the same time. In Lyra's world, Scholars study experimental theology, which is in our world known as physics. I'm incredibly curious to find out how Pullman elaborates on this connection between science and religion, between these two different ways of exploring our universe and creating meaning, in the final book of the series.

*****************************

Wow. I mean, wow. I enjoyed this book, this series, so much that I cannot wait until I get a chance to read them again. It's a beautiful rendering of the process of coming-of-age and exploration of both what makes us human and what religion can offer us. Pullman's concept of "the Republic of Heaven," as opposed to the kingdom of Heaven is moving and one that I will want to return to.

I highly recommend this series. If you love fantasy, you can't not love this. If you like fantasy, this is the perfect series to illustrate what fantasy really can do. If you don't like fantasy, well, perhaps you should. Perhaps you will after reading Pullman's trilogy. Because this is fantasy that provides escape to another and very interesting world, but it is not merely escapist fantasy. It is also fantasy that speaks directly of and to our world and our experiences. (less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Sandi rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: nobody

Very rarely do I start a book and not finish it. I've read some really awful books in my time and have managed to finish most. However, I gave up on this book on page 277. I think 277 pages is more than enough to get an idea of whether or not a book is worth finishing. This one isn't worth finishing. I really don't care about the controversy surrounding the author, his philosophy and how it's presented in the book. All I care about is that it's ponderous, preachy and annoying. I've read too many...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Savindi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review for The Golden Compass.

Cover Gushing Worthiness: I really like the cover of the Omnibus edition. I can’t say if it fully captures the spirit of The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, but it does capture the beauty of The Golden Compass perfectly. The colour combinations are beautiful as well as the of the daemons.

Review: I first heard about The Golden Compass when I was in Grade 12. Some of my friends who were in the Gifted program at my school read the book in Grade 10 and loved it. Th...more

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Dec 30, 2008 Henrik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, philosophy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A friend of mine once said that a characterization of science-fiction writers is that they have amazing & some of the most innovative ideas and, at best, mediocre writing skills.

It would be too much to say that's the case with this story, but there is of course a reason my friend's remark popped up in my head.

First the obvious: This trilogy is not a science-fiction story, but a unique parallel-world fantasy. However, the bulk of the central ideas are quite scientific... We're talking the Man...more

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Aug 27, 2007 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nerdypursuits-scififantasy

Pullman was clearly deeply influenced by "Paradise Lost", as both the title ("His Dark Materials") and the themes for the books are taken from Milton's works. I have heard that these books are a source of controversy for Christian groups, and I suppose I can see why, considering the status of death and the afterlife and the existence and relevance of deamons in Pullman's books. However, while the characters struggle against an oppressive church, it is NOT The Creator against which they battle.

D...more Pullman was clearly deeply influenced by "Paradise Lost", as both the title ("His Dark Materials") and the themes for the books are taken from Milton's works. I have heard that these books are a source of controversy for Christian groups, and I suppose I can see why, considering the status of death and the afterlife and the existence and relevance of deamons in Pullman's books. However, while the characters struggle against an oppressive church, it is NOT The Creator against which they battle.

Deamons are not demons, by the way.

(Note to all post Harry Potter-maniacs: This series is dark. There is no warm fuzzy or smiley, happy magic.)

And now, to get to the fun part of the books: Wow - they are a true pleasure to read! It has been a long time since a book has made me leap off the couch and do a fist pump, or moved me to cry or laugh out loud. The excellent characters are well developed in a very subtle way - sometimes I did not even realize how much I cared about them until something happened to them. A friend had told me the first 100 pages were slow (exposition, exposition), but I was addicted from the first paragraph. Sometimes I found myself reading so quickly that I had to slow down and re-read some pages - which was a wonderful torture when you were desperately wanting to know how things were going to turn out.

What I find interesting about the series is that the reader does not know the intent of the character or the story. With a book series like LOTR, for example, we know from halfway in the first book what Frodo must do; we keep reading to see if he can do it. But in Pullman's books, we don't know where the characters are headed, if the choices they have made or good or bad, or even the real nature of their journeys, until Pullman wraps everything up. Like all good trilogies, each book carries its own weight and expands on the books before it. I could never have imagined, upon finishing "The Golden Compass", all the intricacies and adventures that were about to unfold.

The "His Dark Materials" trilogy is impressive in scope and riveting in it's story-telling. And P.S. - Apparently the movie is being introduced in December 2007, so get to the books now!

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Jun 05, 2007 Joe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-ya, wonderfultalesofscienceandoradventu, fiction

I like my wild, adventurous fantasy tales as much as the next fella, but I have some issues with this series. First, it clearly wants to be the anti-Narnia, and that's fine, but I wish it wasn't so blatant about it. Many of the characters exist solely as two-dimensional metaphors and many of the plot developments and magical or fantastical elements of the world seem to exist solely to make the point that no, we're not in Narnia anymore, the lion is not Jesus and actually the church is trying to...more

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Oct 09, 2009 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: idk

I have to admit that I really liked these books even with the controversy surrounding them. Well-rounded people must do as I try to and remember that these are only books. If you don't think the movie coming out is a great thing, don't watch it. I probably won't be able to watch the movie when it comes out. So be it.

But the books were pretty cool, save for the ghosts and stuff like that...(and I don't get the 'killing God thing...where in these books did they kill God?)

EDIT 11/9/09: Watched th...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Priscilla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Northern Lights (The Golden Compass)

Quite fantastical.

Initial thoughts:
1. Excellent descriptive writing.
2. Lyra is a character that has room for development. She's curious, and courageous, but she's not impervious to the dangers around her. Great character growth throughout.
3. The plot is slow and steady, but all the fantastical elements make for an interesting and adventurous read.
4. Great setup to the next book. The ending is fast paced, and a few twists are thrown in.
5. Amazing fantasy elemen...more

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May 30, 2009 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: other-ya-fantasy, 2009

I would possibly have given The Golden Compass 5 stars...the other two would be somewhere around 3. I really enjoyed the story...so many of the characters are wonderful, and the world(s) that Pullman created are very original and creative...I loved how Dust worked in so differently to each one.

The ending? Well...I understand it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

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Jan 25, 2009 Alexis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

holy shit!

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Jun 11, 2008 Tanya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i really enjoyed these books. the author some huge stabs at religon/god. NOT for young readers.

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Oct 06, 2010 Suna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favourites, steampunk

Well this just blew me clean away.

It's the way Pullman tackles the subject of religion in young adult fiction that will always make him a bit of a hero to me. Not too much, that would be worship. And that be mighty dangerous indeed.

In fact, I might go so far as to say that this is Richard Dawkins for children, wrapped up in an epic adventure involving, fiercely free witches, ethereal angels pandering to an illusion of a deity, quantum physics, multiple world theory, the stamping out of budding s...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Margie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

When I first read The Golden Compass, the other books had not yet been published. I was excited about the trilogy, but then real life intruded and I didn't read the other books until now.

The Golden Compass is the best of the bunch, and if not for the ending (which demands a sequel) and a discussion of castrati (more on that later) I'd recommend it as a stand-alone young adult novel. It's well-plotted, exciting, and well-written. But it's also very clearly part of a trilogy, and unfortunately, th...more When I first read The Golden Compass, the other books had not yet been published. I was excited about the trilogy, but then real life intruded and I didn't read the other books until now.

The Golden Compass is the best of the bunch, and if not for the ending (which demands a sequel) and a discussion of castrati (more on that later) I'd recommend it as a stand-alone young adult novel. It's well-plotted, exciting, and well-written. But it's also very clearly part of a trilogy, and unfortunately, the story-telling decreases in quality as the books progress. By the end of The Amber Spyglass I found it hard to care what happened because it had become so ridiculous.

The thing that Pullman does rather well in The Amber Spyglass is to manage a number of different story lines set in different worlds. Many authors do not handle multiple story lines nearly as well. But that's pretty much the only redeeming quality of The Amber Spyglass. He changes peoples' characters abruptly, he voids operational rules he's spent a great deal of time constructing, and keeps changing the focus of the plot (there's this big THING that has to happen and all the universes will instantaneously change, but then it happens and this other big THING should be our focus because when it happens everything will change, but then it happens and really we need to devote all the energies of all the armies of all the worlds to doing this other big THING, or we could just get her to do it). Gah.

I was very curious to see how Pullman's anti-Church stance played out in the books, having read several reviews which focused on that aspect, or which compared Pullman's world view to that of C.S. Lewis. I was rather surprised to find a puling screed instead of a well-argued construct. He lashes out against the Church in ways that seem very childish rather than designed to convince a child/young adult.

I don't think we should necessarily hide young people from the more hideous aspects of our history, but casually throwing in an explanation of castrati as a way of showing how awful the Church is seems both heavy-handed and unnecessary. I would have appreciated something more nuanced, and comparatively, C.S. Lewis is practically translucent. The story of how a nun decides to give up her vocation, turn her back on the Church, and focus on science would be an interesting story for young people, and an opportunity for them to think about their beliefs and science and religion and how they fit together (or don't). Instead Pullman turns this into something almost smarmy, and turns the focus away from Church, religion, and science.

I was not impressed. I'd give the first book four stars if it could stand alone, though.(less)

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Mar 03, 2008 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I just read the His Dark Materials (a.k.a. The Golden Compass) trilogy. There will be spoilers here.

If you are an easily-offended Christian...heck, if you are a somewhat-difficult-to-offend Christian, you probably don't want to read these.

I didn't see the movie, and I knew nearly nothing about the series going into it beyond the idea of daemons (from the cool meme on the movie site) and armored polar bears.

Even before reading the Acknowledgments at the back of the trilogy, I could tell that his...more

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Feb 07, 2008 Leigh Statham rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ok.. I wish they had broken this trilogy up into three separate books on this site so I could rate them accordingly. The first book was really good. I really enjoyed it and I am glad I read it after I saw the movie. That way I got to enjoy both.

The second book started off with a bang and held on to me for a while but by the end it had sunk to a new low. I'm not even excited about continuing the story. All the atheism aside, I feel like Pullman created a beautiful world with very endearing chara...more

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Mar 22, 2008 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Tatiana by: claudia

that's right, punks. i bought the original, british, unchanged-by-stupid-american-publishers-for-no-apparent-reason trilogy. and it continues to be an uphill battle since the lovely american postal system lost my first copy, and amazon uk was gracious enough to send me another one free of charge. i expect a very american rabid dog who has broken free of its rabidly patriotic owner to come grab the book out of my hand as soon as i try to read it, such is this country's resistance to me reading th...more that's right, punks. i bought the original, british, unchanged-by-stupid-american-publishers-for-no-apparent-reason trilogy. and it continues to be an uphill battle since the lovely american postal system lost my first copy, and amazon uk was gracious enough to send me another one free of charge. i expect a very american rabid dog who has broken free of its rabidly patriotic owner to come grab the book out of my hand as soon as i try to read it, such is this country's resistance to me reading the original text.

book 1: hmmm. well, i love the concept of daemons. and the book is enthralling enough that when the story started happening and the rules of that world started being broken, i had a very visceral reaction. i also liked that for all the brief period of reading i did between subway stations and at dimly lit bus stops, i could immediately jump back into the world with a sentence or two without having to struggle to imagine myself in that different world. i do have to say, lyra's sudden use of the word 'dear' with iorek for the last third of the book really jarred me. i thought it was totally out of character for her. and there were points where i could see that pullman was setting something up, but the moments seemed to have little meaning outside the setup. like the 'pulling' moment. i thought it was an oddly long and unnecessary moment, and didn't think it made sense. but i see why he set that up, though i think he could have made it more of a seamless part of the narrative. oh, and the weird notes and drawings included at the end of the book? i could barely read the handwriting and from what i could tell the 'exhibits' didn't tell me anything i didn't already know from the 1st book. i guess they were just supplementary? but they seemed unnecessary. onward to book 2.

book 2: fuck i lost the book. please hold. book 2 now separate and american.

book 3: well, i have to say, the lapsed catholic in me was really freaked out by this last book. it's a lot darker than the first two, a lot more intense, as it should be, since it's bringing everything to a close. and i, who am easily freaked out by walking into a church these days, was physically uncomfortable with many parts, though i've heard it's not as intense for people who weren't brought up with the fire and brimstone approach to religion. but what a rollercoaster ride. there are parts that are just so fantastically unexpected. and my daemon question from book 2 was indirectly answered, which relieved me. i feel like there is enough going on in this book (and all the books really, since they build on one another) to have intense discussion for months.

oh, and i'm a tad bit disappointed with the ending, but that's because i am jaded and cynical, but it didn't detract from my overall like of the book. (less)

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Aug 19, 2009 Josh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First time I read this trilogy it was as a fairly naive and twerpish mid-teen. Back then the books struck me as very good reads but didn't really have much meaning beyond a well written fantasy in a world of bland meta-worlds.

I re-read the lot of them consecutively just last year, as (If I dare say so) a wiser and more introspective person. It was, in short, an experience.

The trilogy takes the form of what appear to be fairly mature childrens books, and indeed they can be read as such. However,...more First time I read this trilogy it was as a fairly naive and twerpish mid-teen. Back then the books struck me as very good reads but didn't really have much meaning beyond a well written fantasy in a world of bland meta-worlds.

I re-read the lot of them consecutively just last year, as (If I dare say so) a wiser and more introspective person. It was, in short, an experience.

The trilogy takes the form of what appear to be fairly mature childrens books, and indeed they can be read as such. However, the books deal with such themes as loyalty, innocence, the true value of knowledge as well as challenging pre-conceieved notions of sexuality, adulthood and reasons for living. I shan't explain how Pullman incorporates these into the form of a childrens book for fear of spoiling the plot, but suffice to say that over the course of the trilogy these challenged unfold with astonishing elegance.

In a similar vein, from the first book "Northern Lights" (Often called "The Golden Compass" which frankly is a wholly inappropriate title compared to the original) to the explosive final climax of "The Amber Spyglass" Pullman smoothly exposes his readers to steadily more engaging and believable characters. Out of all the books that I have read, the relationships between the characters are the most vibrant and real I have seen.

As to the writing style - I know some of my friends would be put off upon hearing that "His Dark Materials" can be read as a childrens book. That would not be to say, I think, that the trilogy is therefore one-dimensional as a result. If anything, this style is very easy on adult eyes. Like other great childrens books, one can lose oneself for hours at a time in the Pullman meta-worlds without feeling wearisome. For this reason I would not suggest trying to read this trilogy in the car before picking up kids, or as a chapter-per-night bedtime activity. You just won't be satified with a bit at a time!

I think as a final point it's worth addressing the controversy these books sparked among some of the Christian communuity. Many people felt that Pullman was attacking the Chruch, and moreover, God as a malign entity. Again, without revealing the overmuch plot, I think that open reading of the books will reveal that what Pullman is attacking is not so much the Church or God - but the suppression of our intrinsic humanity. Approach this with an open and enquiring mind.

Overall I would recommend these books to anybody who likes reading, and to many who don't. The trilogy will appeal to anybody over the age of 14, and certainly to anyone who enjoys introspective writings. An very well written story all round.(less)

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Jul 14, 2008 Monica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This trilogy started out with so much promise! What went wrong? I'll tell you what went wrong. Well, no I won't. But the first book was really fun to read. I'm still in the third. It's one of those that I dread reading, but I feel a stupid obligation to finish a book once I've started.

Golden Compass is great. Fun characters, intriguing plot, some mystery and suspense. The Subtle Knife is about half as good. It introduces a somewhat enjoyable new character with a really cool knife, which is neat...more

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Jan 13, 2008 Lisa Vegan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who enjoys fantasy novels, especially those willing to question authority

Recommended to Lisa by: Ken

Shelves: orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, reviewed, fiction, novel, childrens, speculative-fiction, young-adult, favorites

I got this edition containing all 3 books in the trilogy because of the author's lantern notes at the end of each of the three books. As of the first book, didn't find the notes worth reading; the second, they were slightly more interesting but not essential. I did appreciate those that came after the third book.

I do not understand how I missed knowing about these books until late in 2007, but I’m really glad that I found them.

The Golden Compass: 5 stars:

I don’t consider fantasy to be “my” genre...more I got this edition containing all 3 books in the trilogy because of the author's lantern notes at the end of each of the three books. As of the first book, didn't find the notes worth reading; the second, they were slightly more interesting but not essential. I did appreciate those that came after the third book.

I do not understand how I missed knowing about these books until late in 2007, but I’m really glad that I found them.

The Golden Compass: 5 stars:

I don’t consider fantasy to be “my” genre, although I’ve certainly enjoyed my fair share of fantasy books. I do enjoy books where the author has been able to create a fascinating “whole other world” and that is certainly been done here.

This book was a rollicking good ride. I’m not sure that I would have gotten through the first 20 pages if it had not been recommended (thanks Ken!) but by page 50 I was hooked. Terrific story. After book 1, what is to happen remains a mystery to me, but one I am eager to read. Lyra is a wonderful character. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, but it’s fun to read a fantasy book with a girl as the main protagonist.

The Subtle Knife: 5 stars:

The book is engrossing, suspenseful, with wonderful storytelling. It’s very, very dark. (This darkness reminded me of book 2 of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy; the first book was dark in many places also. This series might not be for everybody, but I’m loving it.) I especially appreciate how the child characters question the authority of the adults and of their worlds. Lots of fully fleshed out characters that I care about and that makes me especially eager to read book 3 of the series.

The Amber Spyglass: 5 stars:

This series is really fine fantasy fiction. Until toward the end of The Amber Spyglass, I was thinking how I had enjoyed the first book the most. But, by the time I finished reading The Amber Spyglass, I realized that all that happens in the 3 books of the trilogy come together so beautifully that what I now most appreciate is the whole story. Lyra, Will, Mary, and too many other characters to name will really stick with me.(less)

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Oct 10, 2007 Jamie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

The Golden Compass: Five stars
This first book in the series is an absolute page-turner. Pullman shapes a truly unique story centered around a precocious child and her best friend, a daemon, who seems to be a physical manifestation of a piece of her own soul. Lyra is a young girl in a world of stuffy male scholars, who takes turns trying to educate her. Her Uncle Asriel has left her in this situation but occasionally drops in to check her progress and converse with the scholars. On one of his ret...more

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What would your daemon be and why?	26	71	Mar 30, 2013 02:51pm
The Most Awesome ...: His Dark Materials	2	4	Jan 15, 2013 06:49pm
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Shut Up & Read: His Dark Materials - buddy read w/Michele, Irene & Missy possible spoilers	18	36	Aug 03, 2012 11:32am
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About Philip Pullman

from his official website:

"I was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia, before my family settled in North Wales. I received my secondary education at the excellent Ysgol Ardudwy, Harlech, and then went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read English, though I never learned to read it very well.

"I found my way into the teaching profession at the age of 25, and taught...more

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Books by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, #2)

The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, #3)

The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart, #1)

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Quotes from His Dark Materials

“I'll be looking for you, Will, every moment, every single moment. And when we do find each other again, we'll cling together so tight that nothing and no one'll ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you... We'll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams... And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they wont' just be able to take one, they'll have to take two, one of you and one of me, we'll be joined so tight...” — 388 people liked it

“As for what it's against - the story is against those who pervert and misuse religion, or any other kind of doctrine with a holy book and a priesthood and an apparatus of power that wields unchallengeable authority, in order to dominate and suppress human freedoms.” — 138 people liked it

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His Dark Materials Trilogy: The Golden Compass / The Subtle Knife / The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials #1-3)

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