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His Dark Materials
(His Dark Materials #1-3)
by
The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass are available together in one volume perfect for any fan or newcomer to this modern fantasy classic series.
These thrilling adventures tell the story of Lyra and Will—two ordinary children on a perilous journey through shimmering haunted otherworlds. They will meet witches and armored bears, fallen angels and soul ...more
These thrilling adventures tell the story of Lyra and Will—two ordinary children on a perilous journey through shimmering haunted otherworlds. They will meet witches and armored bears, fallen angels and soul ...more
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Mass Market Paperback, 1088 pages
Published
September 23rd 2003
by Laurel Leaf Library
(first published November 2000)
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Start your review of His Dark Materials (His Dark Materials #1-3)

Jan 22, 2018
Emily (Books with Emily Fox)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites
I can't believe I had never reread this series! Such a fascinating world, such a good story!
...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 Partic ...more
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

Dec 14, 2007
Seth T.
rated it
it was ok
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
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

In just under a month La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust #1) will be released, so I thought I’d do a summative review of my experience with this trilogy. Here’s what I thought of each book, I read them over a period of four years and my reviews are what I thought at the time; they’ve not been edited since:
Book 1: The Golden Compass- 5*

This novel is an absolute work of pure genius, and is in my top ten reads of all time. Before I go into the depths of character and plot, let me start by say ...more
Book 1: The Golden Compass- 5*

This novel is an absolute work of pure genius, and is in my top ten reads of all time. Before I go into the depths of character and plot, let me start by say ...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 stor
...more

Apr 07, 2012
David
rated it
it was amazing
·
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
Pullman is able to weave together in the thread of ...more

So, this is a bind up of all three books in this series and it's a reread for me. I first read these when I was very young (maybe 11/12) and I remember absolutely loving them. This still remains true to this day and they are excellent books the second time through too. Also, being 10 years older now than when I first read it helped me to notice a lot more of the subtle references to religion, souls, sex, body image and so on. None of these were things I was even considering when I was young, but
...more

Great fantasy, amazing story! I think of all three books, I loved the first one "Northern Lights" the most because it introduced me to this amazing world, and it felt the most wintry to me with its polar bears, snow and magic. That being said, the two other books, "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass", were really good as well, and especially the second book kept my interest peaked.
This is one of those series that is written for children on the surface, but that is highly relevant and rea ...more
This is one of those series that is written for children on the surface, but that is highly relevant and rea ...more

Dec 05, 2007
Andrea
rated it
really liked it
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
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

I don't guess you could call this the "Gold Standard" of classic fantasy literature, that probably goes to Harry Potter, but His Dark Materials soars in that same stratosphere. It is so brilliantly conceived, so intricately constructed, and so well written that it leaves one in awe of Pulliam's achievement.
This trilogy is composed of three separately published volumes, Northern Lights (The Golden Compass in North America) (1995), The Subtle Knife (1997), and The Amber Spyglass (2000). A sequel, ...more
This trilogy is composed of three separately published volumes, Northern Lights (The Golden Compass in North America) (1995), The Subtle Knife (1997), and The Amber Spyglass (2000). A sequel, ...more

Yes, it's taken me 3+ years to read His Dark Materials. I wanted to take longer pauses between the novels to really enjoy them. I've had my eye on this series for a while. Now I have a lovely bound edition with all three texts. I started The Golden Compass in high school but never finished it. In college I revisited Lyra's story and fell back into the rhythm of Pullman's storytelling. Lyra's characterization is vivid--truly a memorable character--and I liked the world building. Though, the pacin
...more

This review only applies to book 1: The Golden Compass
Growing up with an addiction to Dungeons & Dragons and reading through my town library's entire Science Fiction and Fantasy section before I was sixteen has left me with a life-long proclivity for the fantastic. Some of my favorite novels manage to combine the highly literary (or experimental) with the fantastical. I'm willing to take a chance on books considered straight fantasy or science fiction, but I haven't been making the best choices ...more
Growing up with an addiction to Dungeons & Dragons and reading through my town library's entire Science Fiction and Fantasy section before I was sixteen has left me with a life-long proclivity for the fantastic. Some of my favorite novels manage to combine the highly literary (or experimental) with the fantastical. I'm willing to take a chance on books considered straight fantasy or science fiction, but I haven't been making the best choices ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

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 like a church where there will be lots of people 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 with all the honest folk gone, i also feel confident that post-Rapture will be ripe for money-making opportu ...more
when it does occur, i would like to be someplace like a church where there will be lots of people 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 with all the honest folk gone, i also feel confident that post-Rapture will be ripe for money-making opportu ...more

Nov 26, 2007
Lisa Vegan
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who enjoys fantasy novels, especially those willing to question authority
Recommended to Lisa by:
Ken
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 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

Defenitely a winner! Normally this sort of fantasy books is not my cup of tea but I adored reading this book. The themes it handles are very grown-up (I don't understand how a child could understand all what is in the book). It never becomes trivial or laughable. Everyone thinks very logically. The plans are well taught over and everyone handles according to this plans. I don't know what to say more about the book. Just read it!
...more

I can't believe I never read this trilogy when I was a child, but at the same time I'm glad I read it as an adult because I wouldn't have appreciated the different themes. However, it must be amazing to get both readings: the one when you're a child and the one when you're an adult. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages, children, teenagers or adults. This is a new favorite. Full review to come.
...more

Jul 10, 2014
Ashley Marie
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy-high,
i-own-it
Northern Lights / The Golden Compass - 12Nov16
4 stars
Breathtaking and smart and utterly brilliant. Reading several of Pullman's interviews has made me decide to re/read the Chronicles of Narnia at some point in 2017; the misconception that His Dark Materials is a direct rebuttal of Narnia has interested me for years, and then to finally read this and hear from Pullman himself that it is NOT said rebuttal makes it that much more interesting. I love the idea of the church being the ruthless/villai ...more
4 stars
Breathtaking and smart and utterly brilliant. Reading several of Pullman's interviews has made me decide to re/read the Chronicles of Narnia at some point in 2017; the misconception that His Dark Materials is a direct rebuttal of Narnia has interested me for years, and then to finally read this and hear from Pullman himself that it is NOT said rebuttal makes it that much more interesting. I love the idea of the church being the ruthless/villai ...more

Oct 30, 2016
steph // bookplaits
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
highly-recommended,
read-in-2016
In three words: epic, heartbreaking, imaginative.
"'But I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are. All we can say is that this is a good deed, because it helps someone, or that's a evil one, because it hurts them. People are too complicated to have simple labels.'"
Challenge: #MyEverymansLibrary
Note: This Everyman's Library edition contains all three books of t ...more
"'But I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are. All we can say is that this is a good deed, because it helps someone, or that's a evil one, because it hurts them. People are too complicated to have simple labels.'"
Challenge: #MyEverymansLibrary
Note: This Everyman's Library edition contains all three books of t ...more

Remember how, when the film version of "The Golden Compass" came out, evangelicals told their followers not to see it because the book is about a battle against God, and that God is defeated in the end?
They were right. And it's really sort of childish. In the bad way. And I'm about as far to the left of the right wing religious nut cases as you can get. I'm all for a critique of how religion has hobbled civilization. I firmly believe that the church (pick your religion, not just the Christian ch ...more
They were right. And it's really sort of childish. In the bad way. And I'm about as far to the left of the right wing religious nut cases as you can get. I'm all for a critique of how religion has hobbled civilization. I firmly believe that the church (pick your religion, not just the Christian ch ...more

Nov 20, 2019
LPG
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
chai-on-a-rainy-winter-day
Fourteen is pretty grown in every fourteen-year-old's mind.
I had experienced a lot o things by the time I turned fourteen. Mostly good. Some bad. A few ugly enough to make me cling to childhood's cloak more insistently than ever. I could tell I wasn't to be a 'successful teenager'. I didn't speak the language of this strange new country. There were whole libraries worth of knowledge that seemed to be passing straight over my head.
This wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been, in my own mind, ...more
I had experienced a lot o things by the time I turned fourteen. Mostly good. Some bad. A few ugly enough to make me cling to childhood's cloak more insistently than ever. I could tell I wasn't to be a 'successful teenager'. I didn't speak the language of this strange new country. There were whole libraries worth of knowledge that seemed to be passing straight over my head.
This wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been, in my own mind, ...more

Never has a book/series had such an impact on me as His Dark Materials, specifically The Amber Spyglass. It still stands as the only book that has ever made me cry. I was a wreck after finishing it, to the point where I literally could not sleep because I couldn’t believe it was over. Not only was the ending beautifully heartbreaking, but I had to accept the fact that these characters' journeys had come to an end, the series was over, and it was time for me to move on in my life. I just couldn't
...more

Having heard that His Dark Materials was seen as being a scathing attack on religion and its indoctrinated practices, I'd always wondered if this was truly the case, and having faith only made me all the more curious to delve in and see for myself. But to say this series is anti-God is a great disservice and entirely unjust. Sure, the Magisterium - the antagonist in the series - is an omnipotent, oppressive authority, symbolising organised religion, but the series is about so much more than that
...more

One of those books you don't want to finish.
Wow.
I could recommend this to literally ANYone, and if they have the gumption and persistence, they would get a helluvalot out of it. WHAT DO I HAVE TO SAY TO CONVINCE YOU?!? Just read it, think about it, enjoy it. ...more
Wow.
I could recommend this to literally ANYone, and if they have the gumption and persistence, they would get a helluvalot out of it. WHAT DO I HAVE TO SAY TO CONVINCE YOU?!? Just read it, think about it, enjoy it. ...more

Northen's Lights: 5⭐
The Subtle Knife: 5⭐
The Amber Spyglass: still want to read that. I love the word "Spyglass" a lot, it has nice vintage secret society vibes, like A Series of Unfortunate Events ...more
The Subtle Knife: 5⭐
The Amber Spyglass: still want to read that. I love the word "Spyglass" a lot, it has nice vintage secret society vibes, like A Series of Unfortunate Events ...more

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
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

This is not a series I would have exposed my children to. If you choose to (and I'm sure many will) that is up to you. There is a deal of indoctrination here, or if you consider the Narnia series indoctrination then maybe you won't use that term in this case. It's all I suppose in the eye of the beholder. So up to the parent, or if we're talking adults then, the reader.
(view spoiler) ...more
(view spoiler) ...more

Mar 30, 2008
Collette
rated it
it was amazing
·
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. : /
...more

I just found this copy at the thrift store and bought it, and I automatically add all books I own to my goodreads shelves. I originally read the series on audio from my library and reviewed them separately.
I really really loved this series. It is so imaginative and unique and adventurous. And Lyra is such an incredible character! She is 12 years old and so brave and clever and resourceful. It is choke-full of fascinating and wonderful supporting characters! I love absolutely everyone! Aside fro ...more
I really really loved this series. It is so imaginative and unique and adventurous. And Lyra is such an incredible character! She is 12 years old and so brave and clever and resourceful. It is choke-full of fascinating and wonderful supporting characters! I love absolutely everyone! Aside fro ...more

Add me to what I'm sure is a very short list of people who didn't get the whole "anti-god" sentiment that this series is supposedly laden with.
I read this series for the first time several years ago while working in a book store and madly searching for something to tide me over until the next Harry Potter came out. I became a dedicated Pullman fan within a few pages of "The Golden Compass."
I like young adult fantasy that doesn't pander and Pullman wouldn't dream of doing that to his readers. He ...more
I read this series for the first time several years ago while working in a book store and madly searching for something to tide me over until the next Harry Potter came out. I became a dedicated Pullman fan within a few pages of "The Golden Compass."
I like young adult fantasy that doesn't pander and Pullman wouldn't dream of doing that to his readers. He ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Book Loving Kiwis: His Dark Materials series | 4 | 7 | Jun 26, 2020 09:34PM | |
His Dark Materials: poorly written? | 13 | 208 | May 08, 2020 09:01AM | |
My NZ Library: His Dark Materials | 3 | 5 | Mar 07, 2020 04:34PM | |
television adaption | 1 | 11 | Nov 05, 2019 06:44PM | |
Thecamboss | 1 | 7 | Jul 30, 2019 09:52AM | |
Thecamboss | 1 | 1 | Jul 30, 2019 09:52AM | |
Dæmons | 5 | 212 | Jun 08, 2019 12:34AM |
In 1946, acclaimed author Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England, into a Protestant family. Although his beloved grandfather was an Anglican priest, Pullman became an atheist in his teenage years. He graduated from Exeter College in Oxford with a degree in English, and spent 23 years as a teacher while working on publishing 13 books and numerous short stories. Pullman has received many awards
...more
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His Dark Materials
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“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...”
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“She wondered whether there would ever come an hour in her life when she didn't think of him -- didn't speak to him in her head, didn't relive every moment they'd been together, didn't long for his voice and his hands and his love. She had never dreamed of what it would feel like to love someone so much; of all the things that had astonished her in her adventures, that was what astonished her the most. She thought the tenderness it left in her heart was like a bruise that would never go away, but she would cherish it forever.”
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