The Amber Spyglass, Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition (His Dark Materials, Book 3)(Rough-cut) |...

The Amber Spyglass, Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition (His Dark Materials, Book 3)(Rough-cut) | Philip Pullman | Magnificent in all it's Gnostic splendour.

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The Amber Spyglass...

	The Amber Spyglass, Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition (His Dark Materials, Book 3)(Rough-cut) Philip Pullman Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2007 - 560 pages average customer review:based on 21 reviews view larger image
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Epic fantasy series comes to surprising, thoughtful conclusion

Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy may be suffering somewhat from the lackluster film adaptation of "The Golden Compass," but there's no denying that Pullman's three books are among the best novels the fantasy genre has to offer.

With "The Amber Spyglass," Pullman brings his series to a shattering conclusion as Lyra and Will fight in the war that has been building for thousands of years. While angels, witches, specters, and creatures from various parallel worlds kill and die, Lyra and Will struggle for the most basic and critical of prizes - love and mastery of one's destiny.

There are too many plot twists and surprising developments for me to attempt to summarize the story in any greater detail. Suffice it to say that some villains are redeemed, some heroes lose their way, and that Pullman never panders to his readers. This is not one of those books that builds to a cliched ending that has everyone standing happily together at the end, a la the medal ceremony from "Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope," where everyone gets cheered after the Death Star blows up. This is a more complex, subtle tale, and don't be surprised if you shed a few tears as Lyra and Will complete their journeys.

This is a wonderful series that any parent can feel good about giving to their child - or reading themselves. This is intelligent, deep stuff. Yes, yes, Pullman has had the audacity to write an allegory about religion, but his strong opinions shouldn't scare anyone who enjoys the free exchange of ideas - very few ideas are as well-expressed as this. The only caution I would consider making is that these books can be a little scary, so you might want to think twice about letting younger kiddies get their hands on it. But judge that for yourselves.

What a wonderful series.

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Magnificent in all it's Gnostic splendour.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trilogy of "His Dark Materials" . Not only are the books a cracking good read from an entertainment point of view, but Pullman bravely presents a theory of religion that is wonderfully refreshing and honest.

Yes, it does appear that Pullman has a Gnostic view of the God of the Old Testament, and he does indeed present the domination of the "Church" in a rather dim light, but let's face it - if we look at the history of the Church and it's savage dealings with suffering mortals through the ages - then Pullman is not saying anything that isn't absolutely true. It always astounds me how people can forget about the many thousands of people who were horribly tortured and burned alive by the Inquisitors in service of the Church. How many people were executed because they had the temerity to discover something that didn't agree with suffocating church doctrine. It is appalling - yet all forgiven and forgotten in some strange anesthesia of the group mind. Would people be so forgiving of Hitler ? I think not.

Pullman's trilogy is a completely unique fantasy, and I was sorry to finish it. It will be a classic along the lines of Lord of the Rings. I particularly appreciated Pullman's black and white sketches at the beginning of each chapter - proving that he is an artist of many talents. Highly recommended.

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A mirror to your mind

Philip Pullman's series is like a mirror - what bounces back at you has a lot to do with what you bring to it. It's no secret that the author is an atheist, and exposes readers to this often disturbing possibility. Doubters will find it fascinating, even carthartic. True believers will, on the whole, find it offensive.
But in the firestorm of enthusiasm or loathing, don't overlook the undeniable fact that this is a terrific work of imagination. There are more delightful new ideas - ones having nothing to do with religion - in the first fifty pages than in most entire fantasy trilogies.

And while the third volume is the weakest - the pacing is badly off at times - it surprisingly becomes a beautiful coming-of-age story, realistically but tastefully told. Who of us has not almost forgotten the poignant beauty of that time in their own lives? Pullman brings it back to life with a sense of wonder. Yes, I've read other opinions on this, but those who even suggest there's something prurient here reveal more about themselves than about the book.

Perhaps the most important thing to know about this story is that it's a STORY. Pullman proposes dozens of "what if" ideas that tease our minds, sometimes in unsettling ways. But that's quite different from saying that the story claims to be reality. What if God's lieutenant got the upper hand for awhile? (That one sounds a little like the Bible or the Silmarilion). What if God was not immortal, but rather a being who lived for eons and eons? What if the afterlife isn't a pretty place, but you can opt instead for oblivion, returning your joyous energy to the universe? Subversive, challenging thoughts indeed, but probably not Philip Pullman's idea of reality. It's a story.

In the end, this is not a tale for people who fear where imagination might take them. But for those who can conceive of vast new possibilities, then apply their inner experiences in Lyra's worlds to our own real world, the potential rewards are great. And if Pullman is sent to Narnia when he dies, well then we can all have a good laugh over it.

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don't let others fool you

This is a good book and a good trilogy. The people that are saying these are anti Christian are being ridiculous. It's just a book. If you don't like to read about other's ideas, DON'T READ BOOKS. If a book can change your beliefs, you are WAY to easily manipulated.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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