The third volume in Philip Pullman's groundbreaking HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy, now a thrilling, critically acclaimed BBC/HBO television series starring Ruth Wilson, James McAvoy, Dafne Keen and Amir Wilson. "We're going to the land of the dead and we're going to come back." Will and Lyra, whose fates are bound together by powers beyond their own worlds, have been violently separated. But they must find each other, for ahead of them lies the greatest war that has ever been - ...
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The third volume in Philip Pullman's groundbreaking HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy, now a thrilling, critically acclaimed BBC/HBO television series starring Ruth Wilson, James McAvoy, Dafne Keen and Amir Wilson. "We're going to the land of the dead and we're going to come back." Will and Lyra, whose fates are bound together by powers beyond their own worlds, have been violently separated. But they must find each other, for ahead of them lies the greatest war that has ever been - and a journey to a dark place from which no one has ever returned... this edition has a stunning cover from celebrated artist, Chris Wormell.
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In the entire "His Dark Materials" trilogy, the quality that I most appreciate is the ambiguity of the "goodness" or "badness" of many of the characters. The reader obviously understands that Lyra and Will are on the righteous track, but among the other characters, I was uncertain to the very end just who was "in the right." I loved not knowing, for it is a very rare experience in contemporary literature.
"The Amber Spyglass" is the thoughtful, powerful conclusion to Pullman's trilogy, and it slows down somewhat as events near their climax. Focus shifts to the protagonists' internal revelations as their destinies draw near, and the narrative accordingly grows more dense and intimate.
While I am still not sure how I feel about the resolution of Lyra's role in the mysterious prophecy that's bandied about through the trilogy, I love that it made me think deeply and critically.
I understand that many people are concerned about Pullman's depiction of God and organized religion in these books. While I can see why they might be upset, I was always taught that exposure to criticism is good for a person (and for institutions), so while my feelings about theology and the church are very different from Pullman's, it did not stop me from getting a lot out of this series, and from finding the positive message that applies to life no matter how a person believes.
