The Amber Spyglass

His Dark Materials, Book 3

By: Philip Pullman

Narrated by: Philip Pullman, full cast

Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Lyra and Will, the two ordinary children whose extraordinary adventures begin in The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife, are in unspeakable danger. With help from Iorek Byrnison the armored bear and two tiny Gallivespian spies, they must journey to a dank and gray-lit world where no living soul has ever gone.

All the while, Dr. Mary Malone builds a magnificent amber spyglass. An assassin hunts her down. And Lord Asriel, with troops of shining angels, fights his mighty rebellion, a battle of strange allies and shocking sacrifice.

As war rages and dust drains from the sky, the fate of the living, and the dead, finally comes to depend on two children and the simple truth of one simple story. The Amber Spyglass reveals that story, bringing Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials to an astonishing conclusion.

Listen to the rest of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series.

©2000 Philip Pullman (P)2001 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Absorbing...Like Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, [Pullman] invents a world filled with strange divinations and wordplays." (Newsweek)
"A literary masterpiece...[that] caps the most magnificent fantasy series since The Lord of the Rings and puts Harry Potter to shame...A page-turning story that builds to a powerful finish." (Oregonian)
"As the rich tale unfolds, Pullman's voice, elegant with a hint of both whisper and rasp, thoroughly enthralls, sounding by turns forceful and tender. The talented, extensive cast gives a dynamic, nearly flawless performance." (Publishers Weekly)

Great but for children?

This whole series is fantastic. The cast naration is absolutely magical. However the end of this last book leads you to wonder if it is really appropriate for youngsters as it gets into early teen sex at one point in a way that some parents may find inappropriate for the intended age level.

thumbs up...way up.

If you could sum up The Amber Spyglass in three words, what would they be?

Bittersweet, provoking, excellent.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I have a soft spot the two MC's Lyra and Will their biggest personality traits double as convenient survival skills that helped them get far in character development.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

the main narrator's voice was a tad drab maybe a different narrator for the majority of the story.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

two adolescents with unearthly weapons will make a choice that will determine the fate of the universe .

Great read

loved all the characters and the variety of story lines. Can't wait for the next book

I'm fucking crying now.

What is the point of my life now. I want more. please. Make something where they are grownups now close to achieving a way to see each other.

Wonderful

This is one of the books I appreciate most. The story is very deep and full of adventure. The performance of the cast has been carried out wonderful as well. The two make a sublime listening experience. I recommend it to everyone with a good appetite for fantasy and adventure with a twist of the angelic.

The Amber Spyglass

I love this trilogy. Best one I ever read. I'm a picky reader, but this book had me spellbound. I loved how the author made the story flow. The nirator is great. However, I couldn't say I liked the ending, but it some how sounded right. This book was one of the many books that had me attached to Will and Lierah. I'm sure everyone would enjoy reading this trilogy.

Fantastic narration.

Fantastic book. Very well narrated. Less cheesy music than the first two books in the series.

Epic final installment to His Dark Materials!!!

Where does The Amber Spyglass rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The series overall ranks in my top 5 for sure. Loved all the books, listened to them multiple times.

What other book might you compare The Amber Spyglass to and why?

Eh, not sure, maybe vaugly to the Artimis Fowl series? But not quite as "kiddy" as the fowl books.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene would be a spoiler, so I shall keep it to myself, whatcha gonna do about it, huh? that's right, nothing sucka! just listen and enjoy people.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Oh yes, cried like a little girl who stubbed her pinky toe against the corner of the door frame. I listen at work when I can, and I had to wear sun-glasses to make sure no one knew my eyes were all puffy. Gotta maintain my stoic demeanor.

Any additional comments?

A story/series everyone should read/listen to. I've suggested it to all the avid readers I know, just a fantastic series. I cried numerous times, I pondered the meaning of life, I cursed human weakness, and praised the awesome power a child can wield. Loved so many characters, I just can't say enough how much I enjoyed His Dark Materials. Listen and enjoy, and bring sunglasses just in case. :-)

enjoyable

As a scifi person I was kind of embarrassed that I had not read this classic series, listened to it while road tripping... I get why it's a classic and maybe if I had read it as a kid I'd have loved it more. That said, I wasn't IN LOVE with it. Glad I read it once, the ideas are interesting, probably won't read it again... well listen...

Love the production of these stories

I wish more audio books were produced as these were. Well done! The characters come to life in your mind almost as if you are reading it yourself and producing a mental movie.