- Paperback: 1040 pages
- Publisher: Retailer-exclusive titles; Exclusive to Waterstones edition (21 Oct 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0439981824
- ISBN-13: 978-0439981828
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,366,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
A luxury edition of all three books in the His Dark Materials trilogy in one volume. Contains 'Northern Lights', 'The Subtle Knife' and 'The Amber Spyglass'.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
These books were recommended to me and, with some trepidation, I started on "Northern Lights". Within a week, I had purchased the remaining two stories with huge anticpation. I was not dissapointed.
Philip Pullman has created a series of worlds which are rooted in reality, but contains many fantasical elements which the reader must grasp as everyday fact. For example, in the first world we are introduced to, every human being is born with a daemon, an animal or insect which acts as an outer part of their personalities. These creatures live with their human until their death, where apon both beings lives end simultaneously. It is also widely believed that other worlds do exist and many scientists strive to find a way to move between these worlds freely.
It is from this first world where the heroine of the story emerges. This heroine, Lyra, is a brilliant creation. She is neither sickly sweet and innocent, nor is she completely repulsive. She is a realistically laid out character with faults, weaknesses and passions like everyone else. Her adventures are both thrilling and horrific as she and her daemon strive to rescue her friend Roger from kidnappers, who have taken him to a mysterious place in the far north for a sinister purpose. The final chapter of book one is very much left open but thankfully there is no three year wait to endure in this case!
The following two books introduce new characters, as Lyra is joined on her ever expanding quest by Will, a boy who wanders out of his own world by mistake. Their crossed paths lead them into other worlds, where they eventually learn the terrifying task that fate has set out for them. A task which will test their strength more than they could ever have imagined.
Pullmans trilogy is a wonderful read. His worlds where witches fly through the skies, giant talking bears rule the icy north and ghostly terrors stalk through worlds destroying life, never seem over done.
These books have been described as science fiction, but they are so much more then that single denomination. The characters and friendships are involving and richly drawn out, giving plenty of opportunity for many tear-shedding moments. It is a pleasure to see Lyra and Will grow from children to teenagers as their travels together progress. You genuinely miss them when the book reaches its beautiful, heartbreaking end.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
I first read the trilogy when I was about 13 but I still love all three books now I'm 18 and have them with me a uni. I have never read such a wonderfully imaginative and beautiful set of books. Great for when you're worried about something and need to escape. It is hard to pick the best out of the three as the quality is so consistant. I probably enjoyed 'The Amber Spyglass' the most, purely because I was so enchanted by the utopian world that the mulefa lived in. The idea of being able to converse with your soul in the form of a daemon is also surely captivating to anyone with an imagination. Claims that the books are childish, over-rated, use limited vocabulary etc are false. Yes they don't have you reaching for the dictionary but they are meant to be accessable for children, and surely a book doesn't have to be hard to understand in order to be good. A book should be about enjoyment, not sitting there being smug that you understand it when other people might not. I saw the trilogy as dealing with some relatively complex themes, but in a way that the vast majority could appreciate. Everybody should read these books before they die, they are all modern classics and in my humble opinion knock 'Lord of the Rings' into a cocked hat! 10 stars and takes the top spot of my favourite book chart.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
(yes i'm drunk)
but it is the greatest trilogy ever made - no forget Star Wars, or Lord of the Rings (which is a VERY VERY close second) but HDM is the best. Witches, fighting bears, bizarre names, gypsies, daemons, deaths, harpies, gallevespians - what more could a book ask for? It deals in real life issues - not least religion (no i'm not a perfect christian!) but now i know i WANT to be cremated just purely because of this book - "took a step forward, turned back to look at lyra and laughed in suprise as he found himself turning into the night" - crying by this point on the train home and i'm blinking 22 years old!
but it is the greatest trilogy ever made - no forget Star Wars, or Lord of the Rings (which is a VERY VERY close second) but HDM is the best. Witches, fighting bears, bizarre names, gypsies, daemons, deaths, harpies, gallevespians - what more could a book ask for? It deals in real life issues - not least religion (no i'm not a perfect christian!) but now i know i WANT to be cremated just purely because of this book - "took a step forward, turned back to look at lyra and laughed in suprise as he found himself turning into the night" - crying by this point on the train home and i'm blinking 22 years old!
Enough blethering, buy this book and make EVERYONE you know read it - accept both good and bad reviews but make sure they read it... looking forward to the film but hope its 3 films a la LOTR
enjoy it - the book of the century
dougie bell (scotland)
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Absoulutly wonderful
This trilogy is one of the best more intellectual than Harry Potter but still with the magical wonders. Read more
Published on 15 May 2004
sadly over-rated
I read this because I'd heard the rave reviews and because it came third in the BBC's Big Read. And I was disappointed with it. Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2004 by mouse
the enigma begins
There is a cunning plot afoot. The increasing trend of marketing children’s books as neo-adult. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2004 by mfl
Possibly greatest books ever
Imagine lord of the rings, replace different lands with different worlds, add more characters, more scientific theory and the main characters as young children. Read more
Published on 3 Feb 2004 by Mr. Robert A. Spacey
Amazing
I have to say this is one of the best books I have read since The Lord of the Rings. It is a must for all fantasy readers, I am just finishing the third book of his dark materials... Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2004 by ursh14
Over-hyped, juvenille, page churning, mind fodder.
I have been listening to rave reviews of His Dark Materials for what seems like an age now, without buying it for various reasons, and I was looking forward to eventually reading... Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2004 by Carl
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