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The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials)
 
 

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The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials) (Paperback)

by Philip Pullman (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (177 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Scholastic Point; New Ed edition (16 Oct 1998)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0590112899
  • ISBN-13: 978-0590112895
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (177 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 51,824 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #37 in  Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators > P > Pullman, Philip

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
At the end of The Northern Lights, Lyra Silvertongue watched in fear and fascination as her father, Lord Asriel, created a bridge between worlds. Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon, are now lost in an alternate universe where they meet Will Parry, a fugitive from a third universe. Will has found a small window between Cittagazze (a place where children roam unchecked but invisible Specters suck the spirit out of adults) and his Oxford, which, with its Burger Kings and cars, is frighteningly different from the Oxford Lyra knows.

Will's father, an explorer, disappeared years ago, but recently some odd characters have started asking questions about him, and now, having accidentally killed one of them, Will is wanted by the police. Armed with the Subtle Knife, a tool that cuts any material (including that which separates universes) and Lyra's alethiometer, the children set out to find John Parry, with adults of various stripes in desperate pursuit.

Lyra's finest qualities, her courage and quick mind, are stretched to the limit as she has to lie, cheat and steal to keep herself and Will out of danger. However, she must also learn when to tell the truth and when to trust, for, though she does not yet know it, she has a huge part to play in the upcoming battle between Good and Evil.

Synopsis
The second book in the "Dark Materials" trilogy. Will is 12 years old and he's just killed a man. Determined to discover the truth about his father's disappearance, he steps through a window into another world. There, he meets a girl called Lyra who, like himself, is on a mission.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials)
88% buy the item featured on this page:
The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials) 4.7 out of 5 stars (177)
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His Dark Materials Boxed set
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His Dark Materials Boxed set 4.5 out of 5 stars (233)
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Northern Lights: Adult Edition (His Dark Materials)
3% buy
Northern Lights: Adult Edition (His Dark Materials) 4.7 out of 5 stars (648)
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Customer Reviews

177 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (177 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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70 of 75 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Better Than Harry Potter? Yes!, 9 Jun 2001
By A Customer
Let's just get this clear - I will read anything. I am never not in the middle of reading a book. Whenever I know I'm nearly at the end of one book, I go out and buy another. I can't stand not having a book to read. Let's get another thing clear - I'm only thirteen, so adults reading this might not want to read my opinion - that's fine by me. Ok.

I have all the Harry Potter books, and my friend recommended Northern Lights to me because she said it was like a girl power equivalent to Harry Potter. I thought that sounded pretty cool, so I gave it a go. I realised that it is nothing like Harry Potter at all! Harry Potter is a *normal* boy in *our* world doing *normal* stuff with a twist of magic. The "His Dark Materials" trilogy is set mainly in *fantasy* worlds, but I suppose that you could say Lyra is kind of normal. Apart from the fact that she has a little Daemon called Pantalaimon. In fact, to her a daemon is normal - apparently seeing somebody without a daemon is like seeing somebody without a head - that's the kind of thing that makes this trilogy good.

This particular book is better than Northern Lights, in my opinion. There's a boy and a girl (Lyra and Will). They both come from different worlds - but they're kind of like parallel universes - there is an Oxford in Lyra's world, but it has certain features that are different, such as the aforementioned daemons and a certain Jordan College, which is not at the *real* Oxford Uni. Then there's ANOTHER world which is totally different. Things called spectres haunt and drown the souls of the adults, but the kids are unaffected. How creepy? And you can hear angels - and there are witches... It's all very creepy, which is v. cool.

I would recommend this to anybody who enjoyed Harry Potter, but thinks they are growing out of him. There are some really clever twists, and it deals with emotions and tragedy a lot more than Harry Potter does. I don't know why Philip Pullman isn't getting the coverage that J. K. Rowling is. In my opinion he's a much much better writer. It amazes me how he can know exactly how a little girl actually feels - and the books are so imaginative, you'd think he comes from Lyra's world!

And one more thing - look out for some seriously wicked names - Lyra Belacqua (or Silvertongue as she has now been christened) is a lot more exciting than Harry Potter, or Cornelius Fudge.

Ok, I hope you read it, cos I can't begin to tell you how good it is - you really need to see it to believe it!

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the series, 17 May 2008
This is the second book in the `His Dark Materials' trilogy and is the best.

Here is a synopsis of the story:
Will Parry is a 12 year old boy who is on the run for murder; his mother is not very well (mentally) and his father has been lost for a decade or so. On his quest to find his father, he meets Lyra (the main character or The Northern Lights - also part of the trilogy). Lyra is the owner of a truth teller, which is also known as the alethiometer. Along the way, Lyra has the alethiometer stolen and is sent on a quest to steal a weapon called the Subtle Knife from Cittàgazze if she wants it back.

Lyra and Will use the Subtle Knife to steal back the alethiometer, however upon returning to Cittàgazze, a world between Lyra's world and Will's world (Will's world is the same as our planet Earth), they find the local children - there are only children in this city as the Spectres took the adults souls (children cannot see the ghost type creatures) are out to kill them for taking the knife. The witches from Lyra's world eventually rescue them and they journey on together.

Lee Scoreby is also from the first book; he is trying to discover where Lyra has got to and on his way he meets Stanislaus Grumman. Scoresby believes Grumman may help him uncover Asriel's plans and help Lyra. When Scoresby finally finds him, Grumman asks the aeronaut, Mr Scoreby, to take him through the aurora into the other world so Grumman can guide the two to the bearer of the Subtle Knife.

Will, still bleeding from his wound after a fight for the knife, meets Stanislaus Grumman, who heals his fingers and instructs him to take the Subtle Knife to Lyra's father, Lord Asriel, to use as a weapon against The Authority (the Church).

This book is currently my all time favourite book. It is exciting, adventurous and something that is so brilliant from cover to cover that you can't put it down. That is what happened to me but unfortunately, tiredness took over me once or twice and I did put it down but I would read it for around 3 or 4 hours a night for about 3/ 4 days.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A superb read, 14 Feb 2007
I can say without any doubt, that Northern Lights, together with the other two books in the trilogy (The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass)are the best books I have ever read. (And I have read quite a lot!)

Each day, I couldn't wait to get on the tube and read the continuing adventure of Lyra et al.

It is enchanting from start to finish. And for my mind makes anything else you read afterwards seem highly inferior.

You are taken completely out of yourself. Yet you are also able to ponder the wider meanings of it all. And with so many twists and turns, Pullman as a writer is always several steps ahead of where you think things are going.

From the moment I finished the last page of the last book in the trilogy, (yesterday) I wanted to pick up Northern lights and read them all again. I cannot imagine anyone not liking these books. Even for those who have not read fantasy novels before. They are original, profound, gripping and simply breathtaking in places.

Frankly I envy anyone reading this trilogy for the first time!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars the subtle knife
I was very pleased with this, it arrived when expected and was in perfect condition and safely packaged. I have no complaints
Published 1 month ago by Ms. Laura L. Jago

3.0 out of 5 stars Subtle Knife doesn't quite cut the mustard
The subtle knife of the title represents the height of philosophical and technological achievement for the once great city-state of Cittàgazze. Read more
Published 2 months ago by hw

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Northern Lights
I really enjoyed Northern lights and couldn't see how Pullman would be able to make the sequel much better, but I'm glad to say he did. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Catrin Williams

1.0 out of 5 stars What happened?
I really enjoyed the first book, but the second is really bad. The introduction of Will takes the attention away from Lyra, a great central character. Read more
Published 4 months ago by S. D. Knight

5.0 out of 5 stars Read The Golden Compass first!
These books are excellent stories, that stand up just as well as reading for adults as they do for teenagers. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Tough Chops

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book!
The novel is amazing, pick up right where Northern Lights left off. The book itself was in brand new condition.
Published 5 months ago by Maureen C. Bramberger

5.0 out of 5 stars Science fiction exploring dark matter
The Subtle Knife is the second book in this series. Philip Pullman explores the theme of parallel universes and dark matter, and their possible implications. Read more
Published 5 months ago by P. T. Jeffels

1.0 out of 5 stars The worst book I ever nearly read
You may feel that having not read the whole book I am not in a position to review it - I can appreciate that, but I simply couldn't. Read more
Published 6 months ago by beanieagle

4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating and enchanting
Having watched the film "The Golden Compass" I bought and read the first book ("His Dark Materials") which I found very enjoyable. Read more
Published 8 months ago by K. Royle

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent performance, a few niggles
Half audio book, half audio play, this 'performance' of Pullman's novel is mostly successful, the performers normally convincing and the narrator hushed but not overly emotional... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. I. M. Davis

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