Title: The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials #3)

Author: Philip Pullman

Publisher: Alfred Knopf 2000

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 518

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy; Mount TBR; My Years -- 2000

How I Got It: I own it!

The Amber Spyglass brings the intrigue of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife to a heartstopping close, marking the third and final volume as the most powerful of the trilogy. Along with the return of Lyra, Will, Mrs. Coulter, Lord Asriel, Dr. Mary Malone, and Iorek Byrnison the armored bear, The Amber Spyglass introduces a host of new characters: the Mulefa, mysterious wheeled creatures with the power to see Dust; Gallivespian Lord Roke, a hand-high spy-master to Lord Asriel; and Metatron, a fierce and mighty angel. And this final volume brings startling revelations, too: the painful price Lyra must pay to walk through the land of the dead, the haunting power of Dr. Malone's amber spyglass, and the names of who will live—and who will die—for love. And all the while, war rages with the Kingdom of Heaven, a brutal battle that—in its shocking outcome—will reveal the secret of Dust.

Good graciousness...  I could not be more blown away by this trilogy.  And I have no idea how these novels can be classified in the children's section.  These have so many layers.  We get a bit of adventure, some romance, some theology, some philosophy... It's just so layered that I had to pause every chapter or so to ingest what I was reading.  The moment that Dr. Malone finished the spyglass and saw the Dust flowing was a beautiful revelation.  I'm still processing this novel over 12 hours after finishing.  I think this trilogy will be one of those that we be reread every few years.  Read this for a challenge to your worldview.

His Dark Materials

• #1 The Golden Compass
• #2 The Subtle Knife
• #3 The Amber Spyglass