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Description edit
The Amber Spyglass brings the intrigue of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife to a heart-stopping end, marking the final volume of His Dark Materials as the most powerful of the trilogy. Along with the return of Lyra, Will, Mrs. Coulter, Lord Asriel, Dr. Mary Malone, and Iorek... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
Lyra and Will find themselves at the center of a battle between the forces of the Authority and those gathered by Lyra's father, Lord Asriel. Lyra and Will must use the subtle knife to travel to the land of the dead to make amends. Mary constructs the amber spyglass to see the movement of... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters edit
- Lyra Belacqua: The main character. Owner of the Golden Compass. Also known as Lyra Silvertongue.
- Marisa Coulter: Lyra's cunning, deceptive mother.
- Will Parry: Lyra's companion who is in possession of the Subtle Knife.
- Roger Parslow: Lyra's friend from Jordan College.
- Balthamos: An angel of low rank. Lover of Baruch.
- Baruch: A low-ranking angel who helps Will. He is Balthamos' companion.
- Lord Asriel: Lyra's father who is leading the war against God and championing the creation of the Republic of Heaven.
- Metatron: The Authority's regent.
- The Chevalier Tialys: A Gallivespian spy the size of a man's hand who rides on a dragonfly. Works in partnership with Lady Salmakia.
- Lady Salmakia: A Gallivespian spy the size of a man's hand who rides on a dragonfly. Works as a duo with Tialys.
- Dr. Mary Malone: A former nun who is now a physicist, making her way between the worlds.
- Iorek Byrnison: Bear King of Panserbjørne. A friend of Lyra's.
- John Parry: Will's father who was lost in the Arctic and lived in Lyra's world as Stanislaus Grumman.
- Lee Scoresby: A deceased Texan aeronaut.
- Xaphania: A female angel, leader of the angels under the command of Lord Asriel.
- Father Luis Gomez: A young priest.
- Lord Roke: Lord Roke is a Gallivespian spy, working for Lord Asriel.
- Pantalaimon: Lyra's daemon.
- King Ogunwe: King Ogunwe is the commander of Lord Asriel's military forces.
- Serafina Pekkala: Serafina Pekkala is a queen witch of a clan of witches living in the Lake Enara region. Her dæmon is Kaisa, a large grey goose.
- Dame Hannah: Dame Hannah Relf was the head the women's college where Marisa Coulter once worked.
- Mr. Basilides: Lord Asriel's alethiometrist.
- Semyon Borisovitch: Add a description of this character.
- Madame Oxentiel: A Gallivespian in Lord Asriel's army.
Quotes edit
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“The first thing to do here would be to convince the four-legged creatures, who seemed to have the rudiments of reason, that their habit of riding on wheels was abominable and Satanic, and contrary to the will of God.”
Father Gomez -
“If you thought for one moment that I would release my daughter into the care - the care! - of a body of men with a feverish obsession with sexuality, men with dirty fingernails, reeking of ancient sweat, men whose furtive imaginations would crawl over her body like cockroaches - if you thought I would expose my child to that, my Lord President, you are more stupid that you take me for.”
Mrs. Coulter
- Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
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I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are. All we can say is that this is a good deed, because it helps someone, or that’s an evil one, because it hurts them. People are too complicated to have simple labels.”
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The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that’s all.”
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When you choose one way out of many, all the ways you don’t take are snuffed out like candles, as if they’d never existed.
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A truth that’s told with bad intent Beats all the lies you can invent. • WILLIAM BLAKE •
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We shouldn’t live as if it mattered more than this life in this world, because where we are is always the most important place.”
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She said that all the history of human life has been a struggle between wisdom and stupidity. She and the rebel angels, the followers of wisdom, have always tried to open minds; the Authority and his churches have always tried to keep them closed.
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Being in love was like China: you knew it was there, and no doubt it was very interesting, and some people went there, but I never would. I’d spend all my life without ever going to China, but it wouldn’t matter, because there was all the rest of the world to visit.
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conscious understanding. Grace attained like that is deeper and fuller than grace that comes freely, and furthermore, once you’ve gained it, it will never leave you.”
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Maybe sometimes we don’t do the right thing because the wrong thing looks more dangerous, and we don’t want to look scared, so we go and do the wrong thing just because it’s dangerous. We’re more concerned with not looking scared than with judging right.
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My soul, do not seek eternal life, but exhaust the realm of the possible. • PINDAR •
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Setting & Locations edit
First Sentence edit
In a valley shaded with rhododendrons, close to the snow line, where a stream milky with meltwater splashed and where doves and linnets flew among the immense pines, lay a cave, half-hidden by the crag above and the stiff heavy leaves that clustered below.
Table of Contents edit
1 - The Enchanted Sleeper
2 - Balthamos and Baruch
3 - Scavengers
4 - Ama and the Bats
5 - The Adamant Tower
6 - Preemptive Absolution
7 - Mary, Alone
8 - Vodka
9 - Upriver
10 - Wheels
11 - The Dragonflies
12 - The Break
13 - Tialys and Salmakia
14 - Know What It Is
15 - The Forge
16 - The Intention Craft
17 - Oil and Lacquer
18 - The Suburbs of the Dead
19 - Lyra and Her Death
20 - Climbing
21 - The Harpies
22 - The Whisperers
23 - No Way Out
24 - Mrs. Coulter in Geneva
25 - Saint-Jean-les-Eaux
26 - The Abyss
27 - The Platform
28 - Midnight
29 - The Battle on the Plain
30 - The Clouded Mountain
31 - Authority's End
32 - Morning
33 - Marzipan
34 - There Is Now
35 - Over the Hills and Far Away
36 - The Broken Arrow
37 - The Dunes
38 - The Botanic Garden
Glossary edit
- Daemon: An external manifestation of a human's soul that varies in form for children and is a set form (animal) for adults.
- Alethiometer: From the Greek word for "truth," an instrument with symbols and needles that respond to any question that is asked of it. It is used/operated by psychological power. The main character, Lyra, learns to use it by instinct.
- Dust: An elementary particle that is invisible to the human eye. It confers consciousness, knowledge, and wisdom, and is formed when matter becomes conscious. It is of particular interest to the Church in the series as its leaders believe that Dust is the source or cause of original sin.
- Gallivespian: A race of hand sized 'people' who are used by Asriel as spies and warriors. They have spurs that deliver a very effective dose of venom to their enemies.
Series & Lists edit
This is book 3 of 5 in His Dark Materials. (standard series)
Preceded by The Subtle Knife.
This is book 43 of 95 in Estrela do Mar. (community list)
This is book 43 of 100 in Top 100 Books That Defined The Noughties (Telegraph). (authoritative list)
This is book 96 of 30 in Top selling 100 books 1998-2010 (Guardian). (authoritative list)
This book is in Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read. (authoritative list)
This is book 10 of 12 in Via Láctea. (publisher edition list)
This is book 3 of 3 in La Materia Oscura. (standard series)
Preceded by The Subtle Knife.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Philip Pullman (Author)
Other Contributors:
- Philip Pullman (Cover Artist)
- David Scutt (Cover Artist)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: 2000
ISBN: 0-439-99358-X
Page Count: 518
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: 2000
ISBN: 0-439-99358-X
Page Count: 518
Awards edit
- Whitbread Children's Book of the Year (2001)
- Whitbread Book of the Year (2001)
- BBC's Big Read (April 2003, #3)
- Man Booker Prize (Finalist, 2001, Longlisted)
- World Fantasy Award (Finalist, 2001: Novel)
- Locus Fantasy Award (Finalist, 2001, Nominee)
- American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
- British Book Award
- Geffen Award (Finalist, 2005: Best Translated Fantasy Book)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PZ7.P968 Am 2000
- Dewey: 813.54
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