The Amber Spyglass (2000) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

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• 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 see section history

• “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

• 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 see section history

• Clouded Mountain
• Svalbard
• Bolvangar
• Oxford
• Cittagazze
• Jordan College
• China
• Heaven
• Botanic Garden

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• 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 see section history

Preceded by The Subtle Knife.

Preceded by The Subtle Knife.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Philip Pullman (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. Philip Pullman (Cover Artist)
2. David Scutt (Cover Artist)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• 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 see section history

• Library of Congress: PZ7.P968 Am 2000
• Dewey: 813.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Add a note to help parents select a book for a child.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Authors, A-Z › ( P ) › Pullman, Philip
• Books › Teens › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Science Fiction
• Books › Teens › Literature & Fiction › Adventure & Thrillers
• Books › Teens › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history