The Subtle Knife Graphic Novel (His Dark Materials)

When I reached the end of this trilogy I almost grieved at the thought it had finished. I feel like no other book will ever grip me and draw me into another world as this one has. I found the books exciting, moving and enthralling. The descriptions of all the other worlds make me feel as if I am actually there. I love the strength of the characters, the richness of the plot and the way it leaves me thinking over every part of the story for hours afterwards. I initially borrowed the books individually from a friend. By the time I had reached the end of the second book I knew I would want to re-read them over and over again, which is why I chose this specific product as I wanted them all in one book so that I could carry it with me easily on my travels. Best book I've ever read. I reached the end of it longing for a deamon of my own!

I'll not rehash over the story, it's fantastic and I strongly recommend any one who likes young adult fantasy books to leap on this. I can guarantee you won't be bored, and it's not one of those books we all know too well that is basically someone else's story retold. I first read this in those blurry days after Harry Potter when I was trying to find another series of young adult/magic books to get into. Whilst the 2 books are nothing similar, I still am glad I read this in the aftermath. That aside, what I am writing this review for is to communicate how large this edition of the book is. I brought this for a friend for her birthday, and it heralded its arrival with a booming at the door and a postman bundling this large box into my arms. Opening it, I discovered a book of epic proportions, the cat's face on the front is practically life-sized! It wouldn't have put me off buying it per say, but it's a hell of book. If like me, you enjoy reading out and about then this is not the edition for you. Yet on the other hand, it does make me feel like the pagemaster pursing through this tome.... Decisions, decisions!

A good read. I was lured to this by the Golden Compass movie - which, frustratingly, left viewers high and dry! The book has SO much more depth, as books do. The price is good, but carrying this around will have you seriously considering an e-reader. ;)

Phillip Pullmam weaves a magical story which has young and old enthralled. I had read the trilogy before but via the library and really wanted my own copy. It was great to find all three books together in this value for money paperback edition. The trilogy is both uplifting, moving and exciting. The old story of good versus evil but with a new twist. From the same stable as Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and just as good to read. Buy it for your children or grandchildren but read it first yourself or better still read it together.

This has to be one of my all time favourites, I read my mum's seperate copies of The Dark Materials and just had to buy my own! The book is heavy to hold when you are lying in bed, but I get so involved in the story that it doesn't bother me! I read this trilogy before seeing the film, I thought The Golden Compass was a good representation of Philip Pullmans wonderful storytelling. I'm going back into the book for the forth time now and I can't wait.

I am the author of Heaven High (The East Lake Series) I can only hope to write something close to this one day. These books have subtext, emotion and tons of imagination. Complex at first, soon you are immersed in the world where everything is both strange and familiar. I am an adult reader but I adored these books and cannot wait to share them with my children. Phillip Pullman is an incredibly talented author and write superbly. Buy these books!!!

Especially love the story of Lyra; so great (and sadly still unusual) to have such a strong female lead. This book can be read on so many levels - a beautiful tale for both children and adults, can't recommend this enough.

saw the movie, The Golden Compass, when it came out and totally loved it. Because they never made the sequels I decided to get the books so I could find out how the story ended (it was driving me a bit nuts not knowing) and this is where it got complicated (for me). A few bits of the storyline in the first book made me want to find out a little bit about the author and that was probably a fatal mistake (at least while I was still reading the books). Philip Pullman, it turns out, has an aggressive dislike of religion and in real life he is extremely outspoken about it. One of his purposes in writing the Dark Materials trilogy was in retaliation to the Narnia books and their underlying Christian message that Pullman disliked so much. And so here we have a series where the heroes head off to kill "God" aka "The Authority". This is where the whole story becomes an oxymoron as the author, in an attempt to put across his OWN beliefs through the story, actually has to substantiate the ones he DOESN'T believe in in order to tear them down. His point is quite clear whilst reading the books but I probably made it worse for myself by finding out more about Pullman himself. This has caused me to overthink the books way too much. Deep analysis aside, Pullman is a very very good author. His characters are extremely well developed, making it very easy to like/dislike them or even be scared of them. His imagination in developing the worlds in which the story is set results is very well fleshed out locations that are easy for the reader to feel a part of. I particularly loved that some of the first book is set in the waterways of the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk Fens where I live (although in a parallel world so slightly different).

My friend let me borrow The Golden Compass but didn't have the other two in the trilogy when I was dying to read it. I finally caved and bought the trilogy because I couldn't wait any longer! Unlike some authors who write sequels and 3rd, 4th, or 5th books just because they're trying to ride out their fame with their first novel, Pullman definitely delivers with all three of the books. They are all beautifully written and incredibly engaging, for both children and adults. At first I felt embarrassed to read a children's novel, but after a chapter or so, I quickly discovered that the book had universal appeal. Pullman has such a wonderful imagination and manages to surprise you all the time throughout the three novels. The characters were infuriating at times, but I quickly reminded myself that he was writing about pre-teens so that explained the juvenile personalities who sometimes acted like mature adults. The trilogy was about loss, friendship, respect, love, betrayal, faith, etc. Many critics of this book argue that it's deeply anti-Christian. I disagree. I think the book was simply extolling the importance of independent thinking. It was a story plot that taught that we are capable of good even without being religious, and that destinies don't exist because we can make our own futures. It was an uplifting, imaginative story. For children, the story on the surface will be fun enough. For adults, it's definitely interesting to be able to read between the lines and see a deeper meaning to the story than what one might read into it at first.

One of my favorite books. A must read! If you liked "Narnia" you will like this one, too! Really good.

Good book

これはフィリップ・プルマン「黄金の羅針盤」シリーズの第2巻「神秘の短剣」のコミック版です。 フランスで最初に3分冊で出版されました。これはそれを1つにまとめ、英語訳したものです。 コミックですから、気楽に読めると思います。ふつうのコミックよりはテキスト量が多めで、それが「グラフィック・ノベル 絵付き小説」と呼んでいる理由でしょうか。 原作の雰囲気は十分味わえます、愉しいです。BBCがすでにTVドラマシリーズでシーズン2「神秘の短剣」を放映しており、それがBlu-rayになっています。それと比較してみると興味津々です。やはりメディアの違いから、描写が全然変わってきています。全体としての印象ですが、少し後半紙数が足りなくなった感があります。予定が変わったのでしょうか、あるいは前半中盤で盛り上がりすぎたのか。いずれにせよ、ラストは相当忙しくなり、深い感興に欠けるきらいがあります。リー・スコーズビーの英雄的なラストもあっさりしています。これでも前作コミック版の「黄金の羅針盤」の224ページに比べると、272ページとだいぶ増えているのですが。

Ahhhh! I LOVED THIS BOOK! I’d already bought the previous book in the series (The Golden Compass) and absolutely loved it so you can imagine my excitement when I found there was a second book! This book was equally as fantastical and mysteriously enticing as the last one! Both the illustrations and writing were top notch! Highly recommend!