I really enjoyed reading the books orginally but couldn;t find my copy of this one so downloaded the audiobook. I don't usually like full cast recordings but this one is excellent. The voices are believalbe and distinct enough that it adds to the story. I really liked that the narrator is Phillip Pullman, it helps to keep the feel and atmosphere of the book. The story is fantastic and compelling and it ends the trilogy well, I was impressed with the ending although it made me cry! The audio adds to the story and is a brilliant way to enjoy this book.

I would recommend this audiobook to any fans of Phillip Pullman.

excellent dramatised audio book

Having watched and enjoyed the movie 'The Golden Compass' I heard many friends who had read the original books and expressed how much better they were than the film. I didn't realise how right they were! Fantastically written and brilliantly read by Mr Pullman himself this audiobook was truly a joy. The actors were all of the highest standard and the whole thing left me enraptured from start to finish. Top notch.

If you enjoyed Northern Lights then you will enjoy this one just as much. A compelling listen. Great characters. Very well narrated. Excellent!

I have listened to all three parts of this trilogy. I loved part one but each successive part has not been anywhere near as good. The last part was very slow and diappointing.

This series is just one of the best out there, and was such a big part of my childhood. The books just get better and better!

The cast did an excellent job reading this story. Every voice was spot on. However, I didn't like this book nearly as well as The Northern Lights. There were aspects of it I really enjoyed but as a whole I found it less engaging and not nearly as satisfying. I think Pullman got a little too wrapped up in pushing his anti-religion view at the expense of the story.

The Amber Spyglass is a great way to end His Dark Materials trilogy. If you liked the other 2 books, then this won’t disappoint.

Story – 4/5

Some people say this is not quite as good as the 2nd book, but still excellent, I say it is equally as good. I especially liked the way the confusion in the battle was written. This book summarises and ends things without any open ends – but is not necessarily the ending you will expect (I certainly didn’t). I enjoyed it all the more for that reason though

Yet again, it takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, with heart wrenching moments and happy ones. Not many books can put a lump in my throat, but this did.

Although there is a lot of complexity in the universe, Phil Pullman has still written the story that makes it very easy to understand; only elaborating on things that needed to be explained, and moving on when it is not.

There are elements in the story that are not necessarily vital to the plot, but are very interesting all the same. It allowed for a further understanding into the universe created and expanded on the religious elements seen throughout the trilogy.

Performance – 5/5

As with the 1st and 2nd books, it is still Phil Pullman with a cast of voice actors – which is absolutely superb. If you are reading this review to see if all the books are good before delving in (I do the same), you will not be disappointed with the consistency and high production value of the performance.

All other audiobooks I have read have been with a single person acting all of the voices. Although a lot of them are excellent, nothing compares to having females doing females and males doing male voices. This contrast in each voice also allows you to relax more when enjoying the story and not worry about who is who in a conversation.

The only drawback was that the voice actor for one of the main characters changes in this book. It made absolutely no difference to me as I quickly re-adjusted, but I mention it in case it bothers other people.

Overall – 4.5/5

Warning – If you are easily offended by little ‘digs’ at Christianity, you may want to not read these stories. They are subtle but I would consider this book to Paganism what Narnia is to Christianity. That aside, they are very good young adult fantasy books.

Definitely suitable for adults – I am a 27 yr old man.

An excellent listen! The voice acting is great, as is the narration provided by Phillip Pullman himself. I loved reading the books years ago therefore this unabridged version does not disappoint. Great sound quality (although sometimes the occasional music can be a bit weird, but I think they were in the previous audiobooks, not this). Really gets you to think about what consciousness is, as well as being a cracking story. Highly recommended!

I read these books a few years ago so thought I would give the first book a try on Audible, this is so well put together like a stage production, with different voice actors for the characters really helped to draw you into the story and didnt make you grimace when some narrators try to do funny accents or different genders. Any way first book got me hooked books 2 and 3 were swiftly purchased. Although I swear the voice actor for Will changes in the final book which was a bit offputting for a few chapters. Still highly recommended.