Loved itI just recently reread The Subtle Knife, really enjoyed it, and I also want to get to Philip Pullman's other series, which I've heard fantastic things about.
Review 1 of 3
The Subtle Knife (1997)
Others: Overwhelmingly positive As the boundaries between worlds begin to dissolve, Lyra and her daemon help Will Parry in his search for his father and for a powerful, magical knife. She had asked: What is he? A friend or an enemy? The alethiometer answered: He is a murderer. When she saw the answer, she relaxed at once. Lyra finds herself in a shimmering, haunted otherworld – Cittàgazze, where soul-eating Spectres stalk the streets and wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky. But she is not without allies: twelve-year-old Will Parry, fleeing for his life after taking another's, has also stumbled into this strange new realm. On a perilous journey from world to world, Lyra and Will uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power. And with every step, they move closer to an even greater threat – and the shattering truth of their own destiny.
- ISBN:
- 9780702310423
- Length:
- 352 pages
Genres: fantasy, young adult, classics
Lists: …
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1 of 6
The Golden Compass
Philip Pullman
1995 · 399 pages · 9 reviews
Others: Mostly positiveIn a landmark epic of fantasy and storytelling, Philip Pullman invites readers into a world as convincing and thoroughly realized as Narnia, Earthsea, or Redwall. Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the compass of the title. All around her children are disappearing—victims of so-called "Gobblers"—and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.
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On 5+ of the same lists55%Also fantasy and young adult32%Similar descriptionsPersonalize your recommendations13%Sabriel
Garth Nix
1995 · 344 pages · 6 reviews
Others: Overwhelmingly positiveEver since she was a tiny child, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the random power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father, the Mage Abhorsen, is missing, and to find him Sabriel must cross back into that world. Though her journey begins alone, she soon finds companions: Mogget, whose seemingly harmless feline form hides a powerful and perhaps malevolent spirit; and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories. With threats on all sides and only each other to trust, the three must travel deep into the Old Kingdom, toward a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death, and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own hidden destiny. A tale of dark secrets, deep love and dangerous magic, Sabriel introduces Garth Nix as an exceptional new talent.
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On 5+ of the same lists51%Also fantasy and young adult39%PeruseProject loved bothPersonalize your recommendations10%The Chronicles of Narnia
C. S. Lewis
1970 · 768 pages · 1 review
Others: NegativeJourneys to the end of the world, fantastic creatures, and epic battle between good and evil - what more could any reader ask for in one book? The book that has it all is THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, written in 1919 by C.S. Lewis. But Lewis did not stop there. Six more books followed and together they became known as The Chronicles of Narnia. For the past fifty years, The Chronicles of Narnia has transcended the fantasy genre to become part of the canon of classic literature. Each of the seven books is a masterpiece, drawing the reader into a world where magic meets reality, and the result is a fictional world whose scope has fascinated generations. This edition presents all seven books - unabridged - in one impressive volume. The books are presented here according to Lewis's preferred order, each chapter graced with an illustration by the original artist, Pauline Baynes. This edition also contains C. S. Lewis's essay "On Three Ways of Writing for Children," in which he explains precisely how the magic of Narnia and the realm of fantasy appeal not only to children but to discerning readers of all ages. Deceptively simple and direct, The Chronicles of Narnia continue to captivate fans with adventures, characters, and truths that speak to all readers, even fifty years after the books were first published. --front flap
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Also classics and fantasy58%On 5+ of the same lists41%Similar descriptionsPersonalize your recommendations1%Graceling
Kristin Cashore
2008 · 400 pages · 8 reviews
Others: Overwhelmingly positiveKatsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more. Books in the Graceling Realm series 1. Graceling 2. Fire 3. Bitterblue 4. Winterkeep
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On 5+ of the same lists50%Also fantasy and young adult40%PeruseProject loved bothPersonalize your recommendations10%The Lightning Thief
Rick Riordan
2005 · 384 pages · 17 reviews
Others: Overwhelmingly positiveTwelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction—Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.
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On 5+ of the same lists47%Also fantasy and young adult42%PeruseProject loved bothPersonalize your recommendations11%Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J. K. Rowling
1999 · 435 pages · 8 reviews
Others: Overwhelmingly positiveFor Harry Potter, it’s the start of another far-from-ordinary year at Hogwarts when the Knight Bus crashes through the darkness and comes to an abrupt halt in front of him. It turns out that Sirius Black, mass-murderer and follower of Lord Voldemort, has escaped – and they say he is coming after Harry. In his first Divination class, Professor Trelawney sees an omen of death in Harry’s tea leaves. And perhaps most frightening of all are the Dementors patrolling the school grounds with their soul-sucking kiss – in search of fresh victims.
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Loved it
Loved itI reread these books I think a year or two ago and I loved them just as much as an adult as I did when I was a child I found it so utterly magical.