In this concluding volume of the His Dark Materials trilogy, author Philip Pullman sends his heroes Lyra and Will on a perilous journey through the underworld, pursued by assassins from the Church. The memorable beings, human and otherwise, encountered in the preceding books (The Golden Compass , 1996, and The Subtle Knife , 1997) make return appearances here, while imaginative new characters enter the scene. This intricate and complex plot questions religion and the existence of God. Theology aside, action abounds as Lyra and Will’s quest to free a dead friend from Limbo results in an evolution in the eternal fate of all the Dead. Meanwhile, an Armageddon-like battle between the Rebel Angels and their religious opposition threatens the fate of souls on all worlds. While some story threads are left dangling, and the philosophical themes may tower over the heads of young readers, the Amber Spyglass is a richly imagined fantasy, peopled with characters that grow and change. (Ages 11-14)