The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials #2)

Reader reviewed by GRgenius

Lyra is back again in this second installment of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, but this time she is not alone!  Will Parry, a young gentleman from one of the worlds beyond her own, kills a man (accidentally) as he is trying to escape the police raiding his house.  What they are looking for, he can only guess.....but he has a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with his father's work which was eerily similar to that of Lyra's (newly revealed) father.  This young pair set off on a fast paced adventure of traveling through worlds, discovering others that are looking into the Dust phenomenon, and escaping the clutches of those that seek to stop them on their quest.  The cast of characters also grows to include Sir Charles who has been traveling between the worlds as well, playing both sides in this crucial game; Serafina Pekkala returns as she searches for Lyra and aids Lee Scornsby in his time of need; and two wayward angels, Balthamos and Baruch, who are waiting to take the young travelers to Lord Asriel, both the last and first place they wish to go.

If you made it through the first book (congratulations!) in tact, I would definitely recommend continuing on as the story keeps getting better and better leading up to a most climatic end (at least until the final installment).  Happy Reading!

Reader reviewed by Springhair

In this second book of the trilogy, Lyra meets Will, another boy who has found his way into the mysterious world between worlds. Together Will and Lyra gain control of The Subtle Knife, a magical artifact that can cut the barrier between worlds. Mrs. Coulter is still after Lyra, and the worlds are gearing up for a battle of magnificent proportions. Can Lyra and Will save the day before its too late?

Although I liked the first book in this trilogy, this one didnt really do it for me. I mostly read it to find out what the ending was. And it ended in a cliffhanger, so I didnt even get that satisfaction. Although it is a fairly good book, do not read it if you dont plan to continue the series.

Reader reviewed by Janine

I thought this book was pretty good. It's not as good as the first one though. I like Will a lot, he's a great character and he goes great with Lira. I love the situation in which he meets his dad. But the witch ruined it of course. The witches are great character too.