Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass - with BTTS

[bethanwy]

Please note: the individual weekly MarkReads topics have now been merged into one.

Welcome to the first weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! This thread will cover the first five chapters of the third instalment of our favourite trilogy.



This thread will include our sparkly Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above), chapter summaries for each of the first five chapters, discussion questions and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss what Mark has yet to see in The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

Mrs. Coulter is keeping Lyra asleep in a cave in the Himalayas of Lyra’s own world. A little servant girl named Ama brings her food and she tells Ama that Lyra has been put into an enchanted sleep. Lyra dreams she is speaking to Roger.

spoiler:

Back in the world of Ci’gazze, Will and two angels, Balthamos and Baruch, argue over what to do. They insist that Will come with them, but Will says he has to find Lyra. Baruch flies ahead to look for her. Will and Balthamos enter Lyra’s, Balthamos agreeing to pretend to be Will’s daemon. Baruch returns, having discovered where Mrs. Coulter is holding Lyra. They are attacked by Metatron, escape into a different world, and agree that Baruch will go to inform Lord Asriel and send help. Balthamos stays with Will.

spoiler:

Back in Lyra’s world, Serafina Pekkala informs Iorek Byrnison of Lee Scoresby’s death before travelling to find the Gyptians. Iorek travels to the world in which Lee died and feasts on the Aeronaut’s body. The changes in the world caused by the bridge Lord Asriel made into the Ci’gazze mean that the Arctic Ice has begun to melt and Iorek decides to charter a ship and go south, to look for another place for his panserbjorne to live.

spoiler:

Ama decides to figure out a way to wake Lyra up, not knowing that Lyra is asleep at the hands of Mrs Coulter. She gets a special powder from a local healer and brings it to the cave, but Mrs Coulter is nowhere to be found. While hiding, Ama sees that Mrs. Coulter is keeping the Lyra asleep, and she runs away in fear.

spoiler:

Baruch reaches Lord Asriel’s fortress and informs him about of the things he discussed with Will and Balthamos in the previous chapter, as well as the existence of the subtle knife and Will’s ownership of it, the friendship between Will and Lyra, and the relationship between Will and Stanislaus Grumman, but then dies. The Gallivespians are introduced for the first time, with the spy-captain Lord Roke.

For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.

[bethanwy]

Welcome to the Republic of Heaven, MarkReaders! We’ve come up with a few discussion questions for each chapter of The Amber Spyglass to get the ball rolling, but feel free to talk about anything in the chapter you wish.

Chapter 1 - The Enchanted Sleeper

• How does this chapter influence your views of Mrs Coulter?
• While she clearly knows she's doing something wrong method-wise, she still feels she's got the big picture right: mother keeping her daughter safe. Do you feel she is developing as a character (gaining something resembling a moral compass?) or continuing her streak of selfish behaviour?
• How does the golden monkey's reaction influence your view of Mrs Coulter's actions?

[Jaya]

Mark's predictions were fun! He got far more right than I had even thought about at the start of reading The Amber Spyglass. SO thought I'd go through them here. There were so many that I've put them under a cut. Please be aware that this is COMPLETELY SPOILER HEAVY.

Spoiler:

1. Ok, it’s pretty obvious that Mrs. Coulter’s people have Lyra, so that’s part of my prediction. The other half: She is not going to destroy her as she told Lord Boreal. I predict she is using her for another purpose to further herself.
Semi-correct: Well, he's already found out that Mrs. Coulter [not her people] does have Lyra, and she isn't going to destroy her. And as far as we can tell she's hiding Lyra for Lyra's sake, and not for her own evil means.

2. Will is going to use the subtle knife to kill someone or something before chapter ten.
Correct?: Uhhh, I can't remember if this happens! I'm sure Will does kill someone, but is it using the knife? It must be? Anyone else?

3. We will learn why this trilogy is called His Dark Materials and it’s going to tie together these objects that Will and Lyra have in their possession. (The alethiometer and the subtle knife.)
Incorrect: Hmm, well it's called His Dark Materials from a Paradise Lost quote (see Pullman's reasoning behind titles here), and I guess the objects aren't cohesively tied together, besides their mutual connection with Dust.

4. The amber spyglass will enable a person to see from one world to another.
Incorrect: LOL, good try.

5. I’m guessing that Pullman will show us exactly three more parallel worlds in addition to our world, Lyra’s world, and Cittágazze.
Semi-correct: Pretty sure it's in the second chapter (yay, tomorrow!) when Will realises that he can potentially cut into an infinite amount of worlds. I imagine this will blow Mark's mind. We see a lot of worlds from Will cutting small windows, etc. But the new worlds we see a lot of are Lord Asriel's fortress, and the Mulefa world...as far as I can remember.

6. We will get to see inside of Lord Asriel’s fortress and we will learn that he houses a secret weapon in the fight against the Authority.
Semi-correct: The secret weapon in the fight against the Authority is meant to be the Subtle Knife, isn't it? We do see inside LA's fortress, and he has a lot of weapons. Does the Intention Craft count as a "secret" weapon?

7. Lord Asriel will die by the end of the book.
Correct: True say.

8. We will FINALLY learn why the Authority absolutely must be killed and why Lyra must kill “destiny.”
Semi-correct: Hmm, well the Authority isn't really killed, is he? He just kind of...dies. Tomorrow's chapter reveals that the Authority isn't the creator. Lyra must end destiny (that destiny being the lotd).

9. Will is going to successfully kill the authority.
Incorrect: See above.

10. Ok, I’m willing to admit that this is probably foolish to guess about, since I literally cannot understand the mechanics of how it works, but Will, Lyra, and Dr. Malone will somehow re-create The Fall but instead choose to “embrace” the concept of sin without feeling shame.
Semi-correct: Hmm, Mark makes it sound like they deliberately recreate The Fall. But that's not really what happens, as it's not really something they're consciously aware of (is it?)....and they don't knowingly embrace the concept of sin, they just...do what they feel.

11. Dr. Malone will die by the end of the book. (I HATE TYPING THAT. But after the end of The Subtle Knife, I honestly don’t think anyone is safe. Also, I will never heal from the death of Lee/Hester. I’m sorry, that is just so traumatic.)
Incorrect: I'm so glad that this doesn't happen.

12. Ok, I am absolutely not sure about this, but why not further make a fool of myself? Somehow, Mrs. Coulter will “redeem” herself and choose to ultimately turn against the Church.
Correct: Well, basically. She does make it her life (and death's) work to betray the Church save Lyra, and ultimately sacrifice herself.

13. We will discover more versions of the Church/Magisterium in other universes.
Incorrect: This doesn't really happen, but I guess it's implied that the same sort of practices happen in other universes? But not all, because the Mulefa world doesn't have such an organisation - I always thought of the Mulefa world as a sort of perfect example of a universe, where the creatures live in harmony with each other (provided Dust isn't being sucked away)...

14. I think we will get the first appearances of doubles. By that, I mean versions of people in different worlds.
Incorrect: no doubles. Though Mark (and commenters on MarkReads) have discussed the possibility of Lyra and Will being versions of each other. See our thread on it here.

15. We will find out where Specters came from and if there are indeed versions of them in other worlds. (Or if they are the same thing but called something different.)
Correct: We do find out where Specters came from. And their nature.

16. Will is going to be reunited with his mother.
Incorrect: though it is implied/pretty certain that this will happen later. Not in the book though.

17. We will learn the identity of the pale-haired man. Oh, and he’s going to die.
Incorrect: Pretty sure he's not even mentioned here. I guess the characters/Will have got bigger things to think about what with the war on heaven and all....

18. I will finally learn more conclusively than in the first two books why Christians apparently hate this series. (It’s been remarkably tame so far.)
Correct: I guess this is the ultimate, the war on heaven. Direct opposition of the Authority and the Church's position....and having people talk about the pointlessness of being pious and religious all one's life only for it to make not difference after death, etc etc.

19. There will be people. (I WANT ONE EASY PREDICTION.)
Correct: Okay, I'll give you that one, Mark. BUT DID YOU KNOW THERE WOULD BE DEAD PEOPLE? DEAD PEOPLE FIGHTING SPECTRES? (Can't wait)

20. At the end of The Amber Spyglass, all the windows to the worlds will be closed and no one will ever be able to travel between then again.
Correct: HOW DID HE PREDICT THIS. WAS IT SO OBVIOUS? In predicting this does he also know that Will and Lyra will have to remain in their separate universes?

Prediction count!
Correct: 7
Semi-correct: 5
Incorrect: 8

[bethanwy]

2. Will is going to use the subtle knife to kill someone or something before chapter ten.
Correct?: Uhhh, I can't remember if this happens! I'm sure Will does kill someone, but is it using the knife? It must be? Anyone else?

He kills an angel with the knife in chapter two, when said angel attacks Will, Balthamos and Baruch and alerts Metatron of their whereabouts.

10. Ok, I’m willing to admit that this is probably foolish to guess about, since I literally cannot understand the mechanics of how it works, but Will, Lyra, and Dr. Malone will somehow re-create The Fall but instead choose to “embrace” the concept of sin without feeling shame.
Semi-correct: Hmm, Mark makes it sound like they deliberately recreate The Fall. But that's not really what happens, as it's not really something they're consciously aware of (is it?)....and they don't knowingly embrace the concept of sin, they just...do what they feel.

I think Mary's aware of it, at least a little bit, because the Dark Matter machine told her that she had to play the serpent. A former nun like Mary would definitely know what that means.

15. We will find out where Specters came from and if there are indeed versions of them in other worlds. (Or if they are the same thing but called something different.)
Correct: We do find out where Specters came from. And their nature.

I can't wait for him to find that out. It's gonna break his heart.

20. At the end of The Amber Spyglass, all the windows to the worlds will be closed and no one will ever be able to travel between then again.
Correct: HOW DID HE PREDICT THIS. WAS IT SO OBVIOUS? In predicting this does he also know that Will and Lyra will have to remain in their separate universes?

And if the above doesn't break his heart, this certainly will. I expect tears and keysmashing and CAPS OF ANGER BECAUSE OF HOW UNFAIR IT IS.

[joeldi]

Three New Worlds:

Fortress World

Mulefa World

World of the Dead

BAM - Good work Mark

[Somewhat]

5. I’m guessing that Pullman will show us exactly three more parallel worlds in addition to our world, Lyra’s world, and Cittágazze.
Semi-correct: Pretty sure it's in the second chapter (yay, tomorrow!) when Will realises that he can potentially cut into an infinite amount of worlds. I imagine this will blow Mark's mind. We see a lot of worlds from Will cutting small windows, etc. But the new worlds we see a lot of are Lord Asriel's fortress, and the Mulefa world...as far as I can remember.

There's also the Land of the Dead, of course.

I am kind of terrified for Mark to find out all the huge upheavally heartbreaking things that are going to go down in this book. They're just so affecting... what if he NEVER recovers?

EDIT: joeldi beat me to it!

[Peter]

Not to diminish Mark's predictive abilities in any way, but TAS is ten years old. I wonder how much of it has leaked into the zeitgeist, as it were, and subconsciously affected Mark's imagination.

Would Mark have made the same predictions in, say, 2000AD?

Or, to put it more simply, has HDM created tropes?

[bee]

Feel free to continue discussion in any direction you want, but here are some questions for chapter 2 to spark some thoughts!

Chapter 2: Balthamos and Baruch

• What are you first impressions and thoughts on the angels?
• How do you feel about Will making Balthamos pretend to be his daemon?
• What are your thoughts on the contrasts between humans and angels?
• What is your impression of the story told by the angels about the Authority?
• Do you feel Will is right in choosing to seek out Lyra before helping the angels seek Lyra?

[Jaya]

Day two! Been looking at the comments, and there's a lot of interesting theological discussion. Have just answered a couple of things that people mentioned...

I'm still a bit confused as to why Will doesn't get a daemon when he enters Lyra's world, like his father. Maybe this is explained later, but I don't remember at all.

I always assumed John Parry managed to acquire his daemon through some shamanic...concentration-type things...thereby bringing her into being. She didn't just suddenly appear when he stepped through the window, and nobody's daemon suddenly appears just by entering another world. So it's kind of right what someone else said in response, you have to learn to know yourself, and I think you need to achieve that state of thinking/concentration so often mentioned in the books in order to see your daemon when you couldn't before.

I find it slightly amusing that in all these stories incorporating Christian mythology; demons, Lucifer, angels, God, Metraton and Micheal, never include Jesus. Is it so taboo that no story will touch it? We don't know if Pullman will address it but I can only think of two books that have done it; Night Watch and Dresden Files.

I thought I'd address this in case anyone else is wondering, I know I always forget. Jesus is mentioned one time in particular, as far as I can remember - and that's when Mary talks about her experience with Christianity at the end of The Amber Spyglass. I'll quote it here.

"I wanted to serve God with all my heart. I wanted to take my whole life and offer it up like this," she said, holding up her hands together, "and place it in front of Jesus to do as he liked with."

I think there may be another time she mentions Jesus, but as far as I remember it's only her - so we never hear Jesus mentioned in relation to Lyra's world...only our world. Though Lyra doesn't ask "Who's Jesus?" or anything, so maybe it's implied that the same story of Jesus exists in her world. Though I imagine it might go a little differently, since The Book of Genesis did...Jesus would have a daemon and all.

[Peter]

I think there may be another time she mentions Jesus, but as far as I remember it's only her - so we never hear Jesus mentioned in relation to Lyra's world...only our world. Though Lyra doesn't ask "Who's Jesus?" or anything, so maybe it's implied that the same story of Jesus exists in her world. Though I imagine it might go a little differently, since The Book of Genesis did...Jesus would have a daemon and all.

According to Lyra's Oxford there's a Magdalen College in, er, Lyra's Oxford. It's hard to imagine a Magdalen without a Christ, even if Jesus isn't mentioned by name, so although this is only circumstantial evidence (and outside the scope of TAS, to boot) I think that, on balance, there probably was a Jesus-type figure in Lyra's world.

[bee]

Turning away from theology... I was really surprised at Mark's reaction to Balthamos. I don't find him annoying at all and I just LOVE his snark and sarcasm. I also love that the first time we are introduced to an individual angel (as opposed to the set of the Ruta Skadi encounters), he is nothing like what you'd think an angel would be. He isn't 'angelic'.

Also, in this rereading, I keep imagining Balthamos with Alan Rickman's voice.

I also love the contrast of Will's strength to Balthamos' (and Baruch's) knowledge They make a great team, and neither can deal with the situation right now without the other. I assume though that higher ranking angels are stronger though? Would this situation be different then, if Will didn't have such superior strength? (I guess the knife tips this situation too.)

[Jaya]

Welcome to the second weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.



This thread covers chapters 6-10 of The Amber Spyglass and will include our sparkly Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above, and be sure to click!), chapter summaries for each of the five chapters, discussion questions and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss what Mark has yet to see in The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

In Lyra’s world, the Consistorial Court of Discipline meets to discuss their plans for Lyra, after finding out her destiny, as well as the existence of the knife and their hopes to possess it for their own means. They send the youngest of their members, Father Gomez, to kill her; after absolving him of the sin beforehand. They also interrogate Dr Cooper, one of the scientists from Bolvangar, about the energy release during the process of severing child from daemon.

spoiler:

Mary travels through the world of Cittagazze and, after consulting with the I Ching, travels into a new world. She meets the Mulefa, whom she communicates with and is taken with them.

spoiler:

After talking to a suspect priest, Will makes it to a large town that a ship full of panserbjorne are attacking, because the people of the town refuse to deal with them. Will challenges the King of the Bears to a fight, where if he wins, the fighting has to stop and the humans will trade with the bears. After demonstrating what he can do to the bear’s armour with his knife, Iorek Brynison surrenders and invites Will with them when Will explains his friendship with Lyra.

spoiler:

Will explains his plans to rescue Lyra to Iorek, who promises the help of the bears. They make it to the foot of the Himalayas and the bears split up, leaving Will, Balthamos and Iorek alone. Lord Asriel’s force of Gyropters as well as a zeppelin containing Swiss Guard under the command of the Consistorial Court of Discipline and the Society of the Work of the Holy Spirit are also both headed towards the valley where Mrs Coulter has Lyra captive; Lord Asriel’s force to rescue her, the Swiss Guard to kill her.

spoiler:

In Cittagazze, Father Gomez interrogates Angelica and Paolo about Mary, Lyra, Will and the knife. In the land of the Mulefa, Mary learns more about their culture and language and witnesses the attack on the Mulefa by the Tualapi. She finds out that the wheel-pod trees, which the Mulefa need to exist, are dying.

[Jaya]

Welcome to the third weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.



This thread covers chapters 11-15 of The Amber Spyglass and will include our sparkly Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above, and be sure to click!), chapter summaries for each of the five chapters, discussion questions and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss what Mark has yet to see in The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

This week, we'll be talking more about the nature of the knife and its origins. Be sure to also check out the announcement of our August Contest, in which you can win a signed copy of The Amber Spyglass!

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

Will and Iorek meet Ama, and hatch a plan with her to rescue Lyra. However, Will goes to meet with Mrs Coulter first and is attracted to her in a way that clouds his judgement. The Gallivespians' dragonflies are hatched and Tialys and Salmakia are ordered to stay with Lyra and Will at all costs.

spoiler:

Will and Ama wake Lyra up, but not before Mrs Coulter makes Will break the knife when he catches a glimpse of her face and is momentarily reminded of his mother. Mrs Coulter plans to take them all hostage but the Gallivespians intervene and the situation becomes stalemate.

spoiler:

Will stuns the golden monkey and he and Lyra escape with the Gallivespians. They are attacked by the Swiss Guard and Balthamos flees, so Will shoots one and Tialys and Salmakia attack the others. Will and Lyra, away from the ears of the tiny spies, hatch a plan to travel to the world of the dead, to see the ghosts of Roger and John Parry and rescue them.

spoiler:

Will, Lyra and the Gallivespians travel to where Iorek Byrnison is, and ask him to repair the knife. He is wary of fixing something that he does not fully understand, so he gets Lyra to ask the Alethiometer if the knife should be fixed. It says yes, so Iorek agrees, and sends Lyra and Will to get firewood. When they're alone Lyra tells Will that the Alethiometer told her that their plan to travel to the world of the dead would be dangerous, but that they should do it.

spoiler:

Iorek, Lyra and Will work together to repair the knife, and they tell him of their plan to free Roger from the world of the dead. Iorek tells Lyra of his plans to go back north, as the bears can't survive in the mountains, and then leaves. Will and Lyra use the knife to travel to a different world to escape Lord Asriel's gyropters, with the Gallivespians begrudgingly following.

[Jaya]

Welcome to the fourth weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.



This thread covers chapters 16-20 of The Amber Spyglass and will include our sparkly Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above, and be sure to click!), chapter summaries for each of the five chapters, discussion questions and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss what Mark has yet to see in The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

This week, we'll be talking about the human/daemon relationship!

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

While keeping Mrs Coulter captive in his tower, Lord Asriel meets with King Ogunwe, Lord Roke and the angel Xaphania. He then presents them with the Intention Craft, a machine not unlike a gyropter, which can only be flown by a human that has a daemon. Mrs Coulter steals the Intention Craft with the intention of spying on the Consistorial Court of Discipline. Lord Asriel orders Lord Roke to accompany her there.

spoiler:

Mary Malone constructs a mirror made out of sap-lacquer, in order to try to catch Shadows. She finds out from a Zalif that the Mulefa know of Shadows, of Dust, and call it Sraf. Mary finds out that when she holds two pieces of the mirror about a hand-span apart, and covers them in the oil from the Mulefa's seed pods, she can see Dust. Sattamax, the elder of the Mulefa, beseeches Mary to help them with their problem of the wheel trees dying and she agrees to help. Meanwhile, Father Gomez heads to the farmhouse in Cittagazze where Mary stayed.

spoiler:

The Alethiometer tells Lyra to trust the Gallivespians and to follow the knife to the world of the dead. When she asks if it is the right thing to do, it tells her yes immediately. Will, Lyra, Tialys and Salmakia follow the knife to a world and Will uses the knife to open a window that looks identical to the world they're in. They travel into it, and meet the ghost of a man they saw dead in the other world. They follow him, and other ghosts, to the first town of the dead.

spoiler:

In the town of the dead, Lyra, Will and the Gallivespians are instructed to wait in a holding area, because they are still alive. There they meet some people and their deaths, who live with their humans like daemons do, until it is their time to take their human with them. Tialys and Lyra argue until they are interrupted by Lyra's own death, who agrees to take them further into the world of the dead, but not to bring them back.

spoiler:

Mary climbs into the high part of the Mulefa's trees to get a better look at the sraf. Using the two pieces of the lacquer mirror, which the Mulefa helped her construct into a spyglass, she observes that there is a current of sraf that is moving away from the land, against the wind. She realises that to help save the trees, they need to figure out how to stop the sraf from moving away. She and the Mulefa make plans to build her a platform to raise into the canopy of the trees for her to make more observations. Meanwhile, Father Gomez discovers the window that leads into the Mulefa's world.

[Jaya]

Welcome to the fifth weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.



This thread covers chapters 21-25 of The Amber Spyglass and will include our sparkly Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above, and be sure to click!), chapter summaries for each of the five chapters, discussion questions and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss what Mark has yet to see in The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

This week we'll be talking about The World of the Dead. Join us!

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

Lyra’s death leads them to the shore of the world of the dead. There they meet the boatman, who refuses to take Pantalaimon aboard. Lyra leaves Pan at the shore and feels him being ripped apart from her. Will and the Gallivespians feel the same pain. When they get ashore they are attacked by a harpy, who tears out a chunk of Lyra’s hair when she attempts to lie to her.

spoiler:

In the world of the dead, Lyra and Will speak to the ghosts and ask them to find Roger and John Parry. Lyra and Will decide to open a window out of the world of the dead and let all the ghosts out.

spoiler:

Lyra is reunited with Roger while Will shares their plan with the Gallivespians. He tries to open a window but the taunts of the Harpies about his mother come back to him. He finally succeeds but every window he opens comes out underground. Lyra tells the ghosts of her childhood in Oxford and everyone, even the Harpies, are entranced. The Harpies tell the ghosts of Lyra and Will’s plan and they eventually agree to lead any future ghosts out of the opening, if they are told their stories.

spoiler:

Mrs Coulter takes the Intention Craft to the Consistorial Court of Discipline and is taken to Father MacPhail. She is locked in a room, where she discovers Lord Roke who tells her that the Court is working on something in the building. While she is asleep, Brother Louis comes into her room and steals the locket from around her neck. He takes it to Father MacPhail and Dr Cooper, who take out the hair to put in a bomb that can find a person in any universe. Lord Roke attacks Dr Cooper with his venom and steals the envelope that the hair was put in, but he and Mrs Coulter find that some is missing. Father MacPhail orders Mrs Coulter to be put in chains.

spoiler:

Father MacPhail takes Mrs Coulter and the bomb to the power station to detonate it. Lord Roke manages to steal the key for her handcuffs and she frees herself. Father MacPhail, who intended to sever Mrs Coulter from her daemon to power the bomb, instead decided to sever his own daemon. There is a struggle, and she manages to get most of the hair out of the bomb before the intercision – but there is exactly one strand left inside the bomb when the blade strikes and the bomb is detonated. Afterwards, Lord Asriel finds her and shoots down the Court’s zeppelin before taking her away in his own Intention Craft.

[Jaya]

Welcome to the sixth weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.



This thread covers chapters 26-30 of The Amber Spyglass and will include our sparkly Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above, and be sure to click!), chapter summaries for each of the five chapters, discussion questions and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss what Mark has yet to see in The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

This week we'll be talking about the war and the effect it may be having on the multiple worlds! Join us!

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

On their way to find a place to open a window out of the world of the dead, Lyra and Will meet up with Lee Scoresby and John Parry, who instruct Will to find the piece of hair that Mrs Coulter cut a lock from. They open an underground window and manage put the remaining hair through just in time for the bomb to detonate. The bomb opens the Abyss, which frightens the ghosts. Lee and John plan to attack the Spectres when they get out of the world of the dead. John explains to Will that you cannot survive more than ten years outside of your own world, and then Will opens the window to let all of the ghosts out.

spoiler:

While daydreaming on her platform in the trees, Mary has an out of body experience. Meanwhile, Father Gomez makes it into the Mulefa’s world and attacks the Tulapi, instigating fear in them so that they will serve him.

spoiler:

Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter make it back to the fortress and Mrs Coulter has the alethiometerist visit her. She learns that Lyra is still alive and is relieved. Lord Asriel and King Ogunwe notice that the Clouded Mountain is approaching the fortress. Later, Lord Asriel learns from Mr Basilides that Pantalaimon and Will’s daemon are in the same world and that the Metatron is intent on capturing them. Afterwards, Lord Asriel is informed that Pan and Will’s daemon have made it to the fortress in the form of cats; and Mrs Coulter escapes the fortress.

spoiler:

Will opens a window into the world that Lord Asriel’s fortress is in, and he, Lyra and the ghosts that want to fight in the war can join the battle. The ghosts attack an army of Spectres, while Lord Asriel’s forces, including rebel Angels and Witches, attack the Authority’s forces. Will and Lyra can feel that their daemons are near, and realise that they are almost grown up enough that the Spectres can attack them.

spoiler:

Mrs Coulter heads toward the Clouded Mountain in the Intention Craft and asks to see Metatron. She lies to and seduces him, and convinces him that she will betray Lord Asriel and let him kill Lyra. Meanwhile, Lord Asriel climbs down to the Abyss to take a closer look at it.

[Jaya]

Welcome to the seventh weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.



This thread covers chapters 31-35 of The Amber Spyglass and will include our sparkly Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above, and be sure to click!), chapter summaries for each of the five chapters, discussion questions and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss what Mark has yet to see in The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter plan to kill Metatron by bearing him down to the Abyss, along with themselves. There is a fierce battle between the two humans and the angel. Will and Lyra find the Authority in his crystal litter and let him out, and he disintegrates in the same way as Baruch did. The panserbjorne join the battle and Iorek rescues Will and Lyra, Salmakia and Tialys, from the battle. Will and Lyra find their daemons again, and Will opens a final window to set Lee Scoresby and John Parry free.

spoiler:

Lyra wakes up in the world where they set Lee and John free and makes a small grave for the bodies of Tialys and Salmakia. Will wakes up and they soon encounter the Mulefa. The alethiometer tells Lyra that they are friendly and that Mary is there, and take them to the village. The Mulefa find the window from the world of the dead leads to their world and Mary witnesses the joy of the ghosts as they are being set free.

spoiler:

In the Mulefa's village, Will and Lyra help Mary mend some nets and they exchange their stories. Mary explains why she stopped being a nun, and the first time she was in love, which affects Lyra.

spoiler:

Mary realises that the windows between universes are leaking Dust, although at a small scale. She also realises that matter, specifically the clouds, wind and the moon, are trying to hold back the stream of Dust leaving the universe. Later on, on her way back to the Mulefa's village, Mary sees Father Gomez sailing to the shore on the back of a Tulapi. He makes his way around the village, clearly looking for something, and then sails away.

spoiler:

Lyra and Will, armed with a lunch that Mary made them, head out to explore the Mulefa’s world, and to look for their daemons. Father Gomez, rifle at the ready, watches them, but his own daemon is captured by Balthamos, who leads him away from the children. While he is distracted, Will and Lyra admit their love for each other and kiss. Balthamos manages to kill Father Gomez and then dies himself. Lyra and Will’s newfound love for each other stops the Dust flowing away from the Mulefa’s village and the wheel-trees.

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[Jaya]

Welcome to the eighth and final weekly thread for Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass! For those of you coming over from Mark Reads, registering for our forum is simple and doesn't take long! Please note that we don't allow usernames that are characters from His Dark Materials.



This thread covers chapters 36-38 of The Amber Spyglass and includes our very last Mark Reads The Amber Spyglass banner (see above, and be sure to click!) which we hope you'll like,chapter summaries for each of three remaining chapters, and whatever else you wish for. SPOILERS ARE ALLOWED, so you can discuss The Amber Spyglass to your heart’s content. For those of you who haven't yet finished the book, we advise that you stick to the Mark Reads website.

This week brings us to the end of the trilogy, and it's been great! We have a couple of great things to look forward to this week: our September Contest, and Mark finishing the books. Hopefully he'll be around to join us here soon!

Happy posting!

Chapter Summaries

spoiler:

Pantalaimon and Will’s unnamed daemon explore the Mulefa’s village, where they meet Serafina Pekkala. She explains to them that by Lyra and Will leaving them on the docks of the world of the dead, they became something akin to witches; and that the Gyptians would be arriving at the Mulefa’s world by ship in a few days. She names Will’s daemon Kirjava and tells the daemons that they have to tell Lyra and Will what they have learned on their travels: they are distraught. Serafina wakes Mary through means of a dream, and explains to her what shape her daemon is and how to see it; and Mary explains to Serafina the nature of Dust and how crucial Lyra and Will were in saving it.

spoiler:

Pantalaimon and Kirjava return to Lyra and Will; Pan an ermine, Kirjava a cat. They explain to their humans that every time the knife was used to cut a window between universes, a spectre was created; and Dust leaks out of the universe through each window. To stop the flow of Dust out of the universes, every single window must be closed. Remembering what John Parry told them about daemons not being able to survive in other universes for more than ten years, Lyra and Will are distraught. Lyra tries to use the Alethiometer but finds she has lost the ability. The angel Xaphania visits them and explains that exactly one window can be left open and Lyra and Will agree that it must be that between the world of the dead and the Mulefa’s world. Will shows Xaphania how to feel for the edges of the windows to close them, and agrees to break the knife. Xaphania tells Lyra that the Gyptians are on their way. When they are alone again, Will and Lyra touch each other’s daemons and know that their daemons will no longer change forms.

spoiler:

The Gyptians make it to the Mulefa’s world and Lyra is reunited with Lord Faa and Farder Coram. The Gyptians join the Mulefa for a meal before they set sail again, and they exchange gifts. Lord Faa and Farder Coram are shown the window from the world of the dead, which the Mulefa promise to keep as a holy place. Two weeks pass and the Gyptians’ ship make it back to Cittagazze, and Will, Lyra, Serafina and Mary travel through the window back into Will and Mary’s world. Mary succeeds in seeing her own daemon by concentrating in a certain way. They go to the Botanic Garden, where Lyra and Will make a promise to go in their respective universes on Midsummer's Day, at midday, every year. Will cuts a window back into Cittagazze which Lyra and Serafina travel through. He closes the window and breaks the knife. Will and Mary resolve to stick together after all they’ve been through.

Back at Jordan College, Lyra meets with the Master and Dame Hannah. The Master assures Lyra that she will be taken care of financially and Dame Hannah offers her a place at her boarding school, where she can start studying the Alethiometer to learn to read it by knowledge. Later that night, in the Botanic Garden, Lyra explains to Pantalaimon that they have to build the Republic of Heaven in their own world.

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[Odette]

Jesus would have a daemon and all.

Oh man, that spawns some fic ideas.

On other matters, I did find Balthamos a bit annoying when I first read the book. I figured that was sort of the point, though. As readers, we're so close to Will and definitely on his side, so it's interesting to see someone who isn't so enamored with Will.

[bethanwy]

Turning away from theology... I was really surprised at Mark's reaction to Balthamos. I don't find him annoying at all and I just LOVE his snark and sarcasm. I also love that the first time we are introduced to an individual angel (as opposed to the set of the Ruta Skadi encounters), he is nothing like what you'd think an angel would be. He isn't 'angelic'.

I was shocked as well, I love Balthamos' sassy self. He's one of my favourite characters in the book.