Spencer's Bookcase

The Mystery Knight

Title: The Mystery Knight

Author: George R.R. Martin

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Tales of Dunk and Egg # 3

Pages: 122 pages

Synopsis:

The story begins with Dunk and Egg leaving Stoney Sept, to ask service with Lord Beron Stark against Greyjoy raids on the northern coast. On the way they encounter a septon beheaded for preaching treason; and later a group of knights and minor lords traveling to a tourney in honor of the wedding of Lord Butterwell of Whitewalls to a Frey of the Crossing, wherein the victor’s prize is a dragon egg. Dunk takes a dislike to Gorman Peake, whom he believes the killer of his own mentor’s former squire. Egg tells Dunk that Peake’s arms of three castles on an orange field is because the Peake family owned three castles, but forfeited two to the Crown when Peake sided with Blackfyre. During the journey Dunk befriends three other itinerant knights: Ser Maynard Plumm, Ser Kyle the Cat of Misty Moor, and Ser Glendon Ball who claims to be the bastard son of the famous knight Quentyn “Fireball”, who fought for Daemon Blackfyre.

The wedding is set at Whitewalls and Lord Frey arrives with his four-year-old heir, Walder Frey, and his fifteen-year-old daughter, who weds Lord Butterwell (and is alleged to have been caught by Walder having lost her virginity to a servant). Egg becomes increasingly suspicious when he sees that most of the competitors belonged to the rebel party. During the wedding Dunk is drafted by John the Fiddler to carry the bride to the bedchamber. Dunk does so and later hears from John that the latter once saw Duncan himself, in a dream, in the armor of the royal guard. Dunk enters the first match of the joust under the name of ‘Gallows Knight’ (for a new shield acquired after the loss of his own); but is defeated in the first tilt by Ser Uthor Underleaf, known as the Snail Knight for his sigil. Duncan later gives Underleaf his armor and horse as forfeit, and Underleaf informs Dunk that someone bribed him to kill Dunk in the final tilt. Before the jousting continues, word spreads through the castle that the dragon egg is missing, and the blame is placed on Ser Glendon Ball, who is imprisoned by Peake. In search of the absent Egg, Duncan is wounded by Alyn Cockshaw, who claims to have bribed Uthor Underleaf, and throws him into a well. Maynard Plumm comes to Duncan’s aid, and it is discovered that Plumm is one of Brynden “Bloodraven” Rivers’ many spies (or possibly Bloodraven himself), and that John the Fiddler is the eponymous son of Daemon Blackfyre. Dunk finds Egg in the sept with the cowering Lord Butterwell, who on discovering Egg’s true identity is terrified for his life. Lord Butterwell’s son-in-law Black Tom Heddle tries to kill Egg to incite a war, and is killed by Duncan, who thereupon tells Egg to flee with Butterwell. To buy time for Egg’s escape Dunk confronts the younger Daemon Blackfyre, and accuses Gorman Peake of falsely charging Ball with the theft of the dragon egg.

Daemon allows Ball to prove his innocence in trial by combat, in which Ser Glendon soundly defeats Daemon. By this time a large army under Bloodraven, who is also the King’s Hand, encircles Whitewalls, and Daemon is captured. Dunk and Egg meet Bloodraven, and Egg demands that Bloodraven reward Glendon, Duncan, and the other hedge knights. For surrendering to Bloodraven without a fight, Lord Butterwell is spared his life and allowed a tenth of his wealth; but his fortress is forfeit to the Iron Throne and torn down. Bloodraven, at Egg’s request, gives Dunk the gold to ransom his armor. When Egg asks Bloodraven what became of the dragon egg, Bloodraven implies it was taken by an agent of his (thought to be one of the performing dwarfs at the wedding).

(from Wikipedia)

My Thoughts:

75th Post on this blog! So we finally got to the third story in this series. Where Dunk and Egg attend a Wedding and a Tourney where things are not quite as they appear.

In this story, we learn even more about the Blackfyre Rebellion and its aftermath, and how this Rebellion is still being felt. We also get a bit more Targaryen history, which them being the Dragon house is something I’m always down for!

While I felt the story was okay, I didn’t think it was as good as the previous two stories. I felt like the characters weren’t as interesting as the previous two stories.

Overall, I really enjoyed this trilogy of The Tales of Dunk and Egg. They are more simple stories that take place in (for me at least) a familiar world. Dunk is a great character and in my opinion a true knight. Egg or Aegon V Targaryen is a great sidekick, and their relationship is a fun one. If we ever get more Tales of Dunk and Egg, I will definitely read them!

Rating:

My Tales of Dunk and Egg Reviews:

The Hedge Knight

The Sworn Sword

My other ASOIAF Reviews:

The Sworn Sword

Title: The Sworn Sword

Author: George R.R. Martin

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Tales of Dunk and Egg #2

Pages: 114 pages

Synopsis:

The story begins in the Reach with Duncan the Tall sworn to Ser Eustace Osgrey of Standfast, and illuminates several aspects of the feudal system of Westeros. A series of flashbacks narrated by Ser Eustace relate the events of the Blackfyre Rebellion and its conclusion at the Battle of the Redgrass Field.

At the fort of Standfast, Dunk and Ser Eustace’s other sworn sword, Ser Bennis the Brown, discover that a dam has been built across the local stream, by peasants in service to Lady Rohanne Webber of Coldmoat. Bennis reacts angrily, cutting the cheek of one of the peasants. Upon hearing the news, Ser Eustace realizes that Lady Webber will be angered by Bennis’s actions against her servants, and orders Dunk and Bennis to train levies from his three villages. For a peaceful solution, Eustace sends Dunk to Coldmoat, where Dunk learns that Lady Rohanne stands to lose her lands to a male cousin if she does not take a fifth husband by the second anniversary of her father’s death. Her castellan, the haughty Ser Lucas Inchfield (known as the “Long Inch” for his 6-foot 7-inch height), is her most insistent suitor, but she has already refused him. Dunk fails to change the Lady’s mind on either the dam’s construction or seeking justice for her servant, and Rohanne informs him that Ser Eustace is a former traitor, who supported the usurper Daemon Blackfyre, and has therefore been stripped of most of his lands. When Dunk attempts to appeal to Rohanne’s fond memories of Eustace’s youngest son, Addam, she angrily slaps him and demands he leave; as Dunk departs, he learns that she was once in love with Addam, who died at Redgrass Field.

Shocked by the news of Ser Eustace’s past treason, Dunk returns to Standfast to leave the old knight’s service. That night, Ser Eustace’s forest is burned, and Duncan recalls Lady Rohanne’s threat of “fire and sword” to destroy Standfast. He therefore disperses the levies, and promises to oppose Lady Rohanne himself. At the river, Dunk rides into the ford to parley with Lady Rohanne where the noise of the water will prevent anyone on either bank from overhearing them. Before he enters the stream, Ser Eustace suggests that Dunk should kill Lady Rohanne at this meeting. Instead, Dunk offers his own blood to Lady Rohanne by slicing his cheek. This pays the debt for the wounded peasant; and for the claim that Lady Rohanne had the forest burned, she demands an apology or vindication, and all agree upon trial by combat between Dunk and Ser Lucas, to be fought in the stream as the only neutral ground present. In the fight, Dunk is nearly outfought by Ser Lucas, but drowns him and nearly drowns himself, but is resuscitated by Lady Rohanne’s maester. When he awakens, Dunk learns that Ser Eustace and Lady Rohanne are now married, to reconcile their debts. Before Dunk leaves, Rohanne implies that she would have sooner married Dunk if he was not of low birth, but instead offers him her finest mare to make amends; and when he refuses, Lady Rohanne insists that he take something to remember her by, and he pulls her into a passionate kiss, and takes a length of her hair as a keepsake. Thereafter he and Egg ride with the intent to reach the Wall.

(from Wikipedia)

My Thoughts:

The Sworn Sword is a successful follow-up to The Hedge Knight. Here we see Dunk and Egg be in service of a Knight and how they get caught up in a conflict between two feudal lords and lady territories.

The characters here were very strong as Lady Rohanne was an interesting character who had understandable motives. Ser Eustace was also an interesting character whose backstory really fits in with the Lore of this story.

While I maintain that if you really want worldbuilding, ASOIAF Series is the place to go. However, we do get a little worldbuilding by learning more of the feudal system in Westeros and how minor lords/ladies resolve conflicts between themselves. In terms of lore, this was my favourite so far in this trilogy. As we learn about the Blackfyre Rebellion, what it was about, and its history. Also, the lore tied into the story just perfectly! As this takes place years after the Rebellion but the effects of that Rebellion are still being felt!

So far, I think this is my new favourite story in this series. It really is great how George R.R. Martin can tell very good but complicated stories (ASOIAF Series), but can also deliver very good and simple stories as well! That to me speaks to his ability as a writer. I am really enjoying this trilogy so far! My review of The Mystery Knight is coming soon!

Rating:

My Tales of Dunk and Egg Reviews:

The Hedge Knight

My other ASOIAF Reviews:

The Hedge Knight

Title: The Hedge Knight

Author: George R.R. Martin

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Tales of Dunk and Egg #1

Pages: 118 Pages

Synopsis:

Set in the world of the Song of Ice and Fire series eighty-nine years before the events of the main cycle, the story relates the adventures of Dunk (eponymously called Ser Duncan the Tall) and his squire, Egg.

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

After a long absence from Westeros, I return to Westeros with this short novel, and it’s good to be back in one of the best Fantasy Worlds there is again!

The Hedge Knight unlike the ASOIAF Series is a much simpler story. It’s about a Hedge Knight trying to make his way through Westeros after losing his mentor, who takes on a squire (who is more important than he appears) and wants to be a respected Knight by doing well in a Tournament.

Dunk or Duncan the Tall is a great character, he’s a person who was brought from rags and learns to become a chivalrous knight and fully embodies the ideal of being a Knight. While Egg, is a very clever kid that makes the dynamic between these two were very fun to read.

Also the Illustrations were great!

While if you really like worldbuilding, I think you should stick to the ASOIAF Series. However, this book does have some very interesting lore and we get to see more of the Targaryens when they were in power and the dynamics between the members of the Royal Family. We also get a very good glimpse of what life is like being a Hedge Knight. It was enough to satisfy me.

This was a great quick read, and this is a must-read if you love ASOIAF! I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and I’m wasting no time reading the next two stories in this series.

Rating:

My other ASOIAF Reviews:

The Two Loves of Will Shakespeare

Title: The Two Loves of Will Shakespeare

Author: Laurie Lawlor

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 268 pages

Synopsis:

In this highly entertaining novel, Laurie Lawlor muses on a historical mystery: how there came to be two different marriage license applications taken out on consecutive dates in November 1582 between eighteen-year-old William Shakespeare and two different women, both named Anne.

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

So I wanted to read something quick and something that was not Fantasy after The Shadow Rising, so I decided to give this a read as it’s Historical Fiction, and I am kind of a history buff, so I decided to give this a try.

The Premise of the book is interesting as it surrounds one of the mysteries of William Shakespeare. Apparently, when William Shakespeare was 18, on November 27, 1582, William Shakespeare took out a Marriage Licence with a woman named Anne Whateley. Then on November 28, 1582, William Shakespeare took out a Marriage Licence with another woman named Anne Hathaway. The Novel is about William Shakespeare having these two as his lovers.

I really liked that this book was very readable, as it shouldn’t take you more than a day to finish reading this. I also liked the references to some of William Shakespeare’s plays in this novel.

However, this book was a disappointment to me. For one thing, William Shakespeare was completely stupid throughout this book. He doesn’t even make any good decisions! In addition, he acts very selfishly throughout the novel, which just doesn’t give me any empathy for his character. We don’t even get a glimpse of his brilliance as a playwright. I would have liked it if there was at least one scene where Will has an idea for one of his plays. We get to see some of his poems, but that’s it really.

I also just didn’t like most of the characters. The only character I actually liked was Joan, Will’s sister. Joan’s sister is smart, and the only one who puts up with her brother’s antics.

The book is readable, but this was a bit of a disappointment for me. I’ve seen good Historical Fiction, but this is not one of them.

Rating:

Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2022

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Monthly Wrap-Up where I give updates on my reading and other things I’m up to in the past month. So let’s get to it!

Books Read: 2

Yeah, I didn’t really read that many books this month but in my defense: The Shadow Rising was a large book to read and of course, larger books do take more of my time. I still managed to read over 1,000 pages so I’m okay with that.

The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan

I liked this book, it had good character moments, some awesome moments, and great world-building. But Robert Jordan can definitely improve on Romance, and I feel like the Forsaken are a little underwhelming. Regardless The Wheel of Time is still my favourite fantasy series and looking forward to reading the next book.

The Two Loves of Will Shakespeare by Laurie Lawlor

I just finished this book. I’ll post my book review soon in the coming days. I decided to read this after The Shadow Rising because I wanted to read something that’s short, not Fantasy and this being a Romance/Historical Fantasy about William Shakespeare seemed interesting to me.

Currently Reading:

The Hedge Knight by George R.R. Martin

After several months, we are returning to Westeros by reading the first book in the Tales of Dunk and Egg series! And I just started reading it but I’m already liking this story and I’m interested in where this story goes!

What I’ve been doing:

This month I’ve just been busy with work, so I didn’t really watch anything new. I am starting to catch up a bit on Rick and Morty, and Rick and Morty are still really good! I’m continuing to enjoy Dungeons & Dragons and playing it with my friends. It’s a great hobby and I love it!

I also built my Legacy Burn Deck in Magic the Gathering both online and paper to celebrate my work anniversary this month.

Plans for Next Month:

I’m being involved with a big project through May, so I’m expecting my reading to go down for May. I still will try to get a few books to read for May, but it probably won’t be a whole lot. I hope to get some D&D in May as well.

See you all next time!

The Shadow Rising

Title: The Shadow Rising

Author: Robert Jordan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Wheel of Time #4

Pages: 917 pages

Synopsis:

The seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind.

In Tar Valon, Min sees portents of hideous doom. Will the White Tower itself be broken?

In the Two Rivers, the Whitecloaks ride in pursuit of a man with golden eyes, and in pursuit of the Dragon Reborn.

In Cantorin, among the Sea Folk, High Lady Suroth plans the return of the Seanchan armies to the mainland.

In the Stone of Tear, the Lord Dragon considers his next move. It will be something no one expects, not the Black Ajah, not Tairen nobles, not Aes Sedai, not Egwene or Elayne or Nynaeve.

Against the Shadow rising stands the Dragon Reborn…..

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

The Shadow Rising is a very good follow-up after The Dragon Reborn as it takes place almost a month where the previous book left off.

The Shadow Shadow Rising had some amazing character moments and that was in Perrin’s Storyline. I feel like Perrin had the best character growth in both The Dragon Reborn and The Shadow Rising. In the previous book, he was struggling with his identity and his place in the world, and in this book, he had to learn to become a leader. And he ends up being a good and competent leader fighting the Trollocs and standing up to the Whitecloaks. And it does feel like he is growing as a character. Right now I feel like Perrin is the character that is growing the most.

I feel like Rand got quite a bit of character moments too. We see him get used to being the Dragon Reborn and he got great character moments with the Rhuidean scenes. Rand is finally acting with agency now, and he got to learn more about his true parents. I really liked the Rhuidean chapters in this novel. I also really liked the Aiel Waste chapters (even though I did have some Dune Vibes in those chapters). As we get a lot of good world-building, as we learn about the Aiel way of life, their history, and their culture.

I also like Elayne and Nynaeve’s storyline. Through this storyline, we get to really see Nynaeve, Elayne, and Egwene as friends. They really felt like a team in this novel. Also, the scene where Nynaeve fights a Forsaken is fucking cool. I loved that fight scene. I feel like Robert Jordan is an amazing writer when it comes to fighting scenes as I can visualize almost every moment in his fight scenes. Nyaneve is truly a badass.

The White Tower coup was a big surprise for me and the way they handled it through Min was very well done.

Now I do have some criticism of this novel: the romance to me was cringy. It to me just did not work at all.

I also kind of felt that Mat was kind of sidelined in this book as he doesn’t really do much in this book compared to the previous novel.

Lastly, this is the main criticism I have right now: I feel the Forsaken (who are right now supposed to be the big baddies of the series) have a bit of a problem. They keep being portrayed as the most powerful magic users, but they seem to be getting defeated pretty quickly. Two of them died in the first book, two of them died in the third book. In this book, two of them get defeated (not killed though). I’m kind of being a bit underwhelmed by the Forsaken right now. They are getting defeated pretty quickly. Right now the only Forsaken that seems to be any compelling or threatening is Lanfear and maybe Ishamael or Ba’alzamon. Lanfear to me right now seems like the best villain in this series.

Overall, I liked this book. It had great character moments, great fight scenes, great world-building, and just some great moments in general. This still is a great series and I look forward to reading more!

Rating:

My Reviews of the Wheel of Time Series:

The Eye of the World

The Great Hunt

The Dragon Reborn

The Office

Title: The Office

Seasons: 9

Episodes: 201

Year: 2005 – 2013

Developed by Greg Daniels

Premise:

The Office is a Mockumentary sitcom that depicts the everyday work lives of office employees in the Scranton Pennsylvania branch of a company called Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.

My Thoughts:

I am just going to say it: I really liked this series. This was a really good and fun sitcom. I started watching it a few months into the Pandemic, wanting to remind myself of life pre-pandemic. And I was so fortunate to give this series a chance because it’s now one of my personal favourite comedies of all time!

The show has a ton of good laughs, and I consider any comedy that makes me laugh hard a good comedy. Lines such as “No God! Please No!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!” also came from this series. There were a lot of hilarious episodes such as: “Threat Level Midnight”, “Goodbye Toby”, “Safety Training” and a whole lot more.

The characters are great, Michael Scott is a fun boss. While Dwight Schrute is one of the most eccentric but fun characters I’ve ever met in a comedy series. Stanley Hudson is one of my favourite characters, he has a lot of good scenes and good one-liners. And Jim and Pamela are one of the best relationships I’ve seen in a tv series. Almost every single character brought something fun to the table, and I enjoyed it all!

The Office to me also had one of the best Series Finale, I’ve ever watched. It was a very satisfying conclusion and I loved the way they wrapped up all of the storylines in the series.

Now I do have some criticism, though some relationships are handled very well such as Pamela and Jim, and maybe to a lesser extent Dwight and Angela. I feel like quite a few of the romances just didn’t work and it seemed especially in the later seasons that the writers were running out of ideas for stories.

I also did feel that Season 7 should have ended with Steve Carell leaving the show. In the episodes that followed after it just seemed like there was no plan for what to do after Steve Carell left the show. Lastly, season 8, was my least favourite season. It wasn’t a horrible season as I did still had a few laughs, but the quality really did drop for me in that season.

Overall, this is definitely one of my favourite comedy series. I loved the series from beginning to end and I probably will rewatch this series again.

Rating:

Monthly Wrap-Up: March 2022

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Monthly Wrap-Up where I give updates on my reading and other things I’m up to in the past month. So let’s get to it!

Books Read: 6

I’m pretty happy that I was able to read six books this month! I was able to read just over 1, 300 pages. And I was able to finish off two series: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and His Dark Materials Trilogy! With those two series done, I can move on to other series. Although when it comes to books I like this month was a bit of a mixed bag as I didn’t like half of the books I read this month.

I, Robot by Issac Asimov

This was an interesting compilation of short stories all about robots. Stories such as “Reason”, “Liar!” were two stories that I really did like. It was an okay read and I think it’s worth a read if you are into Science Fiction.

So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish by Douglas Adams

So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish I did not like it when I read it but after the last book, I’ve kind of appreciated it a bit more. As there were still a few good comedic scenes and still has the best ending in the entire series. Still, I did not like this book as it really was a bad romance story.

Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams

I hope this is the last time I will talk about The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for a while. For the conclusion of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was a real disappointment. I hated the ending of the book as it ended way too abruptly and the story was poorly written.

The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman

I really liked the second book in this trilogy. I felt the story was really good, and the second book is where I really liked the supporting characters such as Lee Scoresby. I honestly feel like this book is just as good if not better than The Golden Compass.

The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman

What the hell happened? I loved the first two books of this series but I did not like the conclusion to this trilogy. The ending was anti-climatic and had a bit of a villain problem.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This was just a nice quick read. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Currently Reading: The Shadow Rises by Robert Jordan

Yep, I’m back to the world of Wheel of Time. Reading the fourth book in the series. I’m just over 110 pages in and I am enjoying myself!

What I’ve been watching and Others:

I actually haven’t watched too much TV this month. But I did finish watching The Office Season Nine! The review is coming just hang tight!

I am proud to announce that I have a new hobby! I started playing Dungeons & Dragons earlier this month and I am having a lot of fun! My friends and I have created a playgroup on Zoom and we are all having a lot of fun! Right now I’m playing a Dwarf Fighter and I am starting to really get into my character right now!

Plans for the Next Month:

When it comes to reading books, I expect the number to drop a bit because The Shadow Rising is a long book, so it’s going to take a bit of time for me to read this one. I am also getting busy with a personal project of mine, so that might affect my reading a bit.

I’m also planning on building a new Magic the Gathering deck very soon. And I am looking forward to more D&D Sessions in April as well!

See you all next time!

The Little Prince

Title: The Little Prince

Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Genre: Classic

Pages: 85 pages

Synopsis:

A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert and encounters a strange young boy who calls himself the Little Prince. The Little Prince has traveled there from his home on a lonely, distant asteroid with a single rose. The story that follows is a beautiful and at times heartbreaking meditation on human nature.

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Well, this so far is the shortest book I’ve read so far this year (which isn’t a bad thing).

The Little Prince is a story about a Pilot who crash lands in the middle of nowhere in a desert. The man while trying to repair his plane finds a little person called “The Little Prince”. The Little Prince and the Pilot have several conversations, including where “The Little Prince” comes from.

The book talks about some of the narrow-mindedness of people. And how we should be open-minded in order to learn more about the world around us and about ourselves. A nice book that reminds us that we were all children once.

The book was fine, there wasn’t anything really bad about it. It was just a nice quick read.

Rating:

The Amber Spyglass

Title: The Amber Spyglass

Author: Philip Pullman

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Series: His Dark Materials #3

Pages: 461 pages

Synopsis:

Will is the bearer of the knife. Now, accompanied by angels, his task is to deliver that powerful, dangerous weapon to Lord Asriel – by the command of his dying father.

But how can he go looking for Lord Asriel when Lyra is gone? Only with her help can he fathom the myriad plots and intrigues that beset him.

The two great powers of the many worlds are lining up for war, and Will must find Lyra, for together they are on their way to battle, an inevitable journey that will even take them to the world of the dead…

(from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Up to now, I’ve really liked this series and after finishing The Subtle Knife, I couldn’t wait to read the conclusion of this Trilogy! However, I’m going to be honest this was a bit of a disappointment for me.

There are a few things I like about this book: I liked that they brought Iorek back! I missed that character in The Subtle Knife. I liked how each book takes place right after the previous book. And the first half of the book I really liked. I also loved how they show the close relationship between Lyra and her Daemon Pantalaimon. It is the best relationship in this whole series.

One of the main issues I have with the book is why did Lyra really wanted to go to the Land of the Dead? It just came out of nowhere! While the land of the dead had some great visuals and scenes, Lyra suddenly wanting to go there just came out of nowhere.

Also, how did Dr. Malone be able to communicate with a species that is completely alien that speaks a different language? It was hardly an inconvenience. As she was able to communicate with this species in mere weeks!

There were also some plot contrivances. After Lyra and Will leave the Land of the Dead, they have to find their Daemons. But the problem is that it wasn’t even a real search as they end up being in the same universe as they were! What?

I also feel like this book has a bit of a villain problem. We are introduced to the main antagonist of this series Metatron and he’s barely in the book! He only really shows up for like two scenes and he gets disposed of pretty quickly. Metatron doesn’t even meet Lyra and Will (who are supposed to be our protagonists)! I also just found Mrs. Coulter’s redemption arc completely unconvincing. She all of a sudden just loves Lyra. I thought Mrs. Coulter was going to be the main antagonist of this entire trilogy since she was everywhere and she had power. And they just kind of ruined her character right away in the beginning of this book. And why was Lord Carlo Boreal or Sir Charles killed off off-screen in the beginning? He was one of the best villains in this book series! As for Father Gomez, what was the point of him? The idea was cool he was a Priest that was also an Assassin. But he ended up being completely pointless. And again this antagonist doesn’t even face off against Lyra and Will.

While the ending was anti-climatic, it was bittersweet as Lyra and Will will never be able to see each other again.

This book was a real disappointment for me as I did really enjoy the first two books in this Trilogy. What happened to this Trilogy? The ending to this trilogy leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Rating:

My His Dark Materials Reviews:

The Golden Compass

The Subtle Knife