I've only just started the first book, but I will report back to you once I've read more.

I agree that the first book is the best, the second is the second best, and the third is the weakest. I don't think though that it's horrible, or that it's only worth reading to finish the trilogy. I liked the mulefa and their seedpods, for example. But the cosmology gets really messy, and there's way too much of it in the third book.

I loved the third book!!!!!!!!!
It was by far the best, sad but amazing all the same.
F.Y.I its called artistic license. I am sure that when we leave polar bears chuck on armour and chat with each other its ok if the cosmology isn't point perfect

i agree with harold. i absolutely loved the first book, but the second and third were really boring, to me.

I thought the first book was amazing, the second one was pretty good too. but the third book was not what I had expected at all it took me almost a year to actually read the whole thing and i was kinda disappointed with it

I loved the first and third book although the third draged on a bit, but harold is right the first one is great..

Personally, i thought that the first book was very weak compared to the second, and that one was in turn weak compared to the third.
The end is rather bittersweet, but doesnt that make the story a good one?
For the few days after finishing TAS i just couldnt get over it, but after some time i did, and started to appreciate the books for what they really were; solid bricks of fiction in that great wall we all want to climb.
When you think about it, most successful fantasy books end with some bitter ending (think LotR or HP).
Anyway, in my understanding, Pullman is just as strong a Rowling was with HP.
Everyone that says different is simply kidding themselves.
Cheers

ok, i liked the amber spyglass the BEST. followed by the golden compass and then the subtle knife, however, i think that the subtle knife would make a GREAT movie, as would TAS.

I agree with Sempra about the bittersweet ending.
But about the books getting weaker or stronger, I didn't get that feeling, just that they are different. Some may like it and others not.