His Dark Materials

by Philip Pullman

Book Overview

"'Unstageable' was the first reaction of the National Theatre's artistic director, Nicholas Hytner, to the idea of dramatizing His Dark Materials . But last night's opening night has triumphantly... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 185459768X
• ISBN13: 9781854597687
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.9" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A great book for adults of all ages

Phillip Pullman's trilogy "His Dark Materials" is one of the most ambitious and compelling modern works of fiction that I have ever read -- an expertly crafted and exceptionally imaginative adventure story, a daring morality fable, and an intellectual jigsaw puzzle built on the outlines of Milton's Paradise Lost. Moreover, its nonstop suspense and emotional power makes this book an intense cardiac workout for the reader.Book One, the Golden Compass, introduces the twelve-year-old heroine, Lyra, an apparent orphan who lives among scholars of Jordan College of Oxford, in a world not our own but eerily similar. In her world, humans are accompanied by "daemons", animal beings embodying the soul. The daemon's dialogue with its owner serves as a window into the character's thoughts and feelings, and is reminiscent of the internal dialogues that children have with their imagination. The story follows brave Lyra as she is propelled by fate into a dangerous adventure of unknown purpose, guided only by her truth-telling alethiometer. Her journey is filled with colorful characters, exotic peoples, armored bears and witches, and increasingly hostile encounters with agents of the powerful Church as she follows the footsteps of her Uncle Asriel to the barren North, finally to step out of her world entirely. Book Two, the Subtle Knife, introduces Will, another independent, fearless young teen who cares for his ill mother near the real Oxford, England in our own world. The story then follows the adventures of Lyra and Will as they meet, acquire the Subtle Knife, search for Will's missing father, and pursue their mysterious mission through a multiplicity of parallel worlds. Meanwhile, multiple, parallel plot threads flesh out Pullman's inverted retake on the traditional stories of Adam and Eve and the war between God and Satan; the narrative pulls the reader along at a furious pace from one powerful, artistically conceived scene to the next. Love in all its forms, mortality, loss, and sacrifice are constant themes, and Pullman's juxtaposition of the familiar and strange reinforces a mood of nostalgic sadness, as when one visits a place of one's childhood many years later. All is wrapped up in the final book, the Amber Spyglass, which is especially intense with its poetic imagery, enormous contrasts in mood (a major portion is devoted to a harrowing journey through the World of the Dead), and supremely ironic plot twists. The ending left me in tears.The potential fly in the ointment of this great work is Pullman's increasingly open hostility towards religious authority, despite his fascination with Judeo-Christian mythology. For some readers it will be not a fly but an elephant, obscuring Pullman's wisdom in matters of the heart as well as his central, humanistic message -- which, as a follower of Jewish tradition, I interpret as "Tikkun Olam", repair of the world through good deeds. Pullman presents this message in a literal realization of the divi

Stunning literature

In the guise of a young adult's fantasy, Philip Pullman has written a masterpiece. Inspired by Milton's Paradise Lost, the trilogy deals with some very adult themes, adventure, love, death, betrayal, sacrifice. I was moved to tears. A great, great pieces of work. Suitable for older children and adults as well.

Among the greatest

His Dark Materials are wonderful. They have so much suspense, action, thrills, and adventure, you will never put them down. By the way, you have to buy the whole set or else they won't make any sense to you. The characters are great. The objects are great. The BOOKS are great! There are so many amazing ideas. There are fantasy creatures and fantasy places that are very cool. You will love them as much as I did.

Among the best books I've ever read? If not the best at that

I'd have to say that after reading all the ambigouosly worded quotations on the back of the book, I was apprehensive when picking up The Golden Compass, the first book in the trilogy. As with every book, it was adorned with advance praise, which is a nice way of saying "we think you'll like it and I have to go spend the money I got for recomending it to you." Still, Pullman was a good author, and so I bought it, and I very much enjoyed it. I was young (9 or 10, I believe) when I read the first book, and I enjoyed it simply for what was on the surface. I did the same with The Subtle Knife, and after going to the publisher's site this summer (Randomhouse), I noticed that the third book was coming soon. I went back and reread the other two books (in two days, no less), and I thouroughly enjoyed them, and moreso, considering that I'd read Paradise Lost on my own time. After reading The Amber Spyglass, I must say, it is a worthy conclusion to this trilogy, deftly avoiding predictability at every turn, and finishing with a profound truth about life and sacrifice. Pullamn has kept me enthralled all the way through, and I cannot think of a better, deeper, and more epic story.

AWESOmE!

One of the best series I have ever read! Kept me enthralled from The Golden Compass to the very end. DEFINITELY recommend!