His Dark Materials

[AndThePickles]

Yesss Books and Music! I think it's only fitting to start off posting about one of my favorite book trilogies of all time that has only recently started to get more popular, due to the craptastic mockery of a movie that was released.

"His Dark Materials" is the collective title of Phillip Pullman's fantasy trilogy, which takes the reader on a journey through new universes, following the adventures of a young girl named Lyra. The individual titles are The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. While the books' target audience are supposedly young adults, and I first read them when I was younger, I find that the religious themes are such that adult readers will thoroughly enjoy this trilogy, and likely understand it better than younger readers. Pullman weaves together a thorough and spell-binding plot which I thought was very well-explained and satisfying

Lyra is thoroughly stubborn and likeable, as is Will, who isn't introduced until the second book. Upon beginning The Golden Compass, I guarantee that reading about the topic of Dust is going to make you want to keep going until you find out what it is Also, daemons are fascinating!

Note- a lot of Christians/Catholics were offended by these books. However, I think it's important to remember that they're only fantasy!

 

[Watson]

This is also my favourite book trilogy. Just about as perfect as a fantasy epic can get IMO.

For people who have read it and want some further reading I would check out Once Upon a Time in the North and Lyra's Oxford. Both are short stories written by Pullman. Lyra's Oxford is set after the events of HDM, and follows a short encounter Lyra has with a witch. Once Upon a Time in the North is a story about Lee Scorseby.

I would also highly recomend the book's inspiration, Paradise Lost. An amazing work that was years ahead of it's time .

So what do you all think of Pullman's vision of a Republic of Heaven? Personally this was one of the most inspiring things for me out of the book, the idea that even the afterlife could be democratized in a sense.

 

[Star]

I've really been meaning to pick these up.

 

[Spider-Who?]

Note- a lot of Christians/Catholics were offended by these books. However, I think it's important to remember that they're only fantasy!

I'm a christian, and while I haven't read the book (not due to my beliefs), I do find it a little unsettling that the author would choose "daemon" ("demon") as the name for a person's physical representation of their soul.

One would think he'd come up with a better name then that...

 

[AndThePickles]

When I was attending Christian middle school, I read The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife and lent the first one to one of my teachers. After reading the first one, he said he didn't care to continue because of the religious parts. I was like, man, I've got the same beliefs as you, but it's FICTION

"Daemon" is an odd choice, but I never really thought much of it until now. Why DID he choose that name? haha

 

[Kevin]

I read these a few years ago. Sad how it had to end.

Spoiler

They (Will and Lyra) were in love!

 

[stardust]

I read the first book about an year ago. I think the author had a good thing going there but he just didn't know how to present it the right way. I didn't care at all for his writing style. Unless someone gives me the other books for free I won't bother reading them.

 

[Watson]

I'm a christian, and while I haven't read the book (not due to my beliefs), I do find it a little unsettling that the author would choose "daemon" ("demon") as the name for a person's physical representation of their soul.

One would think he'd come up with a better name then that...

Daemon, when spelt in that manner actually refers to Greek mythology. Daemon's were ghost's who lived between the mortal and supernatural realm's. They could be good or bad, depending on the ghost's personality and choices. Similarily to how people can be good or bad I suppose.

Within the context of HDM, I think the reason they are called daemon's within Lyra's universe is because it is simply a name that was attributed to them over time. Thier universe is a weird mirror of our own, so I could imagine that early civilization within Lyra's world would have attempted to name things and some of those names, such as Daemon, would have paralleled myth in our world.

Other characters in later novels (from our world and others), also refer to the daemons as spirit animals, etc, which suggests that Pullman got a lot of inspiration for the idea from different world myths that suggest we have spirit animals or guides. For example First Nations in BC build totems to represent thier spirit animal guides.

 

[AndThePickles]

Daemon, when spelt in that manner actually refers to Greek mythology. Daemon's were ghost's who lived between the mortal and supernatural realm's. They could be good or bad, depending on the ghost's personality and choices. Similarily to how people can be good or bad I suppose.

Within the context of HDM, I think the reason they are called daemon's within Lyra's universe is because it is simply a name that was attributed to them over time. Thier universe is a weird mirror of our own, so I could imagine that early civilization within Lyra's world would have attempted to name things and some of those names, such as Daemon, would have paralleled myth in our world.

Other characters in later novels (from our world and others), also refer to the daemons as spirit animals, etc, which suggests that Pullman got a lot of inspiration for the idea from different world myths that suggest we have spirit animals or guides. For example First Nations in BC build totems to represent thier spirit animal guides.

Oooo, neat fun fact :heart: I knew it couldn't just have been random.

 

[Watson]

I read these a few years ago. Sad how it had to end.

Spoiler

They (Will and Lyra) were in love!

Yeah, it was pretty heartbreaking. I definitely bawled my eyes out when I read the end. But I think the message that comes from it, that you have to live your life, makes up for it.

Oooo, neat fun fact :heart: I knew it couldn't just have been random.

Pullman definitely isn't the type to pull names out of a hat. That's another reason I love the books. It's well researched and the allusions to other books and poems (Milton, Blake), aren't so obvious that you feel like you're being wacked over the head with them.

 

[AndThePickles]

The end KILLS me every time (yes, I've read the books several times )

 

[Gotham]

Just about to finish the first novel. Really loving it.

 

[AndThePickles]

I've really been meaning to pick these up.

Big bump: Did you ever read them?

 

[Addendum]

I bought the books back in '07, around the time that The Golden Compass was going to be released. I just wanted to familiarize myself with the story since some people were making a big deal about it. I enjoyed the books and totally forgot about the movie.

 

[AndThePickles]

The fact that you forgot about the movie is a very good thing...it was awful

 

[Victarion]

On the subject of religious controversy, I wikipedia'd the books and it says that Lyra doesn't actually kill God, but some kind of false god. Is this the case?

 

[AndThePickles]

Spoiler

SHE doesn't actually kill anyone, but the god known as the Christian god dies

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I bought the books back in '07, around the time that The Golden Compass was going to be released. I just wanted to familiarize myself with the story since some people were making a big deal about it. I enjoyed the books and totally forgot about the movie.

Same, but I went to see the movie. I think if they kept more of the church elements to the Magisterium and actually had the original ending, it would have worked a lot better.

On the subject of religious controversy, I wikipedia'd the books and it says that Lyra doesn't actually kill God, but some kind of false god. Is this the case?

Sorta. From what I remember:

Spoiler

The villain in the end isn't God, but Metron, who had taken over God's place in the Kingdom of Heaven after God became more frail and unresponsive. Asreil and Coulter sacrifices themselves in killing Metron, and God dies in the cross-fire of the war.

If someone who's read it recently notices any problems with that, feel free to correct me.