Wow!! This is great. The comparisons with Tolkein are not completely undeserved. This is a unique and different fantasy that doesn’t have an elf in sight.
His previous experience as a children’s author do show through and this would be a great book for kids to read. I know I would have loved reading it when I was in my early teens.
The first two books are great but the one thing that does let the trilogy down is the third book. His establishing book is intriguing and Lyra’s adventures and the characters introduced are enchanting, the picture painted of this world not quite like our own and the people not quite like us is wonderful. The second book breaks with the fantasy tradition of being a linking book, just some fill in between the set up and the big climax. It introduces another major character and most of the story is from his point of view. After reading the second book I was desperate for the third. Which isn’t as good.
The third book feels sort of small and cramped compared to the others, not in size, but in the subject matter. The first two books also sped along, the plots running and jumping and never dwelling on anything for too long before being swept in another direction. The third book dwells on subjects, it languishes over things and not for any good reason. I know the third book is where all the moralising creeps in but he still could have kept it fast moving. Plus I don’t like the Muelefa (you’ll see).
I also didn’t like the end. Not the very end, which is sad and poignant, but still fine, the actual end of events. It again felt very small and the rationale behind why things finish up the way they do is never given. I like the idea of small acts by important people having long reaching effects, but there has to be a logical in universe reason for this. The end is limp and deserves more climax and I think certainly more action for the main characters.
It is still a must read trilogy for anyone into fantasy and sick of hobbits. Though the main character is still a lying thieving little person.
September 17th, 2003 at 10:45 am
I totally agree with your description of the first two books in comparison to the third, although I thought that the ending which is very sad was undeserved, The reason I am posting this is that I am slightly confused, The fisrt book in the trilogy I possess is called Northern Lights, and yet every web site or article on the book names it The Golden Compass, I dont suppose you know why this is, if so you have my e-mail address and I would be most grateful if you could enlighten me, yours faithfully
Stefan Bullman
September 26th, 2003 at 1:48 am
all three books were great and i couldnt put them down. although the third was kind of a let down especially with the ending. it was a good series and recomendit to any one thats needs some excitement.
September 26th, 2003 at 1:48 am
all three books were great and i couldnt put them down. although the third was kind of a let down especially with the ending. it was a good series and recomendit to any one thats needs some excitement.
October 13th, 2003 at 7:35 pm
i am thirteen and agree totally with your review of the first two books. I also agree that comparisions with tolkien and c s lewis are undeserved, having read material from all authors, i feel that ‘his dark materials’ is a completely unique experience. However i don’t agree with your opinion of the third book. Although it does linger occasionly, i think that it is still as fast as the first two books and deserves as much praise as they get from the reading community
October 24th, 2003 at 12:58 pm
I just finnished reading the trilogy and I loved them all. I thought that the parts of the Amber Spyglass with the Muelefa moved a bit slowly. Couldn’t belive how sad the ending was though…was reading the book at work and was almost getting a bit emotional!
And by the way Lyra’s not a theiving lying person, she lies but not with bad intentions…you cant help but like her.
November 9th, 2003 at 10:19 pm
I’m old, well 33 and i’m just reading the trilogy for the first time after seeing it on the BBC
Big Read.
The first book, northern lights is fast paced, humorous and captivating, compelling you to want the second. The experiments by the gobblers filled my eyes a little, the characters made you feel for them and the daemons made you want one of your own. I however, Lee, the balloonist I thought was the weakest character with no real direction.
Finally, I read the end a couple of times and couldn’t really see how Roger ended up how he did, it seemed a little rushed and unclear, rather like Sirus in H Potter book 5, a quick end tends to leave the reader lost.
The Subtle Knife
first thing I thought about this book was, oy where is Lyra, who wants to know about this will fellow! However you quickly begin to think of him fondly as you do with Lyra. Then Lyra who didn’t appear wild at all in the first book was seen as a wild almost uncivilized girl when you first meet her, why and how?
This book however did something I didn’t think would happen, I began to feel for Lee the balloon man; I got misty eyed towards the end with him and his daemon, very heroic and poiniant.
It also seemed that wills father was a waste of a character and his roll was easily guessed at by about chapter five, as was his outcome.
Now the ending, What happened there? it just died without saying what happened to Malone? and others, my biggest problem was the references to Lyras father. He went through when she did, and had been there for four days, how had he build a huge castle, how had he managed to contact all these people from all these universes, and get them to all come to him. It didn’t make sense, so i am compelled to read the third, the amber spyglass and hope it will answer all these questions.
The first two are great reads I did them both in a day and enjoyed them, they made me feel for the characters and I know when I finish the third I will miss each person in them. That is the sign of a good writer.
November 12th, 2003 at 6:58 pm
is the new book his dark materials by phillip pullman a new storie to lyra and Will, or is it just the three put together?
November 13th, 2003 at 9:47 am
His Dark Materials is the name of the trilogy. All three books. However there is a new book just come out called Lyra’s Oxford. Which is a guide book with some lovely woodcuts in it and a short story about Lyra and Pan.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385606990/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/026-9516029-1419603
November 17th, 2003 at 9:02 pm
just finished the amber spyglass, the mulefa what the hell are they about, pretty lame creatures.
the ending as well was pretty disappointing, it seemed the last five or six chapters were used to just clear up loose ends. What happens to will?
he is wanted for murder, what about lyra going back to school. and how did she lose her talent to read the altometerthingy.
it was a big book that dragged and just plodded to a finish.
What was the big temptation that Mary was supposed to have put before them, it never said.
very disappointed. the first two books i couldnt put down, this last one I just wanted to finsh and get rid of.
December 5th, 2003 at 2:20 pm
I have just woken up beside a harpie, i will never drink vodka again.She wants to go shopping and watch Trisha.
December 13th, 2003 at 6:13 pm
His Dark materials a great books i can’t stop reading them!!!
January 1st, 2004 at 10:15 pm
I have read lewis, Tolkien and Pullman, and still, to my friends amazement, i prefer Tolkien. It’s just more thought out, precise and complete, but i must say, Pullman is a fast second. Poor Will!!What about his fingers??All for a blade of evil!!]sigh[
January 1st, 2004 at 10:16 pm
I have read lewis, Tolkien and Pullman, and still, to my friends amazement, i prefer Tolkien. It’s just more thought out, precise and complete, but i must say, Pullman is a fast second. Poor Will!!What about his fingers??All for a blade of evil!!]sigh[
January 20th, 2004 at 9:28 pm
I have a few things to clear up.
Gavin: are you slow?? I am very sorry that the last book did not completely spell out how Mary was the ’snake,’ but that is what thinking is for.
Clearly, the temptation is when Mary describes falling in love to Lyra and Will. Once they heard her tale they realized that they loved each other, and it may be somewhat inferred that during the scene under the tree, they had sex.
Thus, the ‘fall’ as Pullman alludes to throughout the book. This ending somewhat sums up Pullman’s commentary on the church and God. Love is the original sin. Lyra and Will discovered the true meaning of their feelings for each other, just as Adam and Eve suddenly learned who they were, man and woman.
I cried so much at the end!
February 13th, 2004 at 11:13 pm
I absolutly loved the His Dark Materials Trilogy! I first read them when I was 11! I am now 12 and Ive read the trilogy 3 times. I cried the first time I finished the books but its just a matter of redemption. I think if Pullman had allowed Lyra and Will to stay together, it would miss the whole point of the book. Personally, I think that by seperating them, he showed the readers that its not such a happy world after all( or worlds)! Though it did take me a long time to come to this conclusion because I was so busy whinig about the ending. I do have one question, when the college guy talks about a betrayal that Lyra will make, which one is it? when she leaves pantelamon? when roger dies? just wondering.:)
February 26th, 2004 at 10:55 pm
The way I read it, I thought the “temptation” was the love itself, and the “fall” would have been if they hadn’t made the sacrifice and left the windows open. After all, does their discovering love really change the multiverse itself? Not really. But if they had turned to their love and refused to stop the leak and break the knife…that would have been the heavily alluded to Second Fall. That’s how I read it.
Moose, I think that it was meant to be kinda both. I mean, it was obvious that Roger’s fulfilled the prophecy- they mention it as such afterwards. And he writes it clearly with Pan and the River Styx, that THIS was really it. I guess you could make the strongest case for Pan, because Roger could be explained away as a red herring to make the reader think that the worst was over, and there WAS an Roger-sez-it-wasn’t-your-fault scene shortly after the Pan betrayal.
Wow, a comment thread up more than half a year after the original post. The wonders of Google.
March 11th, 2004 at 10:33 am
I have only read the first and second books so far and I can’t wait to read the third.
Also I have read all the harry potter books and I noticed the huge similarity between dementors and spectras.
Does any one want to tell me a bit about what happens? and I also wanted to know if ‘His Dark Materials’ will be made into a film?
So far I think its a worth while read!
March 11th, 2004 at 10:51 am
I’m sure they will make a movie eventually. They’ve put on a two part stage adaptation at the NT in London http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/?lid=6158. Apparently it’s brilliant and the set design and stage management pushes the limit of what you can do in front of a live audience. I would think they might then use that as a basis to make a film. Though as you can see the running times are over 6 hours
March 11th, 2004 at 10:58 am
In fact there is obviously one in production.
IMDB entry showing it in pre-production.
March 11th, 2004 at 12:48 pm
Please Please Please tell me what happens in book three! I know theres something to do with Lyra and Will falling in love but I need to know more.
March 11th, 2004 at 12:51 pm
Also I wanted to know if they have sex under a tree.
March 20th, 2004 at 1:21 pm
I just have a quick question about the angel Will let out of the crystal box in book 3 when in the battle. I got a bit confused about how the authority was brought down, was it just when asriel and mrs coulter took metatron into the abyss? or did will do this when he let the angel out of the box? I loved all three, and admit even having a cry at the end!
March 25th, 2004 at 12:07 am
Here’s what I think. I believe that the temptation was to let their feelings interfere with their adventure taking place. Just as you guys said. However I believe that the Authority was destroyed when Asriel and Coulter bring metatron into the abyss. You see they had found out that the Authority dedicated all his power to metatron, his regent. Basically they were almost like connected by soul. So if metatron died then all that power is destroyed as well bringing down the authority. I have a question myself, however. Lord Asriel said he wanted to destroy original sin. Was this fulfilled and what happened with dust? Also whats with the construction of the republic of heaven that Lyra spoke about at the end??? Besides these cliffhangers I have never read a book as absorbing and suspensful as this one..
April 24th, 2004 at 4:26 am
I have a question: what is Dust? Is it good, bad?
December 20th, 2005 at 10:46 pm
i have only read the first book and it is truly increadible tale with many twists in it and well developed and dominating characters who if i did not know better would say were real a gripping book with totaly unbelevabel skill and detail put into it i read it at any available opertunity and now my all time fave author has a deadly rival philip pullman nicole aged 13 20/12/05
December 20th, 2005 at 10:47 pm
what is the title of the third book?
December 27th, 2005 at 7:58 pm
December 27th, 2005 at 8:02 pm
question:has philip pullman wrote any other books?
February 2nd, 2006 at 6:46 am
I thought that they really didn’t have sex until after they touch each others’ daemons and then “lay together.” That’s biblical turn of phrase that Pullman couldn’t resist. I decided this interpretation fit because of the description of how Will iniitated the touch with deliberateness and full knowledge of what it meant. The nice thing is even in this final escalation of their intimacy, they retain their innocence, in the sense that they wondered if any other lovers had made this wonderous discovery, when it’s obvious it’s rite of passage that all lovers discover.
—-
and so those photons between the childern wove a silent web
February 25th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
WOW! Just finished reading the trilogy and I loved it. I agree with some of the comments about the final book being a little slow and not not really explaining things properly and just rushing through. But what got me the most was the ending! How sad was that. It took a while for me to like Lyra and she grew on me and the ending was just so sad. Will there be another book and do you think Lyra and Will, will ever have their happy ending - i really hope so. The story has to be thought for in two days - firstly its a love story and secondly its a commentary on organised religion and the illusion it creates for people. It would have been good for the book to go into more poeple about the origin of life/conscienceness but maybe it will in follow up books. I really hope Lyra and Will, get together in the end.
February 25th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Unfortunately there aren’t any more
At this point there is a movie in production, looks like a trilogy of films based on each book.
I went to see the National Theatre production of His Dark Materials and it was great. They packed the whole thing into 2 sittings over 2 nights. The first was basically the first book and the second night the following two. They took some liberties with the story, but kept the basic premise. They did get rid of the muelefa, which was great, and they avoided using the physicist as the guardian angel and protector figure. There are some pictures of the 2004 production on the Guardian website… I went to see the 2005 version, different cast but the same set, props, puppets, etc.
Also there are plenty of othe Philip Pullman books. Check out amazon or where ever, The Firework Makers Daughter is meant to be good. Most of the rest of his books are much more kid oriented. The dark materials are the ones that really do seem to have cross over appeal.
February 25th, 2006 at 3:27 pm
Is there really not going to be anymore books after the trilogy. If true thats so sad, what about building the republic of heaven and more importantly Lyra and Will ever getting together. Also we wont know what their deamons did when seperated from them. Is Philip Pullman really going to leave this epic story like this, I am not asking for a hollywood ending but at least something more than we are left with. After what Lyra and Will go through dont they deserve a happier ending?
February 27th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
That’s the beauty of the ending. It’s bittersweet, not happy. They must keep their love but not stay together, only seperated by the thin walls between the worlds.
This is possibly one of the best bits of the stage production - inspired by Will and Lyra’s promise to always meet back up - it starts and ends with Will and Lyra on the park bench. Sitting next to each other and talking, in seperate worlds but always together.
February 27th, 2006 at 5:06 pm
Yes you are right, but it does pull at the heartstrings when you think about what they’ve been through and to finally discover their feelings for each only to be seperated. On the HDM website in the fanfiction section somebody has written a beauty few passages about how when Lyra and Will eventually die they meet up in the land of the dead and become dust together. Bittersweet indeed, i am not a fan of typcial hollywood endings, but this really does get you. Yes it was a good ending unfortunately not happy. I shall have to go see the stage production.
March 24th, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Just finished the last book today, and yes, there may have been a tear in my eye towards the end (male, mid 30s). Overall it’s hard to fault the books, but one thing did make me chuckle. That was how so many of the characters became lifelong-soulmate-friends so quickly. Ok, I can understand Iorek’s loyalty to Lyra after she saved him, but what about Lee? He was just a bloke with a balloon. Then there was Mary and the witch at the end. They’d only chatted for a bit, then all of a sudden they were like sisters.
Oh, why was everyone making out Asriel was a great bloke? He deliberately killed Roger to creat the rift. Ok, no-one’s perfect but that was pretty mean!
I’m sure I will read the books again. Such a rich multifaceted plot…
March 26th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
after reading the trilogy it became apparant that philip pullman was not only a superb author but a master in his own right his grip on the magic of writing leaves all who read his books mesmorised to the point where you become interwoven in a web of some of the most fantastic words put to paper in my opinion this masterpice tops even j.r.r tolkeins the lord of the rings and i would reccomend these books to anyone. nicole aged 13
May 16th, 2006 at 4:18 am
I loved the books and fail to see how some critique such a talented auther. I couldn’t right a book a THIRD as good as that or with that musch skill and imagination. I loved the Gallivespians of the third book and the muelefa. The description of details was wondreful. I somewhat agree with those who have a comparison in the first two to the third, however, i love the books. Keep it up Philip Pullman!!!
June 21st, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Ok I have to admit, after reading these masterpieces the flood gates opened and I had a jolly old cry, despite being 18. How could Pullman do that to Will and Lyra? Need to buy Lyra’s Oxford now, is it any good? Does it answer and questions? Can’t wait for the fourth book “The book of dust” Will and Lyra should so be together, would help put my mind at ease. I loved the idea of the deamons, although I have to say after reading the trilogy it did make me feel awefully alone.
May 21st, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I read the books when I was quite young, and then again in the last few years and still I cried. I adored the books and have been hoping for a movie for many years. I’m wondering when it will hit the big screen and how i can find out when and where it will be premiering. Lyra is my hero.