Philip Pullman / His Dark Materials

[Soldier of the One]

If there's already such a thread, my apologies.

 

But a discussion of these books HAS to happen. I am counting on all you heathen atheists!

 

Loved the books, simply did. Wanted to make 'The Republic of Heaven' my battle-cry. Liked the movie a fair bit too - but am really disappointed that there will be no sequels.

 

Philip, write some more. We need them!

[anniebgood]

I loved Sam Elliot and the War Bears in Iron Armor.

Nicole Kidman ruined the movie for me. I've read all the books and I wish they could have gotten to 3 movie wise.

[Soldier of the One]

Kidman was an unexpected choice - also because she was portrayed as blonde while the book portrays Mrs. Coulter as having black hair. Even so, I thought she was true to form.

I am really upset about there not being any sequels and I have a sneaking suspicion that the atheist subject matter had something to do with it. An as an advocate of freedom of/from religion, that upsets me further.

[Maul the Koala]

I remember reading The Golden Compass back in high school, from my Catholic school's library no less! Apparently that was a big no-no at the time. Someone must've clued them in because I couldn't find it again after that and they didn't order the sequels either. It wasn't until I discovered all three on sale one year dirt cheap that I remembered I liked the first book and always wanted to read the other two books.

[Athena]

Pulling this thread out of the abyss to say that I LOVED this series of books and wish that they would've make the sequels to the movie. Actually I got into the books after I watched The Golden Compass because I wanted to know how the story ended. After I finished reading the books I did a bit of research online to find out when the sequels would be released. I was very disappointed to read that the answer was probably never. The reasons I read were that the Catholic church kiaboshed it and the producers couldn't agree on direction. Who knows what's really true but 'tis a shame because it really is an awesome story.

[freejoytoo]

Has anyone read Lyra's Oxford? That's a small followup book. I went to Oxford recently and totally geeked out, especially because Lyra's Oxford comes with a map and I could trace it all!

Philip Pullman gave a lecture at my university once and answered my question and signed my books! It was amazing!

[Itsnotaclowncar]

Love these books, I bought The Golden Compass at my Catholic school's bookfair in first grade. I wasn't all that into the movie, I felt like a lot of the atheism was removed to make the movie more palatable, completely unlike the Chronicles of Narnia movies. A lot of the meat was gone, although I'd attribute the lack of sequels to poor sales and a bad economy. The books are very rich in detail and action and that doesn't always translate well to film.

Kidman didn't bother me I think she does cool and off putting pretty well, her face is a little frozen anyway. Her character doesn't really develop until the later books and

we find out she's Lyra's mother.

Also, I really really want a daemon. Seriously.

[kb2]

I really liked all the books, but I thought the movie was just bad. I wanted it to be good, but it got slow in the middle.

[Soldier of the One]

Yes, the atheism was removed from the movie, unfortunately. Which is a big piece of the books to begin with! It's like denying that Aslan = Christ in Narnia. Shame.

Have any religion geeks pick up on the fact that a big theme of the books was Gnosticism with 'God' being the Demiurge? I have little time for Gnosis but found it an interesting and creative premise.

[AuntCloud]

Had to respond to this thread - I'm scouring the depths of FJ, as my alternative is studying for an exam in cost accounting.

Lyra, Hermione and Tiffany Aching are all heroes and I wish my 11-12 year old me could channel them. Read the first two books, loved The Golden Compass a little better than the Subtle Knife, and both had scenes that scared the living daylights of me. The parts where the baddies were experimenting on kids... that was a bit much for me. Wish I had a daemon, too.

[gustava]

I thought we all come with or acquire a daemon.

[freejoytoo]

Who's Tiffany Aching?

My favourite is The Golden Compass, though that's an unpopular opinion. I also really like Lyra's Oxford.

[saraelise]

Tifanny Aching is a Discworld character http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld

I love, love, loved His Dark Materials. I read them a long time again and they really sparked my journey of faith.

[freejoytoo]

Oh right - I couldn't get into Discworld! In what way did it 'spark your journey of faith'? In what sense?