Philip Pullman - Northern Lights

Ah - I wondered when Pullman would be discussed. :)

My partner read the His Dark Materials series - and thought they were pretty excellent, excepting the final ending.

Infact, the consensus fmo other people who've read them is that the series is great, but that the overall ending is a bit of a letdown.
 
I'd agree with what Brian said, pretty much:)

Some of the ideas were very good, though the writing was a bit shildish on occasion. It shows that they're childrens books... definately worth the read tough:)
 
Is Northern Lights one of the His Dark Materials series? It doesn't sound familiar to me though I did read the series. I don't recall being let down by the ending though. Of course, I don't remember much of the story at all. I read them at a time of great upheaval and I'm sure that only a portion of my brain was engaged while I was reading.
 
Adult concepts in a children's package. I thought that this was a very complex story, drawing parallels with Milton's Paradise Lost. The two leading characters are brilliant, and the supporting characters are so varied and strange. A must read.
 
dwndrgn - you're from the US, right? You'd probably know it as "The Golden Compass" in that case... bloody stupid american publishers;)
 
caladanbrood said:
dwndrgn - you're from the US, right? You'd probably know it as "The Golden Compass" in that case... bloody stupid american publishers;)
Click to expand...
indeed!:p

I read the books and I wasn't so much let down by the ending as having a massive feeling of "uh..what the hell??"

I sware I missed something vital right at the last minute
 
I read the seires a couple of years about but really loved them. I thought ans still think they are brilliant.


Actually. I think i may go dig them up and re-read them.
 
I think the Northern Lights is the best book in His Dark Material series. The other two I felt were not as interesting and a little lacking in maturity. Now I know thats probably doesnt matter because the series is a YA one. But I think it is something that is worth considering.:)
 
caladanbrood said:
dwndrgn - you're from the US, right? You'd probably know it as "The Golden Compass" in that case... bloody stupid american publishers;)
Click to expand...
Ah, just so. Does anyone have any idea why they create this kind of mess? It's just silly. Doesn't it just make more sense to have one title? Easier to advertise. Less cost to printers. More cohesive. Whatever. Completely annoys me. As well as confuses me :p Thanks for the tip, Brood.
 
Personally, my favorite in the series was the Subtle Knife. Will was the best character by a country mile.

They did the same with the first Harry Potter book. I believe the explanation was that its easier to understand "Sorceror's stone" than "Philosopher's stone". Ditto with Pullman. Basically, they think you're stupid. Unfounded, as far as I can tell;)
 
caladanbrood said:
Personally, my favorite in the series was the Subtle Knife. Will was the best character by a country mile.

They did the same with the first Harry Potter book. I believe the explanation was that its easier to understand "Sorceror's stone" than "Philosopher's stone". Ditto with Pullman. Basically, they think you're stupid. Unfounded, as far as I can tell;)
Click to expand...
They did it with Diana Gabaldon's series as well, blast them. Well, I won't say that there aren't any stupid people here, but to assume that the vast majority are is rather short sighted of them.
 
I've read the first book and was very intrigued by the animal soulmates. I read it while Zelda was still a kitten so I imagined she was my little daemon. It reminds me of the relationship humans have to their dragons in the Dragon's of Pern series. I never did read the rest of the trilogy, but I did enjoy the first book. I couldn't help thinking of the evil cat on the Smurf's every time I read the name Lord Asriel. Especially, 'cause I think his daemon was a big tiger or some catlike creature if I remember correctly. Anyway, I'd say read it.
 
I've read them all, the ending didn't so much as let me down than me feeling sorry for the characters. I certainly didn't imagine the ending to be that way.
 
Now you may be all surprised I've also read this series.... :D

I found the 3 books something of page turners but the ending wasn't that satisfactory to my liking however I think overall it's a pretty good series that would be worth investigating.... :D

As you all probably know aready Phil Pullmann has a bit of a cult following with this series. It was also recently staged as a play in 2 parts at the National Theatre in Southbank, London, anyone see it??

Name Change For Book 1
*******************
CAL in answer to your query/comment about Northern Lights being re-titled to The Golden Compass for the American market here's Phil' answer:

"The editor who made that change was also responsible for changing "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", which made sense, into "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which didn't. At the time, I didn't have enough clout to resist."

*NB Think you mentioned something along these lines already... :D

Sequel
******
The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman will be a companion novel to His Dark Materials and will not be a basic reference book, but a story-driven guide. it wil focus on the stories of the secondary characters of the trilogy, such as how the balloonist aeronaut Lee Scoresby met the armored bear Iorek Byrnison and the character Serafina Pekkala. It will also provide information about the alethiometer and the history of the subtle knife and a continuation of the story about Lyra. Publication of The Book of Dust is expected sometime in 2005.

Film
***
New Line Cinema (of LOTR fame) are producing HDM as 3 films, the first The Golden Compass is expected to be out by approx October 2006.
 
Last edited:
'Golden Compass' and not 'Northern Lights' for the movie? That's a little dissappointing. Hopefully it'll only be the former in the US and the latter elsewhere.

I had to read Northern Lights for a university course and enjoyed it greatly. Couldn't get into The Subtle Knife, but a friend convinced me to persevere, and I found I couldn't stop then. Love the armoured bears, and Lee Scoresby is a brilliant character. I didn't find it childish at all, and in fact would have been bewildered if I had read it age thirteen or fourteen or younger. Give it a go, I say. Certainly very original, and very well written.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
nixie Philip Pullman; La Belle Sauvage. Book Discussion 2
M. Robert Gibson Sir Philip Pullman calls for 50p boycott over Oxford comma Grammar & Spelling 46
DannMcGrew Philip Pullman -Milton's Paradise Lost -- a master class in storytelling Writing Discussion 6
tegeus-Cromis New, long interview with Philip Pullman Book Discussion 4
Pyan Sir Philip Pullman... Young Adult Fiction 4

Similar threads


Back
Top