I just finished the "His Dark Materials" Trilogy by Philip Pullman

[Debi]

and I have to say...:wtf:

I'm SO confused! :crazy:

[Infomaniac]

1. Thelast book was the best of the three.

I would not call it great writing. But it was good. I think it would be a good way to get a young teen to start thinking and talking about organized religions.
:)

Edit:
Posted by Thomcat, logged in as InfoManiac. (sorry, I am visiting, and I forgot to log out and log back in as myself)

[ThomCat]

4. Okay, I am logged in as me now.

:)

Please don't mind me. I'm a bit lightheaded from meds and pain this morning. I'm in a stupid phase right now. :P

[Debi]

6. I would hug you but I don't want to hurt you

so here's a virtual hug :hug:

[ThomCat]

10. Hi Debi!

:hug:

:hi:
Virtual hugs are always welcome, and happily returned. :)

[Debi]

5. I agree that book three was the best

mostly because it tied up so many loose ends from one and two!

Definately young teen reading....NOT for younger readers (8-10) little too graphic in my mind.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I love those books.

[Debi]

7. his dislike of 'The Church' is NOT thinly veiled!

I like the pattern of the writing...I don't know that I liked the story (does that make sense?)

[tigereye]

3. isn't he amazing?

cynical, in my view, but incredibly challenging. I think he raises questions not typical for adolescent books of this type.

[Debi]

9. Yes, amazing - but my stomach was in knots more that once

The end of both book one and two I was just (for lack of a better term) in angst for what happened. So glad I took the time to read all three to understand the 'why' behind one and two's endings. I enjoyed the read even though the story wasn't the most enjoyable.

[seaglass]

8. me too...I finished last week and I loved them! Has anyone read

Lyra's Oxford? I'm thinking about buying it, would love some comments about it.

[Debi]

11. Me too - even though some of what was in the books bothered me

I don't want to NOT know what happens. Ready to continue reading him.

[seaglass]

13. What bothered you? Ideas or outcome for some of the

characters?

[Debi]

17. Outcome for the characters - but the third book explained SO much of that.

The way he wrote I was able to 'see' what way being written very well. As a mother of a young man my heart just broke in some parts!

[TZ]

12. I enjoyed it

In some ways much more sophisticated than your average young fantasy series. There was a good bit about quantuum mechanics in those books, something that really surprised me.

[Debi]

18. I did't feel overwhelemed though, I felt like the science was explained very well. n/t

[TZ]

24. Definitely.

He translated some very complex concepts into easily understood explanations. Many SCIENTISTS can't do that...:thumbsup:

[deepthought42]

14. Yea!

I have finished the first book, and as soon as I finish some other books, I'll probably start on the second one. I really liked the ending of "The Golden Compass". :)

[TZ]

15. Somebody changed their sig line....

I like it. But ummm I think Evoman might have a comment on the source...
:rofl:

[deepthought42]

19. Oh, I think he was just being too polite...

I wonder what his true opinion is... :rofl:

Oh Evoman, you know I still luv ya. ;)

[Debi]

20. You did? I was mad at the end of it.

I told Mr. Debi that I was pissed at Pullman b/c I thought there would be a little more happiness in the book. Please do read two and three. Three especially explains so much from one! And helped me come to terms with some of what happened between Lyra/Marisa/Lord Asriel. :hi:

[deepthought42]

21. Oh I hated what Lord Asriel did!

I wanted to like him, but not after that! I liked the ending because it really makes me want to read the next book to see what happens. I love books that do that to me. ;)


:hi:

[Debi]

23. You will enjoy two and three then - b/c there are some heart-wrenching parts in both

I like when books draw me in as well - just hate when they break my heart out of the blue! x(

[deepthought42]

32. I know that feeling... well I'm looking forward

to reading them! Thanks! :hi:

[WritingIsMyReligion]

35. Pullman isn't a "happy" writer. (SPOILERS FOR BOOK THREE)

That's sort of his point--the Church might want you to dream and dream and get lost in religion, but that's not really living. Really living is accepting the bad along with the good and enjoying things when they happen, because there is no second chance at life, no heaven and not even a hell, just oblivion. Although I don't have AMBER SPYGLASS in front of me, I know when Lyra/Will go to the underworld place, the ghost of a nun implores people to follow them into the real world and dissolve into the earth again, and implores Lyra and Will to spread the word that living for religion, living just for the hope of eternal rewards, is the wrong way to live, as there are no eternal rewards, only what you know--essentially, life isn't a proving ground or "practice" for some other existence; it's all there is.

It is very, very sad, of course, especially the parting between Lyra and Will and that you KNOW they will never meet again, but that's all part of Pullman's point. Lyra and Will's relationship was made all the sweeter by its briefness.

[Debi]

36. I actually liked the part when they were in the land of the dead, (more spoilers)

It was the very end of book one when she lost her best friend (and her FATHER was the one who killed him!)

[PassingFair]

16. I like the second book the best.

The third book...not so much.

[Debi]

22. I thought three explained so much of what happened in one

but I do think one was the weakest of all three. (Of course by the time I started reading two I understood how to read Pullman and that probably made it more enjoyable). Are you going to read Lyra's Oxford?

[PassingFair]

25. It's been so long since I read them...

Didn't book 3 have that long, confusing
bit where they were living in trees with
machines with wheels for legs or something.....?????

I remember thinking WTF? And being totally confused and bored out
of my mind until they she finally left that world.

I really enjoyed the movie, but I'll probably pass on
Lyra's Oxford and wait for the next book....

[Debi]

26. Yeah, that was three and I guess I saw it as a new beginning

like man/wheel and adaptation to the changing world :shrug:

[PassingFair]

27. I got that....but OMG...it went on for....e-v-e-r.....

smite god already!

[Debi]

28. Ha!

:7

[PassingFair]

29. I thought that of the 3...

Book 2 was a rousing good "adventure" read that
could even stand on it's own.

I like the expansion of the story of the
witches and the Lee Scoresby character.

[Debi]

30. I wanted more of the witches! That's why I want to read Lyra's Oxford

to see if there is any further interaction.

[PassingFair]

31. You might enjoy this, Debi...

It's long, but SO, well, PULLMANY...

http://www.philip-pullman.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=84

I HAVE read the "Ruby in the Smoke"

I think I will track down the others in the series now...

[Debi]

33. Thank you for this! n/t

[WritingIsMyReligion]

34. Dude, that trilogy is fuckin' amazing.

What's to be confused about?

:P

[uppityperson]

37. Pullman hits on a thing like Miyazaki does.We are mixtures of good and bad.

Things don't always work out with birds cheeping and bands playing and everyone oh so happy. I had to read then a couple times since the first time I was focused on the plot, then got to figure out all the bits that make it such a good set of books. This was one of my complaints about the movie. The books had things develop slowly, which I really liked.

Have you read any Sheri Tepper? She deals with alternate worlds, sometimes Earth here now, societal issues based (mostly) around women/men, but other things also.