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Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials

• Skeptics & Atheists

From a review of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials:

Of course, in identifying Catholicism as the enemy of reason, an institution run by power-hungry celibates who will stop at nothing to preserve their power, Pullman taps a rich seam in the national imagination that goes back to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Some of the trilogy is curiously reminiscent of the history of Maria Monk, a highly-charged 19th-century fiction about sexual depravity behind the walls of a convent. In this context, it is interesting that much of the author’s childhood was spent with his grandfather, an Anglican clergyman of the old school.

The Church that Pullman depicts has no philanthropists, no priests who devote their lives to the poor, no liberation theologians, no redemptive kindness, no charity, no forgiveness of sins - and no Christ. Rather, it is an institution dedicated to the perpetuation of its own power and the systematic perversion of human sexuality.

Melanie McDonagh, The Scotsman: The devil of a dilemma

Richard Evans Lee
December 14, 2003 •
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i really love Pullman's books. But i really want his e-mail address!!!!!!!! His books enspire me to find who i really am in my life and just have fun while i'm at it. Me and my stepsister Jenna, are so into his books we "found" deamons of our own! i hope his books enpire other people as much as they did to me. -Kendra

Posted by: Kendra H. | January 31, 2004 11:22 PM

My name is Sean and I'v read all the Dark Material's books. I didn't like the ending of the Amber Spyglass. I think that he should write a fourth book. I also think that he should find another way into Will's world that doesn't create Spectors. I know he prabably gets this all the time about information to make another book. you know how Will had those Gallivespians communicators he put in his pack. The Gallivespians said they would work as anywhere. millions of miles away from them. The Gallivespians live in Lyra's world .So lyra could get one and be able to talk to Will. Then they could figure out how to move to eachother's word. like Teleportation. Then they could get together again and figure out together how they can build The Republic of Heaven. Thats what I think.

Posted by: Sean | February 6, 2004 6:35 PM

i really love pullmans books. i've just finished reading the first book the northern lights and i thought it was absolutly amazing this book is so inspiring it is just unbelivable. i am so keen to read the next two i've been searching all over the net to find them and i want to know what other pullman enthusiasts think. i think this website is a great place to find the opinions of others like me who just can't belive how cool philip pullmans books are they are just so terrific i can't get over it. at this rate i'll be babbling on about how cool the book the northen lights is all night but as a philip pullman fan that's kinda what i do for a living.i'm gonna come back to this site loads to see what other kids like me think. from Geller 05

Posted by: geller 05 | March 11, 2004 11:14 AM

I really think that Phillip pullman's books are inspiring, but Lyra and Will have to seal up their love, whereas I think that they should have a tiny, tiny, tiny hole so that they can eachsee each other still. I cried for weeks after, still feeling poor Lyra's pain. I started reading His Dark Materials at the age of 9, and even then I felt like I could be Lyra, like I was Lyra. I myself was having a hard time at school and could bury my head in the books for hours. I really appreciate Philip Pullman's work, and it has inspired me to do my best in my writing. I am getting great grades thanks to the book, reminding me that life is hard, but I've got a pretty cushy ride. P.s, my demon changes to what I'm feeling. It tends to take form of a rabbit.

Posted by: E | March 22, 2004 1:01 PM

YOu were talking about finding another way into worlds and you were wanting him to write another book? Just go to www.fanfiction.net I'm writing a fanfic under GameSageZB, and many people are too.

Posted by: GameSageZB | April 14, 2004 4:35 PM

I have just finished the trilogy. Wow. Awesome stuff :D If you haven't read it yet I suggest it. The ending was tear-provoking: two thumbs up! Philip Pullman is a genius. Wow. AMAZING STUFF GUYS. >_

Posted by: Pam | April 16, 2004 9:18 PM

He did leave a tiny, tiny hole. A method of travel/sight that the angels use, one that would take great effort to learn.

Posted by: Omar Ravenhurst | April 24, 2004 9:18 PM

hi i think philip pullman's books are great i think he should write another one the ending is so sad please tell me your best character.i think Will should find an item to open a portal that kills a spectre every time a portal is opened from Matt.

Posted by: matt | May 2, 2004 11:33 AM

i think his dark materials is a wonderful trilogy and i wish the was another book i read the northen lights when i was ten i wish i had philip pullmans email !!!

Posted by: Ben | March 10, 2005 10:36 PM

Hi Philip this is probably going of be a one off but anyway in reply to your email send out to the greenhouse gas thingie I wouldn’t worry about it for too long heres the good news; as of now the world is getting hotter yes that is true but the world wont be flooded because of melting ice caps (I know you didn’t mention this in your monthly letter but I thought I’d add it just for a bit of fun) you can prove this theory by placing an ice cub in a glass of water and measuring the water level I assure you it will stay the same provided that you measure the water level after you put the ice cube in the real reason why the water level will rise is because when you heat up water it expands; second of all I just want to say that the dinosaurs didn’t live very long because scientists say that the earth collided with a meteorite this sort of thing scientist predict wont happen for another hundred years or so global warming will be a thing of the past by then ha! Ha! Ha! (hope I didn’t put you of your book by that statement any mention when it shall be finished I’m writing my own book at the moment I’ve been inspired by you and many other wonderful authors to write my own story hope to have it finished this year and have a publisher) And besides the main reason you wont want to worry about it for too much longer is because your getting on in life and it wont matter much longer I think its good the way your occupying yourself writing this book until eventual destruction of the whole planet occurs anyway loved your first three books of Lyra I hope she meets someone as nice as William. Yours sincerely Duncan J. F. Rider Ps I hope you get this letter as I’m not sure you will if you don’t I’ll try to find you real email and send it to you at that address Pps I’m not one of those crazy fans who’ll bug you all the time if I do find you real email this is just a once of as I said above, see ya!

Posted by: Noxious | January 17, 2006 10:48 AM

How do you feel?

Feel free to share your feelings about Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Please stick to the theme of the entry. Disagreement is fine. Homophobia, racism, and kindred expressions of hatred will be deleted. This site is one of my hobbies. I genuinely enjoy hearing from people and hate moderating or killing comments. Forthright disagreement is fine as long as it is civil.
My thanks,
Richard

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