Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The Golden Compass Series (His Dark Materials Trilogy) by Philip Pullman

Okay, I read them, all three in the series (found out later there is a 4th and some extra books too, probably won't read those,)...AND I thought they were very good. I couldn't put them down. They were very imaginative and deep. I can see how the religious communities around the world would not like them because they really slam the whole God verses Satan theory in the Catholic church. BUT but the books are FICTION and take you to many different worlds. The other places aren't like the world we know and love. The book points out these kinds of complexities because we aren't all human...in the authors made up fiction books. JUST like any other fiction book I have read. Fiction=not real life, an invented story. It isn't true, it is just a creative idea in someones head written down to share with others.

I do not recommend them for children even though they are about children or to catholics because he writes in an offensive way but I do recommend them to Fantasy/Fiction book lovers. They are a bit BROKEN. Especially since the whole good and bad is turned to a new definition in a new dimension of course. That is what is so appealing to me in a Fantasy/science fiction book, places and ideas you would never connect without someone else sharing them in a story type of way.

I do want to see the movie but I won't have the kids watch it. I'm glad I read them despite the whole controversy, bans and boycotts, which I mostly support because this adult book was being pushed on small kids. BAD. Plus the author is a nut and evil.(He didn't say very nice things about this intent in writing this book the way he did, directed at getting people to leave the church.) Too bad, he could have been more enlightening if he wasn't so full of hatred toward the Catholic church and closed to the truth of God's love. It still isn't a bad thing to write about Gods. All through history people have asked questions and speculated about what their parents and teachers have taught them. This isn't any different only more in your face.


Thanks for letting me borrow them Kim!
- His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman -- BROKEN

5 comments:

bug girl said...

I still need to read the last book. I have gotten sidetracked by all sorts of other fun and amusing things.

The Bec-ster said...

Do you mean the third book? That is the one with all the controversy in the first place... uhh do I have your copy? I can send them back now that I am done done done!

kim said...

I loved those books and actually felt like they were fairly in line with a lot of things that I beleive--but I'm not Catholic ;) I was shocked though by the outrage in certain parts of the mormon church--and feel like a lot of it was uninformed and unfortunate.

Glad you read them and enjoyed them!

elesa said...

I loved the books too. Just so entertaining and different from anything I have read. I give your review 2 thumbs up - 1 because it is a good review, and 1 because I agree with what you said!

Andrew Clarke said...

If you enjoyed these books, may I suggest another title to try? "Outcasts of Skagaray" by Andrew Clarke was written out of concern for the unwanted and abandoned children of the world. It takes the form of an adventure fantasy. For sample chapters, please see www.threeswans.com.au
It would be good to hear your opinion of the book!