Philip Pullman

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Anna Moss
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Philip Pullman

Post by Anna Moss »

I have read a few but not many of Phillip pullman's books and I have been fully absorbed into each one. At the moment I am halfway through The golden compass - nothern lights book 1. This is my fave book so far I have read by him! I think it is absolutely amazing and I can't stop reading it on day 3 I was on page 140! Do you like his books?
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Tony Summerfield »

If you are enjoying Northern Lights, Anna, I think that you will find that the second book, The Subtle Knife, is even better. I must admit that I found the last book in the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass, rather confusing!
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Petermax
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Petermax »

Anyone reading Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy for the first time is in for a treat. These books have so much more depth than the Harry Potter series, they are best savoured very slowly indeed. Be prepared for withdrawal symptoms once all three books are finished, although there is a spin-off, Lyra's Oxford set two years after the events in the trilogy.
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Tony Summerfield »

And another follow up is coming out very shortly, Once Upon a Time in the North.
Anna Moss
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Anna Moss »

Hello!

Do you know, Tony when I was on holiday with my brother and his fianc'e, she recomended the books to me and I said
" This first book is fantastic!" I said.
Do you know what she replies?
" The first book is great, the second is even better but the third one is confusing!"

By the way, does lyra die in the third book? When I glanced at it there was a chapter called 'Lyra and her death'. :(
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I couldn't possibly tell you that, Anna, it would spoil it for you. You will find out yourself in time! :lol:

I can tell you that one of the central characters of the story, Will, doesn't even appear until the second book!
Anna Moss
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Anna Moss »

I knew you weren't going to tell me! :) Thats funny he dosen't appear in the first book because its the first book- the introduction where they introduce all the characters.
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Tony Summerfield »

You are going to wonder if you are reading the same story when you start the second book, as it goes off in a completely different direction. There are still a number of important characters that you haven't yet met, but along with Lyra, Will is central to the whole story. Enjoy!
dsr
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by dsr »

I though book 1 excellent, book 2 excellent until half-way through and then it got dull, and book 3 I've read the first 60 pages or so and stopped. I might pick it up again or I might not. It gives the impression that parts of books 4-6 of Harry Potter did, that the author's not really got enough ideas to fill the book but we've got to finish the series somehow.

I much preferred his Victorian London trilogy - The Ruby in the Smoke, The Shadow in the North, and The Tiger in the Well. Though that got a bit slow in the middle as well, before really taking off in book 3. (There was a sort of spin-off as well, The Tin Princess, which is good too.)
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Maggie Knows
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Maggie Knows »

I notice that Pullman was being nasty about Enid Blyton again the other day, calling her work utter rubbish amongst other things.

He seems to like getting stuck into other children's writers.

I tried reading his first Dark Materials book but didn't get far into it, but that's nothing unusual because I don't usually like fantasy fiction, as noted on another thread

Still, i don't see why he has to be so critical of other popular children's writers...
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by auscatherine »

I loved this series too but share Tony's reservations abotu the 3rd one. It was the elephants on wheels that got me! :shock:
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Phillip Pullman

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

:lol: "Elephants on wheels" is exactly how I always refer to them too!

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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Philip Pullman

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I was delighted to learn that a TV series of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is in the pipeline:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latest ... -materials" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I found the first two books imaginative and compelling. The third is rather meandering, though thought-provoking.

The 2007 film version of Northern Lights (retitled The Golden Compass) was fabulous in my opinion and I was sorry when no further films were made. Lyra and Mrs. Coulter were perfectly cast, and the portrayal of Pantalaimon and the other daemons was magical. It'll be interesting to see fresh interpretations of the characters and to see how the second and third books are handled. I'm particularly looking forward to watching the subtle knife in action - it has the potential to be visually stunning.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Philip Pullman

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I've just watched the BBC programme Imagine... Philip Pullman: Angels and Daemons:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... nd-daemons" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was interesting to learn about Philip Pullman's background and the various influences on his writing. He's said to have remarked about the power of storytelling: "'Once upon a time' is a much more effective way of influencing people's minds than 'Thou shalt not'."
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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Re: Philip Pullman

Post by Moonraker »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:It was interesting to learn about Philip Pullman's background and the various influences on his writing. He's said to have remarked about the power of storytelling: "'Once upon a time' is a much more effective way of influencing people's minds than 'Thou shalt not'."
Tell that to God and Moses!
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