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Inspired by Milton's "Paradise Lost" and now a major motion picture, Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy has captured the imagination of children, adults and the critics alike. Now you can understand the symbols of the alethiometer, revisit the stories and chart the history of Lyra's world in this invaluable companion to the unforgettable novels. With an enlightening biography of Philip Pullman, outlines and analyses of the novels, audio books, stage play and forthcoming movie, a dictionary of key words from Armoured Bear to Zombi, and a history of Lyra's world, this volume gives crucial further information to all admirers of the timeless books. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A well done guide to the persons, places, and references of Philip Pullman's Dark Materials
If you're weak on your Milton, Blake, Lewis, and Elliot, this will help out with the references. It's a fun read, or a useful reference, your choice. Lance Parkins is best known for his work, fiction and non-fiction, involving Dr. Who. Mark Jones I hadn't known anything about before seeing this book, but he seems to be a well-known writer of guidebooks and online materials.

Superb stuff
An excellent guide to a challenging series. The best bit is an A-Z of all the names, places and concepts. I learned a lot about Blake, CS Lewis and other people Pullman is influenced by. This is a very readable guide, and could also be useful for anyone writing a paper on the His Dark Materials books. ... Read more

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Part of a series of dramatizations of well-known novels, selected for Key Stage 3 students, this play examines the monster's situation in a sympathetic light, and shows how the experiment to create an artificial human being went horribly wrong. ... Read more

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When Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon eavesdrop on a secret meeting of the Scholars, they hear a spectral city above the Northern lights and an expedition that ends in murder. ... Read more

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Introduction by Carl Olson

British author Philip Pullman is widely acclaimed by critics and readers for his best-selling, award-winning trilogy, His Dark Materials. But he has been criticized by some for attacking Christianity and promoting atheism. What is the truth about Pullman and his books? What does he believe about God, religion, the Catholic Church, and atheism? What does he hope his books will accomplish? Why does he express such strong disdain for the fiction of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien? Should children be reading the His Dark Materials trilogy, or watching the film version of The Golden Compass, the first book of the trilogy?

These are just some of the many important questions addressed by Pete Vere and Sandra Miesel in their accessible, concise, and thoroughly-researched analysis of Pullman's fiction and beliefs. The authors provide a literary critique of His Dark Materials and reveal the many premises, and often surprising literary and philosophical sources of that popular work, as well as explain the symbolism present throughout. They also compare Pullman's fiction to The Chronicles of Narnia, the Harry Potter books, and other famous works of children's fiction. And they examine the metaphysical premises and moral propositions found throughout His Dark Materials, and point out the many objectionable aspects of the books--including violence and sensuality--about which every concerned parent should know. Readers looking for a fair, firm, and non-sensational critique of His Dark Materials will find it in Pied Piper of Atheism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Book is fair and enlightening
Oxford man? Not sure why this matters. Pullman is not a fellow of any of the Oxford colleges and is probably, like me, one of the legions of Oxford MAs floating out there.

The point is Pullman does have an agenda that is explicitly anti-Christian and uses his books to make his case. It is a little ironic to see the atheistic-agnostic left jump and down crying "foul" when the Narnia movies come out but to purr approvingly when the shoe is on the other foot.

predictable and mean-spirited
Philip Pullman has, perhaps, said a bit too much about his own atheism.As a consequence, defenders of the faith pounce upon his books, reading for the "evils" they seek to find and ignoring the overall ethical and even potentially Christian message they impart (if loving one's neighbor remains the second great commandment).The two essayists in this book, Peter Vere and Sarah Miesel, come at Pullman's trilogy prepared to find it specifically designed to indoctrinate children to atheism and anti-Catholicism.Vere provides the clumsiest attack as it seems he really hasn't read the novels carefully.For example, he asserts that Roger is "seeking solace from the Church during a harsh Arctic blizzard" when Roger shows up at Lord Asriel's house on Svalbard, never mind that Asriel's home is about as far from the Church as anyone could get in that world--physically or spiritually. That is, alas, not the only gaffe.Miesel's essay makes for some interesting reading as she ties the novels to gnosticism and other heresies and attempts to rebut Pullman's attack on the Narnia novels.Yet like Vere, she straps the novels to her own pre-interpretation and ignores what doesn't work to her purpose of denigrating the books.

Neither writer assumes that children have the critical intelligence to read fantasy as fantasy.

The novels are open to scrutiny for their heavy-going attacks on organized religion and the Judeo-Christian world view.Christian parents might well want to discuss the issues raised by the novels with their children.Many others have written commentaries criticizing Pullman's irreligiosity.For a far stronger, more balanced, and more intelligent critique of His Dark Materials from a Christian perspective, readers would be well-served by picking up Tony Watkins's Dark Matter.

Well, alright.
It is a book that helps one think about Mr. Pullman's trilogy. But there were moments, when I read this book, where I could not help but sympathize with Mr. Pullman, as they make him to be a darker devil than he ever hoped to be. Certainly more than I hope him to be. Christians nowadays, for reasons unknown, give this Oxford man far too much credit, and a great deal too much attention. I don't suggest ignoring the man (goodness no): but why not swallow his trilogy with a smile? It is quite hard to stumble across Pullman's books without knowing what he preaches.

Furthermore, read this book AFTER reading through His Dark Materials. Whereas if you have read the trilogy, you can shuffle through this book and think to yourself, "Yes, alright, that's well and good," or "No, no; I don't think Pullman ever intended that." But for parents who desire some insight into Pullman's own head, the book does what it says. But I suggest reading Pullman himself to figure out the mind of Philip Pullman. ... Read more

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The demand for new drama literature for Key Stages 3 and 4 is met by these original scripts and adaptations of popular children's fiction. The curriculum requirements for studying genuine dramatic literature will be achieved by studying these accessible theatre scripts. The plays can be successfully performed by pupils as they have already been performed in public to popular acclaim. The sophisticated themes and complex plots have been specifically designed to appeal to 11-16 year olds, and have a language level accessible to all pupils. These dramatic adaptations of popular texts allow pupils to respond to the subject matter from a new angle. ... Read more

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Ginny y su padre forman una familia poco comun pero muy unida, parecen dos amigos, dos hermanos. Es verano y Ginny tiene tiempo para estar con sus amigos, trabajar un par de horas en una cafeteria y disfrutar de sus quince años. La vida discurre placidamente, pero el descubrimiento de un secreto familiar esta a punto de desmantelar todo cuanto Ginny daba por sentado. La historia de una adolescente en la busqueda y hallazgo de su identidad./Sixteen-year-old Ginny's life is secure. Her mother is dead, but she's inherited her outstanding artistic talent, and she loves her life with her father in a seaside village in Wales. But the day a social worker arrives and old files are re-opened, Ginny's world cracks apart. Everything her father has told her about her family is a lie. And Ginny must uncover the hidden secrets of the past on a journey that will ultimately lead her to the mother she's never known... ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A daemonically incomplete companion.
Although I've read Pullman's trilogy, I'm not familiar with the stage adaptation beyond having browsed the tantalizing production pages that were once on the National Theatre's website. I'd hoped that this book would have similar content, with in-depth explorations of how the actors view their characters, what changes had to be made from the original text, perhaps some pix of stage scenes, and so on. Instead, this book seems to be a rather superficial summary of the pre-production process and seems to be written down to its readers, with passing references to Kenneth Branagh and Zoe Wanamaker only as "Gilderoy Lockhart" and "Madam Hooch". Although there are plenty of photos, all of them are black-and-white and most of them are of things like informal rehearsals and the design/construction process for props and costumes.

Perhaps I'm simply the wrong audience for this book, which might be hypnotically fascinating for people who actually work in theatre. However, I still think it doesn't make much sense without more knowledge of "His Dark Materials" as a staged play, whose adapted script(s) by Nicholas Wright I hadn't realized were also available and will probably buy next.

Because of those allowances, I'm giving this book one extra star from my original impression: since its focus is on pre-production rather than the finished play, it seemed like, well, all shallow foreplay and nothing more. It really doesn't seem complete by itself, as if it were a severed daemon wandering about lost and alone. ... Read more

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With the gyptians, Lyra travels to the bleak splendour of the North, bearing a truth-telling compass, she goes in search of Roger and the other lost children - to Bolvangar. ... Read more

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No one in the village of Karlstein dares to leave their homes on All Souls' Eve - the night Zamiel the Demon Huntsman comes to claim his prey. But the evil Count Karlstein has struck a terrible bargain with Zamiel, and so the lives of his two young nieces, Lucy and Charlotte, are in danger. Their only hope lies with Hildi, a castle maidservant, and her fearless brother Peter. Can they save the girls from their dreadful fate? Only one thing is certain - the Demon Huntsman will not return to his dark wood unsatisfied! A deliciously terrifying and wickedly funny Gothic tale, Count Karlstein is the first-ever children's book by Philip Pullman, winner of the Whitbread Award, the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Fiction Award and two Smarties Awards. Originally published in 1982, this new edition of Count Karlstein is a treat no Pullman fan should miss. ... Read more

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A critical appraisal of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, this text forms part of a series that aims to provide accessible and informative introductions to some of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential novels of recent years. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to give a thorough and readable analysis of each of the novels in question.The books in the series all follow the same five-part structure: a short biography of the novelist; a full-length study of the novel, drawing out the most important themes and ideas; a summary of how the novel was received when it was first published; a summary of the novel's standing today, including any film or television adaptations and a helpful list of discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and useful websites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An Odd Idea With A Few Surprises
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is a vastly entertaining and suprisingly layered story. This small tome hopes to be a preview of sorts to the books. Giving people who may be interested in reading the trilogy an overview of the story, its author and the critical reception the books received.It's kind of an odd idea, but it does accomplish all it sets out to do and even offers a bit for those who have read the books already.

I had hoped that there would be more analysis and less descriptions of plot and character, but I realize that this is not the books focus.It's helpful for those who enjoyed the His Dark Materials Trilogy to learn more about the author in the first section, but then these readers are left with little to sink their teeth into until the fourth section "The Novels' Peformance" which gives us some of the critical responses to the series.

This is a book best suited to those new to the series who may have not had the time to yet ponder the larger aspects the story brings up.For more seasoned readers it's a shallow experience.I'm hungry for some real heavy analysis and discussion.If you are too, this book is not for you.

Good guide to a great series
This is a good guide to the His Dark Materials series, suitable for a college level. Younger readers or people looking for a more fun guide should try Dark Matters. I liked this book most for the sections on the reviews and criticism of Pullman.

Review by His Dark Materials fansite webmaster
The book is divided into five chapters: The Novelist, The Novels, The Novels' Reception, The Novels' Performance, and Further Reading and Discussion Questions. The first chapter is a 13-page biography of Philip Pullman, and a compact analysis of Pullman's works. The chapter "The Novels" gives a complete analysis of His Dark Materials, reviewing the many different aspects of the books, from Dust to Politics to Religion and The Church, and even Environmentalism. Mrs. Squires also analyses the roles Lyra, Will, Lord Asriel, Mrs. Coulter, and Mary Malone play in His Dark Materials. The third chapter is, as the title suggests, solely about the novels' reception, and the author describes and quotes the reactions to the novels by different parties, commendable here is the fact that Mrs. Squires notes the positive reception as well as the negative reception of the books, which makes for a very informative read. The chapter "The Novels' Performance" is a small 3-page chapter that covers the fame of His Dark Materials. The final chapter: "Further Reading and Discussion Questions", gives a list of questions about: Storytelling, Daemons, Gender, Innocence and Experience, Religion and The Church, Realism and Fantasy, Intertextuality, and Children's Literature. It also contains a vast Bibliography, and a list of useful websites.
My Opinion: This book offers all that a reader's guide should. It contains extensive information about Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials, and their reception and performance. Mrs. Squires manages to give a very complete overview of all these points, also due to the fact that she constantly utilizes quotes from articles, reviews, interviews, and other His Dark Materials-related texts. The book's style makes for a very pleasant read, so that this book is not one of those strict and dull reference guides.

I'm a very critical reviewer. When I review a book I usually spend at least a whole page highlighting the book's faults and flaws, and draw the inevitable conclusion: A nice concept, but due to a flawed execution ultimately a failure. However, this time I was denied this pleasure. Mrs. Squires' book is indeed a reader's guide, so it will only be of real value to those who have either read or are adequately acquainted with the His Dark Materials. That is, together with the slightly steep price (In the UK £5, in de US $10 for this 95-page book), the only bad points of the book, and I believe them to be minor faults. Mrs. Squires manages to capture the very essence of His Dark Materials that we fans are well acquainted with, and that has made us love the books.

My Verdict: If you've read His Dark Materials, buy this reader's guide. If you haven't read His Dark Materials, read them, and then buy this book.

http://www.hisdarkmaterials.org/

A Good Guide to HDM
In this, the first book about the His Dark Materials trilogy, Claire Squires sets a fine example for those who will follow her. The Reader's Guide provides a detailed, yet concise, look at the trilogy and its author.

Like all books in the Continuum Contemporaries series (of which Ms. Squires has also written a guide to Zadie Smith's White Teeth), this follows the format of:

-A short biography of the novelist
-A full-length study of the novel, drawing out the most important themes and ideas
-A summary of how the novel was received when it was first published
-A summary of the novel's standing today, including any film or television adaptations
-A helpful list of discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and useful websites.

I thought that the Guide was a good resource, both for readers who had already been acquainted with the trilogy and its author for some time, and for those just discovering it. Claire's detailed look at the major characters of His Dark Materials, including descriptions of their character and the part that they play, is very satisfying. The analysis of the trilogy's stance on religion, innocence vs. experience, the Fall and Original Sin, and Environmentalism is refreshingly complete, providing a look from all angles. This, I think, establishes the Guide as an excellent resource, since it pinpoints the flaws of the trilogy along with the successes, and attempts to fully understand the books rather than pretend that HDM is something that it's not.

Finally, the Reader's Guide successfully depicts those parts of His Dark Materials that caused us, the fans, to fall in love with the story and its characters. An entire section is dedicated to the bittersweet and painful, yet inevitable ending of The Amber Spyglass, and the quotes from the books that are most enduring in our hearts and minds find their well-deserved place in Ms. Squires' Guide.

The only part that I was disappointed about was the cost... with only 100 pages[...], it seems a bit expensive, costing more than a book of the trilogy itself.... but still, the content within is well written, and the insights provided by Ms. Squires deserve to be read by anyone who is a fan of Philip Pullman's remarkable trilogy. [...] ... Read more

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Join Alice as she travels through Wonderland and meets a host of bizarre characters including the White Rabbit and the March Hare. Featuring Sir John Tenniel's original illustrations coloured by Harry Theaker and Diz Wallis, this is a beautiful edition of the ever-popular story, which will delight a new generation of readers. This title is a stunning new full-colour trade paperback edition of this children's classic.Amazon.com Review
Source of legend and lyric, reference and conjecture,Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is for most children purepleasure in prose. While adults try to decipher Lewis Carroll'sputative use of complex mathematical codes in the text, or debate hisalleged use of opium, young readers simply dive with Alice through therabbit hole, pursuing "The dream-child moving through a land / Ofwonders wild and new." There they encounter the White Rabbit, theQueen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, and the Mad Hatter, among amultitude of other characters--extinct, fantastical, and commonplacecreatures. Alice journeys through this Wonderland, trying to fathomthe meaning of her strange experiences. But they turn out to be"curiouser and curiouser," seemingly without moral orsense.

For more than 130 years, children have reveled in the delightfullynon-moralistic, non-educational virtues of thisclassic. In fact, at every turn, Alice's new companions scoff at hertraditional education. The Mock Turtle, for example, remarks that hetook the "regular course" in school: Reeling, Writhing, andbranches of Arithmetic-Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, andDerision. Carroll believed John Tenniel's illustrations were asimportant as his text. Naturally, Carroll's instincts were good; themasterful drawings are inextricably tied to the well-loved story. (Allages) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (155)

A magnificent classic.But beware of this KINDLE edition.
I last read this magnificent book many moons ago (1962) when I had some time on my hands.I was fascinated by the story and the logic inculcated within.So now that I have a Kindle and some time I thought why not read this gem?

The book of course is superb.No complaints there.The Kindle edition however is a different matter.There are NO ILLUSTRATIONS as in the hardcopy versions of this book.With a story saturated with visual metaphors this is an unforgivable sin - even though the book is offered for free.Sometimes "free" is really NOT free because this version can drive away some of the younger crowd from reading the book.That is the highest of sins.

One of my desert island desirables
Blood and Sunlight: A Maryland Vampire Story

The sheer lunacy of Alice is so incredibly imaginative. Carroll was creating worlds long before the likes of Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett.Definitely a must read. What gets overlooked is the amazing characterization of Alice. She's curious (of course!), but also pragmatic, determined, and wickedly unflappable. She might be the maddest of all of them! Definitely set aside some time to read this edition.

This was interesting to read
The pictures of the characters are cool. But I thought they change the story a bit and add some different parts, instead of hearing the same lines and speeches again. but I still liked it.

Classic Boredom
I read this as a kid, and hated it.But thought that maybe age, maturity, and increased intellect might give me a different perspective.Bored me as much today as it did yesterday.It's indeed a classic, and that's wonderful for enduring literature and the amazing allegories it contains.But for me it means snoretime, not wonderland.

Not so special
Entertaining, but not so special. Maybe in its time and era it was, but for me it was no more than 3 stars. It was a free Kindle book though, so no money lost here. Thank you, Amazon :)) ... Read more

Product Description
New to The Golden Compass? Don't feel lost--or alone! This accessible, illustrated guide is the only passport you'll need to Philip Pullman's imaginative world of His Dark Materials. Written especially for newcomers, Discovering The Golden Compass tells you everything you'd want to know in reader-friendly prose, supplemented with dozens of photographs and illustrations.
Book highlights: Pullman's 10,000-word autobiographical essay talking about his life and work; a 16-page full color insert of new photos showing Oxford, the "city of dreaming spires," in all its glory; 15 new pen-and-ink illustrations and a full color painting by former Disney artist and Imagineer, Tim Kirk; and complete coverage of Pullman's talk at the Oxford Literary Festival, in which he and The Golden Compass film producer, Deborah Forte, talk about the considerable challenges in bringing the book to film.
Newcomers will especially welcome the book-by-book look at Pullman's trilogy--The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Minimizing spoilers, Beahm explains what each book is about, discusses the key characters, places, and things, and also quotes Pullman, his fans, and critics on the work itself. Plus extensive information about Lyra's Oxford and an advance peek at The Book of Dust.
With information about the various adaptations of The Golden Compass (film, theatrical, and audio), illuminating essays on daemons, the alethiometer, and Dust, and a section devoted to additional resources for readers who want to know where to go for more information, Beahm's book is your ticket to Pullman's imaginative universe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Discovering George Beahm
George Beahm has written the definitive book about "His Dark Materials". A must-have companion to Philip Pullman's series, it is full of everything you ever needed to know about the series and the author, as well as lovely illustrations and photographs.I highly recommend it for fans of "His Dark Materials" or anyone interested in Philip Pullman and his works.

Not Just An Introduction....
I found George Beahm's book to be not only an excellent introductory guide but also very useful as a study aide.
About two years ago I happened to overhear a part of an audio tape my daughter was listening to. As I paused to listen I instantly became intrigued. The audio book was "Northern Lights" by Philip Pullman My daughter graciously agreed to start the tape again and we all (mom and 2 children) began the journey together into the world of Philip Pullman. The journey is a deep, multi-coloured and thought provoking one to be sure....as a person who has taken on the task of homeschooling my kids I recognize a huge potential for learning by way of study and reflection and this is where we get to the importance and influence of George Beahm's book..."Discovering The Golden Compass" It has proven to be a wonderful source of fact and information...with a host of references, photos, links, that the kidshave found quite helpful in their studies of Pullman's books. So yes, this book will most certainly prove to be invaluable to those who want an introduction to "The Golden Compass" and the rest of the trilogy before seeing the movie, but it also has more to give....for educators and students who wish to delve a little deeper......The artwork of Tim Kirk's is also to be commended for living up to our imaginations....one of the kids mentioned that "Yes, that is JUST what I imagined Lyra to look like! "....

a friends companion...
george beahms book was a terrific companion to the dark materials series.
not being much of a book reader i was drawn in by the many ilustrations and photos.Both george and tim kirk have together guided us through the worlds created by phillip pullman.
i could not see reading the dark materials books without this book..
they both go hand in hand.
Discovering the Golden Compass: A Guide to Philip Pullman's Dark Materials

Another great book from George Beahm!
George Beahm writes lucid, entertaining and thoughtful books; and this one is no exception.As with his guides to Harry Potter and Narnia, I greatly enjoyed Beahm's tour through Pullman's world.I have read the Pullman books and loved the first two, but rather lost my enthusiasm in the third.Beahm's book refired my interest!I especially enjoyed reading some of Pullman's own comments about his life and his philosophy.This has inspired me to go back to the books and reconsider some of the ideas Pullman puts forward.

The book will also be a terrific guide for anyone who wants to see the movie of 'The Golden Compass' but who has not yet read the books.Beahm's pointers will make sure that you don't get lost!The added wonders in this book are the marvellous Tim Kirk illustrations; gorgeous works of art which will be savoured by all fantasty fans.There are also some beautiful photographs of Oxford.All in all, this is a very enjoyable read, and is also fun simply to leaf through and enjoy the pictures!Well worth adding to your collection!

Excellent fun!And a lovely book as well -
I first became familiar with George Beahm's work through his engaging books on the Harry Potter universe.His newest book, Discovering the Golden Compass:A Guide to Philip Pullman's Dark Materials, proves a wonderful combination of information and resources regarding Philip Pullman's beloved novels.Beahm's book speaks to both those who are devotees of the series and those who are new to the books.His non-spoiler policy assures that the storyline will not be ruined for those who have yet to finish the series.Vivid descriptions of the main characters and concepts, as well as Beahm's detailing of Pullman's inspirations for the books, further invite the reader to appreciate the series' unique vision.The design, layout and organization of the book are lovely as well; the reader will appreciate the look and feel of Discovering.Additional strengths include the inclusion of Pullman's autobiography, which adds a special weight to the book given that he involved himself with the project (which is often not the case with literary guides).A lovely color photo collection detailing Pullman's Oxford and fantastic artwork by Tim Kirk also add excellent visual components.Kirk also contributes his own statement regarding his design process as he worked to visualize, and thus provide his own interpretations of Pullman's world.In some respects, Discovering is a collaborative effort, with Beahm as the primary author and researcher. This shared expertise only strengthens the book.Insightful, respectful of the material, and true to Pullman's vision and message, Discovering the Golden Compass is an excellent addition to any fan's library. ... Read more