His Dark Materials Trilogy

Remember when I wrote about reading The Golden Compass? I had received various emails (now 5!!) criticizing the book(s) for being one(s) that would destroy the reader's faith.

I have just finished the final (third) book of His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman, that dreadful atheist. I got pretty compulsive about reading these, just as I used to do with the Harry Potter books or some other good read.

At some points in the books there were obvious references to the authoritarian acts of the Church and its Magisterium, portraying my image of the Roman Catholic Church in the framework of the middle ages, with emphasis on obedience, sin needing indulgences, the existence of inquisitions, and especially Original Sin. Also in the book were characters from Greek mythology. Talk is of the "Authority," which I take to mean "God." I did not find blatant attacks on faith, though there is a bias against organized religion. (And I would be against that "Church" in the books, also.) I don't think these books should be condemned by Christians. I feel like my daughter MJ who said it's "FICTION!"

I enjoyed reading the books, finding them compelling. The struggle between good and evil goes throughout the three books, with moments of love and redemption in all of them.

Here are some synopses from a website about the Trilogy:

The Golden Compass: When 11 year old Lyra Belacqua attempts to rescue her best friend Roger from kidnappers, she has no idea what she’s getting into. She soon finds herself on a quest that will take her from her home at Jordan College in Oxford to the deep North. She will befriend gyptians, witches, talking bears and a Texas balloonist. She will be followed by mechanical spies and kidnapped by Samoyan hunters. She will be betrayed, and she will betray. All the while guided by the Alethiometer, a truth-telling, compass-like instrument that runs on the mysterious Dust, it has been prophesied by the witches of the North that Lyra is the one destined to bring about the end of Destiny…

The Subtle Knife: Will Parry is like any other ordinary 12 year old boy from our world. The only difference is that he has killed a grown man. While running from his terrible crime, he stumbles through a window into another world. It is the world of Cittagazze, where children seem to rule, as the dreaded specters prey on the souls of adults. In this world he befriends another traveler- Lyra Belacqua, now Lyra Silvertongue. The two soon find themselves in search of a small but extremely powerful knife, capable of cutting a window between the very fabric of the worlds. Will’s search for his lost father, and Lyra’s search for the truth about Dust lead them on, every step of the way to the cliff-hanger ending.

The Amber Spyglass: War is at hand- war between the Kingdom of Heaven, ruled by the Authority, and the newly founded Republic of Heaven, under the command of the upstart Lord Asriel, the father of Lyra Silvertongue. Once reunited, Lyra and Will, armed with the Alethiometer and the Subtle Knife, embark on a quest that will shake the foundations of every world. Protected by two miniature spies, they will travel to the Land of the Dead to undo a wrong, and in doing so change the course of history. They will encounter, face to face, the aged Authority, and the fearsome Regent, Metatron. And as their childhood fades away behind them and maturity sets in, they will see each other in a new light… and be forced to make painful sacrifice to save everyone.

The Golden Compass

So far this week, I have received four e-mails about the danger of this book series and the upcoming movie. They even cite Snopes.com that has a report on the claim that "The 2007 film The Golden Compass is based on a series of books with anti-religious claims." This report states that the author is an atheist and various groups, including the Catholic League, have condemned the book for "selling atheism to kids."

Three of my children have read the entire series and enjoyed all three of the books. Almost 18 year old MJ is telling me (as I write this) that it's a fiction book taking place in another world with corrupt adults connected with a church too concerned with "original sin." MJ says it reminds her of stories she's heard of the Church in medieval ages. She also says it is a Dark vs Light story.

I remember getting flaming e-mails about the Harry Potter books in years past. I read those books and found nothing wrong with them. So I am reserving judgment about these books until I read them. I trust my children's opinions. (They are 25, 22, and almost 18 years old). Two adult friends have recommended these books to me, too. So I have started reading The Golden Compass (as if I have nothing else to read right now!).

Have you read any of His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass)? What is your opinion?