His Dark Materials

Normally, I'm exceedingly stoic when it comes to books, television, and film. Oh, I don't mean that I'm not effected by things I read or see. It's just that I do a damned good job of keeping my reactions contained. Particularly tears. (That's largely why I can't bear to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; I don't want to cry.)

However, I just finished Philip Pullman's amazing His Dark Materials series: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. I won't give anything away, I promise. I'll just say that the series moved me to tears at times. And that happens oh so rarely, let me tell you!

The series was recommended to me by a good friend, and I know now why it is one of his favorites and why it is often compared to the Tolkien and Rowling books. Pullman's series is an epic fantasy with impressive breadth and depth. It encompasses multiple worlds and realities, and features a plethora of characters and creatures. There are humans and witches and deamons and polar bears and angels and on and on. It is thematically broad, as well. The author addresses, sometimes subtly, other times overtly, a range of themes: childhood vs adulthood; innocence; wisdom vs stupidity; religion; science; love; purpose and meaning; and more. I found the books, engrossing, entertaining, and thought-provoking all at once. I, too, recommend them highly.

Although it wasn't difficult to speed through them, because they are so engaging, I especially wanted to finish them all before Dec. 7, when the film adaptation of the first book, The Golden Compass, is released. (Official movie site here.) I can't wait!