

But for now, this series goes in my five. New favorite reads come along, old one’s fade away as I forget why I loved the world it painted for me. Those of you who know me know that this category fluctuates a bit here and there. Maybe it’s infinitely layered and unbearably more beautiful than we ever knew. Perhaps there is more out there than our extremely limited view of physics, theology and cosmology is currently telling us. Why do we trust, why do we believe, what is faith, what is truth? Maybe things are different than what they seem. He is essentially challenging every reader, regardless of age, to look at the world around you. He turned everything on its ear: Ghosts, Angels, Witches and even Death. I embraced how Pullman questioned the very beginnings of organized religion and of the creator himself. I thought that the struggles between the Church, The Authority, the Creator, Dust, The Council etc.

Note this example: In book three, this sentence appears: “The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all.” Again – I wondered if this was merely an adult book cloaked in child’s clothing (as I lapped up every word).

evil – calling the church, the creator and religions out by name. He labels his players in the battle of good vs. Is it really? Or are you just looking at it from a different perspective? Also….for those who thought the HP series was too religious, reader beware of the HDM series. If there is evil, it forces the reader to consider why they think that something is evil. evil, HDM leans heavily into the actual concepts of both, dissecting each, questioning the origins, challenging the pedestals each stand on. While I hesitate to compare to Potter, I want to point out one main difference which I think is very important to anyone thinking about purchasing this series for their intrepid young reader….while HP deals with the strong ideals of good vs. No offense to you, Encyclopedia Brown, my dear friend. When did this genre get so deep? I don’t remember reading anything this remarkable when I was younger. Quite frequently, I found myself looking at the cover of these books again and again to ensure that I was indeed reading a “children’s” novel. Nuclear Physics, Parallel Worlds, Quantum Particles and Theology snuggle right up against equally introspective looks at Love, Friendship, Loyalty, Family and Honor. The books themselves deal with heavy subjects. His Dark Materials creates a beautiful, vibrant world with characters as deep as if you had known them your whole life. The trailer made the movie look AMAZING, so naturally (as I always do), I thought…”I MUST read this book!”. It wasn’t until I saw the trailer for the upcoming The Golden Compass movie that I was introduced to Lyra’s world. Until recently, this series had somehow flown under my radar.
