20th anniversary his dark materials | Lost in a Good Book

Adaptations of Northern Lights

08 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, adaptations, His Dark Materials, nothern lights, philip pullman

Since its publication, there have been numerous adaptations of Northern Lights. The 2007 movie is the one everyone is probably most familiar with, but there have also been audiobooks, a video game, and even a play.

Movie: The Golden Compass (2007)

11168632_ori The first discussion about turning Northern Lights into a film came in 2002 following the success of other fantasy epics, but due to significant delays it wasn’t until 2007 that a film was finally made. There are many interesting things about this movie’s production, including Director Chris Weitz being unhappiness about being controlled by the studio and having many scenes cut from the film. Overall the film was popular in some countries, a failure in others, and on average it gets 5/10 stars by reviewers and rating websites.

The film takes the American title of The Golden Compass, and starred Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Dakota Blue Richards as Mrs Coulter, Lord Asriel, and Lyra respectively. During production and before its release there were criticisms by fans and secularist organisations about the dilution of the anti-religious elements. I have to agree there, not because it was bashing the Church exactly, but because of what the books are meant to be telling us, the themes and entire message that Pullman created is based on the anti-Church sentiments. Weitz said the studio ordered changes to the film late in post-production which was a terrible experience.

Anti-religious elements aside, and knowing that film adaptations are not going to be the same as the books, I really did not like this movie. There were some bits that were good, but others, especially that ending, that ruin it. It had such potential to be something wonderful, but it failed and now, just like Tomorrow, When the War Began, we are left with a film adaptation of a first book in a series, ending on a cliff hanger that is never going to be continued. Not only that, but a cliff hanger that cuts out a major event and three chapters of the book. Pullman did state that he supported the cut off ending, saying that “every film has to make changes to the story that the original book tells — not to change the outcome, but to make it fit the dimensions and the medium of film.” Which I understand, but I still say it changed the outcome in a big way. Interestingly enough, there was a script that had a running time of three hours, but this was scrapped in favour of the failed length of less than two hours in order to maximise revenue.

There were some good points, the film won a BAFTA for Special Visual Effects as well as an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, and rightly so; bringing daemons to life on screen was wonderfully done. It was also nominated for numerous other awards. Talks of any sequels have been put on hold with many speculating the Catholic Church for putting pressure on the studio.

Play: His Dark Materials (2003)

800x600.fitdown In 2003-2004 a play entitled His Dark Materials premiered at the Olivier Theatre in London. The play was written by playwright Nicholas Wright and was adapted from the entire trilogy. Because of complications in staging something based on the narrative of three books, the play was performed in two parts in alternative performances. The plot is the same as the books – a coming of age story of the two key characters Lyra and Will, but there are clear differences, the absence of Dr Mary Malone (from The Amber Spyglass) being a major one, her role being reallocated to the witch Serafina Pekkala. The amber spyglass that is typically associated with her is largely absent as well. The play was extremely popular and it sold out its entire four-month run before reviews were even published.

The play won two Laurence Olivier Awards in 2005 for Best Set Design as well as best Lighting Design.

Audiobook: Northern Lights (1996) and His Dark Materials (2003)

1855495767 There have been two audiobooks made based on Pullman’s trilogy. The first in 1996, was an audiobook of Northern Lights narrated by Natasha Richardson. The second was in 2003 and was an abridged dramatisation of the trilogy by BBC Worldwide. An unabridged version was released by BBC Audiobooks and was narrated by Philip Pullman himself. Cast voices included Joanna Wyatt as Lyra, Alison Dowling as Mrs Coulter, Sean Barret as Lord Asriel and Iorek Byrnison, and Stephen Thorne as the Master and Farder Coram.

Video Game: The Golden Compass (2007)

_-The-Golden-Compass-PS3-_ Based from The Golden Compass film, this game of the same name was released in 2007. The game is an action-adventure/puzzle game, told from a third person point of view and you take the role of Lyra and must travel through the North trying to find her kidnapped friend from the Gobblers.

As you play you solve puzzles as well as do some fighting, as well as use the alethiometer to help progress the story. Pan and the armoured bear Iorek Byrnison travel with you as you explore the land and fight. Pan’s changing ability is a main feature and he helps you explore levels with different abilities from different animal forms, and with alethiometer symbol meanings to uncover, you can use it to work out clues and ask questions.

The game was released on multiple playing platforms by Sega, and is classed as the official videogame of the movie. Having been released before the film, the sequence of events is slightly different, and there are additional scenes and footage not seen in the movie. The music is also entirely original, composer Jamie Christopherson saying that he wrote the entire game’s score in a month, before the movie score had been completed.

Unfortunately the game got predominantly negative reviews, the main criticisms being the confusing plot if you were unfamiliar with the movie or the books. Poor graphics and glitches, as well as poor gameplay and level designs also hindered reviews, and yet funnily enough, it sold rather well.

Northern Lights (#1) by Philip Pullman

07 Jul 2015 2 Comments

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, fantasy, five stars, His Dark Materials, northern lights, philip pullman, the golden compass

Published: 23rd October 1998
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Pages: 399
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

When Lyra’s friend Roger disappears, she and her dæmon, Pantalaimon, determine to find him.

The ensuing quest leads them to the bleak splendour of the North, where armoured bears rule the ice and witch-queens fly through the frozen skies – and where a team of scientists is conducting experiments too horrible to be spoken about.

Lyra overcomes these strange terrors, only to find something yet more perilous waiting for her – something with consequences which may even reach beyond the Northern Lights…

Northern Lights is the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy and it introduces us to Lyra, her dæmon Pantalaimalon, and her world, similar to our own but so different at the same time. In Lyra’s universe people have dæmons, kind of like animal spirits that are a representation of their true self, their soul. The story is a retelling of sorts but with so much more depth and complexity is reads almost as new story. Granted this becomes much more evident in later books, but Northern Lights is a starting point to the greater story being told. In this first book Lyra heads North to rescue her friend Roger and other children that have been kidnapped for terrible experiments, and in doing so is introduced to something much bigger than she ever could imagine. This book leads onto the others and from captivating beginnings drags you deep into the world of Dust, other worlds, and destiny.

Away from the other two books, Northern Lights is a wonderful story on its own. Pullman brings this parallel universe to life absolutely magnificently, and in a world so foreign yet so familiar it is easy to accept Lyra’s world as being possible. What is wonderful about it as well is that it doesn’t read as an introduction book, we join Lyra in the middle of a moment and pick up the rest of the world as we go along, slowly gaining a picture of the world and its people, joining together snippets of information and details as the story goes on.

What is fantastic about Pullman is that he does little obvious explaining for the reader. There are hardly any, if at all, long explanations and expositions that are there for the reader’s understanding. Everything we need to know can be worked out from details and information provided in the narrative, and any explanations that are there have been woven meticulously through the story and provided through Lyra or other characters, and always keeping with the natural flow of the narrative. But Pullman is such a masterful writer that even when things aren’t explained it is easy to comprehend and to gain an understanding about the various levels and elements about the world.

Pullman writes with style and elegance, and with huge ideas, but the story is told so simply, with such passion, that it is easy to lose yourself in the story and imagine yourself beside Lyra as she explores Oxford or travels North. It is easy to become invested in these characters, you fear for them, rejoice with them, and worry for them all at once. From the first to last page you can picture everything that is happening: Lyra hiding in the wardrobe with Pan, armoured bears fighting for a kingdom, and golden monkey’s luring unsuspecting children.

Even with such exquisite description, Pullman also limits the details for his characters. Simple descriptions for many of his characters allow readers to create their own visions, and instead Pullman brings their complexity to life through their character, their personality and their actions. While general physical descriptions are important and still there, a greater understanding of who a character is is much more common. This is where the dæmons play a wonderful role; they help to understand who a character is as well as what they are feeling. While Lyra stands tall and bravely walks into danger, Pan is a mouse in her pocket, or a leopard to show the confidence she is trying to have.

What astounds me most about Northern Lights really is how simple it sounds as a plot, but when you read it, and get into the heart of the narrative it becomes quite clear just how complicated the story truly is, and yet Pullman writes it like it is the simplest thing in the world. It really is a masterpiece.

There is a mixture of light heartedness, danger, magic and mysteries, as well as heartbreak and horror in this book. Despite dealing with things that seem so foreign and incomprehensible, Pullman makes you understand and makes you invest in the characters so that every joyful time or moment of sadness is like your own.

This truly is a phenomenal story; it is one that will stay with you long after you have finished, and not only from wonderment, but also from admiration of the world and story Pullman has developed and more importantly, the intense envy that you too can’t have your own dæmon.

You can purchase Northern Lights via the following

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Depository | Booktopia

Bookworld | QBD

Dymocks | Kobo

Why I Love His Dark Materials

06 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, His Dark Materials, northern lights, philip pullman, the amber spyglass, the subtle knife

Disclaimer: I really wanted to make a post gushing about how amazing His Dark Materials was, and how much I adore it, cherish it, and am fascinated by it, and I hope in part to have done that. Writing about why I love a series was harder than I thought, there is too much to say and too many feelings to try and put into words without taking a week to write it and have it be a few thousand pages long on each book. So forgive the clunkiness of this post and just remember this post is simply an extension of “Oh my god this series is amazing, it will make your mind dazzle, your heart break, and make you envious, disgusted, proud all at once. It is a masterpiece of literature I have loved since I was 12 years old and I will continue to adore it for as long as I can read. READ THIS SERIES! READ NORTHERN LIGHTS! Fall in love with Lyra and Iorek, read the entire trilogy and be moved by Will, fascinated by the mulefa and have your heart beat out of your chest in so many moments of anticipation, suspense, action and dismay. You will not regret it.” So keep that in mind 🙂

. . . . . . . . . . .

The first time I read Northern Lights was when I was in year seven at high school. I cannot remember exactly how I was introduced to the series, I have a feeling it may have been a friend at the time, but either way I was hooked from the very beginning. I remember walking between classes, head in the book, navigating around students with instinct alone, never once looking up from the pages. I would read and reread each book in the series incessantly; getting lost in the world of Lyra and Pan, riding on the back of Iorek through the snow covered North, falling in love with Will and being amazed at Mary’s discoveries, but most of all my heart would ache to live in a world with daemons. From my first reading and even now I long to have a daemon of my own, not just for the marvel of having a companion that changed form, that was absolutely a part of you, but because when they settled you are able to discover the kind of person you truly are. It sounded magnificent. There is so much to love about His Dark Materials. I love that the people at Jordan college have come together to raise Lyra. I love that through every book there is so much joy coupled with intense sadness and heartache but also so much bravery and determination. I love that this incredibly complex story remains easy to read but is filled with the most complex ideas and theories. I love that daemons change for kids as often as their emotions change, that they are a visual representation of their soul, their feelings, and their strength. The entire series is an amazing concept and a wonderful retelling of a classic tale. Rereading Northern Lights has reminded me of all the wonderful things that make His Dark Materials the brilliant series it is. The light heartedness, the danger, the magic and the mysteries, the heartbreak and the horror, all mixed together into this phenomenal story. There is a certain magic about revisiting old favourites. Falling in love all over again with Lyra and Pan, Iorek and the Gyptians is easy, each time feeling like a first time read, even knowing where the story will go. The excitement is still there, the fear, and the disgust and sadness when terrible things happen. Another advantage of rereads is the fact you can always pick up something you have never seen before. But while there are new things to discover, there are the same moments, the same characters, that stay with you forever, moments you’ll never forget. In my typical cryptic and spoiler free way I will tell you I have never, not once, gotten over Tony. I find myself thinking about this series quite often, Lyra in the cupboard, Will and his mother, Lee Scoresby and Hester on the hillside, but I still feel so much sadness thinking about that boy with his fish. Reading it again was just as painful as the first time, Pullman has a way of making you feel everything like it’s the first time. It’s spectacular, but very emotional. What was also wonderful is that from the first pages to the last I pictured everything in my head just as I had always done, my images of characters and places were the same as when I was 12 years old, it was like returning to a familiar place after years being gone, to find it was just how you left it, the same faces welcoming you home. From Northern Lights to The Amber Spyglass there is nothing to lose by reading a series like His Dark Materials. The way Pullman migrates from Lyra in Northern Lights to Will in The Subtle Knife is seamless, and the gradual build up of characters, perspectives, worlds, and ideas is magnificent and should be (and has been) commended. I cannot imagine not having read this series, it hasn’t changed my life exactly, but it so much a part of my life it may as well have. These books have given me a story that is simply stunning, one that I will never forget, and one that I look forward to rereading again and again for many years to come.

Weekly Wrap Up

05 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in Weekly Wrap Up Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, weekly wrap up

This week on the blog

July Brings Celebration

Fun Facts about Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

Characters in Northern Lights

Characters in Northern Lights

03 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in His Dark Materials Tags: 20th anniversary his dark materials, characters, fan art, His Dark Materials, iofur raknison, iorek byrnison, lee scoresby, lord asriel, lyra belaqua, ma costa, mrs coulter, philip pullman, serafina pekkala

The characters introduced in Northern Lights are all wonderful, and each of them is unique and plays a role in the story. Many of these characters reappear in later books while others only have a brief but important role to play. I could easily start talking about in depth all the characters I enjoyed reading about, the well-known ones and those rarely mentioned, but then we’d be here forever. There are also many more characters than those that I list here, and I could easily discuss each of them, even briefly, but I won’t.

What is brilliant about Pullman and how he has created these characters is that many of them play the smallest roles in Northern Lights, but they are still important roles and important characters. Many of the characters I’ve listed here are reoccurring in the other novels, and their roles grow, but even their brief appearances in the first book offer so much history and depth and questions that they becomes complex in just the simplest of words.

The inventions of dæmons is also another brilliant indicator of who a character is, which is the point of dæmons, they show you who you are as a person. The animal form or actions of the dæmon can describe a character better than a paragraph, especially with unsettled children dæmons because they reflect the character’s emotions phenomenally. but there’ll be more on those later.

Of all the characters in this book, I am a big fan of Lyra and Pan, as well as Iorek. And in a small sentimental way I am rather fond of the Master. I understand where he was coming from and I have so much sympathy for what he was trying to do.

I have also added in some fan art. I know people have different ideas of what characters look like, and Pullman to his credit limits the descriptions allowing readers to fill in the gaps, but I also like seeing how people have interpreted these characters. I know my own images aren’t exactly like the ones I have added, but I can’t draw so you won’t be seeing those ones anytime soon.

If you guys have a favourite character/s, or some art you’ve done I’d love to hear about it!

Lyra Belacqua and Pantalaimon

There is so much you can say about Lyra, she is strong willed and determined, she has a natural ability to lie, and she uses this to make up fanciful stories about her life and to get herself out of trouble. Lyra’s dæmon is Pantalaimon, nicknamed Pan, and together they are full of mischief. Lyra is crafty but curious, always asking questions and wanting to know about new things she discovers. She is driven by destiny and as many of the characters note, she has an important role to play in saving not just one world, but them all. What makes Lyra great is that while she is brave, she is still only a child, and she gets fearful and unsure. But it is her strength to keep going and face things even when filled with fear, and her determination to do the right thing that make her an admirable character.

Roger Parslow

Roger is one of the main reasons Lyra left Oxford in the first place. He is a kitchen boy who works at Oxford, and a lifelong friend and playmate of Lyra’s. After being kidnapped by the Gobblers, Lyra was determined to bring Roger home. While not in the story very often, Roger plays crucial roles, not just in driving Lyra on, but also in key events. Roger looks up to Lyra he admires her fearlessness and values her friendship. Roger himself isn’t scared or frightful, he is as adventurous as Lyra but he is also the voice of caution. Roger’s dæmon is called Salcilia.

Lord Asriel

Lord Asriel has a commanding presence, one of power and intimidation, but he isn’t cruel per se. He is tough but fair I guess. He knows what he wants and isn’t above being a bit sneaky to get it. His dæmon is a snow leopard named Stelmaria, and just from studying her you can tell the kind of person Lord Asriel is. He is calm on the surface but powerful, he exudes power and class. While not as evil as Mrs Coulter, Lord Asriel does have his own agenda; he just doesn’t go about making it a reality in as nefarious ways. Trying to determine if Lord Asriel is a good person is hard, he is good to Lyra, as good as he can be, but he also gets blinded by his goal.

Marisa Coulter

When discussing Marisa Coulter, the first thing is to ignore Nicole Kidman and the movie. While the Harry Potter fans won’t let go of “calmly”, I am still annoyed Mrs Coulter suddenly went from having “sleek black hair that framed her cheeks”, to a blonde bob. Having said that though, Pullman apparently wanted her blonde so there’s that. Mrs Coulter is actually one of the scariest characters in Northern Lights. She is manipulative, ruthless, and certainly ruthless, but she can also be charming and alluring when she wants to be, and worst of all thinks she is doing the right thing. As an agent of the Magisterium, she has no problem manipulating the Church for her own gain. She is blinded by her beliefs and does not care who is sacrificed in the process. The fact she can switch so quickly from calm and nurturing to callous and back again is dangerous enough. Adding in her self interests, the total disregard of other people, and tampering with the very make up of the natural world means she is a dangerous force to come across. Her dæmon is a golden monkey, who interestingly is never named through the entire trilogy, despite many other character’s dæmons being named.

Iorek Byrnison

Iorek is a character who got my affection very early on. He is tough and formidable, but he is kind and fiercely loyal. He is the rightful king of the panserbjørne, armoured sentient bears, and is recruited and rescued from enslavement by John Faa and Lyra to help with their journey North. Iorek becomes very protective of Lyra after she helps him on more than one occasion and it is beautiful to see the bond between them. Iorek is essentially a large polar bear with an opposable thumb that helps them build. The armoured bears make their armour from sky iron and like a daemon is a soul to humans, so too is the armour the soul of a bear.

Iofur Raknison

Iofur Raknison plays an important role in Northern Lights, despite only being in there for a brief time. A lot revolves around him, and he is a launching point for many events and situations in the story. Iofur stands out as being different from other panserbjørne. He has claimed the throne that belongs to Iorek, and makes many changes to the kingdom and practices of the bears. Much like King Louie in the Jungle Book, Iofur wishes to be human with a dæmon of his own.

Serafina Pekkala

Serafina is a witch that assists Lyra and the others in their mission North. Serafina is an important character because while her role is small, it is important and valuable. She offers information about the grander things, away from the immediate situation and about future events. Through her we are told about Lyra’s destiny, the coming war, and the introduction to the world of the witches. Being a witch, their dæmons have different rules, and Serafina’s snow goose dæmon Kaisa, can travel far from her and is also important in helping Lyra on her journey.

Lee Scoresby

Lee is someone I grew to love in later books, but is still intriguing in the first book. He has a lot of past adventures that he references, and a detailed history fighting beside and helping Iorek. He is a Texan and an aeronaut, and his dæmon Hester takes the form of an arctic snow hare. Lee is rough around the edges and a good man though always trying to get reimbursed and paid for his contributions and assistance. It doesn’t make him greedy, it makes him honest, and with only a few brief conversations and comments a true understanding of who Lee is can be established.

Ma Costa

Ma Costa is a great character, she is a wonderful mother figure to Lyra, looking out for her, caring for her and hiding her when necessary. She is a Gyptian woman, one of the people Lyra and other Oxford children have been “fighting” for decades. Ma Costa is also one of the people who helps start Lyra’s journey, sending her in the right direction and introducing her to the right people to start the journey North. She is also interesting because there is an inconsistency in Northern Lights about her dæmon. While not named, it is described as both a hawk and a wolf-like dog. Something not possible as adult dæmons are unchangeable.