His dark materials

[methodius]

I've just re-read His dark materials by Philip Pullman.

It's not really a trilogy, but rather a single novel in three volumes, like Lord of the rings. Pullman rather immodestly claims that his books are better than those of Tolkien or C.S. Lewis.

I first read His dark materials about five years ago, and didn't like it much. I thought the first

Comments

His Dark Materials

[jp_uk]

I’m of the same opinion as regards the Dark Material’s trilogy: book one is good, book two has some interesting character analysis: especially around motive and actions and then book three sort of runs out of steam. The third book reminds me of my student days when I’d write an essay and it wouldn’t finish, I’d just keep writing and there was no succinct resolution to my arguments. My usual course of action if this happened was to rip it up and start again. ‘The Amber Spy Glass’ had the same feeling: it couldn’t resolve itself and although I enjoyed the book I was left feeling that a small, but successful practical joke had been played on me, a joke I didn’t quite understand

Re: His Dark Materials

[methodius]

Yes, Lewis is preachy in the Narnia stories, especially in his asides to the reader about things like the danger of locking oneself in a wardrobe. But I think Pullman is more preachy, especially in The amber spyglass.

My favourite among the Narnia stories is The voyage of the dawn treader. It wasn't when I first read them, though. Then it was the one I liked least. I thought it was too elitist. A friend told me his favourite character was Reepicheep, and I thought Reepicheep was almost as offensive as Eustace Scrubb.

But after a couple of readings I changed my mind, and in any case found Lewis's presentation of fallen angels much more convincing than the Pullman/Peretti one.

Re: His Dark Materials

[jp_uk]

My least favourite book in the Narnian Chronicles is Prince Caspian. As with you I found (and still find, to a lesser degree) Reepicheep an offensive little chappy - if ever there was a candidate for vivisection it is Reepicheep

Re: His Dark Materials

[methodius]

I first read The lion, the witch and the wardrobe when I was 24, and immediately read the rest of the Narnia books. I wished then (and wish now) that I had been able to read them as a child -- much better than Enid Blyton and Biggles, which was just about all that was available when I was a child.

Here's some infor about Peretti's books. Piercing the darkness is the one that The amber spyglass reminds me of. Definitely inferior to Lewis (and, in some respects, to Pullman).

Peretti, Frank. 1995. The oath. Dallas: Word

Re: His Dark Materials

[jp_uk]

Methodius

Many thanks for this, I will have a read.

I note both yourself and Fr John are listed as having an interest in Alexander Schmemann. Not so one well known here in the Anglican fold, alas, but someone I am familiar with and have tried, with (ironically!) an Evangelical zeal, to get friends to become more interested. I bought 'The Eucharist' as ordination presents for two priest friends of mine - one was more pleased as the book was on his reading list from theological college (Rydley Hall, Cambridge) - so Fr Schmemann's work is being studied here.

I have both The Eucharist and Liturgical Theology on my own bookshelves and perhaps the former will be my next 're-read'. I last read the book when I was a novice fourteen years ago and perhaps it is time to have a look at it again.

Must get on with some work.

Again thanks for the info.

Every Blessing:

J-P

Schmemann

[methodius]

Have you read For the life of the world?

Re: Schmemann

[jp_uk]

Methodius

Re: Schmemann

[methodius]

There is an LJ community for discussing Schmemann's works.

For the life of the world converted me to Orthodoxy. In the secular sixties I went to study theology in England, at St Chad's College, Durham. Fr George (Paul) Guiver was also a student. One Easter vac I attended a seminar on Orthodox worship for non-Orthodox theological students at the Ecumenical Centre in Bossey, Switzerland, which included Holy Week at St Sergius in Paris.

And then I read For the life of the world -- well, actually the abbreviated version, The world as sacrament. I had been dissatisfied with the evangelical/social activist divide in Western theology for some time, and thought that both sides were right in what they affirmed and wrong in what they denied. Schmemann's book cut the Gordian knot, and said all the things that I had been trying to say, however inarticulately.