Below is a review of Mr. Pullman's work from Jody Reynolds who volunteered to read the three books of which "The Golden Compass" is the first. This series is labeled "His Dark materials" by title.
Phillip Pullman's trilogy "His Dark Materials" opens the readers' imagination to the scientific possibility of other worlds co-existing simultaneously. His books are mystical and full of fantasy captivating the reader to journey with its characters. The books are dark as the title to this trilogy alludes. It has the beginning deceptive charm of a Harry Potter story but becomes so incredibly dangerous to the reader questioning any and all authority especially spiritual authority. If you are a believer in the church whose authority is given by God then you are evil because God is evil.
Phillip Pullman's main objective is to convince the reader that God is nothing more then a mere human that has risen to an elevated supreme power. Pullman tries to convince the reader that the battle between God and Satan did exist but the loser (Satan) is the good of mankind and the winner (God) is the true evil of mankind that the original sin of man in the Garden of Eden was purposed by God to keep man in an evil state of bondage.
From the beginning of his trilogy, The Golden Compass to the last book the Amber Spyglass the plot is clear God is evil and must be destroyed. The books are filled with death, despair, deception and emptiness. By the end of the third book you are left with the feeling that Mr. Pullman is reliving his childhood emotions through his characters. It makes one wonder if Mr. Pullman's own experiences with the catholic Church as a child which resulted in his "idea" of who God is through those experiences weather they are good or bad resulted in his misguided hatred of the Catholic Church and the God that loves him.
Jody Reynolds is the Children's Church Ministry Director of Shoreline Christian Center of Austin, Texas.
Email: jody.reynolds@shoreline.net
About Phillip Pullman
Phillip Pullman is an award winning author and educator in England. He has many books to his credit virtually all of which are of a fantasy nature for children. He has attracted a strong following and has drawn a lot of criticism from Christians in general for his presentation of the church as a dogmatic figure that embodies absolute danger to people in general.
More About Phillip Pullman directly pulled from the following websites:
www.philip-pullman.com/about_the_writing.asp
www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/qa.html#q11
Here are some quotes:
Q: His Dark Materials seems to be against organised religion. Do you believe in God?
A: I don't know whether there's a God or not. Nobody does, no matter what they say. I think it's perfectly possible to explain how the universe came about without bringing God into it, but I don't know everything, and there may well be a God somewhere, hiding away.
Actually, if he is keeping out of sight, it's because he's ashamed of his followers and all the cruelty and ignorance they're responsible for promoting in his name. If I were him, I'd want nothing to do with them.
Q: What stance do the books take?
A: Underlying the trilogy there is a myth of creation and rebellion, of development and strife, and so on. I don't make this myth explicit anywhere, but it was important for me to have it clear in my mind. It depicts a struggle: the old forces of control and ritual and authority, the forces which have been embodied throughout human history in such phenomena as the Inquisition, the witch-trials, the burning of heretics, and which are still strong today in the regions of the world where religious zealots of any faith have power, are on one side; and the forces that fight against them have as their guiding principle an idea which is summed up in the words The Republic of Heaven. It's the Kingdom against the Republic.
And everything follows from that. So, for instance, the book depicts the Temptation and Fall not as the source of all woe and misery, as in traditional Christian teaching, but as the beginning of true human freedom something to be celebrated, not lamented. And the Tempter is not an evil being like Satan, prompted by malice and envy, but a figure who might stand for Wisdom.
The myth has allowed me to link together many aspects of the story in a sort of invisible way which might not be apparent to the reader, but which I have found helpful. For example, it explains where dæmons come from, and what happens when we die, and why there are many universes.
And if certain Christian critics are confused by this, and imagine I'm denying the difference between good and evil, then all I can say is that I shall pray for them.
