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Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials: The Definitive Guide
"It was no ordinary life for a young living among scholars in the hallowed halls of Jordan College and tearing unsupervised through Oxford's motley streets on mad quests for adventure. But Lyra's greatest adventure would begin closer to home the day she heard hushed talk of an extraordinary particle. Microscopic in size, the magical Dust--found only in the vast Arctic expanse of the North--was rumored to possess profound properties that could unite the whole universe. But there were those who feared the particle and would stop at nothing to destroy it.
416 pages, Paperback
First published December 3, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 20, 2017
Pullman’s wonderful trio of novels inspired by Milton’s Paradise Lost appeared around the same time as the Harry Potter books, but Pottermanes looking for more of the same were in the main disappointed. The feisty heroine Lyra, her universe of externalised souls called daemons, armoured polar bears and a mysterious phenomenon called Dust, not to mention criticism of an organised religious institution, confused and even angered many. Sadly, the controversies often disguised Pullman’s accomplishments in world-building, complex plotting and character creation, all of which have contributed towards a work already acclaimed as a classic and which, true to its universal appeal, appeared in both adult and young adult editions. All that was needed was an Ariadne to take the reader through the labyrinthine ways of the multi-layered fantasy, as Martin Gardner did in The Annotated Alice.
Containing all you ever wanted to know about His Dark Materials, catalogued in encyclopaedic detail by superfan Laurie Frost, this hefty guide is teeming with maps, photos and drawings which enliven the text. As well as commentary on the books there are quotes from Pullman, discussion on dramatisations on stage, radio and the big screen and much more besides. Dr Frost (disingenuously, she sees her personal daemon as a sloth) adds references and suggestions for further reading, and includes a comprehensive index.
Particularly valuable are the equivalents in our world of the places, history, peoples and things of Lyra’s worlds, as detailed in Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. At well over five hundred pages in a large format paperback this reference book must surely satisfy the legions of readers who found much puzzling or obscure in the trilogy or who need reminding what drew them to His Dark Materials in the first place. Missing are discussions of Lyra’s World and Once Upon a Time in the North, both published after The Elements of His Dark Materials first appeared in 2006, with a special edition produced as The Definitive Guide by Waterstone’s bookshops in the UK a year later; and of course the long-awaited but yet to be completed The Book of Dust gets only passing mentions. (Volume One appeared in 2017.)
Pullman himself finds this a reference boon, so there can be no better imprimatur:
"This is a phenomenal piece of work, in which every character, place, theme, and reference in the trilogy is listed and explained in full detail with marvellous accuracy and clarity. The author’s skill and knowledge is extraordinary … I can’t recommend it too highly. If I had had this book when I was writing the trilogy, it would have been so much easier."
[2011 updated 2017]
Containing all you ever wanted to know about His Dark Materials, catalogued in encyclopaedic detail by superfan Laurie Frost, this hefty guide is teeming with maps, photos and drawings which enliven the text. As well as commentary on the books there are quotes from Pullman, discussion on dramatisations on stage, radio and the big screen and much more besides. Dr Frost (disingenuously, she sees her personal daemon as a sloth) adds references and suggestions for further reading, and includes a comprehensive index.
Particularly valuable are the equivalents in our world of the places, history, peoples and things of Lyra’s worlds, as detailed in Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. At well over five hundred pages in a large format paperback this reference book must surely satisfy the legions of readers who found much puzzling or obscure in the trilogy or who need reminding what drew them to His Dark Materials in the first place. Missing are discussions of Lyra’s World and Once Upon a Time in the North, both published after The Elements of His Dark Materials first appeared in 2006, with a special edition produced as The Definitive Guide by Waterstone’s bookshops in the UK a year later; and of course the long-awaited but yet to be completed The Book of Dust gets only passing mentions. (Volume One appeared in 2017.)
Pullman himself finds this a reference boon, so there can be no better imprimatur:
"This is a phenomenal piece of work, in which every character, place, theme, and reference in the trilogy is listed and explained in full detail with marvellous accuracy and clarity. The author’s skill and knowledge is extraordinary … I can’t recommend it too highly. If I had had this book when I was writing the trilogy, it would have been so much easier."
[2011 updated 2017]
March 25, 2019
To my knowledge, the best book-length treatment out there is Laurie Frost's His Dark Materials: The Definitive Guide. This encyclopedic survey carries an appreciative foreword from Pullman: "I can't recommend it too highly to the reader who's found anything interesting or enjoyable in this story of mine. I know I've returned to it frequently during the writing of the book I'm doing now, and I know I'll continue to do so." An inexhaustible trove for writer and readers alike, then.
October 1, 2023
Knowledge adds dimension to reading
Most fiction stands alone as a good read. Some make you think and some do not. However, as with all the classics, many writers do not create characters and places out of whimsy.
There are so many hours in a day and the masses can't be educated in every discipline needed to understand the deeper meaning of many of the symbols, places, and names involved in the stories we read. So we can use the help of books like "The Elements of His Dark Materials" by Laurie Frost to fill in the gaps and keep us focused on the original story. The book seems more massive than the book it is describing.
Even with books like "Annotated Alice" philosophy is absent and another book "Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy" is needed to fill in the gaps. This book may not be the whole story but it is a great starting place.
From the Back Cover:
Spoiler Warning
Please be aware that the encyclopedic nature of this book makes spoilers inevitable.
Most fiction stands alone as a good read. Some make you think and some do not. However, as with all the classics, many writers do not create characters and places out of whimsy.
There are so many hours in a day and the masses can't be educated in every discipline needed to understand the deeper meaning of many of the symbols, places, and names involved in the stories we read. So we can use the help of books like "The Elements of His Dark Materials" by Laurie Frost to fill in the gaps and keep us focused on the original story. The book seems more massive than the book it is describing.
Even with books like "Annotated Alice" philosophy is absent and another book "Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy" is needed to fill in the gaps. This book may not be the whole story but it is a great starting place.
From the Back Cover:
Spoiler Warning
Please be aware that the encyclopedic nature of this book makes spoilers inevitable.
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April 11, 2010His Dark Materials: The Definitive Guide (His Dark Materials S.) by Philip Pullman (2007)
March 9, 2021
Incredibly detailed, a must have for His Dark Materials fans!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews