Chronicles of Kanjisheik

Book 1- The Golden Compass
Book 2- The Subtle Knife
Book 3- The Amber Spyglass

The plot of the His Dark Materials trilogy is rather complex . The books basically revolve around two pre-adolescents, Lyra and Will, children from different worlds (literally) who share two common bonds: the loss of parents and the possession of objects which give them unique access to knowledge. Lyra possesses the Golden Compass, an object which communicates the truth about any situation to any person wise enough to be able to read it, which Lyra is. Will’s gift is the Subtle Knife, an instrument which can cut open windows to other worlds.

Through their adventures in various worlds, we become aware that Lyra and Will are objects of interest to both sides in a heavenly war. Why? Because, it seems, that these two children will be essential actors in a re-enacting of the Fall and Temptation of humanity, a second chance to claim the true fruit of the Fall, which was never really sin, according to Pullman, but knowledge and wisdom, replacing the dictatorial “Kingdom of Heaven” with the new “Republic of Heaven.”

Philip Pullman is, indeed, a gifted writer. It’s clear that millions of readers have been captivated by these books because of the skillfully built suspense and the sheer variety of fantastic characters like warrior polar bears, tiny spur-bearing spies called Gallevespians, and, most brilliantly of all, what those in Lyra’s world call "daemons", which are actually material manifestations of one’s soul that are in the form of animals, creatures that accompany a person for the whole of one’s life, but don’t settle down into a permanent shape until adolescence. Pullman’s use of this last element is really a fascinating way to provoke thought about character and personality.

Pullman produces what may well be the most controversial fantasy series of recent years. The witch Serafina Pekkala sums up the central theme: "All the history of human life has been a struggle between wisdom and stupidity. The rebel angels, the followers of wisdom, have always tried to open minds; the Authority and his churches have always tried to keep them closed." Early on, this "Authority" is explicitly identified as the Judeo-Christian God, and he is far from omnipotent: his Kingdom is ruled by a regent. The cosmic battle to overthrow the Kingdom is just one of the many impressive scenes in this series--so much happens, and the action is split among so many different imagined worlds, that readers will have to work hard to keep up with Pullman.

Along the way, Pullman riffs on the elemental chords of classical myth and fairy tale. While some sections seem rushed and the prose is not always as brightly polished as fans might expect, Pullman's exuberant work stays rigorously true to its own internal structure. Stirring and highly provocative; will definitely get a lot of praise. A hell of a roller coaster ride. Philip Pullman rocks!!!

Deserves a 9 on 10!!!!!