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 Post subject: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Mon Jun 24, 2002 2:41 am 
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Has anyone here read Pullman? I think his best-known books are the His Dark Materials trilogy: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. They're among my favorite books of all time. I've also read another series by Pullman, the Sally Lockhart series, which is completely different but also very good.

~Foamy~ <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2002 2:47 am 
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I've read the first two of the HDM series and I found them to be pretty good,but confusing at times. Btw, would you classify it as young adult books? I don't think I would. What crazy person watches soccer at four in the mornin?<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2002 11:53 pm 
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The His Dark Materials trilogy is well worth reading, and among my favorite trilogies of all time.

I found that the first book, The Golden Compass, sort of stands alone. The end could be a logical ending for a stand-alone book, though you do want to know what will happen to Lyra next...at least I did!

The Subtle Knife, on the other hand, sets up all kinds of subplots that are only resolved by reading the third book, The Amber Spyglass. Imagine the frustration of Foamy and I - we read each book of the trilogy when it first came out, and there was a <i> very long</i> wait between the 2nd and the 3rd books.

And actually, the books <i> are</i> considered young adult books, but that didn't stop an oldster like me from reading and enjoying them. Even my mother read them, and waited for each volume to come out.

What did you find confusing about the books, Mudd?

~MsMary~ "Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?"<i>Edited by: MsMaryMalone  at: 6/30/02 4:56:42 pm
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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:21 am 
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I found The Golden Compass and The Amber Spyglass @ my local paperback exchange...good thing I didn't buy them, just yet, as I didn't realize there <i> was</i> a book inbtween! Now I'll go back 2mrrw and just buy TGC. Mathematics is a game. It's pieces are the axioms we create, and it's rules our logic. That mathematics is occasionally useful to mechanics and pilots is accidental -Mahavira Lal, third Lord Cantor<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 7/2/02 3:15:13 pm
</i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2002 5:41 pm 
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The whole jumping through worlds deal was a lil bit confusing. What crazy person watches soccer at four in the mornin?<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 6:01 am 
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I've heard that in the British edition of (I think) TSK, there's a little symbol at the beginning of each chapter that tells you what world you're in. The catch is that there's no explanation for those symbols, so you have to figure out for yourself what they mean.

~Foamy~ <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 2:20 am 
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His Dark Materials was really good, but I haven't heard of the other series you mentioned, so they're worth reading?
I liked the Amber Spyglass the best, because it has so much going on, yet it all fits together so nicely. Sad ending, poor Lyra and Will. All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.
The old that is strong does not whither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 2:32 am 
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I love this series! My favorite character= Pan My favorite book of HDM= The Amber Spyglass:mrblue <i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 11/9/03 11:06 am
</i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2003 2:45 am 
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Hell, sounds like I should read this series! He whose desires have been throttled,
who is independent of root,
whose pasture is emptiness-
signless and free-
his path is as unknowable
as the of birds across the heavens.
Dhammapada (93)

Further up, and further in! <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:49 am 
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Yes, the British editions seem to be better. In the Amber Spyglass he has a quote at the begining of a chapter by various famous poets telling the general mood or a hint of what happens in the chapter. The first book in the British edition is called The Northern Lights instead of The Golden Compass. Does the walker choose the path or the path choose the walker?<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2003 12:34 am 
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Here are some interesting questions I found at BridgetotheStars.net, maybe we can hypothisize answers:
1) Why was it that Will and Lyra falling in love was enough to stop the flow of Dust? Surely people fall in love quite often, some with just as much meaning and quality to their love as Will and Lyra had. Why did it have to be them?

2) Why is it that when John Parry enters Lyra's world, he soon sees his osprey dæmon, Sayan Kötör, but when Will enters Lyra's world with Balthamos, Kirjava does not become visible, and Balthamos must pose as Will's dæmon instead?

Mary Malone FL Does the walker choose the path or the path choose the walker?<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2003 10:40 am 
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Insanely cool Av, Belgaer! I'm sure MsMary and Foam (known as Lyra on other parts of the net) will b here, quickly, w/lots 2 say! And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2003 2:46 am 
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Well, in answer to the first question, I can only assume that it had to be Lyra and Will cause she was chosen - she was the subject of the prophesy. It might also have something to do with the fact that Lyra and Will both had special skills - she with the alethiometer, he as the chosen bearer of the Subtle Knife.

As for the second question, I am not sure why Will's daemon did not appear in Lyra's world. I wondered the same thing myself.

And Belgaer, liked your MaryMalone link - where'd you dig that up? I never heard of that fanlisting site before.

~MsMary~ "Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?"<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 1:19 am 
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I'll agree with MsMary on the first one. As for the second, I always assumed that John Parry first learned to see his dæmon in the same way that Mary learned to see hers - through that double-seeing business. How he knew to do that, I don't know...maybe he had kind of an innate talent for slipping into that trance-like state, just like his son does.

I asked Philip Pullman a similar question in a discussion at Readerville last year:

Quote:Serafina told Mary that people in her (Mary's) world wouldn't be able to see her daemon, unless Mary taught them. So why could Will see Pan right away, without being taught how? And shouldn't Lyra have been able to see Will's daemon right away, too?
His answer was:

Quote:How could Will see Pan right away, if you need to learn how to see daemons? That is a very good question. That's one of the best questions I've heard for a long time. In fact it's such a good question that any answer I could give would be insufficient to match the profundity and complexity of the issues you raise. I shall have to confess my ignorance and tiptoe away...
So while it definitely gave me a warm fuzzy to have Philip Pullman tell me my question was one of the best questions he'd heard for a long time ...his answer was not exactly helpful.

~Foamy~ <i>Edited by: Foamfollower1013 at: 6/1/03 6:21:36 pm
</i>


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 Post subject: Re: Philip Pullman
PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 1:24 am 
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Hmm, those are good thoughts, and heh, that's an interesting answer from Mr. Pullman.

I made the mary malone site. so people with similar interests can all have a common place with people who share those interests. Join if you'd like.

Mary Malone FL
Does the walker choose the path or the path choose the walker?<i></i>


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