The Golden Compass

[AmyLizzie]

I recently became aware of groups in the online world who are suggesting boycotting the Golden Compass and it upset me, it upset me greatly. I don't understand the hatred that some people feel towards religion or certain things that they feel threaten their religion, if they believed in it as fervently as they say they do then nothing would be able to threaten it. It's a film and it's a book, a fantastic book I might add, to see all this hatred directed at it makes me despair in the human race. I love the flm and I love the books, they are like everything, they are what you make them and if you turn them into hatred and bigotry then that says more about you than about the medium you are trying to destroy. I know this may be a contraversial post but to be honest I don't give a damn. It deeply saddens me to think we fought two world wars for free speech and this is how we end up, its pathetic and its shameful. End of.

[tangential1]

Well said.

I absolutely adore His Dark Materials. Pullman's sentiment toward the end of the third novel about the Republic of Heaven so eloquently captured the conclusions I always thought spirituality and religion should bring one to.

Sadly, this is not the first book to be boycotted, and will most likely not be the last. Just take a look at the banned book list (http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm).
It's like Harry Potter. I've never been able to figure out what is so horrible about Harry Potter that so many people are up in arms about it.

[Kiyomi]

I am not a huge fan of the Golden Compass although I absolutely love some of Phillip Pullman's other works but I don't see why people are so exercised about it. If they don't like it they don't have to read it! Why do people always try and tell other people what to think?

[vicki]

I love and adore HDM! One of my first online communities was a group of HDM fans that broke off from the great erstwhile Unofficial Harry Potter Fan Club Board, may it rest in peace. <Dabs eyes with hanky>

I think a lot of people get all hopped up because the series is critical of organized religion, etc. Philip Pullman has kind of positioned himself as the anti-CS Lewis, and that freaks out some folks, too. But I'm a Christian, but I never had any trouble enjoying HDM as a great story with terrific characters and world-building. I'd like to think my faith is strong enough to withstand some allegorical criticism. There are no reports I've ever heard about Jewish kids flocking to Christianity because of the Narnia books or movies. On the contrary, I'm sure many of them have enjoyed the Narnia tales without giving much thought to the religious aspects. All the hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing strike me as a waste of energy and attention, but people react strongly when their fear buttons are pushed.

[mamaocllo]

I am encouraged by AmyLizzie's saying that she loves both the books and the movie. I'd been afraid the makers of the movie had 'sanitized' the books of everything that made them
wonderful and thought-provoking, in the hope of avoiding controversy - for all the good that seems to have done them. Certainly the photos of the actress who plays Lyra looks much too clean and tidy to fit with my idea of the character - but then, who in the movies ever really fits one's vision of a fictional character? (I shudder to think who'd be cast as Mary Russell - whoever the Blonde of the Moment might be, probably.) So perhaps I'll go see the movie after all, and will certainly put the books on the top of my re-read stack - I even know which room they're in.

[tangential1]

I'd been afraid the makers of the movie had 'sanitized' the books of everything that made them
wonderful and thought-provoking, in the hope of avoiding controversy - for all the good that seems to have done them.

I was muchly disappointed with the movie, actually. It was beautiful, for sure. It was amazing to see all the cool stuff mentioned in the book come to life. However, they butchered the plot flow; chopped the scenes away from each other and then reassembled in an order that didn't quite make sense.

[tangential1]

Kiyomi, did you finish the trilogy or stop at Golden Compass? I felt the best book of the three was the third. The first was probably the weakest, actually.

[The Grey Badger]

I love and adore HDM! One of my first online communities was a group of HDM fans that broke off from the great erstwhile Unofficial Harry Potter Fan Club Board, may it rest in peace. <Dabs eyes with hanky>

I think a lot of people get all hopped up because the series is critical of organized religion, etc. Philip Pullman has kind of positioned himself as the anti-CS Lewis, and that freaks out some folks, too. But I'm a Christian, but I never had any trouble enjoying HDM as a great story with terrific characters and world-building. I'd like to think my faith is strong enough to withstand some allegorical criticism. There are no reports I've ever heard about Jewish kids flocking to Christianity because of the Narnia books or movies. On the contrary, I'm sure many of them have enjoyed the Narnia tales without giving much thought to the religious aspects. All the hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing strike me as a waste of energy and attention, but people react strongly when their fear buttons are pushed.

Anyone raised Christian who can't see that Pullman's "The Authority" fits the historical description of Lucifer in every detail hasn't thought past the label. Think about it. An angel - who decided it would be neat to be God Almighty and set himself up in that role - who established a totalitarian church devoted to making peoples' lives miserable and taking away their free will - whose afterlife is a nasty hell filled with miserable souls who believed in this guy and thought they were going to heaven for doing so - folks, you know and I know who operates like that!

[Kiyomi]

Kiyomi, did you finish the trilogy or stop at Golden Compass? I felt the best book of the three was the third. The first was probably the weakest, actually.

I actually read the whole series a couple of years ago and gave my copies to a friend who will enjoy it more this Christmas. As with all of his works the plot was interesting and well written but I didn't find myself caring for the characters very much. I am not sure why, probably that psycho babble about not liking to see your worst traits in someone else or some such nonsense. I adore several of his short stories like 'The Firework Makers Daughter' and 'Clockwork'(one of the creapiest but great fairytales I have ever read.)

[Jennifer]

AmyLizzie,
As much as it upsets you that Philip Pullman's works might be boycotted, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Boycotts won't affect people such as yourself who love him. People who don't like what he writes about can't stop you from liking him. If they feel he is wrong-headed, they have a right to say so. But millions like him so I don't think they'll prevent him from writing or selling his writing. I have been on both sides of this situation. Neither side feels good but you have to understand that ideas matter to people in so many ways. I find great things in Harry Potter but I had friends who wouldn't let their children read or see the movies. But there will always be a following for someone like Pullman. I don't like him so much since he disparaged JKR but I know he's very popular. Remember: this too shall pass.
Jen D.

[tangential1]

I don't like him so much since he disparaged JKR but I know he's very popular.

Did he really? I hadn't heard that.

[Jennifer]

My memory went wonky! It was Terry Prachett that disparaged JKR. Philip Pullman was actually appreciative that she took all the heat from those who would see her as anti-Christian! I think that's so ironic given Pullman's stance!
But again, apologies.
Jen D.

[ladyrothschild]

Evening,

Having never read a Harry Potter novel or seen any of the movies, I found it odd that the Golden Compass would appeal to me. However, I just finished it and gleefully raced to my local Chapters and bought the 2nd book. I found the Golden Compass refreshing, and delightful. I found it quite odd that there is so much controversy with this book in terms of how it goes against the Catholic Faith....to me, there are many other books that devel into more daming litigations against the church then a simple children's novel. On a whole, I am glad that I read it, and have acutally recommended it to several friends.

Cheers,
Jen

[Kiyomi]

I don't find that odd Jen. Harry Potter and the Golden Compass are completely different to my mind unless you are just looking at the magical aspect. In terms of quality of writing and the Golden Compass is much superior in my opinion, conversly I care more about the characters from Harry Potter even though I think JRK is a good idea/character person but an average writer. I personally like to find the total package when I read a books, good writing and characters I care about, and some sort of uplifting ending. I really enjoy triumph of the human spirit type books, but that is just my cup of tea and just because a book fits in that category doesn't mean that I will like it if the characters aren't personally interesting. I think the reason there are so many successful writers is that we are all looking for different things as readers. Wouldn't it be boring if we all like the same things? Just because I don't enjoy a book for personal reasons doesn't mean I won't recommend it to a friend though because my friends have many and varied taste and I can appriciate a good writer even if their books are my cup of tea. Too bad more people can't just relax. My mother is very religious and 'Harry Potter' is alright with her, but for some reason (in spite of the fact that she took me to see it twice when it came out) Jumanji promotes the 'occult'. Go figure...

[tangential1]

I think the reason there are so many successful writers is that we are all looking for different things as readers. Wouldn't it be boring if we all like the same things?

That is so true. I absolutely fell in love with Marisha Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics (the title itself was enough to grab my attention away from the hundreds of other books surrounding it); well over 500 pages and I blew through it in a week, the last 200 pages in one sitting on a Friday evening. I gave it to every bookish friend I have with a rave review, and yet...I'm the only one that really truly enjoyed it. Everyone else thought it was too tangential. :rolleyes:

URG.....they are constructing cube walls right next to my desk. Much more of this horrible grinding/squeaking noise and I'll have to go on a coffee brake to retain my sanity. *whines* Why can't they do this after hours??

[tangential1]

I think the interesting thing about His Dark Materials and Pullmans comments within is that he isn't necessarily disparaging of religion and faith; his criticisms are generally pointed at the organizations of religion. He criticises the church and the politics of the church, not the followers of the religion.

[Jennifer]

What you've all been saying is that writing is very personal, why you like something, why you don't. And if we go back to AmyLizzie's point, it doesn't seem cricket for a group of people to warn you off an author. I think the best thing one can do, if one has been warned off, is to read and decide for one's self. One of my favorite writers about Harry Potter (as opposed to JKR writing Harry Potter) is a man named John Granger. He'd been warned off HP for a long while. By people he trusted. But the woman who cuts his hair raved about Harry and that fact intrigued him and so he read and decided that, no, Harry wasn't dangerous. I don't say that trying someone out will always have a happy result, but at least you'll know, for yourself, be it the person's style, his ideas, his plot, whatever, you'll know for yourself if he is offensive. Having said that, I will now tell you I violate this suggestion for the really silly books like "DaVinci Code." But a serious book that's received attention deserves a read if you are concerned. And if you must condemn it, at least condemn it from your experience of it! Fair enough?
Jen D. (is there another Jen roaming around on this list? I can pick another version of the name if so!)

[Kiyomi]

That is so true. I absolutely fell in love with Marisha Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics (the title itself was enough to grab my attention away from the hundreds of other books surrounding it); well over 500 pages and I blew through it in a week, the last 200 pages in one sitting on a Friday evening.

Is this written anything like 'A Brief History of Time'? I have enjoyed that book and some of Hawkings lectures/debates in books form. Generally speaking I am more intersted in quantum physics or as we chemist call them quantum mechanics ;)

[tangential1]

Is this written anything like 'A Brief History of Time'? I have enjoyed that book and some of Hawkings lectures/debates in books form. Generally speaking I am more intersted in quantum physics or as we chemist call them quantum mechanics ;)

Actually, it is a novel. It's something of a cross between a coming of age story and a murder mystery. Coming-of-age at the beginning, morphs into a murder mystery toward the end. I can't remember where the title comes into play...I think it was something of a joke that the main character's father makes when she becomes obsessed with the death of one of her teachers.

The interesting part is that the main character is supposed to be very introverted and lives through reading and pop culture, so she writes (it's a first person narrative) the story with references those sources that are associated with all her thoughts. A good chunk of them are real, but a whole bunch are made up. The fun bit is trying to figure out which is which.

[Kiyomi]

I'll have to put that on my books to try list! It sounds just up my alley and I adore references within them to other sources real or imaginary. Must be the neurotic part of my brain coming out to play ;)

[tangential1]

Awesome:D You'll have to let me know if you like it.

[Kiyomi]

Of course :) Now I just have to find the time to find a copy :)