From: Denise Anton Wright <denise>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 11:42:54 -0500

I'm enjoying this discussion of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy very much. Like Linda Mundt, I came to the series quite late - only last year. And because speculative fiction is rarely my first choice in reading, I started The Golden Compass only after it was required for an ALSC book discussion group that I participated in at last year's ALA Conference.

Like so many others I was hooked into the trilogy from the very first. Loved the idea of daemons and the quest for lost children. I became so wrapped up with the characters and plot of The Golden Compass that when Roger died I actually yelled at the book - something I had never done before. Pullman has made me "yell at the book" since that time - especially when Lee Scoresby dies in The Subtle Knife. I found that by the time I made it to The Amber Spyglass, I was so emotionally devastated that I had to take the book very slowly and wait days, even weeks between chapters. Has anyone else experienced this, or am I a borderline basket case?

Since Katy says we have the UK editor, David Fickling onboard this discussion, I wanted to bring up the title change of the first book
(Northern Lights in the UK but The Golden Compass in the US). Any insight into this? Also I thought Eric Rohmann's cover illustrations of the US editions added so much to my enjoyment and understanding of Pullman's work. Was so glad to read in the Achuka Interview with Pullman that he values those cover illustrations as well. Comments from anyone else?

Denise Anton Wright Library Development Consultant Alliance Library System 2201 Eastland Drive, Suite 2 Bloomington, Illinois 61704 800p0H57, ext. 2206 denise at darkstar.rsa.lib.il.us fax: (309) 661?53
Received on Fri 04 May 2001 11:42:54 AM CDT