Hmm, let us know what you think when you're done with it!


Now, are any of you folks a fan of the His Dark Materials series? (The Golden Compass, the Subtle Knife, the Amber Spyglass)
I just finished reading the first two books in the series and I'm a bit unimpressed. The first one was interesting just because it did a wonderful amount of world building, but the second really didn't add anything new or exciting to the mix. Is it worth finishing up the series? Will I be sad if I miss out on the third novel?

I have not gone and read a book in quite some time before this year/the end of last year.
I am trying to get back into reading but finding books I enjoy is just down right impossible most of the time. [lol]
Though maybe a challenge will force me to, just read. Anything.

Just to get stuff on my list! [lol]

So.. Can Smores join?
Even if it is a little late? [sweat]

More participants are always welcome! There's no such thing as being late here - Lots of users start during the middle of the year. [yes]

Just make up your list whenever you're ready and I'll add it to the front page.

I've read The Golden Compass recently, but I haven't read the rest of the series. If I recall correctly, the general opinion is that the second book falls flat, but the third does better? I could be recalling incorrectly, though... If no one here can help you out, Goodreads reviews might help.

The only problem with reading through Goodreads is that, even though the site asks you to hide any reviews that contain spoilers, no one ever does. I don't think that I'd be able to read very far before someone comments on the ending. [sweat]

Okay, I will get a list up later tonight then! [yes]
It will be a strange mix of manga's and novels. [lol]

McKean's art style is perfect for Batman, with his almost film-noir esque use of shadows and almost grotesque realism for faces. Which is emphasised by the second chapter, what with it mostly being set in Gotham City.

*checks to see if he's ever actually illustrated anything that's staring Batman*

...Oh. Yes, Arkham Asylum. Which was one of the things I was planning on getting to at some point anyway.

On Black Orchid itself - A stunningly beautiful work only enhanced by McKean's art, with an ending that, while unexpected in the way it happened, worked wonderfully to with the tone of the piece.

Only the two part stage play, which according to someone who's read the books cuts most of the quantum mechanics sub plot. Which is understandable; high-concept sci-fi isn't the most stage friendly of genres. Which... Not the most helpful of references to answer your question with, really, although I do recommend seeing the play if you get chance. There are a couple of scenes in it that work insanely well, and it's always a rare treat to see puppetry used in dramatic works rather than comedy.

Finished the fourth volume of Chew last night, not long until I'm actually as caught up as I can be with the series for the time being. It... Remains utterly, insanely, bonkers, but entirely in a good way.

The BBC radio adaptation of His Dark Materials isn't a bad listen. I read the books when I was fairly young and think a lot of the symbolism might have been lost on me. [sweat]

Which is possibly the intent, given that Philip Pullman has described the work as, iirc, an atheist response to Narnia, after having felt betrayed when he found out about the Christian symbolism in that.

I probably missed the anti-organised religion message altogether. I should try and read them again some day. Mother probably still has my copy of Northern Lights because she had trouble getting into the series at all.

I really need to get round to reading the series at some point. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for years now. But I was in college when I got it and never seemed to find the time due to assignments, etc.

A friend of my parents gave me a CD of the radio adaptation and recommended the books for all of us.

I know what it's like when books keep getting pushed back. Hope you have the time to get to them sooner rather than later. :)

I saw it as more "anti-bad people" than anti-religion in general. [lol] I haven't read the entire series, so maybe it's expanded on more later, but I really wasn't getting anti-religion from the first book. It's just that the bad people just so happened to be religious, y'know? *shrug*

Going by the stage play:

It's definitely got some anti-religious themes to it, but I'd say the tone of the piece is more pro-science than anti-religion.

I'm being influenced by seeing quotes from Philip Pullman in response to His Dark Materials (and the film The Golden Compass) being thought of as specifically anti-Christian.

Edit: I will admit to grabbing that off Google but I do remember stories in the tabloids around the time The Golden Compass film came out.

Well, without giving away too much of what I've read so far, there are some people in the book who discuss all the many benefits of killing God. I'm not sure if the action will go that far, but if it becomes a greater focus, I can see why a lot of people would get upset. Pullman seems to be attributing a lot of the world's suffering to God's existence.

Heading away for a conference tomorrow morning, I'll be getting back on Thursday evening. The 10 hours or so of train journeys there and back should give plenty of time for reading, but otherwise are completely bleh. (Taking a couple of Stross's stuff)

Might log on tomorrow morning, if not - see you guys Thursday (Or, rather, Friday - I'll probably be zonking out quick on Thursday)

There were too many changes on the way to get properly into either book, and didn't manage to get started on the way back, so only got about half way through one of them during the week. Still, I'll probably have some time over the weekend for a change.

Clock should have said sooner and tried to hide in my suitcase. :P

I've only been able to start one book on my Kindle- been kept busy helping out in the garden and visiting the nearby villages and hamlets. Using the Goodreads app to keep track while net access is a bit limited.

I've always found it very hard to read while traveling or in a public place. There's just too much else to pay attention too! I brought my book with me while I got my car's oil changed today and I barely read 5 pages because everyone was walking by and the attendants would shout out this person's name or that auto part every few minutes. [lol]

HI there for the first time since...whenever the last time I was in here. Which was too long ago.

Yeeek...ten books and I'll be done with my challenge! Heh!