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Inkheart (film)

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Inkheart
Inkheartposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
 
Directed by
Iain Softley
Produced by
Cornelia Funke
Ileen Maisel
 Dylan Cuva
 Sarah Wang
 Iain Softley
 Ute Leonhardt
Toby Emmerich
Mark Ordesky
Ileen Maisel
 Andrew Licht
Screenplay by
David Lindsay-Abaire
Story by
David Lindsay-Abaire
Gary David Goldberg[1]
Based on
Inkheart
 by Cornelia Funke
Starring
Brendan Fraser
Eliza Bennett
Paul Bettany
Helen Mirren
Rafi Gavron
Andy Serkis
Jim Broadbent
Sienna Guillory
Music by
Javier Navarrete
Cinematography
Roger Pratt
Editing by
Martin Walsh
Distributed by
New Line Cinema
Release date(s)
December 11, 2008 (Germany)
December 12, 2008 (United Kingdom)
January 23, 2009 (United States)
 
Running time
106 minutes[2]
Country
Germany
 United Kingdom
 United States
Language
English
Budget
$60 million[3]
Box office
$62,450,361[3][4]
Inkheart is a 2008 adventure fantasy film directed by Iain Softley and starring Brendan Fraser, Eliza Bennett, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Andy Serkis, Jim Broadbent, and Sienna Guillory. It is based on Cornelia Funke's novel with the same name. The film was released on 12 December 2008 in the UK and 23 January 2009 in the US.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production 3.1 Visual effects
4 Release
5 Reception 5.1 Critical response
5.2 Box office
6 Home release
7 Video game
8 References
9 External links
Plot[edit]

 This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (September 2010)
The story begins with Mortimer "Mo" Folchart (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Teresa "Resa" Folchart (Sienna Guillory) reading the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" to their baby daughter Meggie. As Mo reads the story, a red velvet hood appears as a narrator (Roger Allam) explains that people known as "Silver Tongues" are born with the gift that whenever they read a story out loud, the story becomes real.
12 years later, Mo and Meggie (Eliza Bennett) are in the European countrysides looking for a book. Mo has learned of his gifts, and nine years prior, Resa had vanished, much to the distress of her extended family. Hearing the calling of books from a bookstore one day, Mo ventures inside. He finds the book Inkheart and is overwhelmed with a mixture of fear and joy.
At the same time, Dustfinger (Paul Bettany), a character from Inkheart, appears and attempts to persuade Mo to read him back into the book. Mo refuses to do so and hastily escapes with Meggie and travels to Italy to pay a visit to Meggie's great aunt Elinor Loredan (Helen Mirren). Elinor accuses Resa of running off, which upsets Meggie, but the two make amends when expressing their mutual passion for valuable books and Elinor lets Meggie stay in her library to read in exchange that nothing is put out of place. Dustfinger appears again, but this time having informed the book's villain Capricorn and bringing his minion Basta (Jamie Foreman) to capture Mo and his family and take back the book, in the meantime destroying Elinor's valuable collection of books by book burning.
The trio are taken to Capricorn's castle and imprisoned in the stables, which house various creatures from storybooks, such as the ticking Crocodile from Peter Pan, winged monkeys from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the title hound from The Hound of the Baskervilles, as well as the minotaur (from the story of Theseus) and a unicorn. Mo explains his gift to Meggie and Elinor, stating that when he reads a person out of a book, someone from the real world is sent into it, hence the disappearance of his wife. They are abruptly taken to meet with Capricorn (Andy Serkis) and meet his current reader Darius (John Thomson) whose perpetual stutter had caused those he had read out of the book to only come halfway out of the story, with various deformities and the words of the stories written on their faces. Capricorn breaks his promise to Dustfinger to have him read back into the book, and throws it onto the fire, burning it. In his despair, Dustfinger leaves the group and runs to the kitchen, where he learns that one of the servant girls (a trusted friend of his who is constantly attempting to escape) is in fact Mo's lost wife Resa whose halfway transition from the book she was trapped in has left her without a voice. He gives her the access to escape and departs.
After reading the Ali Baba story from The Arabian Nights and giving Capricorn a stash of treasure, one of 40 Thieves named Farid (Rafi Gavron) is summoned from the story and joins the storyteller and his family in imprisonment. Dustfinger opts not to tell Mo that his wife is in the village and prompts a quick escape using the famous tornado from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After they escape, Meggie offers the idea that only the author of Inkheart, Fenoglio (a fictional character, unrelated to the Italian writer Beppe Fenoglio)) may have access to a copy of the rare-to-find book.
After learning of the author's location and traveling to his town, Elinor decides to leave to recover what is left of her book collection. Dustfinger stays behind with Farid partly in order to teach him how to juggle fire, but also due to the fact he is afraid of learning his fate at the end of the book. Upon meeting Fenoglio (Jim Broadbent), he cannot resist approaching his creation and inadvertently blurts out that Dustfinger dies in the novel while saving his marten Gwin. This devastates the fire juggler, who states that the writer is not his god, and he can deem whatever fate he chooses. While Mo attempts to find a way of reading Resa out of the book, Dustfinger has no choice but to confess that she was at Capricorn's village, prompting him and Mo to take Fenoglio's car and leave Meggie behind with Fenoglio. They discover that Farid had stowed away in the car's trunk, and take him along at his insistence. Elsewhere, Elinor has a change of heart and does not take the train back to Italy.
Meanwhile, Meggie learns that she has inherited her father's gift when she accidentally summons Toto from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Basta comes and takes Meggie and Fenoglio back to Capricorn's village. Capricorn intends to use Meggie to read the Shadow, Inkheart's supernatural and most deadly villain, out of the book and into the real world, using a copy of the book he had secretly kept to himself. After a brief reunion with her mother, Meggie is coerced into cooperating or risk Capricorn killing Resa. Elinor in the meantime discovers Fenoglio's ransacked apartment and rents a motorbike to save her family. As Mo, Farid, and Dustfinger work on a plan of burning down Capricorn's castle, Dustfinger is captured. After escaping his cell, he attempts to free Meggie and Fenoglio who is working on a way to rewrite the ending of the Shadow for her to read. He is unable to free them upon not lighting a large fire to help him and flees only to return at his conscience (or perhaps Meggie's) beckoning.
Meggie is escorted out to read the Shadow out of the book, and Fenoglio and Resa are caged to be his first meal. Fenoglio manages to use Toto to give her a page that he had written, and she manages to call off the Shadow. In the scuffle, she loses the rewrite and Shadow attempts again to kill Resa, Fenoglio, and Mo, who had intervened in the fight. Elinor convinces Darius to help her by releasing all the creatures from the stables. Mo gives Meggie a pen to write her own ending, and using her arm, Meggie manages to send all the book characters back to their own stories. At Fenoglio's request free him, Meggie sends him into the Inkheart world as well. Dustfinger misses his chance to return, and departs when Elinor, Resa, Mo and Meggie embrace, where Meggie discovers that Inkheart had been taken.
Farid catches up with Dustfinger, insisting on traveling with him to find another reader to send Dustfinger back into the copy of Inkheart that Farid had stolen before the castle collapsed. After a moment's hesitation, Dustfinger agrees and the two start off together only to have Mo come up to fulfill his promise to return Dustfinger to his book. Dustfinger is transported safely back into Inkheart, where he reunites with his wife Roxane. Farid reveals to the family that Dustfinger's fate has been changed as he pulls Gwin out of a travel pack he is carrying. Without the marten to sacrifice himself for, Dustfinger is again in control of his destiny. Meggie and Resa invite Farid to live with them, and Meggie agrees to teach him how to read and Farid agrees to teach her how to use the dragon breath.
Cast[edit]
Brendan Fraser as Mortimer "Mo" Folchart
Eliza Bennett as Meggie Folchart
Paul Bettany as Dustfinger
Helen Mirren as Elinor Loredan
Andy Serkis as Capricorn
Jim Broadbent as Fenoglio
Rafi Gavron as Farid
Sienna Guillory as Teresa "Resa" Folchart
Lesley Sharp as Mortola
Jamie Foreman as Basta
Matt King as Cockerell
John Thomson as Darius
Jennifer Connelly as Roxane
Marnix Van Den Broeke as The Shadow
Steve Speirs as Flatnose
Jessie Cave as Nymph
Adam Bond as Prince Charming
Tereza Srbova as Rapunzel
Emily Eby as Guinevere
Roger Allam as Narrator
Paul Kasey as Minotaur
Production[edit]
Shortly after the novel was published, author Cornelia Funke sent a copy of Inkheart along with a note to Brendan Fraser, explaining that he was her inspiration for the character of Mo.[5]

"So I get this book. It shows up in the mail. 'Dear Brendan,' it's inscribed, 'Thank you for inspiring this character.' I can feel my leg getting pulled already. 'What? Where’s Ashton Kutcher?' 'I hope that you get a chance to read this aloud to your kids one day. Best wishes, Cornelia Funke.' I had no idea from a bar of soap who she was, so I Googled her. Wow, so much work, she’s prolific. I think part of the story is that a little girl who was bilingual, I think she was a Brit but she spoke German fluently, had discovered a copy of Tintenherz which she loved and read, and wrote to either it was Cornelia or the publisher and asked why isn't this published in English? And I think Cornelia probably wanted to know the answer to that question too. So once it was, it just became a snowballing thing and then that really got her out there and led to the acclaim and popularity of her work."
It was this that motivated director Iain Softley and the casting department to consider Fraser first for the role in the film. Fraser told Softley that if it was determined that he was not right for the role, not to feel obligated to use him on the project. Softley was ultimately impressed with Fraser's performance and contracted him for the film.
Public auditions were held for the role of Meggie Folchart [6] with the intention of casting an unknown actress, however the role eventually went to Eliza Bennett who had already worked extensively on television and film at the time.
Funke, was quoted as saying that "we had our second screening (summer 2007), which went well, and I really loved the movie, but they are still changing things, especially at the end."[citation needed]
Inkheart was filmed at Shepperton Studios near London, England and on location in Balestrino, Albenga, Entracque and Laigueglia, Italy, in 2006 and 2007.

[A] lot of the things that we tried to do are more to do with optical illusion, the sleight of hand....It feels very organic and very real, and I actually think it makes the magic more effective. I think that there is a sort of discounting that goes on in the minds of an audience when they know that it's sort of a computer world or a digital world. It's like, 'Oh, they can do anything. They can press a button for however many weeks they need at a machine.' Whereas if you actually get the sense that it's something more like the craft of illusion, I think that it's more magical, actually.
—Iain Softley, interviewed on the set[7]
The production also visited Hever Castle in Kent to shoot the exterior for Elinor's Tuscan villa setting.[8]
Visual effects[edit]
The company Double Negative was approached to create the menacing animated character, The Shadow, along with other creatures and visual effects for the film. Working closely with the production's VFX Supervisor, Angus Bickerton, Double Negative's team were led by VFX Supervisors Paul Riddle and Ryan Cook, and VFX Producer Fay McConkey.
The finale of the film takes place within a ruined amphitheater nestled in the Italian mountains; this is the lair of Capricorn, one of the villains Mo has accidentally "read" into the real world. The visual effects work included the digital augmentation of the bluescreen set, the billowing, pyroclastic monster, The Shadow, the surreal winged monkeys with their raven black feathers and Capricorn's final transition.[9]
Release[edit]
As with the production of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,[citation needed] the production progressed very slowly. The American release was originally slated for Christmas 2007, but then was changed to 19 March 2008.[citation needed] Due to the writer's strike, the film was further pushed back and opened 12 December 2008 in the UK and 23 January 2009 in the US.
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Inkheart has received generally mixed reviews from critics. It has a 39% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 132 reviews, with 52 reviews "Fresh" and 80 reviews "Rotten". It received an average score of 5 out of 10.[10] Their consensus is "Heavy on cliches and light on charm, this kid-lit fantasy-adventure doesn't quite get off the ground." In addition, Metacritic has given the film a 47 out of 100, indicating "Mixed or Average Reviews".[11]
Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter disliked the film, saying: "Whatever made the German novel Inkheart by Cornelia Funke so popular that it got translated into 37 languages is nowhere in evidence in its film version", and "The main problem is the central concept itself."[12] On the other hand, Bill Goodykoontz of The Arizona Republic enjoyed the film, saying: "Inkheart is entertaining enough, if not always easy to follow. And if it does nothing else, at least it may inspire kids to read, if for no other reason than to help make sense of it all."[13] A. O. Scott said the film "aims for a blend of whimsy and tingly suspense but botches nearly every spell it tries to cast. Its opening scenes are more confusing than intriguing, and the acceleration of the plot leads to a sense of busyness rather than suspense. A movie that can produce the image of Helen Mirren astride a unicorn has some claim on the audience’s interest, and a movie that can make that image seem perfectly uninteresting is in some serious trouble."[14]
Box office[edit]
The film grossed $2,110,000 during its opening day in 2,655 theaters. It opened at #7 at the domestic box office with $7,725,000, with a worldwide gross of close to $13 million. It yielded just $1 million from its opening in the U.K, ranking fourth in that country, while coming in third at $1.8 million in Germany. It later came to make $5,781,992 in the UK, $10,112,691 in Germany, $1,222,364 in Australia, $1,484,027 in France, $3,289,477 in Italy, $1,815,500 in Taiwan, $2,951,290 in Spain, $2,665,476 in South Korea, $1,681,477 in Russia, $2,378,200 in Mexico, and $1,080,825 in Malaysia, plus $4,187,389 from smaller countries.[3]
Inkheart made $17,303,424 domestically, and $45,146,937 foreign, making the final worldwide gross of the film to be $62,450,361.[3] It made $8.3 million in US DVD sales during its first week.[4]
Home release[edit]
Inkheart was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on 13 April 2009.[15] It was released in the United States on 23 June 2009.
Video game[edit]
On January 12, 2009, a video game based on the film was released for the Nintendo DS.[16]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "FAQ for Inkheart". IMDb. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
2.Jump up ^ "INKHEART (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d "Inkheart (2009)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
4.^ Jump up to: a b "Movie Inkheart - Box Office Data, News, Cast Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
5.Jump up ^ "Inkheart - Brendan Fraser on Inkheart and Inspiring Author Cornelia Funke". Movies.about.com. 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
6.Jump up ^ http://www.starpulse.com/Movies/Inkheart/Videos/?vxChannel=&vxClipId=&clip_id=GvITd-IZRHmspSQI&video_title=SHOWBIZ%3A+Child+actors+audition+for+'Inkheart'+film
7.Jump up ^ Director Iain Softley and Helen Mirren Team Up to Talk About Inkheart a January 2007 article from About.com
8.Jump up ^ Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Inkheart Film Focus".
9.Jump up ^ "Inkheart". Dneg.com. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
10.Jump up ^ Inkheart at Rotten Tomatoes
11.Jump up ^ Inkheart at Metacritic
12.Jump up ^ Film Review: Inkheart from The Hollywood Reporter
13.Jump up ^ 'Inkheart' from The Arizona Republic
14.Jump up ^ Review by A. O. Scott from The New York Times, published January 23, 2009
15.Jump up ^ Inkheart DVD (2008)
16.Jump up ^ Search: (2009-01-12). "Inkheart Release Information for DS". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Inkheart (film)
Official website
Inkheart at the Internet Movie Database
Inkheart at AllRovi
Inkheart at Rotten Tomatoes
Cornelia Funke's Website
Film website

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Categories: 2008 films
English-language films
Films based on fantasy novels
American fantasy films
German fantasy films
British fantasy films
Inkheart trilogy
Films shot anamorphically
New Line Cinema films





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Inkheart trilogy

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Inkheart trilogy
Inkheart original book covers.jpg

Covers for the three volumes of the original editions of the Inkheart trilogy, designed by Martina Petersen and author Cornelia Funke.
 
Inkheart
Inkspell
Inkdeath
 
Author
Cornelia Funke
Original title
Tintenwelt
Translator
Anthea Bell
Illustrator
Cornelia Funke
Country
Germany
Language
German
Genre
Fantasy, Bildungsroman
Publisher
Germany Cecilie Dressler Verlag
United Kingdom Chicken House Publishing
United States Scholastic Corporation
Published
23 Sep. 2003 – 28 Sep. 2008
Published in English
6 October 2003 – October 2008
Media type
Print (Hardback & Paperback) and audiobook
The Inkheart trilogy is a series of three fantasy novels written by German author Cornelia Funke, comprising Inkheart (2003), Inkspell (2005), and Inkdeath (2007). The books chronicle the adventures of teenager Meggie Folchart whose life changes dramatically when she realizes that she and her father, a bookbinder named Mo, have the unusual ability to bring characters from books into the real world when reading aloud. Mostly set in Northern Italy and the parallel world of the fictional Inkheart book, the central story arc concerns the magic of books, their characters and creatures, and the art of reading.
Originally released in German-speaking Europe, the English translation of the third book, entitled Inkdeath, by Anthea Bell was released in October 2008. In 2004, Funke sold the film rights to all three books to New Line Cinema; thus far, the first book has been made into a motion picture, which was released in January 2009.[1]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot summary 1.1 Inkheart
1.2 Inkspell
1.3 Inkdeath
2 Awards
3 Adaptions
4 References
5 External links
Plot summary[edit]
Inkheart[edit]
Main article: Inkheart
In Inkheart, the twelve-year-old, Meggie, discovers that her father Mortimer, a professional bookbinder, has the unusual ability to transfer characters from books into the real world when he reads aloud - they call those with this ability "Silvertongue". Scared by his own talents, Mo once brought four characters of a book entitled Inkheart to life while reading from the novel, including Dustfinger, his pet marten Gwin; Capricorn, the book's villain; and Basta, Capricorn's right-hand man — in bitter exchange of his wife Teresa (later known as Resa), who disappeared without a trace into the so-called Inkworld of the book. After many years Dustfinger returns to pay Meggie and her father a visit, advising them to flee the country to escape Capricorn and his followers who are in search of Mo and his Inkheart copy. The three of them eventually leave to hide at Meggie's great-aunt Elinor's house in Northern Italy but end up being dragged off by Basta and his companions to the near village of Capricorn where Mo is forced to read both treasure and Meggie as his hostage summons out the fabled monster known as "The Shadow" out of the book. Soon Meggie discovers she has the same talent as her father, and with the help of Inkheart author Fenoglio, her re-read mother, and 1001 Arabian Nights character Farid she helps kill Capricorn and his entourage with the power of her reading talent.
Inkspell[edit]
Main article: Inkspell

 To meet Wikipedia's quality standards, this book-related article may require cleanup.
This article contains very little context, or is unclear to readers who know little about the book.
 See this article's talk page before making any large and/or controversial edits. (November 2009)
Books-aj.svg aj ashton 01.svg
 
A year has passed, but not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of Inkheart, a book that has characters that come to life. Resa is back, but she has become mute. The fire-eater, Dustfinger, wants to go back to his wife, Roxanne and his daughters-who are in the story. When he finds a crazy, self- absorbed psycho storyteller, Orpheus, who can read him back into the book, he goes into the pages, but Orpheus doesn't read Farid back into the book like he was supposed to, because he leaves the name "boy" out. Soon Farid convinces Meggie to read him into the book so he can warn Dustfinger of Basta, and then becomes his apprentice once more. But this time, Meggie has figured out how to read herself and Farid into the book Inkheart.
Suddenly, Mortola, Basta, Orpheus, and sugar AKA " the man built like a wardrobe" barge into Elinor's house, and take Mo, Resa, Elinor, and Darius prisoner, while Meggie and Farid have no idea what is happening in the other world. Orpheus reads Basta, Mortola, Mo, and Resa into Inkheart. Mortola gets a modern rifle, and shoots Mo, thinking that she has killed him and just leaves. However, Mo survived the shot. Resa discovers that her voice has come back to her. Resa and Mo are hiding with the strolling players, but now they have discovered that the injured Mo is the mysterious gentleman-robber, the "Bluejay", created by Fenoglio, the Inkweaver's words. Fenoglio is now living within his own story and he makes Meggie read Cosimo the Fair back into the story since he died, Meggie being kissed by Farid shortly after. Now the Adderhead is out to get him, and he is just waiting to hang him, or kill his family in front of him. Mo and Resa are captured, and Mo is unable to escape because of his fatal wound. Meggie, Resa, and Mo all end up in the Adderhead's castle (the Castle of Night), while Meggie has made a bargain with the Adderhead that she will bind him a book of immortality if he lets Meggie, Resa, Mo, and the other strolling players he has captured go. What doesn't tell the prince is that if three words are written in the book—heart, spell, death—the Adderhead will die instantly. In the meanwhile, Farid and Dustfinger have snuck into the castle using soot that causes invisibility, created by a combination of fire and water. Meggie and Farid fall in love. Farid is later killed by Basta, one of Capricorn's old followers, and then Mo kills him. Later, Dustfinger summons the White Women to bring Farid back to life, sacrificing himself. Roxanne, Dustfinger's wife, realizes this and is furious at Farid for taking away her love, but is powerless to do anything. Meggie reads Orpheus into the story using Fenoglio's words, although Orpheus refuses to believe that she reads him into the book. Farid agrees to work for Orpheus as a servant if he writes something to bring Dustfinger back to life. But Farid wonders, will he live up to the agreement and will Dustfinger ever come back?
Inkdeath[edit]
Main article: Inkdeath
Farid is the servant of Orpheus, and has been trying to convince the man to bring Dustfinger back from the dead. Orpheus agrees to read him back, but under one condition: Mo takes his place in death. Mo summons the White Women using words that Orpheus copied from Inkheart, and they bring him to the world of the dead, causing much commotion amongst those around him. In the world of the dead, Mo meets Death herself, and Death bargains with Mo. Mo must bring the Adderhead to death before Spring comes or Meggie and himself will die.
The book is good , the vicious herald of the Silver Prince and the servant of the Milksop, King of Ombra, where the characters are staying, kidnaps all of the children in the town and threatens to bring them to work to death at the silver mines. But Mo is returned to the world of the living with Dustfinger as well, and the two hatch a plan. Mo "The Bluejay" turns himself in to the Piper as his prisoner in exchange for the children, who are hidden by the Black Prince and his men in a cave. Violante, the Adderhead's daughter rescues him and brings him to the castle by the lake, where she used to live, because she wants the Bluejay to kill the Adderhead by writing the three words in the White Book, which Mo promised to heal, because he sabotaged it, and the Adderhead was rotting alive, in exchange for the children. The Adderhead goes after her while sending the Milksop after the children. The Black Prince however, learns of the Milksop's march, and moves the children to a giant tree in the forest, said to be a stronghold against giants, that was written by Fenoglio. They are attacked, but Meggie reads a Giantess out of Fenoglio's words, and they are able to fend them off, and kill Sootbird, the fire-eater who took Dustfinger's place. At the castle, the Adderhead's men followed a secret passage to the inside, and Violante's child-soldiers get slaughtered, the BlueJay captured, and Dustfinger killed by a Night-Mare conjured up by Orpheus, who is now the Adderheads servant. Resa shape-shifts into a swift, using magical seeds that were used by Mortola to shape-shift, before she was killed by the Adderheads men, and searches for the white book along with Dustfinger, who came back to life again. Dustfinger pretends to betray Mo, to earn the Piper's trust, but really was leading the Adderhead on in an elaborate plan with Bluejay and Violante. Under the Piper's supervision, Mo works on a new White Book, to replace the Adderhead's, as slowly as possible, for it is plain that the book should never be finished. The Adderhead's grandson, Jacopo, steals the White Book from the Adderhead and secretly hands it to Mo. Mo writes the three words and the Adderhead dies. A short skirmish takes place, Dustfinger kills the Night-Mare, and Resa and Mo kill the Piper. Meanwhile, the Adderhead's bodyguard Thumbling, steals all of the Adderheads possessions and takes off.
The last part of the book explains that Orpheus runs away to the cold mountains, Farid goes traveling as a fire-dancer, Meggie instead stays with Doria and rejects Farid. Resa gives birth to a child and it is a boy. The child tells the story in the last chapter and he wishes he could see the world where his father, mother and sister were born in as he thinks it is much more exciting than his own, because of the stories told to him by Elinor, who was read along with Darius into the book earlier on. The boy and Resa both turn into birds every few night, as a side-effect of the seeds, but all in all it is assumed that the entire surviving cast lives happily forever after in Ombra, with Violante as their queen.
Awards[edit]
The first volume, Inkheart, won the Phantastik-Preis der Stadt Wetzlar for children's fiction in Germany in 2004,[2] and was selected as the best novel of the year in children's literature by the Jury der jungen Leser in June of the same year.[3] It was also awarded the Kalbacher Klapperschlange[4] and the Silberner Griffel,[4] receiving nominations for the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis and the Rattenfänger-Literaturpreis.[4] In June 2007 Inkheart was voted, in a composite online and phone poll-show named Unsere Besten, organized by the ZDF network, as the eleventh best book of all time by the general public.[5]
Follow-up Inkspell won the Book Sense Book of the Year Award in the category "Children's Literature."
Adaptions[edit]
In October 2004, a series of various theatrical version of the first two books started with the world premiere of Inkheart at the Schauspielhaus Hannover. It has since been staged in several cities in Germany, notably at the Staatstheater Stuttgart, and the Wuppertaler Kinder- und Jugendtheater. In September 2006 a musical version premiered at the Junges Theater Bonn, involving over twenty actors and actresses and a live band.[6]
In 2004, New Line Cinema bought the film rights to all three books for a cinema adaptation, beginning with the production of the first novel, Inkheart. Funke moved to Los Angeles, California in May 2005 after she had accepted the offer to participate as the film's producer alongside Barry Mendel.[1] Principal photography on Inkheart began on location in Liguria, Italy on 8 November 2006, before moving to Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England.[7] Directed by Iain Softley, the film is based on a screenplay by David Lindsay-Abaire and involving an ensemble cast, that includes Brendan Fraser, Helen Mirren, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, Rafi Gavron, Andy Serkis and newcomer Eliza Bennett, among others.[7]
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b "Release Date Changes: Be Kind Rewind, 27 Dresses, Inkheart"
2.Jump up ^ "Winners of the Phantastik-Preis der Stadt Wetzlar". SF-Fan.de. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
3.Jump up ^ "Sommergruß mit Vorgeschmack". Jury der junge Leser - Official website. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
4.^ Jump up to: a b c "Tintenherz". Lesen.de. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
5.Jump up ^ Unsere Besten ranking
6.Jump up ^ Musical
7.^ Jump up to: a b "Inkheart - The Movie"
External links[edit]
Cornelia Funke on Scholastic.com (U.S. publisher)

[hide]
v·
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The Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke

 
Novels
Inkheart (2003)·
 Inkspell (2005)·
 Inkdeath (2008)
 
 
Characters
Basta·
 Meggie Folchart·
 Mortimer Folchart
 
 
Film adaptation
Inkheart (2008)
 

 

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Novels by Cornelia Funke
Italy in fiction
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Inkheart

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This article is about the book. For the film, see Inkheart (film).

 This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2010)

Inkheart
Inkheart book.jpg
First English translation edition cover
 
Author
Cornelia Funke
Original title
Tintenherz
Illustrator
Cornelia Funke
Cover artist
Carol Lawson & Ian Butterworth
Country
Germany and USA
Language
German and English
Series
Inkheart trilogy
Genre
Fantasy, Bildungsroman
Publisher
Germany Cecilie Dressler
UK Chicken House
USA Scholastic
Publication date
September 23, 2003
Media type
Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages
534 pgs
ISBN
ISBN 1-904442-09-9 (1st English translation)
OCLC Number
52783756
Followed by
Inkspell
Inkheart (German title: Tintenherz) is a 2003 young adult fantasy novel by Cornelia Funke, and the first book of the Inkheart trilogy. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children."[1]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Characters
3 Sequels
4 Film adaptation
5 Critical reception
6 References
7 External links
Plot[edit]
12 year-old Meggie lives with her father, Mortimer (called Mo), a bookbinder. Mo never reads stories aloud to Meggie because he has a special gift: when he reads a book aloud, the characters come out of the book and into the real world. One night, when Meggie was a small child, Mortimer was reading aloud from a book named Inkheart when an evil villain named Capricorn, his aide Basta, and a fire-eater named Dustfinger escape from the book and into their living room. At the same time, Mo's wife Teresa gets trapped within the book.
Nine years later, Capricorn is on a hunt to find and destroy all copies of Inkheart and use Mo's abilities to gain more power for himself in the real world. Meggie discovers her father's secret and, along with the help of Dustfinger and Meggie's eccentric aunt Elinor, fights to free her mother and destroy Capricorn.
Characters[edit]
Meggie: 12-year-old girl, avid reader, daughter of Mortimer "Silvertongue" Folchart, ambitious and troublesome. She also has the ability to read things out of books like her father.
Dustfinger: A character from a book called Inkheart. Dustfinger was read out of the book by Mortimer. Dustfinger is a skilled performer who uses fire, otherwise known as a fire-eater. He has a horned marten called Gwin as his companion. He is described as having three faint scars on his face from being cut by Basta and having sandy-colored hair. Throughout Inkheart, he searches only for the book, which is the only way back to his world. Although he betrayed Mortimer and sold him out to Capricorn, he only did so because Capricorn had promised that he would be sent back home. He protects Meggie on a few occasions, and is not truly evil. He does not fit into the world he was read into, and cares only for returning home to his family, which is the reason for many of his seemingly cruel deeds.
Capricorn: Another character from Inkheart, he was also read out of the book by Mortimer. He is a mob boss. Capricorn is a very tall, gaunt man, pale as parchment, with short bristly hair, and very pale bright eyes.
Gwin: Dustfinger's horned pet marten who lives in Dustfinger's backpack. He is not trained for he usually bites Dustfinger.
Elinor: Aunt of Mo’s wife who disappeared. Elinor is a recluse who is proud of her collection of books.
Basta: Character from book Inkheart. Thin angular face with close set eyes, not tall with narrow shoulders. There is a note of fury about him, and he is extremely superstitious. Unlike other of Capricorn’s men who wear all black, Basta wears a white shirt. Basta is very fond of the knife he carries.
Flatnose: Read out of Inkheart by Darius with a new disfigurement of pushed in face. Tall beanpole whose face appears as if a giant had pushed in his face with a thumb. He is very tall and broad.
Cockerell: Read out of Inkheart by Darius.
Darius: a nervous, small, thin man no older than Mortimer. Darius is described having a badly bent back and wears glasses. Capricorn had discovered that he can also read characters out of books, but does this poorly, with the characters having various deformities.
Farid: A young boy read out from the book "Arabian Nights". Farid becomes a companion of Dustfinger.
Fenoglio: author of Inkheart.
Mortola (the Magpie): Read out of Inkheart by Darius. She has a vulture like face. Her eyes set close together and her jaw juts forward. Her legs are swelled, and wrapped in bandages.
The Shadow: In Inkheart only appears when Capricorn calls him, leaping from the ground like fire. The concept of The Shadow is similar to that of the Nothing in Michael Ende's The Neverending Story
Sequels[edit]
The sequel Inkspell was released on October 1, 2005. The third book in the trilogy, Inkdeath, was released on September 28, 2007.
Film adaptation[edit]
Main article: Inkheart (film)
A movie based on the book was released in the US and Canada on January 23, 2009. Eliza Bennett and Brendan Fraser were the first to be cast, as Meggie and Mo, respectively. The rest of the cast included Paul Bettany as Dustfinger, Rafi Gavron as Farid, Jim Broadbent as Fenoglio, Helen Mirren as Elinor, Andy Serkis as Capricorn, Sienna Guillory as Teresa, and Jamie Foreman as Basta. Iain Softley directed the film.
Critical reception[edit]
Inkheart has received praise. The New York Times Book Review described Inkheart as "sprinkled with magical fairy dust",[2] while Kirkus Reviews declared it "a true feast for anyone who has ever been lost in a book".[3]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ National Education Association (2007). "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". Retrieved August 22, 2012.
2.Jump up ^ Inkspell, back cover
3.Jump up ^ Funke, Cornelia. "INKHEART". KIRKUS. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
External links[edit]
National Education Association (2007). "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".
Official Cornelia Funke website
Scholastic site

[hide]
v·
 t·
 e
 
The Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke

 
Novels
Inkheart (2003)·
 Inkspell (2005)·
 Inkdeath (2008)
 
 
Characters
Basta·
 Meggie Folchart·
 Mortimer Folchart
 
 
Film adaptation
Inkheart (2008)
 

 

Categories: 2002 novels
Children's novels
German fantasy novels
Inkheart trilogy books
2000s fantasy novels




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Inkspell

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 This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2012)

 It has been suggested that this article be merged into Cornelia Funke. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2012.

Inkspell
Book cover for Inkspell
First Eng. edition cover
 
Author
Cornelia Funke
Original title
Tintenblut
Translator
Anthea Bell
Country
Germany and U.S.
Language
German, English
Series
Inkheart trilogy
Genre
Fantasy
Publisher
Meredith
Publication date
October 1, 2005
Media type
Print (Hardback and Paperback)
Pages
635 pgs (first Eng. edition, hardback)
ISBN
ISBN 0-439-55400-4 (first Eng. edition, hardback)
OCLC Number
183445016
LC Classification
PZ7.F96624 Ins 2005
Preceded by
Inkheart
Followed by
Inkdeath
Inkspell (German title: Tintenblut) is a 2005 young adult fantasy novel by Cornelia Funke. It was named the 2006 Book Sense Book of the Year in the Children's Literature category.
Inkspell is the second novel in Cornelia Funke's Inkheart trilogy. The first novel, Inkheart, (2003) was critically acclaimed and was made into a major motion picture released in January 2009. The third novel, Inkdeath, was published on September 28, 2007 in Germany.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot summary
2 Critical reception
3 Audio book
4 References
Plot summary[edit]

 This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (March 2012)
A year has passed, and Meggie now lives with Elinor, Darius and her parents, Mo and Resa. Life is peaceful, but not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of Inkheart and the characters that came to life. For the fire-eater Dustfinger, the need to return to his homeworld has become urgent. When he finds a crooked storyteller named Orpheus who has the same ability to bring stories to life as Mo, he asks him to read him back. Orpheus obliges, but doesn't send Dustfinger's apprentice, Farid, back into the book as they arranged; he then steals the book from the boy and hands it over to Basta, who wants revenge for the death of his master Capricorn. Dustfinger, now in the Inkworld, regrets the fact that Farid didn't come back with him but doesn't suspect that Orpheus intended it that way. Distraught, Farid goes in search of Meggie, and before long, both are caught inside the book, too.
Soon after the two months are in the book, Mortola, Basta, Orpheus, and a "man built like a wardrobe" barge into Elinor's house, and take Mo, Resa, Elinor, and Darius prisoner. As per Mortola's orders, Orpheus reads Basta, Mortola, and Mo into Inkheart, but Resa comes with them by accident by getting hold of Mo. Mortola has brought along a rifle from our world, and shoots Mortimer. Resa discovers that her voice has come back to her only as she cries for her husband, praying for him to survive the wound. Resa and Mo are hiding in a secret cave with the strolling players (known also as Motley Folk) while he recovers, but they soon discover (or erroneously assume) that the injured Mo is the mysterious gentleman-robber, the "Bluejay", a fictitious hero created by Fenoglio's words made into song for the Motley Folk to sing. Fenoglio has been living within his own story since the events of Inkheart, working as a court scribe in Lombrica's capital city of Ombra, and once reunited with Meggie he asks her to read Cosimo the Fair back into the story, since he died a death the author never planned for him. Meggie doesn't feel right to interfere with the story so much but is soon convinced by Fenoglio as it will be 'a double' of Cosimo - not Cosimo himself. Reluctantly Meggie agrees to read the words when Adderheads soldier's barge into the fair and injure and kill many people by riding horses over them, but soon regrets it when she realises that it has gone wrong. Cosimo has none of his doubles memories and doesn't seem to love his wife and child anymore. Instead he 'spends his nights' with Dustfinger and Roxanne's daughter Brianna. Violante begs Fenoglio to convince Roxanne to deal with Brianna and tell her not to upset Violante's marriage. Fenoglio attempts this but fails, a mixture of Roxanne's reluctance to tell her daughter what to do and Roxanne's distracting beauty. Fenoglio thinks that Roxanne is 'too beautiful' for Dustfinger.
Cosimo's return upsets the Adderhead, ruler of the neighboring region of Argenta, whom planned to take over Lombrica once the Laughing Prince died. With the rightful heir to the throne of Ombra mysteriously brought back to life, but with no memories of 'his own' life, a war is imminent.
Mo and Resa are captured by the Adderhead's men along with many other strolling players in the cave, sold out by one of their own. Meggie, who had also been able to read a few of Fenoglio's words to aid her father in recuperating, joins Dustfinger and Farid in searching for her parents and the strolling players. Along with the Black Prince, the leader of the Motley Folk, they launch a successful rescue mission, but Mo is unable to escape because of his wound and Resa stays behind with him. Meggie goes willingly into the Adderhead's Castle of Night and, fulfilling a prophecy she and Fenoglio dreamed up and "read" into reality, offers him a bargain: Mo, a great bookbinder rather than the robber they believe him to be, will bind the Adderhead a book of immortality if he lets Meggie, Resa, Mo, and the rest of the strolling players he has captured go free. What they neglect to tell the Prince of Argenta is that if three words are written in the book ("Heart", "Spell", and "Death", referencing the titles of the books), the person who signed his name in the book to gain immortality will die instantly. However, his lieutenant Firefox, disbelieving of the entire concept from the beginning, is chosen to test it. Firefox is made immortal, surviving a fatal stabbing without suffering any consequences, but then Taddeo, the Adderhead's librarian, kills him by writing the three words in the book. Satisfied that the book works, the words are all erased and replaced by the Adderhead's name, consequently making the Adderhead invincible. Mo picks up Firefox's sword as they leave and claims it as his own, feeling a strange coldness within him; he believes his anger and sadness at the events thus far are changing him into a different person.
The Adderhead decided, as celebration for his wife giving birth to a healthy son to release all of the prisoners from his cells, but the Black Prince suspects that he instead plans to sell the prisoners into slavery. Together the robbers plan to free the prisoners, during the raid in which Basta leads, Mo learns to fight and kill and, Unfortunately Basta kills Farid, with a knife thrown at his back (The death Fenoglio had originally planned for Dustfinger) Basta is then killed himself by Mo.
Later while mourning Farids death, Dustfinger asks Meggie if she too would like to have Farid back. When Meggie agrees, he sends her to Roxanne to tell her "he will always find his way back to her". Roxanne realizes what Dustfinger plans to do and runs to him, she is too late however and watches as the White Women, (the Inkworld's Angels of Death) take Dustfinger. Farid is then brought back to life in Dustfinger's place and the story ends with Meggie reading Orpheus to the Inkworld so as to resurrect Dustfinger. Orpheus convinces Farid to become his servant in saying that it will help him bring Dustfinger back to life sooner.
Critical reception[edit]
Publishers Weekly - In this spellbinding follow-up to Inkheart, Funke expertly mixes joy, pain, suspense and magic.
Kirkus Reviews - Funke delivers more than enough action, romance, tragedy, villainy and emotion to keep readers turning the pages-and waiting for the sequel the cliffhanger ending promises.
School Library Journal (Sharon Rawlins) - This 'story within a story' will delight not just fantasy fans, but all readers who like an exciting plot with larger-than-life characters.
Booklist (Carolyn Phelan) - Like many other fantasies, this will appeal to a broad age range, though the writing is far less child-centered than it is, for example, in the Harry Potter series.[1]
Common Sense Media - Overlong but often exciting sequel, darker than first book.[2]
Audio book[edit]
The audio book published by Random House Listening Library is read by Brendan Fraser, the actor that played Mo in the movie adaptation. It is approximately 18 hours and 50 minutes long on 16 disks.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Book Browse
2.Jump up ^ Common Sense Media

[hide]
v·
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The Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke

 
Novels
Inkheart (2003)·
 Inkspell (2005)·
 Inkdeath (2008)
 
 
Characters
Basta·
 Meggie Folchart·
 Mortimer Folchart
 
 
Film adaptation
Inkheart (2008)
 

 

Categories: 2005 novels
German fantasy novels
Inkheart trilogy books
2000s fantasy novels






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Inkdeath

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[hide]This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page.


 This article needs additional citations for verification.  (February 2013) 

 This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations.  (February 2013) 

 

Inkdeath
Inkdeathcover.jpg
Inkdeath Book cover
 
Author
Cornelia Funke
Original title
Tintentod
Country
Germany
Language
German translated in English
Series
Inkheart trilogy
Genre
Fantasy, Bildungsroman
Publisher
Germany Cecilie Dressler
UK Chicken House
USA Scholastic
Publication date
September 28, 2007
Pages
683 / 699 on hardcover edition
Preceded by
Inkspell
Inkdeath (German title: Tintentod) is a 2007 young adult fantasy novel by Cornelia Funke. It is the third novel in the Inkheart trilogy, following Inkheart and Inkspell.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot summary
2 Critical reception
3 References
4 External links
Plot summary[edit]
The plot resumes a few weeks after Inkspell left off; Farid and Meggie's mission of bringing Dustfinger, who died at the end of Inkspell, back to life.
Inkdeath picks up with the now immortal, but slowly decaying, evil Adderhead, ruler of the southern part of the Inkworld, his brother-in-law the Milksop king of Ombra, and his trusty right hand man, The Piper, ruling over the small village of Ombra. They set harsher taxes and loot what they can from the villages. The three Folcharts, Meggie, Resa, and Mortimer, along with an unborn Folchart child, reside at a peaceful abandoned farm that has fortunately long been forgotten by others. Farid, who has given up his fire after the death of Dustfinger, works for an increasingly wealthy Orpheus. Orpheus treats him like a slave while promising that he will read a dead Dustfinger back to life. Fenoglio, the author, gives up writing at the beginning of the book and grows increasingly drunken and senile. He is immensely annoyed at how Orpheus is changing Inkworld and asking his never ending questions about the "White Women." Ombra is under constant threat by the Adderhead's men, who have killed nearly every young adult male in the city, and regularly kidnap children to work them in the mines. The only figure standing in their way is the romanticized "Bluejay", a thief created by Fenoglio in a series of songs that was inspired by Mo who is now "stuck" as the "Bluejay" and is in as much trouble as ever.
Meanwhile, Orpheus, who has been tediously changing the story, succeeds in calling a meeting of the robber graveyard to get the Bluejay to bring Dustfinger back to life, and die in the process. Mo agrees, and summons the White women, who bring him to the world of the dead for what turns out to be three days. During this time, Meggie believes her father is dead and becomes furious with both Farid and her mother, Resa. In the world of the dead, Mo meets Death itself, who makes a bargain with Mo: Death will release Dustfinger from her grasp and Mo as well, as long as Mo finishes what he started, and writes the three words in the White Book, the book that makes the Adderhead immortal. If he does not succeed, Death will take him, Dustfinger, and Meggie, as she was partially involved in the binding of The White Book. He awakens from the world of death, bringing Dustfinger with him. They are now both nearly fearless, Dustfinger is now scarless, and they are both inseparable from each other.
Mo finds himself enjoying the Bluejay role, and has no intention of leaving Inkworld despite Meggie and Resa's urgings. Meggie finds herself increasingly distanced from Farid, and drawn to another young man named Doria, a member of the Black Prince's robber camp. The plot picks up when nearly all of the children of Ombra are kidnapped by The Piper and threatened to be taken to the mines where they will surely die. Mo, now known almost exclusively as the Bluejay, cannot accept this, and frees them by giving himself up in exchange. He discovers that the Adderhead's daughter, Violante, known as Her Ugliness, wishes to take his side in the matter. She gets him back safely to the robber's camp, while keeping her allegiance a secret from The Piper and her young son Jacopo, a follower of the Adderhead and admirer of the Piper. The Piper is sent to follow after the children. The Milksop goes after the group of robbers, but Fenoglio saves them by writing giant human nests up in the trees.
Mo, goes off in secret with Dustfinger, Violante, and her legion of child soldiers to the castle in the lake, where the white book is kept. In the meantime, Orpheus has put himself in the service of the Adderhead, in the hopes of picking the winning team but doesn't because Mo has a few tricks up his sleeve. He is also plagued by visits from a now insane Mortola, who still works for the return of her dead son, Capricorn. The Bluejay and Dustfinger face difficulty at the castle, and their plans go awry. Mo, Dustfinger, and Brianna, Dustfinger's daughter, are all eventually imprisoned. For Brianna's sake, Dustfinger momentarily betrays Mo. At this point, Resa arrives in the form of a Swift, saves Mo from going insane, and restates Dustfinger's allegiance. Resa and Dustfinger search for The White Book unsuccessfully while the Bluejay, who has been captured again by the Piper, works on creating a new white book for the Adderhead. Jacopo betrays his grandfather, the Adderhead, by giving Mo the original white book so that he is able to write the three words, thus killing the Adderhead.
Inkdeath concludes as Orpheus, finding himself on the losing end, flees to the north mountains, Fenoglio is writing again, Farid decides to go travelling with his regained power of fire who asked if Meggie would join him, Meggie, now in love with Doria, bids Farid farewell and good luck, and later marries Doria just as Fenoglio's pre written story had said. Violante, now known as Her Kindliness, becomes ruler of Ombra, and a new Folchart, a boy, is born into Inkworld, longing for the world that his parents and sister were born in: longing for the mechanical horse-less carriages, and the bright lights.
Critical reception[edit]
Critical reception for Inkdeath has been mixed to negative. Overall, it was said that Cornelia Funke had forgotten she was writing for children and the book was disappointing compared to Inkheart. Publishers Weekly said, "The interesting meta-fictional questions—can we alter destiny? shape our own fate?—are overwhelmed by the breakneck action, yet the villains aren't fully realized. More disappointingly, the formerly feisty Meggie, barely into her teens, has little to do but choose between two suitors. Funke seems to have forgotten her original installment was published for children[1]". Kirkus Reviews was slightly more positive, saying that "Funke's storytelling is as compelling as ever", but all the same agreeing that "the natural audience for this brooding saga seems, sadly, to be teens and up and not the children who so eagerly responded to Inkheart".
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/073936300X
External links[edit]
Official Cornelia Funke website
Official Inkworld website

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His Dark Materials

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For other uses, see His Dark Materials (disambiguation).
His Dark Materials

Northern Lights
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
 
Author
Philip Pullman
Country
England, United Kingdom
Language
English
Genre
Science Fantasy
High fantasy
Publisher
Scholastic
Published
1995–2000
Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)
His Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novels, coming together to form an epic, by Philip Pullman comprising Northern Lights (1995, published as The Golden Compass in North America), The Subtle Knife (1997), and The Amber Spyglass (2000). It follows the coming-of-age of two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they wander through a series of parallel universes against a backdrop of epic events. The three novels have won various awards, most notably the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year prize, won by The Amber Spyglass. Northern Lights won the Carnegie Medal for children's fiction in the UK in 1995. The trilogy as a whole took third place in the BBC's Big Read poll in 2003.
The story involves fantasy elements such as witches and armoured polar bears, and alludes to a broad range of ideas from such fields as physics, philosophy, and theology. The trilogy functions in part as a retelling and inversion of John Milton's epic Paradise Lost;[1] with Pullman commending humanity for what Milton saw as its most tragic failing.[2] The series has drawn criticism for its negative portrayal of Christianity and religion in general.[3]
Pullman's publishers have primarily marketed the series to young adults, but Pullman also intended to speak to adults.[4] North American printings of The Amber Spyglass have censored passages describing Lyra's incipient sexuality.[5][6]
Pullman has published two short stories related to His Dark Materials: "Lyra and the Birds", which appears with accompanying illustrations in the small hardcover book Lyra's Oxford (2003), and "Once Upon a Time in the North" (2008). He has been working on another, larger companion book to the series, The Book of Dust, for several years.
The London Royal National Theatre staged a major, two-part adaptation of the series in 2003–2004, and New Line Cinema released a film based on Northern Lights, titled The Golden Compass, in 2007.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Series and first novel titles
2 Settings
3 Series 3.1 Northern Lights (or The Golden Compass)
3.2 The Subtle Knife
3.3 The Amber Spyglass
4 Related works by Philip Pullman 4.1 Lyra's Oxford
4.2 Once Upon a Time in the North
4.3 The Book of Dust
4.4 Future books
5 Characters
6 Dæmons
7 Awards and recognition
8 Influences
9 Controversies 9.1 Catholic Herald
10 Adaptations 10.1 Radio
10.2 Theatre
10.3 Film
11 Terminology 11.1 Pronunciation
11.2 Alternative terms
11.3 Alternative names for people and places
12 Further reading
13 References
14 External links
Series and first novel titles[edit]

 

Satan struggles through hell in a Gustave Doré illustration of Paradise Lost.
The title of the series, His Dark Materials, comes from seventeenth-century poet John Milton's Paradise Lost, Book 2:

Into this wilde Abyss,
 The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave,
 Of neither Sea, nor Shore, nor Air, nor Fire,
 But all these in their pregnant causes mixt
 Confus'dly, and which thus must ever fight,
 Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain
His dark materials to create more Worlds,
 Into this wilde Abyss the warie fiend
 Stood on the brink of Hell and look'd a while,
 Pondering his Voyage; for no narrow frith
 He had to cross.
— Book 2, lines 910–920
Pullman earlier proposed to name the series The Golden Compasses, also a reference to Paradise Lost,[7] where they denote God's circle-drawing instrument used to establish and set the bounds of all creation:


Blake ancient of days.jpg   God-Architect.jpg
God as architect, wielding the golden compasses, by William Blake (left) and Jesus as Geometer in a 13th-century medieval illuminated manuscript of unknown authorship.
 

Then staid the fervid wheels, and in his hand
He took the golden compasses, prepared
In God's eternal store, to circumscribe
This universe, and all created things:
 One foot he centered, and the other turned
 Round through the vast profundity obscure
— Book 7, lines 224–229
Due to confusion with the other common meaning of compass (the navigational instrument) this phrase in the singular became the title of the American edition of Northern Lights (the book prominently features a device that one might label a "golden compass"). In The Subtle Knife Pullman rationalizes the first book's American title, The Golden Compass, by having Mary twice refer to Lyra's alethiometer as a "compass" or "compass thing."[8]
Settings[edit]
The trilogy takes place across a multiverse, moving between many parallel worlds (See Worlds in His Dark Materials). In Northern Lights, the story takes place in a world with some similarities to our own; dress-style resembles that of the UK's Victorian era, and technology has not evolved to include automobiles or fixed-wing aircraft, while zeppelins feature as a notable mode of transport.
The dominant religion has parallels with Christianity,[9] and is at certain points in the series (especially in the later books) explicitly named so[citation needed]; while Adam and Eve are referenced in the text (particularly in The Subtle Knife, in which Dust tells Mary Malone that Lyra Belacqua is a new Eve to whom she is to be the serpent), Jesus Christ is not.[10] The Church (called the "Magisterium") exerts a strong control over society and has the appearance and organisation of the Catholic Church, but one in which the centre of power had moved from Rome to Geneva, the home city of both the real and the fictional "Pope" John Calvin.[11]
In The Subtle Knife, the story moves between the world of the first novel, our own world, and in another world, a city called Cittàgazze. In The Amber Spyglass it crosses through an array of diverse worlds.
At first glance, the universe of Northern Lights appears considerably behind that of our own world (it could be seen as resembling an industrial society between the late 19th century and the outbreak of the First World War), but in many fields it equals or surpasses ours. For instance, it emerges that Lyra's world has the same knowledge of particle physics, referred to as "experimental theology", that we do. In The Amber Spyglass, discussion takes place about an advanced inter-dimensional weapon which, when aimed using a sample of the target's DNA, can track the target to any universe and disrupt the very fabric of space-time to form a bottomless abyss into nothing, forcing the target to suffer a fate far worse than normal death. Other advanced devices include the Intention Craft, which carries (amongst other things) an extremely potent energy-weapon, though this craft, first seen and used outside Lyra's universe, may originate in the work of engineers from other universes.
Series[edit]
Northern Lights (or The Golden Compass)[edit]
Main article: Northern Lights (novel)
Northern Lights (published in some countries, including the United States, as The Golden Compass) revolves around Lyra Belacqua, a young girl who lives in a world in which humans are constantly accompanied by dæmons: the beloved animal embodiments of their inner-selves. Dæmons shift their shapes frequently when people are young but begin to settle into one, fixed, animal form as children reach puberty. Lyra, whose dæmon is named Pantalaimon, is brought up in the cloistered world of Jordan College, Oxford, where she accidentally learns of the existence of Dust—a strange elementary particle discovered by Lord Asriel, whom Lyra has been told is her uncle. The Magisterium, the powerful Church body that represses heresy, believes Dust to be related to Original Sin. Scientific discoveries show that Dust is less attracted to children than to adults. A desire to learn why and to prevent children from acquiring Dust when they become adults leads to grisly experiments, carried out to separate kidnapped children from their dæmons. The experiments are directed by Mrs. Coulter and conducted in the distant North by experimental "theologists" (scientists) of the Magisterium. The Master of Jordan College, who has been raising Lyra, turns her over to Mrs. Coulter under pressure from the Church. But first he gives Lyra the alethiometer, an instrument that can reveal any truth and can answer any question when properly manipulated; the alethiometer harnesses Dust to produce its knowledge. Lyra, initially excited at being placed in the care of the elegant and mysterious Mrs. Coulter, discovers to her horror that Coulter heads the secretive General Oblation Board, who are rumoured to be the ones kidnapping children throughout England for experimentation; they are known among children as the "Gobblers." (The name comes from the initials of the group's official name: General Oblation Board.)[12] The Gobblers kidnap the children and perform the experiments. Learning of Mrs. Coulter's Gobbler activity, Lyra runs away. Gyptians (analogous to our world's gypsies), who live on riverboats, rescue her from pursuers. From them she learns that Mrs. Coulter is her mother and Lord Asriel is her father, not her uncle. Taking Lyra along, the Gyptians mount an expedition to rescue the missing children, many of whom are Gyptian children. Lyra hopes to find and save her best friend, Roger Parslow, who she suspects has been taken by the Gobblers. (The name Parslow comes from the butler and friend of Charles Darwin.)[13] Aided by the exiled panserbjørne ("armoured bear") Iorek Byrnison and a clan of witches, the Gyptians save the kidnapped children, including Roger. Lyra and Iorek, along with the aeronaut Lee Scoresby, next continue on to Svalbard, home of the armoured bears. There Lyra helps Iorek regain his kingdom by killing his evil rival, King Iofur Raknison. Lyra then continues on to find Lord Asriel, exiled to Svalbard at Mrs. Coulter's request. She mistakenly thinks her mission all along has been to bring Asriel her alethiometer, when in fact she was destined to bring him a child: Roger. Lord Asriel has been developing a means of building a bridge to another world that can be seen in the sky through the northern lights. The bridge requires a vast amount of energy to split open the boundary between the two worlds. Asriel acquires the energy by severing Roger from his dæmon, killing Roger in the process. Lyra arrives too late to save Roger. Asriel then travels across the bridge to the new world in order to find the source of Dust (and thus the source of all death and misery) in order to obliterate it: "I'm going to destroy it. Death is going to die." Lyra and Pantalaimon follow Asriel into the new world.
The Subtle Knife[edit]
Main article: The Subtle Knife
In The Subtle Knife, Lyra journeys through the Aurora to Cittàgazze, an otherworldly city whose denizens have discovered a clean path between worlds at a far earlier point in time than others in the storyline. Cittàgazze's reckless use of the technology has released soul-eating Spectres, to which children are immune, rendering much of the world incapable of transit by adults. Here Lyra meets Will Parry, a twelve-year-old boy from our world. Will, who recently killed a man to protect his ailing mother, has stumbled into Cittàgazze in an effort to locate his long-lost father. Will becomes the bearer of the eponymous Subtle Knife, a tool forged 300 years ago by Cittàgazze's scientists from the same materials used to make Bolvangar's silver guillotine. One edge of the knife can divide even subatomic particles and form subtle divisions in space, creating portals between worlds; the other edge easily cuts through any form of matter. After meeting with witches from Lyra's world, they journey on. Will finds his father, who had gone missing in Lyra's world under the assumed name of Stanislaus Grumman, only to watch him murdered almost immediately by a witch who loved him but was turned down, and Lyra is kidnapped.
The Amber Spyglass[edit]
Main article: The Amber Spyglass
The Amber Spyglass tells of Lyra's kidnapping by her mother, Mrs. Coulter, an agent of the Magisterium who has learned of the prophecy identifying Lyra as the next Eve. A pair of angels, Balthamos and Baruch, inform Will that he must travel with them to give the Subtle Knife to Lyra's father, Lord Asriel, as a weapon against The Authority. Will ignores the angels; with the help of a local girl named Ama, the Bear King Iorek Byrnison, and Lord Asriel's Gallivespian spies, the Chevalier Tialys and the Lady Salmakia, he rescues Lyra from the cave where her mother has hidden her from the Magisterium, which has become determined to kill her before she yields to temptation and sin like the original Eve.
Will, Lyra, Tialys, and Salmakia journey to the Land of the Dead, temporarily parting with their dæmons to release the ghosts from their captivity imposed by the oppressive Authority. Mary Malone, a scientist originating from Will's home world, interested in Dust (or Dark Matter/Shadows, as she knows them), travels to a land populated by strange sentient creatures called Mulefa. There she learns of the true nature of Dust, which is defined as panpsychic particles of self-awareness. Dust is both created by and nourishes life which has become self-aware. Lord Asriel and the reformed Mrs. Coulter work to destroy the Authority's Regent Metatron. They succeed, but themselves suffer annihilation in the process by pulling Metatron into the abyss. The Authority himself dies of his own frailty when Will and Lyra free him from the crystal prison wherein Metatron had trapped him, able to do so because an attack by cliff-ghasts kills or drives away the prison's protectors. When Will and Lyra emerge from the land of the dead, they find their dæmons. The book ends with Will and Lyra falling in love but realising they cannot live together in the same world, because all windows—except one from the underworld to the world of the Mulefa—must be closed to prevent the loss of Dust, and because each of them can only live full lives in their native worlds. This is the temptation that Mary was meant to give them; to help them fall in love and then choose whether they should stay together or not. During the return, Mary learns how to see her own dæmon, who takes the form of a black Alpine Chough. Lyra loses her ability to intuitively read the alethiometer and determines to learn how to use her conscious mind to achieve the same effect.
Related works by Philip Pullman[edit]
Lyra's Oxford[edit]
Main article: Lyra's Oxford
The first of two short novels, Lyra's Oxford takes place two years after the timeline of The Amber Spyglass. A witch who seeks revenge for her son's death in the war against the Authority draws Lyra, now 15, into a trap. Birds mysteriously rescue her and Pan, and she makes the acquaintance of an alchemist, formerly the witch's lover.
Once Upon a Time in the North[edit]
Main article: Once Upon a Time in the North
This short novel serves as a prequel to His Dark Materials and focuses on the 24-year-old Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby. After winning his hot-air balloon, Scoresby heads to the North, landing on the Arctic island Novy Odense, where he finds himself pulled into a dangerous conflict between the oil-tycoon Larsen Manganese, the corrupt mayoral candidate Ivan Poliakov, and his longtime enemy from the Dakota Country, Pierre McConville. The story tells of Lee and Iorek's first meeting, and of how they overcame these enemies.
The Book of Dust[edit]
Main article: The Book of Dust
The in-the-works companion to the trilogy, The Book of Dust will not continue the story, but was originally said to offer several short stories with the same characters, world, etc. Later, however, it was said it would be about Lyra when she is older, about 2 years after Lyra's Oxford, and she will go on a new adventure and learn to read the alethiometer again. The book will touch on research into Dust as well as on the portrayal of religion in His Dark Materials. Pullman has not yet finished writing this work.
Future books[edit]
Pullman has also told of his hope to publish a small green book about Will:

Lyra's Oxford was a dark red book. Once Upon a Time in the North will be a dark blue book. There still remains a green book. And that will be Will's book. Eventually...
—Philip Pullman
Pullman confirmed this in an interview with two fans in August 2007.[14]
Characters[edit]
Main article: Characters of His Dark Materials
Every human surface story character from Lyra's world, including witches, has a dæmon (pronounced "demon"). A dæmon is a soul or spirit that takes the form of a creature (moth, bird, dog, monkey, snake, etc.) and is usually opposite in sex from its partner. The dæmons of children frequently change shape, but when puberty arrives the dæmon assumes a permanent form, differing from person to person. When a person dies, the dæmon dies too, and vice versa. In literature, a dæmon is usually called a "familiar." Armoured bears, cliff ghasts, and other creatures do not have dæmons. An armoured bear's armour is his soul.
Lyra Belacqua, a wild, tomboyish 12-year-old girl, has grown up in the fictional Jordan College, Oxford. Although initially ignorant of the fact, Lyra is Lord Asriel's daughter. She is described as skinny with dark blonde hair and blue eyes. She prides herself on her capacity for mischief, especially her ability to lie with "bare-faced conviction". Because of her ability, Iorek Byrnison (her armoured bear friend and protector) gives her the byname "Silvertongue". Lyra has the alethiometer, which answers any question when properly manipulated.
Pantalaimon is Lyra's dæmon. Like all dæmons of children, he changes from one creature to another constantly, but when Lyra reaches puberty he assumes his permanent form, that of a pine marten. Lyra and Pantalaimon follow their father, Lord Asriel, when he travels to the newly discovered world of Cittagazze over his newly created "Bridge to the Stars."
Will Parry, a sensible, morally conscious, highly assertive 12-year-old boy from our world. He obtains and bears the Subtle Knife. Will is very independent and responsible for his age, having looked after his mentally unstable mother for several years. He is strong for his age, and knows how to remain inconspicuous.
The Authority is the first angel to have emerged from Dust. He controls the Church, an oppressive religious institution that echoes Christianity. He told the later-arriving angels that he created them and the universe, but this is a lie. Although he is one of the two primary adversaries in the trilogy—Lord Asriel is his primary opponent—he remains in the background; he makes his first and only appearance late in The Amber Spyglass. At the time of the story, the Authority has grown weak and has transferred most of his powers to his regent, Metatron. Pullman portrays him as extremely aged, fragile, and naїve, unlike his thoroughly malicious underling.
Lord Asriel, ostensibly Lyra's uncle, later emerges as her father. He opens a rift between the worlds in his pursuit of Dust. His dream of establishing a Republic of Heaven to rival The Authority's Kingdom leads him to use his considerable power and force of will to raise a grand army from across the multiverse to rise up in rebellion against the forces of the Church.
Marisa Coulter is the coldly beautiful, highly manipulative mother of Lyra and former lover of Lord Asriel. She serves the Church by kidnapping children for research into the nature of Dust. She has black hair, a thin build, and looks younger than she is. Initially hostile to Lyra, she belatedly realizes that she loves her daughter and seeks to protect her from agents of the Church, who want to kill Lyra.
The Golden Monkey, Mrs. Coulter's dæmon (named Ozymandias in the BBC Radio adaptations but never named in Pullman's books) has a cruel abusive streak that reflects Coulter's character.
Metatron, Asriel's active adversary (a proxy for the Authority) was a human (being in biblical times Enoch) and was later transfigured into an angel. The Authority, who claims to be immortal but really isn't, has displayed his declining health by appointing Metatron his regent, acting head of the Church. As regent, Metatron has implanted the monotheistic religions across the universes. Though an angel, he still feels human feelings, and so becomes vulnerable to the seductive advances of Marisa Coulter, who betrays him by luring him into the underworld to his death. He was the series' main antagonist.
Mary Malone is a physicist and former nun from Will's world. She meets Lyra during Lyra's first visit to Will's world. Lyra provides Mary with insight into the nature of dust. Agents of the Church force Mary to flee to the world of the mulefa. There she constructs the amber spyglass, which enables her to see the otherwise invisible (to her but not to the mulefa) Dust. Her purpose is to learn why Dust, which mulefa civilization depends on, is flowing out of the universe. (Knowledge, symbolized by Dust, is disappearing.) Mary relates a story of a lost love to Will and Lyra, and later packs for them a lunch containing "little red fruits". This is something her computer, "the Cave," with which Mary has managed to harness Dust and obtain its counsel, instructed her to do.
The Master of Jordan heads Jordan College, part of Oxford University in Lyra's world. Helped by other Jordan College employees, he is raising the supposedly (but not actually) orphaned Lyra. His big scene is in chapter 1 of The Golden Compass. There he tries unsuccessfully to poison Lord Asriel, thinking that Asriel is endangering Lyra. Lyra sees the Master put poison in a decanter of tokay wine that Asriel is expected to drink. She warns Asriel, who later "accidentally" knocks the decanter to the floor, blaming a servant for the mishap.
Roger Parslow is the kitchen boy at Jordan College and Lyra's best friend.
John Parry, a.k.a. Stanislaus Grumman is Will's father.
Elaine Parry is Will Parry's mother. She became mentally ill after her husband disappeared on an expedition and has been left by Will in the care of Mrs. Cooper, Will's former piano teacher.
The Four Gallivespians -- Lord Roke, Madame Oxentiel, Chevalier Tialys, and Lady Salmakia—are tiny people (a hand-span tall) with poisonous heel spurs. The name "Gallivespians" is a combination of (1) Gallive, a slight variation of Gullive from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, (2) vesp, Latin for "wasp," a reference to the stinging heel spurs, and (3) ian from Lilliputian, one of the tiny people from Gulliver's Travels.
The Palmerian Professor is a minor character presented as a joke by Pullman. His initials, PP, are those of Philip Pullman. Pullman has insinuated himself into the gathering of notables who, at the beginning of the story, have come to the Jordan College Retiring Room to hear a presentation by Lord Asriel. Pullman is a graduate of Exeter College of Oxford University. Exeter's distinctive landmark, and its oldest building, is Palmer's Tower, hence the name "Palmerian." Jordan College in Lyra's world is loosely modelled on the real Exeter College.[15] The Palmerian Professor is the leading authority on armoured bears, just as Pullman is. On his Acknowledgements page at the end of the trilogy, Pullman facetiously characterizes himself as a plagiarist who has "stolen" ideas from many literary sources. (An example of Pullman's "plagiarism" is Lord Roke and the Gallivespians, who fly around on huge dragonflies or, in Roke's case, a blue hawk. Lord Roke is, in effect, Lord of the Fliers—alluding to William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies.) In the trilogy, Professor Jotham Santelia calls the Palmerian Professor a plagiarist. The Palmerian Professor's last name is Trelawney. In Lyra's Oxford, a sequel to the trilogy, a fold-out map shows an ad for a book by Professor P. Trelawney.
Iorek Byrnison is a massive armoured bear. An armoured bear's armour is his soul, equivalent to a human's dæmon. Iorek's armour is stolen, so he becomes despondent. With Lyra's help he regains his armour, his dignity, and his kingship over the armoured bears. In gratitude, and impressed by her cunning, he dubs her "Lyra Silvertongue". A powerful warrior and armoursmith, Iorek repairs the Subtle Knife when it shatters. He later goes to war against The Authority and Metatron.
John Faa and Ma Costa are river "gyptians" (gypsies). Unknown to Lyra, Ma Costa was her nanny when Lyra was an infant. Faa and Costa rescue Lyra when she runs away from Mrs. Coulter. Then they take her to Iorek.
Lee Scoresby, a rangy Texan, is a balloonist. He helps Lyra in an early quest to reach Asriel's residence in the North, and he later helps John Parry reunite with his son Will.
Serafina Pekkala is the beautiful queen of a clan of Northern witches. Her snow-goose dæmon Kaisa, like all witches' dæmons, can travel much farther apart from her than the dæmons of humans.
Father Gomez is a priest sent by the Church to assassinate Lyra. Balthamos, an angel watching over Lyra, kills him before he can kill Lyra.
Balthamos is a good angel who, near the end of the story, saves Lyra's life.
Tony Makarios is a naive boy who is lured into captivity by Mrs. Coulter. Mrs. Coulter gains Tony's confidence by offering him a delicious drink of "chocolatl" (the name for chocolate in Lyra's world). The offer, accepted by Tony, draws him into a warehouse and into captivity.
The Mulefa are four-legged wheeled animals; they have one leg in front, one in back, and one on each side. The "wheels" are huge, round, hard seed-pods from seed-pod trees; an axle-like claw at the end of each leg grips a seed-pod. The Mulefa society is primitive.
The Tualapi are huge, flightless birds who attack Mulefa settlements. The Tualapi sail to the settlements on tandem fore-and-aft wings that are uplifted to serve as sails. The wings symbolize the sailing ships on which early missionaries sailed to their destinations. On reaching settlements the Tualapi kill any Mulefa they can catch, eat all the food, destroy everything in sight, and then defecate everywhere.
Dæmons[edit]
Main article: Dæmon (His Dark Materials)
One distinctive aspect of Pullman's story comes from his concept of "dæmons". In the birth-universe of the story's protagonist Lyra Belacqua, a human individual's inner-self[16][17] manifests itself throughout life as an animal-shaped "dæmon" that always stays near its human counterpart. Witches and some humans have entered areas where dæmons cannot physically enter; after suffering horrific separation-trauma, their dæmons can then move as far away from their humans as desired.[18]
Dæmons usually only talk to their own associated humans, but they can communicate with other humans and with other dæmons autonomously. During the childhood of its associated human, a dæmon can change its shape at will, but with the onset of adolescence it settles into a single form. The final form reveals the person's true nature and personality, implying that these stabilise after adolescence. Pullmanian society considers it "the grossest breach of etiquette imaginable"[19] for one person to touch another's dæmon — this would violate the most strict of taboos. "A human being with no dæmon is like someone without a face, or with their ribs laid open and their heart torn out: something unnatural and uncanny that belonged to the world of night-ghasts, not the waking world of sense."[20]
In some worlds, Spectres prey upon the dæmons of adults, consuming them and rendering said dæmons' humans essentially catatonic; they lose all thought and eventually fade away and die. Although in the world that this happens the humans do not have dæmons as such, but dæmon could be used to describe the humans soul or the like. Dæmons and their humans can also become separated through intercision, a process involving cutting the link between the dæmon and the human. This process can take place in a medical setting, as with the titanium and manganese guillotine used at Bolvangar, or as a form of torture used by the Skraelings. This separation entails a high mortality rate and changes both human and dæmon into a zombie-like state. Severing the link using the silver guillotine method releases tremendous amounts of unnamed energy, convertible to anbaric (electric) power.
Awards and recognition[edit]
The Amber Spyglass won the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year award,[21] a prestigious British literary award. This is the first time that such an award has been bestowed on a book from their "children's literature" category.
The first volume, Northern Lights, won the Carnegie Medal for children's fiction in the UK in 1995.[22] In 2007, the judges of the CILIP Carnegie Medal for children's literature selected it as one of the ten most important children's novels of the previous 70 years. In June 2007 it was voted, in an online poll, as the best Carnegie Medal winner in the seventy-year history of the award, the Carnegie of Carnegies.[23][24]
The Observer cites Northern Lights as one of the 100 best novels.[25]
On 19 May 2005, Pullman attended the British Library in London to receive formal congratulations for his work from culture secretary Tessa Jowell "on behalf of the government".
On 25 May 2005, Pullman received the Swedish government's Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for children's and youth literature (sharing it with Japanese illustrator Ryōji Arai).[26] Swedes regard this prize as second only to the Nobel Prize in Literature; it has a value of 5 million Swedish Kronor or approximately £385,000.
The trilogy came third in the 2003 BBC's Big Read, a national poll of viewers' favourite books, after The Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice. At the time, only His Dark Materials and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire amongst the top five works lacked a screen-adaptation (the film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which came fifth, went into release in 2005).

 

Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine" (1489–90), along with two portraits by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Hans Holbein the Younger, helped inspire Pullman's "dæmon" concept.[1]
Influences[edit]
Pullman has identified three major literary influences on His Dark Materials: the essay On the Marionette Theatre by Heinrich von Kleist,[27] the works of William Blake, and, most important, John Milton's Paradise Lost, from which the trilogy derives its title.[28]
Pullman had the stated intention of inverting Milton's story of a war between heaven and hell, such that the devil would appear as the hero.[29] In his introduction, he adapts a famous description of Milton by Blake to quip that he (Pullman) "is of the Devil's party and does know it." Pullman also referred to gnostic ideas in his description of the novels' underlying mythic structure.[30]
The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of books by C. S. Lewis, appears to have had a negative influence on Pullman's trilogy. Pullman has characterised C. S. Lewis's series as "blatantly racist", "monumentally disparaging of women", "immoral", and "evil".[31][32] However, some critics have compared the trilogy with such fantasy books as Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle as well as the Narnia series.[33][34]
Controversies[edit]
His Dark Materials has occasioned some controversy, primarily amongst some Christian groups.[35][36]
Pullman has expressed surprise over what he perceives as a low level of criticism for His Dark Materials on religious grounds, saying "I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak... Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God".[37]
Some of the characters criticise institutional religion. Ruta Skadi, a witch and friend of Lyra's calling for war against the Magisterium in Lyra's world, says that "For all of [the Church's] history... it's tried to suppress and control every natural impulse. And when it can't control them, it cuts them out" (see intercision). Skadi later extends her criticism to all organised religion: "That's what the Church does, and every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling". By this part of the book, the witches have made reference to how they are treated criminally by the church in their worlds. Mary Malone, one of Pullman's main characters, states that "the Christian religion... is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all". Formerly a Catholic nun, she gave up her vows when the experience of falling in love caused her to doubt her faith. Pullman has warned, however, against equating these views with his own, saying of Malone: "Mary is a character in a book. Mary's not me. It's a story, not a treatise, not a sermon or a work of philosophy".[38] In another inversion, the tenet that the Church can absolve a penitent of sin is subverted when the priest selected to assassinate Lyra has built up sufficient penitential credit before attempting to carry out this sin for the Church.[39]
Pullman portrays life after death very differently from the Christian concept of heaven: In the third book, the afterlife plays out in a bleak underworld, similar to the Greek vision of the afterlife, wherein harpies torment people until Lyra and Will descend into the land of the dead. At their intercession, the harpies agree to stop tormenting the dead souls, and instead receive the true stories of the dead in exchange for leading them again to the upper world. When the dead souls emerge, they dissolve into atoms and merge with the environment.

 

 A traditional depiction of the Fall of Man Doctrine by Thomas Cole (Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, 1828). His Dark Materials presents the Fall as a positive act of maturation.
Pullman's "Authority", though worshipped on Lyra's earth as God, emerges as the first conscious creature to evolve. Pullman makes it explicit that the Authority did not create worlds, and his trilogy does not speculate on who or what (if anything) might have done so. Members of the Church are typically displayed as zealots.[40][41]
Cynthia Grenier, in the Catholic Culture, has said: "In the world of Pullman, God Himself (the Authority) is a merciless tyrant".[42] His Church is an instrument of oppression, and true heroism consists of overthrowing both."[43] William A. Donohue of the Catholic League has described Pullman's trilogy as "atheism for kids".[44] Pullman has said of Donohue's call for a boycott, "Why don't we trust readers? [...] Oh, it causes me to shake my head with sorrow that such nitwits could be loose in the world".[45]
Pullman has, however, found support from some other Christians, most notably from Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury (spiritual head of the Anglican church), who argues that Pullman's attacks focus on the constraints and dangers of dogmatism and the use of religion to oppress, not on Christianity itself.[46] Williams has also recommended the His Dark Materials series of books for inclusion and discussion in Religious Education classes, and stated that "To see large school-parties in the audience of the Pullman plays at the National Theatre is vastly encouraging".[47]
Pullman has singled out certain elements of Christianity for criticism, as in the following: "I suppose technically, you'd have to put me down as an agnostic. But if there is a God, and he is as the Christians describe him, then he deserves to be put down and rebelled against".[48] However, Pullman has also said in interviews and appearances that his argument can extend to all religions.[49][50]
Catholic Herald[edit]
In a November 2002 interview Philip Pullman was asked "What's your response to the reactions of the religious right to your work? The Catholic Herald called your books the stuff of nightmares and worthy of the bonfire." He replied: "My response to that was to ask the publishers to print it in the next book, which they did! I think it's comical, it's just laughable."[51] The original remark in Catholic Herald (which ran there are "numerous candidates that seem to me to be far more worthy of the bonfire than Harry [Potter]")was meant humorously, and was written in the context of parents in South Carolina pressing their Board of Education to ban the Harry Potter books.[52]
Adaptations[edit]
His Dark Materials has appeared in adaptation on radio, in theatre and on film.
Radio[edit]
The BBC made His Dark Materials into a radio drama on BBC Radio 4 starring Terence Stamp as Lord Asriel and Lulu Popplewell as Lyra. The play was broadcast in 2003 and is now published by the BBC on CD and cassette. In the same year, a radio drama of Northern Lights was made by RTÉ (Irish public radio).
The BBC Radio 4 version of His Dark Materials was repeated on BBC Radio 7 between 7 December 2008 to 11 January 2009. With 3 episodes in total, each episode was 2.5 hours long.
Theatre[edit]
Main article: His Dark Materials (play)
Nicholas Hytner directed a theatrical version of the books as a two-part, six-hour performance for London's Royal National Theatre in December 2003, running until March 2004. It starred Anna Maxwell-Martin as Lyra, Dominic Cooper as Will, Timothy Dalton as Lord Asriel and Patricia Hodge as Mrs Coulter with dæmon puppets designed by Michael Curry. The play was enormously successful and was revived (with a different cast and a revised script) for a second run between November 2004 and April 2005. It has since been staged by several less known theatres in the UK, notably at the Playbox Theatre Company in Warwick (a major youth theatre company in the West Midlands)and the Theatre Royal Bath by the Young People's Theatre, which went on to receive the Bath play of the year. The play had its Irish Premiere at the O'Reilly Theatre in Dublin when it was staged by the dramatic society of Belvedere College.
A major new production was staged at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in March and April 2009, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and Sarah Esdaile and starring Amy McAllister as Lyra. This version toured the UK and included a performance in Philip Pullman's hometown of Oxford. Philip Pullman made a cameo appearance much to the delight of the audience and Oxford media. The production finished up at West Yorkshire Playhouse in June 2009.
A student-run theatre company named Johnstone Underground Theatre (J.U.T), presented a four and a half hour stage version of the series on 23 and 24 July 2010 in Northbrook, IL. The show was composed of two acts and was heavily abridged to cope with the group's financial and time limitations. This version cut out some aspects of the series that are presented in the Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass such as Spectres, Gallivespians, and all of Dr. Mary Malone's adventures. The second act was the combined version of these two books. The first act presented the majority of the events in The Golden Compass faithfully.
Film[edit]
Main article: The Golden Compass (film)
New Line Cinema released a film adaptation, titled The Golden Compass, on 7 December 2007. Directed by Chris Weitz, the production had a mixed reception, and though worldwide sales were strong, its United States take underwhelmed the studio's hopes.[53]
The filmmakers obscured the books' explicitly Biblical character of the Authority so as to avoid offending some viewers, though Weitz declared that he would not do the same for the hoped-for sequels. "Whereas The Golden Compass had to be introduced to the public carefully", he said, "the religious themes in the second and third books can't be minimised without destroying the spirit of these books. ...I will not be involved with any 'watering down' of books two and three, since what I have been working towards the whole time in the first film is to be able to deliver on the second and third".[54] In May 2006, Pullman said of a version of the script that "all the important scenes are there and will have their full value";[55] in March 2008, he said of the finished film that "a lot of things about it were good.... Nothing can bring out all that's in the book. There are always compromises".[56]
The Golden Compass film stars Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra, Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Coulter, and Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel. Eva Green plays Serafina Pekkala, Ian McKellen voices Iorek Byrnison, and Freddie Highmore voices Pantalaimon.
No sequels are planned yet. Much publicity was given to Compass actor's Sam Elliott blaming Catholic Church opposition for forcing their cancellation, but UK Guardian film critic Stuart Heritage thinks critical "disappointment" with the first film may have been the real reason.[57]
Terminology[edit]

[show]
  List of pronunciations











Alternative terms[edit]
To enhance the feeling of being in a parallel universe, Pullman renames various common objects or ideas of our world with historic terms or new words of his own, often reflecting the power of the Magisterium (Pullman's all-powerful spiritual authority, with echoes of the Roman Catholic Church) in Lyra's world. The alternative names he chooses often follow alternate etymologies, while making it possible to guess what everyday object or person he is referring to. Below are some of the significant renamings as well as new words the author has developed entirely on his own.

[show]
  List of alternative terms

















Alternative names for people and places[edit]
The history of Lyra's world is also very different from our own; most obvious is that the settlement of the New World in Lyra's universe is dramatically altered. Pullman underlines this and other variations by using archaic or alternative names for otherwise familiar people and regions.

[show]
  List of alternative names for people and places

















Further reading[edit]
Frost, Laurie et al. (2006). The Elements of His Dark Materials: A Guide to Phillip Pullman's trilogy. Buffalo Grove, IL: Fell Press. ISBN 0-9759430-1-4. OCLC 73312820.
Gribbin, John and Mary (2005). The Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Knopf Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-375-83144-4.
Lenz, Millicent and Carole Scott (2005). His Dark Materials Illuminated: Critical Essays on Phillip Pullman's Trilogy. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3207-2.
Raymond-Pickard, Hugh (2004). The Devil's Account: Philip Pullman and Christianity. London: Darton, Longman & Todd. ISBN 978-0-232-52563-2.
Squires, Claire (2003). Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy: A Reader's Guide. New York, N.Y.: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-1479-6.
Squires, Claire (2006). Philip Pullman, Master Storyteller: A Guide to the Worlds of His Dark Materials. New York, N.Y.: Continuum. ISBN 978-0-8264-1716-9. OCLC 70158423.
Tucker, Nicholas (2003). Darkness Visible: Inside the World of Philip Pullman. Cambridge: Wizard Books. ISBN 978-1-84046-482-5. OCLC 52876221.
Wheat, Leonard F. (2008). Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials: A Multiple Allegory: Attacking Religious Superstition in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Paradise Lost. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1-59102-589-4. OCLC 152580912.
Yeffeth, Glenn (2005). Navigating the Golden Compass: Religion, Science and Daemonology in His Dark Materials. Dallas: Benbella Books. ISBN 1-932100-52-0.
References[edit]

 Constructs such as ibid., loc. cit. and idem are discouraged by Wikipedia's style guide for footnotes, as they are easily broken. Please improve this article by replacing them with named references (quick guide), or an abbreviated title. (August 2011)
1.^ Jump up to: a b Robert Butler (3 December 2007). "An Interview with Philip Pullman". The Economist. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
2.Jump up ^ Freitas, Donna; King, Jason Edward (2007). Killing the imposter God: Philip Pullman's spiritual imagination in His Dark Materials. San Francisco, CA: Wiley. pp. 68–9. ISBN 978-0-7879-8237-9.
3.Jump up ^ http://blogcritics.org/books/article/christians-lose-their-compass-a-closer/
4.Jump up ^ "The Man Behind the Magic: An Interview with Philip Pullman". Retrieved 8 March 2007.
5.Jump up ^ Rosin, Hanna (1 December 2007). "How Hollywood Saved God". The Atlantic Monthly (The Atlantic Monthly Group). Retrieved 1 December 2007.
6.Jump up ^ Corliss, Richard (8 December 2007). "What Would Jesus See?". TIME (Time Inc.). Retrieved 4 May 2008.
7.Jump up ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". BridgeToTheStars.net. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
8.Jump up ^ Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife (New York: Knopf, 1997), 90, 238.
9.Jump up ^ Squires (2003: 61): "Religion in Lyra's world...has similarities to the Christianity of 'our own universe', but also crucial differences…[it] is based not in the Catholic centre of Rome, but in Geneva, Switzerland, where the center of religious power, narrates Pullman, moved in the Middle Ages under the aegis of John Calvin.")
10.Jump up ^ Miller, Laura (26 December 2005). "Far From Narnia". The New Yorker (2011 Condé Nast Digital). Retrieved 10 November 2011.
11.Jump up ^ Northern Lights p. 31: "Ever since Pope John Calvin had moved the seat of the papacy to Geneva...the Church's power over every aspect of life had been absolute.
12.Jump up ^ Wheat, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, 160-61.
13.Jump up ^ Ibid., 229.
14.Jump up ^ Hisdarkmaterials.org
15.Jump up ^ http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jul/27/booksforchildrenandteenagers.philippullman
16.Jump up ^ "...Lyra had come to realise...the three-part nature of human beings. ... The Catholic Church... wouldn't use the word dæmon, but St Paul talks about spirit and soul and body." Amber Spyglass pp 462–63
17.Jump up ^ "Pullman's Jungian concept of the soul": Lenz (2005: 163)
18.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2007) [2000]. The Amber Spyglass. His Dark Materials. New York: Random House, Inc. p. 423. ISBN 978-0-440-23815-7. "There's a region of our north land, a desolate, abominable place... No dæmons can enter it. To become a witch, a girl must cross it alone and leave her dæmon behind. You know the suffering they must undergo. But having done it... [their dæmon] can roam free, and go to far places."
19.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2007) [1995]. The Northern Lights. His Dark Materials. London: Scholastic UK Ltd. p. 126. ISBN 978-1-4071-0405-8.
20.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2007) [1995]. The Northern Lights. His Dark Materials. London: Scholastic UK Ltd. p. 214. ISBN 978-1-4071-0405-8. Chapter 13
21.Jump up ^ "Children's novel triumphs in 2001 Whitbread Book Of The Year" (Press release). 23 January 2002. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
22.Jump up ^ "Living Archive: Celebrating the Carnegie and Greenaway Winners". CarnegieGreenaway.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
23.Jump up ^ Pauli, Michelle (21 June 2007). "Pullman wins 'Carnegie of Carnegies'". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 4 May 2010.
24.Jump up ^ "70 years celebration the publics favourite winners of all time".
25.Jump up ^ "The best novels ever (version 1.2)". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 4 May 2010.
26.Jump up ^ SLA – Philip Pullman receives the Astrid Lindgren Award
27.Jump up ^ Parry, Idris. "Online Traduction". Southern Cross Review. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
28.Jump up ^ Fried, Kerry. "Darkness Visible: An Interview with Philip Pullman". Amazon.com. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
29.Jump up ^ Mitchison, Amanda (3 November 2003). "The art of darkness". Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 12 April 2007.
30.Jump up ^ Oborne, Peter (17 March 2004). "The Dark Materials debate: life, God, the universe...". Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 1 April 2008.
31.Jump up ^ Ezard, John (3 June 2002). "Narnia books attacked as racist and sexist". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 4 April 2007.
32.Jump up ^ Abley, Mark (4 December 2007). "Writing the book on intolerance". The Star (Toronto). Retrieved 4 May 2010.
33.Jump up ^ Crosby, Vanessa. "Innocence and Experience: The Subversion of the Child Hero Archetype in Philip Pullman's Speculative Soteriology". University of Sydney. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
34.Jump up ^ Miller, Laura (26 December 2005). "Far From Narnia: Philip Pullman's secular fantasy for children". The New Yorker. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
35.Jump up ^ Overstreet, Jeffrey (20 February 2006). "Reviews:His Dark Materials". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on 18 March 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
36.Jump up ^ Thomas, John (2006). "Opinion". Librarians' Christian Fellowship. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
37.Jump up ^ Meacham, Steve (13 December 2003). "The shed where God died". Sydney Morning Herald Online. Retrieved 13 December 2003.
38.Jump up ^ "A dark agenda? Interview with Philip Pullman". surefish.co.uk. November 2002. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
39.Jump up ^ Lenz; Scott (2005: 97)
40.Jump up ^ Ebbs, Rachael. "Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials: An Attack Against Christianity or a Confirmation of Human Worth?". BridgeToTheStars.Net. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
41.Jump up ^ Greene, Mark. "Pullman's Purpose". The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
42.Jump up ^ Grenier, however, misrepresents the Authority: Pullman actually presents the Authority as a frail old man whose power the angel Metatron has taken.
43.Jump up ^ Grenier, Cynthia (October 2001). "Philip Pullman's Dark Materials". The Morley Institute Inc. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
44.Jump up ^ Donohue, Bill (9 October 2007). ""The Golden Compass" Sparks Protest". The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
45.Jump up ^ David Byers (27 November 2007). "Philip Pullman: Catholic boycotters are 'nitwits'". The Times (UK). Retrieved 28 November 2007.
46.Jump up ^ Petre, Jonathan (10 March 2004). "Williams backs Pullman". Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 12 April 2007.
47.Jump up ^ Rowan, Williams (10 March 2004). "Archbishop wants Pullman in class". BBC News Online. Retrieved 10 March 2004.
48.Jump up ^ "Sympathy for the Devil by Adam R. Holz". Plugged In Online. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
49.Jump up ^ Spanner, Huw (13 February 2002). "Heat and Dust". ThirdWay.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2007.[dead link]
50.Jump up ^ Bakewell, Joan (2001). "Belief". BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 11 September 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
51.Jump up ^ "A dark agenda?"
52.Jump up ^ [1]
53.Jump up ^ Dawtrey, Adam (13 March 2008). "'Compass' spins foreign frenzy". Variety.com. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
54.Jump up ^ "‘Golden Compass’ Director Chris Weitz Answers Your Questions: Part I by Brian Jacks". MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved 14 November 2007.
55.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (May 2006). "May message". Retrieved 24 September 2008. "And the latest script, from Chris Weitz, is truly excellent; I know, because I`ve just this morning read it. I think it`s a model of how to condense a story of 400 pages into a script of 110 or so. All the important scenes are there and will have their full value."
56.Jump up ^ Silverman, Rosa (22 March 2008). "Exclusive interview with Philip Pullman". The Times (UK). Retrieved 1 December 2008.
57.Jump up ^ Heritage, Stuart (15 December 2009). "Who killed off The Golden Compass?". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 16 March 2010.
58.Jump up ^ "Bridge to the Stars - Pronunciation". Retrieved 2 February 2007.
59.Jump up ^ pg.294 "I think it was my grandfather's magic lantern that Lord Asriel used..."Pullman, Philip (1995). Northern Lights. scholastic Point. ISBN 0-590-66054-3.
60.Jump up ^ pg.5 "...a decanter containing a rich golden wine..." Pullman, Philip (1995). Northern Lights. scholastic Point. ISBN 0-590-66054-3.
61.Jump up ^ pg.517; "How often he and his companions had played that heroic battle...taking turns to be Danes and French!" Pullman, Philip (1997). The Subtle Knife. Scholastic Point. ISBN 0-590-11289-9.
62.Jump up ^ Quiller-Couch, Arthur (Ed) (1919). The Oxford Book of English Verse: Sir Patrick Spens. Oxford University Press.
63.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2008). Once Upon A Time In The North. Great Britain: David Fickling Books. p. 100. ISBN 9780385614320. Book contains fictionalized extract from "The 'Shipping World' Year Book" which contains coordinates for the port of "Novorossisk, Russia", located in Finland in our world (60°47′N 21°24′E).
External links[edit]
Philip Pullman, author's website
BridgetotheStars.net fansite for His Dark Materials and Philip Pullman
HisDarkMaterials.org His Dark Materials fansite
HisDarkMaterials.com, publisher Random House's His Dark Materials website
Cittagazze.com, the His Dark Materials, a French fansite
Scholastic: His Dark Materials, the UK publisher's website
Randomhouse: His Dark Materials, the U.S. publisher's website
The BBC's His Dark Materials pages
The Archbishop of Canterbury and Philip Pullman in conversation, from "The Daily Telegraph"

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Lyra's Oxford

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Lyra's Oxford
Lyrasoxford.jpg
Author
Philip Pullman
Cover artist
John Lawrence
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Genre
Fantasy short story
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date
28 October 2003
Media type
Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages
64 pp
ISBN
0-375-82819-2
OCLC Number
53317246
Dewey Decimal
[Fic] 22
LC Classification
PZ7.P968 Ly 2003
Preceded by
The Amber Spyglass
Followed by
The Book of Dust
Lyra's Oxford is a short book by Philip Pullman depicting an episode involving the heroine of His Dark Materials, Pullman's best-selling trilogy. Lyra's Oxford is set when Lyra Silvertongue is 15, two years after the end of the trilogy.[1] It was released to quench the thirst of fans of the trilogy while they wait for the unspecified release of The Book of Dust, and also to expand upon Pullman's themes from the trilogy.
The book consists mainly of an illustrated short story, "Lyra and the Birds". A fold-out map of "Oxford by Train, River and Zeppelin" is bound in the book, a fictional map of the Oxford that exists in Lyra's world. It also includes some advertisements for books and travellers' catalogues. Two pages from a Baedeker published in Lyra's world (including entries for the Eagle Ironworks, the Oxford Canal, the Fell Press and the Oratory of St Barnabas the Chymist, all in the Jericho area of Oxford), a postcard from the character Mary Malone, and a brochure for the cruise ship Zenobia are also included. Pullman compares the movement of these objects to particles in a cloud chamber. The idea is that they have floated accidentally through an inter-world window. The postcard contains four images of significant sites in the His Dark Materials trilogy: the physics lab in which Mary Malone works, the house occupied by Lord Boreal, the row of hornbeam trees where Will first discovered a window between the worlds, and the bench where Lyra and Will have pledged to visit each other at least in spirit once a year.
The preface by Pullman begins:

"This book contains a story and several other things. The other things might be connected with the story, or they might not; they might be connected to stories that haven't appeared yet. It's hard to tell."
"Lyra and the Birds" plot summary[edit]
Lyra is looking at a flock of birds from the tower of Jordan College at Oxford University, when she notices that the birds are attacking what turns out to be a dæmon in a bird shape. This dæmon must be a witch's because there is no human near. Lyra saves the dæmon, called Ragi, from the flock, and he urges Lyra to help him find a man called Sebastian Makepeace. Lyra cleverly finds out where to find him and that he is the last remaining alchemist, and promises Ragi to bring him to the alchemist after school. In the evening, Lyra escapes from St Sophia's School and leads Ragi from Norham Gardens to Juxon Street where Sebastian Makepeace lives. Ragi flies above Lyra and hides on roofs to avoid suspicion. On the way, Ragi is attacked by some pigeons, but manages to save himself. Ragi also tells Lyra why he needs Sebastian Makepeace's help: his witch, Yelena Pazhets, is seriously ill. This new illness causes witches to die while not affecting their dæmons, leaving them alive and lonely after their witch's death. Lyra is shocked by this.
Reaching Makepeace's house at the end of Juxon Street, near the Oxford Canal, Lyra's dæmon Pantalaimon manages to look through Makepeace's window without being noticed by Ragi. Pan sees the alchemist lying on the floor and witch's instruments nearby. Sensing something is wrong, Lyra continues walking, past Makepeace's house, at which Ragi cries for his witch. Lyra realises it was a trap and now finds herself being attacked by the witch. She moves towards the canal and decides to fight the witch, because this is what Will would do. When Yelena charges, a swan rushes past Lyra and attacks the witch. The witch dies shortly after. Lyra carries the swan back to the canal, after which a recovered Sebastian Makepeace takes her into his house and explains that Yelena wanted to kill Lyra and blame him for the murder: Yelena was once Sebastian's lover and their son died in the war that was waged in The Amber Spyglass. Yelena blamed Lyra for her son's death. Sebastian helps to get Lyra away unnoticed (the dead witch in the middle of the street caused some consternation) and she gets back to St Sophia's. Back home Lyra and Pan contemplate that day's events: the birds were actually helping her and, looking for some meaning behind the events, Lyra feels that Oxford is protecting her.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Lyra's Oxford, page 30: "Since she and Will parted two years before"

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Once Upon a Time in the North

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This article is about the book. For the album, see Once upon a Time in the North (album).

Once Upon a Time in the North
Once upon a time in the north.jpg
Once Upon A Time in the North's front cover
 
Author
Philip Pullman
Cover artist
John Lawrence
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Genre
Fantasy short story
Publisher
David Fickling Books, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date
United Kingdom:
 3 April 2008
United States:
 22 April 2008
Australia:
 1 May 2008[1]
Media type
Hardback[1]
Pages
104
ISBN
978-0-385-61432-0
Followed by
Northern Lights
Once Upon a Time in the North, a fantasy novella by Philip Pullman (first published on 3 April 2008 in the United Kingdom) functions as a prequel to Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The premise of the story involves the meeting of Iorek Byrnison and Lee Scoresby — an incident originally expected to appear in The Book of Dust:

I've just finished a short book which will be coming out next spring, probably March or April in this country. It's called Once Upon A Time in the North, and it's about Lee and Iorek. When we see them for the first time with Lyra, Lee is not that old; he's fifty, sixty, something like that, so they know each other for a long time. But I wanted to write a story when they first met as they were young, and I've just written it. I'm making a little book like Lyra's Oxford with extra-bits. I've just been working on it, on a game, a game-board. It's going to be part of that book.
—Philip Pullman[2]
Pullman has remarked that in addition to Once Upon a Time in the North and The Book of Dust, a small green book about Will may appear some day:

Lyra's Oxford was a dark red book. Once Upon a Time in the North will be a dark blue book. There still remains a green book. And that will be Will's book. Eventually...
—Philip Pullman[2]
The Guardian carried an "exclusive" extract from the book under the heading Winds of Chance on 22 March 2008.[3]
The book launch took place on 31 March in Oxford during the Oxford Literary Festival. Over 700 fans massed in Oxford Town Hall to hear Philip Pullman speak to Today programme presenter James Naughtie about his new novella.[4]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot summary
2 Extras
3 Audiobook
4 Reception
5 References
Plot summary[edit]

 This September 2010's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (September 2010)
Lee Scoresby, a 24-year old young Texan aeronaut, and his dæmon, the jackrabbit Hester, make a rough landing in Novy Odense, a harbour town on an island in the White Sea, in Muscovy. After paying for the storage of their balloon, Lee and Hester make their way into town, where Lee notes with surprise the presence of bears: some working, some just loitering about. He enters a bar to get something to eat and drink, and falls into conversation with a local journalist, Oskar Siggurdson, who explains that an election for Mayor of Novy Odense will take place later in the week. Siggurdson tells Lee that the overwhelming favourite — not the incumbent mayor, but a man called Ivan Dimitrovich Poliakov — has as a central policy a campaign to deal with the bears which hang around the town. Oskar mentions that the bears, once a proud race, now rank as "worthless vagrants". Lee learns with amazement that these bears are intelligent, can speak, and make and wear their own armour, though laws make it illegal for the bears to wear their armour in Novy Odense. At this point Lee intervenes in a conflict elsewhere in the bar, preventing the barkeeper from beating a drunk Dutch captain called van Breda, who has a ship tied up in the harbour but does not have permission to load his cargo and leave. Lee and van Breda get thrown out of the bar.
Lee finds lodgings at a boarding-house and meets some of the fellow-guests over the evening meal: a young librarian called Miss Lund, a photographer, and an economist called Mikhail Ivanovich Vassiliev. Lee and Vassilev attend a meeting at the town hall organised by the mayoral candidate Poliakov. Armed men in purple uniforms patrol the meeting: Lee takes them for customs officers. Vassilev corrects him, explaining that they are security men from Larsen Manganese, a large mining company that are in league with Poliakov. Vassilew mentions that they have a large gun they are looking to use in a riot situation, but their conversation is interrupted when Lee runs into Siggurdson. Siggurdson introduces him to Olga Poliakova, Poliakov's daughter. While he is initially attracted to her, Lee is put off by her lack of intelligence. Lee falls asleep and therefore misses Poliakov's speech, but once it is over Siggurdson insists on introducing Lee to the politician. Poliakov offers to employ Lee as a mercenary, to help him take care of a situation at the harbour. Lee is about to agree when he spots another of Poliakov's associates, a man Poliakov introduces as Pierre Morton. Lee recognises the man, whom he met using the name Pierre McConville. Lee met McConville while working for a rancher called Lloyd, who got into a boundary dispute with a neighbour. This neighbour hired McConville to kill Lloyd's men one by one, including Lloyd's nephew, Jimmy Partlett, who was shot dead in front of a number of witnesses. Only one of these witnesses was willing to tell the truth in court, and when McConville was acquitted by a corrupt jury he shot the witness dead in the street and rode out of town. He was rearrested and sent to the capital of the province with an armed escort, but vanished en route. Recognising Morton as this enemy from his past, Lee turns down Poliakov's offer of employment, and leaves.
In the middle of the night, back at the boarding-house, Lee hears Miss Lund crying and asks the cause. Miss Lund cryptically asks for his advice on a matter of honour. Lee gives his advice as well as he can understand the situation, to Miss Lund's gratitude. Lee returns to his bed baffled about what has just happened, but Hester berates him, saying that Miss Lund has obviously received a proposal of marriage, and Lee advised her to accept. At breakfast the next morning Vassilev explains that Miss Lund has a sweetheart in the Customs Office. During their conversation, Lee realises that the situation that Poliakov wanted him to deal with is most likely connected to Captain van Breda. Lee heads down to the harbour to investigate. He runs into van Breda again, who has still not been allowed to load his cargo. The two men head to a bar for a drink. Lee learns that van Breda's cargo, mining equipment and rock samples, is being held on a legal technicality, and will be impounded and sold at auction unless he loads it by the next day. Unfortunately, van Breda is being prevented from loading his cargo. The captain insists that Poliakov is waiting for his cargo to be impounded and will then buy it at a low price at auction. Lee, disgusted by Poliakov's behaviour, offers to help break into the warehouse and stand guard while van Breda loads his cargo. van Breda gratefully accepts, and the two head for the harbour. On the pavement outside the bar Lee is waylaid by one of the bears, who introduces himself as Iorek Byrnison. Iorek also offers to help van Breda, to get back at Poliakov. Iorek puts on the only piece of armour he currently has – a battered helmet – and the group set off, attracting a large crowd of onlookers as they near the harbour.
Talking his way past the Harbour Master, Lee stands off against a group of men guarding the warehouse. Lee shoots one of them in the hip, knocking him into the water. The other men pull him out and then scatter. At that point the Larsen Manganese men deploy the riot gun mentioned by Vassilev earlier, but before they can do anything with it Iorek overturns it and pushes it into the harbour. With Iorek's help, Lee breaks into the warehouse. Van Breda gives him the Winchester rifle kept on-board his boat, and Lee heads up the floors to deal with the two gunmen positioned up there. He shoots the first in the shoulder and gets into a firefight with the second. The wounded man tries to strangle Hester, but Lee shoots him dead. The remaining gunman turns out to be Morton, who manages to shoot Lee in the shoulder and ear. Taunting him with the story of how he killed his armed escorts – by tying one of them to the ground, binding his daemon to a horse and forcing the two apart to an unbearable distance, causing the man to die an agonising death – Morton moves in for the kill, his snake daemon advancing ahead of him. Hester pounces on Morton's daemon and drags it towards Lee, forcing Morton to come stumbling out of his hiding place in pain. Lee shoots him in the chest, declares this revenge for what happened to Jimmy Partlett, and then shoots him dead.
Outside, Larsen Manganese security men led by Poliakov have surrounded the warehouse. Before they can do anything, a group of Customs officers led by Lieutenant Haugland arrive, disperse the soldiers and crowd, and arrest Lee. Van Breda leaves with his ship and cargo, insisting that Lee keep the rifle as a token of thanks. It emerges that this is the same rifle Lee has when he is killed in his final gunfight, thirty-five years later. Haugland takes Lee back to the depot where his balloon is stored. On the way he explains that there is little the Customs board will be able to do to punish Poliakov, but they are still grateful to Lee for acting as he did. His balloon has been provisioned and made ready for departure, with all his belongings brought from the boarding house. Iorek arrives, and tends to Lee's wounds using bloodmoss. Lee has lost part of his ear. Oskar Siggurdson also arrives, but Lee pushes him into the harbour rather than giving an interview. Lee prepares to leave, thanking Haugland for his help. Haugland says that he should thank Miss Lund, who has just agreed to become his fiancée. Vassilev comes running into the depot, warning them that Larsen Manganese men are on the way with orders to kill Lee and Iorek. Lee suggests the bear should escape with him on his balloon, and the armoured bear agrees, saying that the aeronaut is obviously a man of the Arctic. When Lee asks what he means, Iorek points to his daemon as an Arctic hare, much to Hester and Lee's surprise. The balloon then leaves and Lee, Hester and Iorek fly away together. The book ends with Lee remarking that he was amazed to learn Hester is a hare, to which she replies, "I always knew I had more class than a rabbit."
Extras[edit]
As well as the main story, the book also contains a few extras. These include:
a board game called Peril of the Pole, mentioned in the story
a newspaper article written by Oskar Siggurdson that offers a different spin on the events. It describes Lee and Iorek as villains and mentions that the incidents in Novy Odense merely serve to re-enforce Ivan Dimitrovich Poliakov's belief as to the dangers of the bears.
two pages from The Elements of Aerial Navigation, a book that Lee won with the balloon and which he uses to help him fly. Lee only has the first half of the book.
a page from a book called The Shipping World Year Book, which includes an entry about Novy Odense.
two letters written by Lyra Silvertongue from St Sophia's College, Oxford. She addresses one to Tom, the other to a Dr. Polstead: both concern Lyra's dissertation for her M. Phil in Economic History, implying that she writes in her mid-twenties[citation needed]. Her dissertation has (one version) the title "Developments of patterns of trade in the European Arctic region with particular reference to independent balloon carriage (1950–1970)". In the first letter Lyra also mentions that she continues to study the alethiometer.
the certificate for submission of Lyra's dissertation
Audiobook[edit]
The publishers earmarked an audiobook version of the novella for release on the same day as the print version. Philip Pullman and a full cast perform, with Garrick Hagan as producer.[5]
Reception[edit]
Reviews of the book began to appear a little under two weeks before the UK publication. The Times described it as "a joy";[6] while Ian Giles judged the book an "absolute triumph".[7]
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b "Book Details – Once Upon a Time in the North". Random House Australia. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
2.^ Jump up to: a b "Once upon a time... in Oxford". Cittàgazze. Retrieved 29 September 2007.
3.Jump up ^ Philip Pullman, “Winds of chance,” The Guardian, 22 March 2008, Review section.
4.Jump up ^ Andrew Ffrench, "Pullman Draws Crowds From Afar," Oxford Mail, 1 April 2008
5.Jump up ^ rBooks.co.uk, "Once Upon A Time in the North by Philip Pullman", rBooks.co.uk.
6.Jump up ^ Amanda Craig, “Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman,” The Times, 22 March 2008, Arts section
7.Jump up ^ Ian Giles, “'Once Upon A Time In The North' – Our Review”, bridgetothestars.net



[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and related works

 
­Locations·
 ­Races·
 ­Terminology
 
 
Novels
­Northern Lights·
 ­The Subtle Knife·
 ­The Amber Spyglass
 
 
Companion books
­Lyra's Oxford·
 ­Once Upon a Time in the North·
 ­The Book of Dust
 
 
Characters
­Lyra Belacqua·
 ­Will Parry·
 ­Lord Asriel·
 ­Marisa Coulter·
 ­Dæmons
 
 
Adaptations
­His Dark Materials (stage play)·
 ­The Golden Compass (film)·
 ­The Golden Compass (video game)
 
 
Concepts
­Dust·
 ­Intercision·
 ­Republic of Heaven
 

 

Categories: Short stories by Philip Pullman
His Dark Materials books
Fantasy short stories
Prequel novels






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The Book of Dust

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Jump to: navigation, search

The Book of Dust
 
Author
Philip Pullman
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Genre
Fantasy
Preceded by
Lyra's Oxford
The Book of Dust is an upcoming novel by Philip Pullman. It will be a companion novel to the His Dark Materials trilogy, and will feature Lyra Belacqua as a main character. Initially, Pullman said that the story will take place two years after the events of Lyra's Oxford and will tie into that book,[1][2] with Lyra being "about sixteen."[3] He has since said "it might be in two volumes and I think one might take place in the time before His Dark Materials and the other might take place afterwards."[4] The book will also be "about Dust,"[5] and will address the lack of positive portrayals of religion in the His Dark Materials books,[1] although it will not be a continuation of the trilogy.[6]
Pre-release history[edit]
Pullman conceived of The Book of Dust before the publication of Lyra's Oxford in 2003, but had not begun writing it at that time.[2][7] In a message on his website in April 2005, Pullman wrote that The Book of Dust was "under way".[8] As of September 2012, he is still working on it.
The only indication of its length is Pullman's description of it as "a big, big book."[1]
In an interview with the Oxford Mail at the premiere of The Golden Compass movie, Pullman suggested that The Book of Dust could be released in 2009. In a later interview with Oxford University student newspaper Cherwell in June 2009, Pullman stated that the book would not be appearing in the near future, and commented that "The appropriate adverb would be ‘eventually'. It's growing, but I'm encountering complexities that seem to be making it longer than I thought it would be."[9] Pullman echoed this assessment in January 2010 during a lecture at the University of Exeter.
In February 2011, Pullman revealed to BridgetoTheStars.net that he was now thinking of producing The Book of Dust in two volumes, one as a prequel to the His Dark Materials series and one to come after.[10] He repeated this statement in an interview with The Telegraph.[4] In August 2011, Pullman gave an interview to the magazine "Qué Leer" and said, that The Book of Dust will take "a couple more years before you can read it".[11] On 24 September 2012, in an article featured on the BBC News website, Pullman confirmed that The Book Of Dust is now his main focus and that he has written 220 pages but it will still be a while before it is published.[12] Later, in December 2012, he told Wired Magazine that he had cleared "the whole of next year and most of the year after" to write the book.[13]
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c Fleming, Tom (2007-08-03). "A very grown-up children's author". London: The Guardian Unlimited Arts Blog. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
2.^ Jump up to: a b Thorpe (2003-04-06). "Pullman brings back Lyra for Oxford". The Guardian.
3.Jump up ^ "Philip Pullman: The Storyteller's Art". Barnes & Noble. 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
4.^ Jump up to: a b Brown, Helen (2011-10-17). "Page in the Life: Philip Pullman". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
5.Jump up ^ "Philip Pullman at the Oxford Literary Festival 2007". HisDarkMaterials.org. 2007-03-24. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
6.Jump up ^ "Philip Pullman Webchat". BBC. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
7.Jump up ^ Mitchison, Amanda (2003-11-03). "The art of darkness". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
8.Jump up ^ "April message". Philip-Pullman.com. April 2005. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
9.Jump up ^ "Oxford's Cherwell Interviews: Philip Pullman". Cherwell. 2009-09-02. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
10.Jump up ^ "Book of Dust in Two Parts". Bridge to The Stars. 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
11.Jump up ^ "The book of dust still a couple more years". Bridge to The Stars. 2011-08-31. Retrieved 2011-10-08.
12.Jump up ^ "BBC News: Philip Pullman turns to Grimm task". BBC. 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2012-09-24.
13.Jump up ^ "Philip Pullman Is Planning on Going Silent". Wired.com. 2012-12-27. Retrieved 2013-04-29.

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and related works

 
­Locations·
 ­Races·
 ­Terminology
 
 
Novels
­Northern Lights·
 ­The Subtle Knife·
 ­The Amber Spyglass
 
 
Companion books
­Lyra's Oxford·
 ­Once Upon a Time in the North·
 ­The Book of Dust
 
 
Characters
­Lyra Belacqua·
 ­Will Parry·
 ­Lord Asriel·
 ­Marisa Coulter·
 ­Dæmons
 
 
Adaptations
­His Dark Materials (stage play)·
 ­The Golden Compass (film)·
 ­The Golden Compass (video game)
 
 
Concepts
­Dust·
 ­Intercision·
 ­Republic of Heaven
 

 

Categories: His Dark Materials books
Dystopian novels
Upcoming books
British young adult novels


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His Dark Materials (play)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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For other uses, see His Dark Materials (disambiguation).

His Dark Materials

Written by
Philip Pullman (novel)
Nicholas Wright (play)
Date premiered
20 December 2003
Place premiered
Olivier Theatre
 London
Original language
English
Subject
Life and death, power and authority
Official site
His Dark Materials is a play written by British playwright Nicholas Wright adapted from the Philip Pullman fantasy novel trilogy of the same title. The production premiered in the Royal National Theatre's Olivier Theatre, London, in 2003. Due to the complications in staging a piece containing the narrative of three books, the play was performed in two parts in alternate performances. The play is published by Nick Hern Books.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Synopsis
2 Productions 2.1 Original production
2.2 2004 revival
3 Awards and nominations
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Synopsis[edit]
The play follows the same plot as the books - a story of the coming of age of two children, Will Parry and Lyra Belacqua and their adventures as they wander through a series of parallel universes against a backdrop of epic events. During their quest, the pair encounter various fantasy creatures such as witches and armoured polar bears in a journey which they hope will take them to The Republic of Heaven.
There are however some substantial differences, most notably the removal of the character Dr. Mary Malone, whose role in the story is turned over to the witch Serafina Pekala. Similarly the eponymous amber spyglass of the third novel, associated with Malone, is also largely absent.
Productions[edit]
Original production[edit]
The original production was staged at the Olivier Theatre, National Theatre and ran from 20 December 2003 until 27 March 2004.[1] The production was directed by Nicholas Hytner and featured the following cast:
Pantalaimon - Samuel Barnett
Lord Boreal - John Carlisle
Will Parry - Dominic Cooper
Serafina Pekkala - Niamh Cusack
Lord Asriel - Timothy Dalton
Farder Coram - Patrick Godfrey
John Faa - Stephen Greif
Billy Costa - Jamie Harding
Mrs Coulter - Patricia Hodge
Dr Cade - Akbar Kurtha
Jopari/Iofur Raknison - Chris Larkin
Tortured Witch/Harpy - Inika Leigh Wright
Salcilia - Helena Lymbery
Fra Pavel/Lee Scoresby - Tim McMullan
Professor Hopcraft - Iain Mitchell
Lyra Belacqua - Anna Maxwell Martin
Macaw Lady - Helen Murton
Stelmaria - Emily Mytton
Ruta Skadi - Cecilia Noble
Mrs Lonsdale - Katy Odey
Thorold - Nick Sampson
Iorek Byrnison - Dany Sapani
Ben - Jason Thorpe
Roger Parslow - Russell Tovey
Perkins - Daniel Tuite
Astronomy Scholar/Dr West - Andrew Westfield
Brother Jasper - Ben Whishaw
Angelica - Katie Wimpenny
Golden Monkey - Ben Wright
Tony Costa - Richard Youman
All other parts were played by members of the company.
The technical crew were as follows:
Set Designer - Giles Cadle
Costume Designer - Jon Morrell
Puppet Designer - Michael Curry
Lighting Designer - Paule Constable
Video Projection Designer - Thomas Gray for The Gray Circle
Computer Graphics Designer - Yuri Tanaka for The Gray Circle
Choreographer/Associate Director - Aletta Collins
Music Composer - Jonathan Dove
Music Director - Steve Edis
Fight Director - Terry King
Sound Designer - Paul Groothuis
2004 revival[edit]
The production was revived, again at the Olivier, National Theatre, in 2004. It opened on 20 November 2004 and ran until 2 April 2005.[2] The production was again directed by Nicholas Hynter with Matt Wilde and featured the following cast:
Serafina Pekkala - Adjoa Andoh
Billy Costa - Mark Buchner
Lord Boreal - John Carlisle
Jessie - Michelle Dockery
Mrs Lonsdale - Vanessa Earl
Pantalaimon - Jamie Harding
Roger Parslow - Darren Hart
Iofur Raknison/Jeptha Jones - Don Gallagher
John Faa - Ian Gelder
Lord Asriel - David Harewood
Golden Monkey - Leo Kay
Farder Coram - David Killick
Ben - Pascal Langdale
Lilly - Samantha Lawson
Brother Jasper/Kaisa - Elliot Levey
Will Parry - Michael Legge
Stelmaria - Emma Manton
Mrs Coulter - Lesley Manville
Professor Hopcraft - Iain Mitchell
Salcilia - Victoria Moseley
Daisy - Helen Murton
Dr Cade - Chiké Okonkwo
Tony Costa - Harry Peacock
Lee Scoresby - Alan Perrin
Iorek Byrnison - Alistair Petrie
Dr West - Dodger Phillips
Thorold/Balthamos - Samuel Roukin
Fra Pavel - Nick Sampson
Ruta Skadi/Betty - Rachel Sanders
Lyra Belacqua - Elaine Symons
The technical crew remained largely the same as the original production with only the following changes/additions:
Associate Lighting Designer - Vic Smerdon
Music Director - Mark Bousie
Awards and nominations[edit]
The production won two Laurence Olivier Awards in 2005 for Best Set Design for Giles Cadle and Best Lighting Design for Paule Constable.[2][3]
See also[edit]
His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials terminology
The Golden Compass (film)
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ National Theatre : Productions : His Dark Materials Part I 2003/04
2.^ Jump up to: a b National Theatre : Productions : His Dark Materials Part I
3.Jump up ^ Laurence Olivier Awards: Past winners | Official London Theatre Guide
External links[edit]
His Dark Materials (Part 1) on the National Theatre website
His Dark Materials (Part 2) on the National Theatre website

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and related works

 
­Locations·
 ­Races·
 ­Terminology
 
 
Novels
­Northern Lights·
 ­The Subtle Knife·
 ­The Amber Spyglass
 
 
Companion books
­Lyra's Oxford·
 ­Once Upon a Time in the North·
 ­The Book of Dust
 
 
Characters
­Lyra Belacqua·
 ­Will Parry·
 ­Lord Asriel·
 ­Marisa Coulter·
 ­Dæmons
 
 
Adaptations
­His Dark Materials (stage play)·
 ­The Golden Compass (film)·
 ­The Golden Compass (video game)
 
 
Concepts
­Dust·
 ­Intercision·
 ­Republic of Heaven
 

 

Categories: 2003 plays
British plays
Plays by Nicholas Wright
Plays based on novels


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His Dark Materials

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Jump to: navigation, search

For other uses, see His Dark Materials (disambiguation).
His Dark Materials

Northern Lights
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
 
Author
Philip Pullman
Country
England, United Kingdom
Language
English
Genre
Science Fantasy
High fantasy
Publisher
Scholastic
Published
1995–2000
Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)
His Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novels, coming together to form an epic, by Philip Pullman comprising Northern Lights (1995, published as The Golden Compass in North America), The Subtle Knife (1997), and The Amber Spyglass (2000). It follows the coming-of-age of two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they wander through a series of parallel universes against a backdrop of epic events. The three novels have won various awards, most notably the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year prize, won by The Amber Spyglass. Northern Lights won the Carnegie Medal for children's fiction in the UK in 1995. The trilogy as a whole took third place in the BBC's Big Read poll in 2003.
The story involves fantasy elements such as witches and armoured polar bears, and alludes to a broad range of ideas from such fields as physics, philosophy, and theology. The trilogy functions in part as a retelling and inversion of John Milton's epic Paradise Lost;[1] with Pullman commending humanity for what Milton saw as its most tragic failing.[2] The series has drawn criticism for its negative portrayal of Christianity and religion in general.[3]
Pullman's publishers have primarily marketed the series to young adults, but Pullman also intended to speak to adults.[4] North American printings of The Amber Spyglass have censored passages describing Lyra's incipient sexuality.[5][6]
Pullman has published two short stories related to His Dark Materials: "Lyra and the Birds", which appears with accompanying illustrations in the small hardcover book Lyra's Oxford (2003), and "Once Upon a Time in the North" (2008). He has been working on another, larger companion book to the series, The Book of Dust, for several years.
The London Royal National Theatre staged a major, two-part adaptation of the series in 2003–2004, and New Line Cinema released a film based on Northern Lights, titled The Golden Compass, in 2007.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Series and first novel titles
2 Settings
3 Series 3.1 Northern Lights (or The Golden Compass)
3.2 The Subtle Knife
3.3 The Amber Spyglass
4 Related works by Philip Pullman 4.1 Lyra's Oxford
4.2 Once Upon a Time in the North
4.3 The Book of Dust
4.4 Future books
5 Characters
6 Dæmons
7 Awards and recognition
8 Influences
9 Controversies 9.1 Catholic Herald
10 Adaptations 10.1 Radio
10.2 Theatre
10.3 Film
11 Terminology 11.1 Pronunciation
11.2 Alternative terms
11.3 Alternative names for people and places
12 Further reading
13 References
14 External links
Series and first novel titles[edit]

 

Satan struggles through hell in a Gustave Doré illustration of Paradise Lost.
The title of the series, His Dark Materials, comes from seventeenth-century poet John Milton's Paradise Lost, Book 2:

Into this wilde Abyss,
 The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave,
 Of neither Sea, nor Shore, nor Air, nor Fire,
 But all these in their pregnant causes mixt
 Confus'dly, and which thus must ever fight,
 Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain
His dark materials to create more Worlds,
 Into this wilde Abyss the warie fiend
 Stood on the brink of Hell and look'd a while,
 Pondering his Voyage; for no narrow frith
 He had to cross.
— Book 2, lines 910–920
Pullman earlier proposed to name the series The Golden Compasses, also a reference to Paradise Lost,[7] where they denote God's circle-drawing instrument used to establish and set the bounds of all creation:


Blake ancient of days.jpg   God-Architect.jpg
God as architect, wielding the golden compasses, by William Blake (left) and Jesus as Geometer in a 13th-century medieval illuminated manuscript of unknown authorship.
 

Then staid the fervid wheels, and in his hand
He took the golden compasses, prepared
In God's eternal store, to circumscribe
This universe, and all created things:
 One foot he centered, and the other turned
 Round through the vast profundity obscure
— Book 7, lines 224–229
Due to confusion with the other common meaning of compass (the navigational instrument) this phrase in the singular became the title of the American edition of Northern Lights (the book prominently features a device that one might label a "golden compass"). In The Subtle Knife Pullman rationalizes the first book's American title, The Golden Compass, by having Mary twice refer to Lyra's alethiometer as a "compass" or "compass thing."[8]
Settings[edit]
The trilogy takes place across a multiverse, moving between many parallel worlds (See Worlds in His Dark Materials). In Northern Lights, the story takes place in a world with some similarities to our own; dress-style resembles that of the UK's Victorian era, and technology has not evolved to include automobiles or fixed-wing aircraft, while zeppelins feature as a notable mode of transport.
The dominant religion has parallels with Christianity,[9] and is at certain points in the series (especially in the later books) explicitly named so[citation needed]; while Adam and Eve are referenced in the text (particularly in The Subtle Knife, in which Dust tells Mary Malone that Lyra Belacqua is a new Eve to whom she is to be the serpent), Jesus Christ is not.[10] The Church (called the "Magisterium") exerts a strong control over society and has the appearance and organisation of the Catholic Church, but one in which the centre of power had moved from Rome to Geneva, the home city of both the real and the fictional "Pope" John Calvin.[11]
In The Subtle Knife, the story moves between the world of the first novel, our own world, and in another world, a city called Cittàgazze. In The Amber Spyglass it crosses through an array of diverse worlds.
At first glance, the universe of Northern Lights appears considerably behind that of our own world (it could be seen as resembling an industrial society between the late 19th century and the outbreak of the First World War), but in many fields it equals or surpasses ours. For instance, it emerges that Lyra's world has the same knowledge of particle physics, referred to as "experimental theology", that we do. In The Amber Spyglass, discussion takes place about an advanced inter-dimensional weapon which, when aimed using a sample of the target's DNA, can track the target to any universe and disrupt the very fabric of space-time to form a bottomless abyss into nothing, forcing the target to suffer a fate far worse than normal death. Other advanced devices include the Intention Craft, which carries (amongst other things) an extremely potent energy-weapon, though this craft, first seen and used outside Lyra's universe, may originate in the work of engineers from other universes.
Series[edit]
Northern Lights (or The Golden Compass)[edit]
Main article: Northern Lights (novel)
Northern Lights (published in some countries, including the United States, as The Golden Compass) revolves around Lyra Belacqua, a young girl who lives in a world in which humans are constantly accompanied by dæmons: the beloved animal embodiments of their inner-selves. Dæmons shift their shapes frequently when people are young but begin to settle into one, fixed, animal form as children reach puberty. Lyra, whose dæmon is named Pantalaimon, is brought up in the cloistered world of Jordan College, Oxford, where she accidentally learns of the existence of Dust—a strange elementary particle discovered by Lord Asriel, whom Lyra has been told is her uncle. The Magisterium, the powerful Church body that represses heresy, believes Dust to be related to Original Sin. Scientific discoveries show that Dust is less attracted to children than to adults. A desire to learn why and to prevent children from acquiring Dust when they become adults leads to grisly experiments, carried out to separate kidnapped children from their dæmons. The experiments are directed by Mrs. Coulter and conducted in the distant North by experimental "theologists" (scientists) of the Magisterium. The Master of Jordan College, who has been raising Lyra, turns her over to Mrs. Coulter under pressure from the Church. But first he gives Lyra the alethiometer, an instrument that can reveal any truth and can answer any question when properly manipulated; the alethiometer harnesses Dust to produce its knowledge. Lyra, initially excited at being placed in the care of the elegant and mysterious Mrs. Coulter, discovers to her horror that Coulter heads the secretive General Oblation Board, who are rumoured to be the ones kidnapping children throughout England for experimentation; they are known among children as the "Gobblers." (The name comes from the initials of the group's official name: General Oblation Board.)[12] The Gobblers kidnap the children and perform the experiments. Learning of Mrs. Coulter's Gobbler activity, Lyra runs away. Gyptians (analogous to our world's gypsies), who live on riverboats, rescue her from pursuers. From them she learns that Mrs. Coulter is her mother and Lord Asriel is her father, not her uncle. Taking Lyra along, the Gyptians mount an expedition to rescue the missing children, many of whom are Gyptian children. Lyra hopes to find and save her best friend, Roger Parslow, who she suspects has been taken by the Gobblers. (The name Parslow comes from the butler and friend of Charles Darwin.)[13] Aided by the exiled panserbjørne ("armoured bear") Iorek Byrnison and a clan of witches, the Gyptians save the kidnapped children, including Roger. Lyra and Iorek, along with the aeronaut Lee Scoresby, next continue on to Svalbard, home of the armoured bears. There Lyra helps Iorek regain his kingdom by killing his evil rival, King Iofur Raknison. Lyra then continues on to find Lord Asriel, exiled to Svalbard at Mrs. Coulter's request. She mistakenly thinks her mission all along has been to bring Asriel her alethiometer, when in fact she was destined to bring him a child: Roger. Lord Asriel has been developing a means of building a bridge to another world that can be seen in the sky through the northern lights. The bridge requires a vast amount of energy to split open the boundary between the two worlds. Asriel acquires the energy by severing Roger from his dæmon, killing Roger in the process. Lyra arrives too late to save Roger. Asriel then travels across the bridge to the new world in order to find the source of Dust (and thus the source of all death and misery) in order to obliterate it: "I'm going to destroy it. Death is going to die." Lyra and Pantalaimon follow Asriel into the new world.
The Subtle Knife[edit]
Main article: The Subtle Knife
In The Subtle Knife, Lyra journeys through the Aurora to Cittàgazze, an otherworldly city whose denizens have discovered a clean path between worlds at a far earlier point in time than others in the storyline. Cittàgazze's reckless use of the technology has released soul-eating Spectres, to which children are immune, rendering much of the world incapable of transit by adults. Here Lyra meets Will Parry, a twelve-year-old boy from our world. Will, who recently killed a man to protect his ailing mother, has stumbled into Cittàgazze in an effort to locate his long-lost father. Will becomes the bearer of the eponymous Subtle Knife, a tool forged 300 years ago by Cittàgazze's scientists from the same materials used to make Bolvangar's silver guillotine. One edge of the knife can divide even subatomic particles and form subtle divisions in space, creating portals between worlds; the other edge easily cuts through any form of matter. After meeting with witches from Lyra's world, they journey on. Will finds his father, who had gone missing in Lyra's world under the assumed name of Stanislaus Grumman, only to watch him murdered almost immediately by a witch who loved him but was turned down, and Lyra is kidnapped.
The Amber Spyglass[edit]
Main article: The Amber Spyglass
The Amber Spyglass tells of Lyra's kidnapping by her mother, Mrs. Coulter, an agent of the Magisterium who has learned of the prophecy identifying Lyra as the next Eve. A pair of angels, Balthamos and Baruch, inform Will that he must travel with them to give the Subtle Knife to Lyra's father, Lord Asriel, as a weapon against The Authority. Will ignores the angels; with the help of a local girl named Ama, the Bear King Iorek Byrnison, and Lord Asriel's Gallivespian spies, the Chevalier Tialys and the Lady Salmakia, he rescues Lyra from the cave where her mother has hidden her from the Magisterium, which has become determined to kill her before she yields to temptation and sin like the original Eve.
Will, Lyra, Tialys, and Salmakia journey to the Land of the Dead, temporarily parting with their dæmons to release the ghosts from their captivity imposed by the oppressive Authority. Mary Malone, a scientist originating from Will's home world, interested in Dust (or Dark Matter/Shadows, as she knows them), travels to a land populated by strange sentient creatures called Mulefa. There she learns of the true nature of Dust, which is defined as panpsychic particles of self-awareness. Dust is both created by and nourishes life which has become self-aware. Lord Asriel and the reformed Mrs. Coulter work to destroy the Authority's Regent Metatron. They succeed, but themselves suffer annihilation in the process by pulling Metatron into the abyss. The Authority himself dies of his own frailty when Will and Lyra free him from the crystal prison wherein Metatron had trapped him, able to do so because an attack by cliff-ghasts kills or drives away the prison's protectors. When Will and Lyra emerge from the land of the dead, they find their dæmons. The book ends with Will and Lyra falling in love but realising they cannot live together in the same world, because all windows—except one from the underworld to the world of the Mulefa—must be closed to prevent the loss of Dust, and because each of them can only live full lives in their native worlds. This is the temptation that Mary was meant to give them; to help them fall in love and then choose whether they should stay together or not. During the return, Mary learns how to see her own dæmon, who takes the form of a black Alpine Chough. Lyra loses her ability to intuitively read the alethiometer and determines to learn how to use her conscious mind to achieve the same effect.
Related works by Philip Pullman[edit]
Lyra's Oxford[edit]
Main article: Lyra's Oxford
The first of two short novels, Lyra's Oxford takes place two years after the timeline of The Amber Spyglass. A witch who seeks revenge for her son's death in the war against the Authority draws Lyra, now 15, into a trap. Birds mysteriously rescue her and Pan, and she makes the acquaintance of an alchemist, formerly the witch's lover.
Once Upon a Time in the North[edit]
Main article: Once Upon a Time in the North
This short novel serves as a prequel to His Dark Materials and focuses on the 24-year-old Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby. After winning his hot-air balloon, Scoresby heads to the North, landing on the Arctic island Novy Odense, where he finds himself pulled into a dangerous conflict between the oil-tycoon Larsen Manganese, the corrupt mayoral candidate Ivan Poliakov, and his longtime enemy from the Dakota Country, Pierre McConville. The story tells of Lee and Iorek's first meeting, and of how they overcame these enemies.
The Book of Dust[edit]
Main article: The Book of Dust
The in-the-works companion to the trilogy, The Book of Dust will not continue the story, but was originally said to offer several short stories with the same characters, world, etc. Later, however, it was said it would be about Lyra when she is older, about 2 years after Lyra's Oxford, and she will go on a new adventure and learn to read the alethiometer again. The book will touch on research into Dust as well as on the portrayal of religion in His Dark Materials. Pullman has not yet finished writing this work.
Future books[edit]
Pullman has also told of his hope to publish a small green book about Will:

Lyra's Oxford was a dark red book. Once Upon a Time in the North will be a dark blue book. There still remains a green book. And that will be Will's book. Eventually...
—Philip Pullman
Pullman confirmed this in an interview with two fans in August 2007.[14]
Characters[edit]
Main article: Characters of His Dark Materials
Every human surface story character from Lyra's world, including witches, has a dæmon (pronounced "demon"). A dæmon is a soul or spirit that takes the form of a creature (moth, bird, dog, monkey, snake, etc.) and is usually opposite in sex from its partner. The dæmons of children frequently change shape, but when puberty arrives the dæmon assumes a permanent form, differing from person to person. When a person dies, the dæmon dies too, and vice versa. In literature, a dæmon is usually called a "familiar." Armoured bears, cliff ghasts, and other creatures do not have dæmons. An armoured bear's armour is his soul.
Lyra Belacqua, a wild, tomboyish 12-year-old girl, has grown up in the fictional Jordan College, Oxford. Although initially ignorant of the fact, Lyra is Lord Asriel's daughter. She is described as skinny with dark blonde hair and blue eyes. She prides herself on her capacity for mischief, especially her ability to lie with "bare-faced conviction". Because of her ability, Iorek Byrnison (her armoured bear friend and protector) gives her the byname "Silvertongue". Lyra has the alethiometer, which answers any question when properly manipulated.
Pantalaimon is Lyra's dæmon. Like all dæmons of children, he changes from one creature to another constantly, but when Lyra reaches puberty he assumes his permanent form, that of a pine marten. Lyra and Pantalaimon follow their father, Lord Asriel, when he travels to the newly discovered world of Cittagazze over his newly created "Bridge to the Stars."
Will Parry, a sensible, morally conscious, highly assertive 12-year-old boy from our world. He obtains and bears the Subtle Knife. Will is very independent and responsible for his age, having looked after his mentally unstable mother for several years. He is strong for his age, and knows how to remain inconspicuous.
The Authority is the first angel to have emerged from Dust. He controls the Church, an oppressive religious institution that echoes Christianity. He told the later-arriving angels that he created them and the universe, but this is a lie. Although he is one of the two primary adversaries in the trilogy—Lord Asriel is his primary opponent—he remains in the background; he makes his first and only appearance late in The Amber Spyglass. At the time of the story, the Authority has grown weak and has transferred most of his powers to his regent, Metatron. Pullman portrays him as extremely aged, fragile, and naїve, unlike his thoroughly malicious underling.
Lord Asriel, ostensibly Lyra's uncle, later emerges as her father. He opens a rift between the worlds in his pursuit of Dust. His dream of establishing a Republic of Heaven to rival The Authority's Kingdom leads him to use his considerable power and force of will to raise a grand army from across the multiverse to rise up in rebellion against the forces of the Church.
Marisa Coulter is the coldly beautiful, highly manipulative mother of Lyra and former lover of Lord Asriel. She serves the Church by kidnapping children for research into the nature of Dust. She has black hair, a thin build, and looks younger than she is. Initially hostile to Lyra, she belatedly realizes that she loves her daughter and seeks to protect her from agents of the Church, who want to kill Lyra.
The Golden Monkey, Mrs. Coulter's dæmon (named Ozymandias in the BBC Radio adaptations but never named in Pullman's books) has a cruel abusive streak that reflects Coulter's character.
Metatron, Asriel's active adversary (a proxy for the Authority) was a human (being in biblical times Enoch) and was later transfigured into an angel. The Authority, who claims to be immortal but really isn't, has displayed his declining health by appointing Metatron his regent, acting head of the Church. As regent, Metatron has implanted the monotheistic religions across the universes. Though an angel, he still feels human feelings, and so becomes vulnerable to the seductive advances of Marisa Coulter, who betrays him by luring him into the underworld to his death. He was the series' main antagonist.
Mary Malone is a physicist and former nun from Will's world. She meets Lyra during Lyra's first visit to Will's world. Lyra provides Mary with insight into the nature of dust. Agents of the Church force Mary to flee to the world of the mulefa. There she constructs the amber spyglass, which enables her to see the otherwise invisible (to her but not to the mulefa) Dust. Her purpose is to learn why Dust, which mulefa civilization depends on, is flowing out of the universe. (Knowledge, symbolized by Dust, is disappearing.) Mary relates a story of a lost love to Will and Lyra, and later packs for them a lunch containing "little red fruits". This is something her computer, "the Cave," with which Mary has managed to harness Dust and obtain its counsel, instructed her to do.
The Master of Jordan heads Jordan College, part of Oxford University in Lyra's world. Helped by other Jordan College employees, he is raising the supposedly (but not actually) orphaned Lyra. His big scene is in chapter 1 of The Golden Compass. There he tries unsuccessfully to poison Lord Asriel, thinking that Asriel is endangering Lyra. Lyra sees the Master put poison in a decanter of tokay wine that Asriel is expected to drink. She warns Asriel, who later "accidentally" knocks the decanter to the floor, blaming a servant for the mishap.
Roger Parslow is the kitchen boy at Jordan College and Lyra's best friend.
John Parry, a.k.a. Stanislaus Grumman is Will's father.
Elaine Parry is Will Parry's mother. She became mentally ill after her husband disappeared on an expedition and has been left by Will in the care of Mrs. Cooper, Will's former piano teacher.
The Four Gallivespians -- Lord Roke, Madame Oxentiel, Chevalier Tialys, and Lady Salmakia—are tiny people (a hand-span tall) with poisonous heel spurs. The name "Gallivespians" is a combination of (1) Gallive, a slight variation of Gullive from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, (2) vesp, Latin for "wasp," a reference to the stinging heel spurs, and (3) ian from Lilliputian, one of the tiny people from Gulliver's Travels.
The Palmerian Professor is a minor character presented as a joke by Pullman. His initials, PP, are those of Philip Pullman. Pullman has insinuated himself into the gathering of notables who, at the beginning of the story, have come to the Jordan College Retiring Room to hear a presentation by Lord Asriel. Pullman is a graduate of Exeter College of Oxford University. Exeter's distinctive landmark, and its oldest building, is Palmer's Tower, hence the name "Palmerian." Jordan College in Lyra's world is loosely modelled on the real Exeter College.[15] The Palmerian Professor is the leading authority on armoured bears, just as Pullman is. On his Acknowledgements page at the end of the trilogy, Pullman facetiously characterizes himself as a plagiarist who has "stolen" ideas from many literary sources. (An example of Pullman's "plagiarism" is Lord Roke and the Gallivespians, who fly around on huge dragonflies or, in Roke's case, a blue hawk. Lord Roke is, in effect, Lord of the Fliers—alluding to William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies.) In the trilogy, Professor Jotham Santelia calls the Palmerian Professor a plagiarist. The Palmerian Professor's last name is Trelawney. In Lyra's Oxford, a sequel to the trilogy, a fold-out map shows an ad for a book by Professor P. Trelawney.
Iorek Byrnison is a massive armoured bear. An armoured bear's armour is his soul, equivalent to a human's dæmon. Iorek's armour is stolen, so he becomes despondent. With Lyra's help he regains his armour, his dignity, and his kingship over the armoured bears. In gratitude, and impressed by her cunning, he dubs her "Lyra Silvertongue". A powerful warrior and armoursmith, Iorek repairs the Subtle Knife when it shatters. He later goes to war against The Authority and Metatron.
John Faa and Ma Costa are river "gyptians" (gypsies). Unknown to Lyra, Ma Costa was her nanny when Lyra was an infant. Faa and Costa rescue Lyra when she runs away from Mrs. Coulter. Then they take her to Iorek.
Lee Scoresby, a rangy Texan, is a balloonist. He helps Lyra in an early quest to reach Asriel's residence in the North, and he later helps John Parry reunite with his son Will.
Serafina Pekkala is the beautiful queen of a clan of Northern witches. Her snow-goose dæmon Kaisa, like all witches' dæmons, can travel much farther apart from her than the dæmons of humans.
Father Gomez is a priest sent by the Church to assassinate Lyra. Balthamos, an angel watching over Lyra, kills him before he can kill Lyra.
Balthamos is a good angel who, near the end of the story, saves Lyra's life.
Tony Makarios is a naive boy who is lured into captivity by Mrs. Coulter. Mrs. Coulter gains Tony's confidence by offering him a delicious drink of "chocolatl" (the name for chocolate in Lyra's world). The offer, accepted by Tony, draws him into a warehouse and into captivity.
The Mulefa are four-legged wheeled animals; they have one leg in front, one in back, and one on each side. The "wheels" are huge, round, hard seed-pods from seed-pod trees; an axle-like claw at the end of each leg grips a seed-pod. The Mulefa society is primitive.
The Tualapi are huge, flightless birds who attack Mulefa settlements. The Tualapi sail to the settlements on tandem fore-and-aft wings that are uplifted to serve as sails. The wings symbolize the sailing ships on which early missionaries sailed to their destinations. On reaching settlements the Tualapi kill any Mulefa they can catch, eat all the food, destroy everything in sight, and then defecate everywhere.
Dæmons[edit]
Main article: Dæmon (His Dark Materials)
One distinctive aspect of Pullman's story comes from his concept of "dæmons". In the birth-universe of the story's protagonist Lyra Belacqua, a human individual's inner-self[16][17] manifests itself throughout life as an animal-shaped "dæmon" that always stays near its human counterpart. Witches and some humans have entered areas where dæmons cannot physically enter; after suffering horrific separation-trauma, their dæmons can then move as far away from their humans as desired.[18]
Dæmons usually only talk to their own associated humans, but they can communicate with other humans and with other dæmons autonomously. During the childhood of its associated human, a dæmon can change its shape at will, but with the onset of adolescence it settles into a single form. The final form reveals the person's true nature and personality, implying that these stabilise after adolescence. Pullmanian society considers it "the grossest breach of etiquette imaginable"[19] for one person to touch another's dæmon — this would violate the most strict of taboos. "A human being with no dæmon is like someone without a face, or with their ribs laid open and their heart torn out: something unnatural and uncanny that belonged to the world of night-ghasts, not the waking world of sense."[20]
In some worlds, Spectres prey upon the dæmons of adults, consuming them and rendering said dæmons' humans essentially catatonic; they lose all thought and eventually fade away and die. Although in the world that this happens the humans do not have dæmons as such, but dæmon could be used to describe the humans soul or the like. Dæmons and their humans can also become separated through intercision, a process involving cutting the link between the dæmon and the human. This process can take place in a medical setting, as with the titanium and manganese guillotine used at Bolvangar, or as a form of torture used by the Skraelings. This separation entails a high mortality rate and changes both human and dæmon into a zombie-like state. Severing the link using the silver guillotine method releases tremendous amounts of unnamed energy, convertible to anbaric (electric) power.
Awards and recognition[edit]
The Amber Spyglass won the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year award,[21] a prestigious British literary award. This is the first time that such an award has been bestowed on a book from their "children's literature" category.
The first volume, Northern Lights, won the Carnegie Medal for children's fiction in the UK in 1995.[22] In 2007, the judges of the CILIP Carnegie Medal for children's literature selected it as one of the ten most important children's novels of the previous 70 years. In June 2007 it was voted, in an online poll, as the best Carnegie Medal winner in the seventy-year history of the award, the Carnegie of Carnegies.[23][24]
The Observer cites Northern Lights as one of the 100 best novels.[25]
On 19 May 2005, Pullman attended the British Library in London to receive formal congratulations for his work from culture secretary Tessa Jowell "on behalf of the government".
On 25 May 2005, Pullman received the Swedish government's Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for children's and youth literature (sharing it with Japanese illustrator Ryōji Arai).[26] Swedes regard this prize as second only to the Nobel Prize in Literature; it has a value of 5 million Swedish Kronor or approximately £385,000.
The trilogy came third in the 2003 BBC's Big Read, a national poll of viewers' favourite books, after The Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice. At the time, only His Dark Materials and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire amongst the top five works lacked a screen-adaptation (the film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which came fifth, went into release in 2005).

 

Leonardo da Vinci's "Lady with an Ermine" (1489–90), along with two portraits by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Hans Holbein the Younger, helped inspire Pullman's "dæmon" concept.[1]
Influences[edit]
Pullman has identified three major literary influences on His Dark Materials: the essay On the Marionette Theatre by Heinrich von Kleist,[27] the works of William Blake, and, most important, John Milton's Paradise Lost, from which the trilogy derives its title.[28]
Pullman had the stated intention of inverting Milton's story of a war between heaven and hell, such that the devil would appear as the hero.[29] In his introduction, he adapts a famous description of Milton by Blake to quip that he (Pullman) "is of the Devil's party and does know it." Pullman also referred to gnostic ideas in his description of the novels' underlying mythic structure.[30]
The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of books by C. S. Lewis, appears to have had a negative influence on Pullman's trilogy. Pullman has characterised C. S. Lewis's series as "blatantly racist", "monumentally disparaging of women", "immoral", and "evil".[31][32] However, some critics have compared the trilogy with such fantasy books as Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle as well as the Narnia series.[33][34]
Controversies[edit]
His Dark Materials has occasioned some controversy, primarily amongst some Christian groups.[35][36]
Pullman has expressed surprise over what he perceives as a low level of criticism for His Dark Materials on religious grounds, saying "I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak... Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God".[37]
Some of the characters criticise institutional religion. Ruta Skadi, a witch and friend of Lyra's calling for war against the Magisterium in Lyra's world, says that "For all of [the Church's] history... it's tried to suppress and control every natural impulse. And when it can't control them, it cuts them out" (see intercision). Skadi later extends her criticism to all organised religion: "That's what the Church does, and every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling". By this part of the book, the witches have made reference to how they are treated criminally by the church in their worlds. Mary Malone, one of Pullman's main characters, states that "the Christian religion... is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all". Formerly a Catholic nun, she gave up her vows when the experience of falling in love caused her to doubt her faith. Pullman has warned, however, against equating these views with his own, saying of Malone: "Mary is a character in a book. Mary's not me. It's a story, not a treatise, not a sermon or a work of philosophy".[38] In another inversion, the tenet that the Church can absolve a penitent of sin is subverted when the priest selected to assassinate Lyra has built up sufficient penitential credit before attempting to carry out this sin for the Church.[39]
Pullman portrays life after death very differently from the Christian concept of heaven: In the third book, the afterlife plays out in a bleak underworld, similar to the Greek vision of the afterlife, wherein harpies torment people until Lyra and Will descend into the land of the dead. At their intercession, the harpies agree to stop tormenting the dead souls, and instead receive the true stories of the dead in exchange for leading them again to the upper world. When the dead souls emerge, they dissolve into atoms and merge with the environment.

 

 A traditional depiction of the Fall of Man Doctrine by Thomas Cole (Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, 1828). His Dark Materials presents the Fall as a positive act of maturation.
Pullman's "Authority", though worshipped on Lyra's earth as God, emerges as the first conscious creature to evolve. Pullman makes it explicit that the Authority did not create worlds, and his trilogy does not speculate on who or what (if anything) might have done so. Members of the Church are typically displayed as zealots.[40][41]
Cynthia Grenier, in the Catholic Culture, has said: "In the world of Pullman, God Himself (the Authority) is a merciless tyrant".[42] His Church is an instrument of oppression, and true heroism consists of overthrowing both."[43] William A. Donohue of the Catholic League has described Pullman's trilogy as "atheism for kids".[44] Pullman has said of Donohue's call for a boycott, "Why don't we trust readers? [...] Oh, it causes me to shake my head with sorrow that such nitwits could be loose in the world".[45]
Pullman has, however, found support from some other Christians, most notably from Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury (spiritual head of the Anglican church), who argues that Pullman's attacks focus on the constraints and dangers of dogmatism and the use of religion to oppress, not on Christianity itself.[46] Williams has also recommended the His Dark Materials series of books for inclusion and discussion in Religious Education classes, and stated that "To see large school-parties in the audience of the Pullman plays at the National Theatre is vastly encouraging".[47]
Pullman has singled out certain elements of Christianity for criticism, as in the following: "I suppose technically, you'd have to put me down as an agnostic. But if there is a God, and he is as the Christians describe him, then he deserves to be put down and rebelled against".[48] However, Pullman has also said in interviews and appearances that his argument can extend to all religions.[49][50]
Catholic Herald[edit]
In a November 2002 interview Philip Pullman was asked "What's your response to the reactions of the religious right to your work? The Catholic Herald called your books the stuff of nightmares and worthy of the bonfire." He replied: "My response to that was to ask the publishers to print it in the next book, which they did! I think it's comical, it's just laughable."[51] The original remark in Catholic Herald (which ran there are "numerous candidates that seem to me to be far more worthy of the bonfire than Harry [Potter]")was meant humorously, and was written in the context of parents in South Carolina pressing their Board of Education to ban the Harry Potter books.[52]
Adaptations[edit]
His Dark Materials has appeared in adaptation on radio, in theatre and on film.
Radio[edit]
The BBC made His Dark Materials into a radio drama on BBC Radio 4 starring Terence Stamp as Lord Asriel and Lulu Popplewell as Lyra. The play was broadcast in 2003 and is now published by the BBC on CD and cassette. In the same year, a radio drama of Northern Lights was made by RTÉ (Irish public radio).
The BBC Radio 4 version of His Dark Materials was repeated on BBC Radio 7 between 7 December 2008 to 11 January 2009. With 3 episodes in total, each episode was 2.5 hours long.
Theatre[edit]
Main article: His Dark Materials (play)
Nicholas Hytner directed a theatrical version of the books as a two-part, six-hour performance for London's Royal National Theatre in December 2003, running until March 2004. It starred Anna Maxwell-Martin as Lyra, Dominic Cooper as Will, Timothy Dalton as Lord Asriel and Patricia Hodge as Mrs Coulter with dæmon puppets designed by Michael Curry. The play was enormously successful and was revived (with a different cast and a revised script) for a second run between November 2004 and April 2005. It has since been staged by several less known theatres in the UK, notably at the Playbox Theatre Company in Warwick (a major youth theatre company in the West Midlands)and the Theatre Royal Bath by the Young People's Theatre, which went on to receive the Bath play of the year. The play had its Irish Premiere at the O'Reilly Theatre in Dublin when it was staged by the dramatic society of Belvedere College.
A major new production was staged at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in March and April 2009, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and Sarah Esdaile and starring Amy McAllister as Lyra. This version toured the UK and included a performance in Philip Pullman's hometown of Oxford. Philip Pullman made a cameo appearance much to the delight of the audience and Oxford media. The production finished up at West Yorkshire Playhouse in June 2009.
A student-run theatre company named Johnstone Underground Theatre (J.U.T), presented a four and a half hour stage version of the series on 23 and 24 July 2010 in Northbrook, IL. The show was composed of two acts and was heavily abridged to cope with the group's financial and time limitations. This version cut out some aspects of the series that are presented in the Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass such as Spectres, Gallivespians, and all of Dr. Mary Malone's adventures. The second act was the combined version of these two books. The first act presented the majority of the events in The Golden Compass faithfully.
Film[edit]
Main article: The Golden Compass (film)
New Line Cinema released a film adaptation, titled The Golden Compass, on 7 December 2007. Directed by Chris Weitz, the production had a mixed reception, and though worldwide sales were strong, its United States take underwhelmed the studio's hopes.[53]
The filmmakers obscured the books' explicitly Biblical character of the Authority so as to avoid offending some viewers, though Weitz declared that he would not do the same for the hoped-for sequels. "Whereas The Golden Compass had to be introduced to the public carefully", he said, "the religious themes in the second and third books can't be minimised without destroying the spirit of these books. ...I will not be involved with any 'watering down' of books two and three, since what I have been working towards the whole time in the first film is to be able to deliver on the second and third".[54] In May 2006, Pullman said of a version of the script that "all the important scenes are there and will have their full value";[55] in March 2008, he said of the finished film that "a lot of things about it were good.... Nothing can bring out all that's in the book. There are always compromises".[56]
The Golden Compass film stars Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra, Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Coulter, and Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel. Eva Green plays Serafina Pekkala, Ian McKellen voices Iorek Byrnison, and Freddie Highmore voices Pantalaimon.
No sequels are planned yet. Much publicity was given to Compass actor's Sam Elliott blaming Catholic Church opposition for forcing their cancellation, but UK Guardian film critic Stuart Heritage thinks critical "disappointment" with the first film may have been the real reason.[57]
Terminology[edit]

[show]
  List of pronunciations











Alternative terms[edit]
To enhance the feeling of being in a parallel universe, Pullman renames various common objects or ideas of our world with historic terms or new words of his own, often reflecting the power of the Magisterium (Pullman's all-powerful spiritual authority, with echoes of the Roman Catholic Church) in Lyra's world. The alternative names he chooses often follow alternate etymologies, while making it possible to guess what everyday object or person he is referring to. Below are some of the significant renamings as well as new words the author has developed entirely on his own.

[show]
  List of alternative terms

















Alternative names for people and places[edit]
The history of Lyra's world is also very different from our own; most obvious is that the settlement of the New World in Lyra's universe is dramatically altered. Pullman underlines this and other variations by using archaic or alternative names for otherwise familiar people and regions.

[show]
  List of alternative names for people and places

















Further reading[edit]
Frost, Laurie et al. (2006). The Elements of His Dark Materials: A Guide to Phillip Pullman's trilogy. Buffalo Grove, IL: Fell Press. ISBN 0-9759430-1-4. OCLC 73312820.
Gribbin, John and Mary (2005). The Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Knopf Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-375-83144-4.
Lenz, Millicent and Carole Scott (2005). His Dark Materials Illuminated: Critical Essays on Phillip Pullman's Trilogy. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3207-2.
Raymond-Pickard, Hugh (2004). The Devil's Account: Philip Pullman and Christianity. London: Darton, Longman & Todd. ISBN 978-0-232-52563-2.
Squires, Claire (2003). Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy: A Reader's Guide. New York, N.Y.: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-1479-6.
Squires, Claire (2006). Philip Pullman, Master Storyteller: A Guide to the Worlds of His Dark Materials. New York, N.Y.: Continuum. ISBN 978-0-8264-1716-9. OCLC 70158423.
Tucker, Nicholas (2003). Darkness Visible: Inside the World of Philip Pullman. Cambridge: Wizard Books. ISBN 978-1-84046-482-5. OCLC 52876221.
Wheat, Leonard F. (2008). Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials: A Multiple Allegory: Attacking Religious Superstition in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Paradise Lost. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1-59102-589-4. OCLC 152580912.
Yeffeth, Glenn (2005). Navigating the Golden Compass: Religion, Science and Daemonology in His Dark Materials. Dallas: Benbella Books. ISBN 1-932100-52-0.
References[edit]

 Constructs such as ibid., loc. cit. and idem are discouraged by Wikipedia's style guide for footnotes, as they are easily broken. Please improve this article by replacing them with named references (quick guide), or an abbreviated title. (August 2011)
1.^ Jump up to: a b Robert Butler (3 December 2007). "An Interview with Philip Pullman". The Economist. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
2.Jump up ^ Freitas, Donna; King, Jason Edward (2007). Killing the imposter God: Philip Pullman's spiritual imagination in His Dark Materials. San Francisco, CA: Wiley. pp. 68–9. ISBN 978-0-7879-8237-9.
3.Jump up ^ http://blogcritics.org/books/article/christians-lose-their-compass-a-closer/
4.Jump up ^ "The Man Behind the Magic: An Interview with Philip Pullman". Retrieved 8 March 2007.
5.Jump up ^ Rosin, Hanna (1 December 2007). "How Hollywood Saved God". The Atlantic Monthly (The Atlantic Monthly Group). Retrieved 1 December 2007.
6.Jump up ^ Corliss, Richard (8 December 2007). "What Would Jesus See?". TIME (Time Inc.). Retrieved 4 May 2008.
7.Jump up ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". BridgeToTheStars.net. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
8.Jump up ^ Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife (New York: Knopf, 1997), 90, 238.
9.Jump up ^ Squires (2003: 61): "Religion in Lyra's world...has similarities to the Christianity of 'our own universe', but also crucial differences…[it] is based not in the Catholic centre of Rome, but in Geneva, Switzerland, where the center of religious power, narrates Pullman, moved in the Middle Ages under the aegis of John Calvin.")
10.Jump up ^ Miller, Laura (26 December 2005). "Far From Narnia". The New Yorker (2011 Condé Nast Digital). Retrieved 10 November 2011.
11.Jump up ^ Northern Lights p. 31: "Ever since Pope John Calvin had moved the seat of the papacy to Geneva...the Church's power over every aspect of life had been absolute.
12.Jump up ^ Wheat, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, 160-61.
13.Jump up ^ Ibid., 229.
14.Jump up ^ Hisdarkmaterials.org
15.Jump up ^ http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/jul/27/booksforchildrenandteenagers.philippullman
16.Jump up ^ "...Lyra had come to realise...the three-part nature of human beings. ... The Catholic Church... wouldn't use the word dæmon, but St Paul talks about spirit and soul and body." Amber Spyglass pp 462–63
17.Jump up ^ "Pullman's Jungian concept of the soul": Lenz (2005: 163)
18.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2007) [2000]. The Amber Spyglass. His Dark Materials. New York: Random House, Inc. p. 423. ISBN 978-0-440-23815-7. "There's a region of our north land, a desolate, abominable place... No dæmons can enter it. To become a witch, a girl must cross it alone and leave her dæmon behind. You know the suffering they must undergo. But having done it... [their dæmon] can roam free, and go to far places."
19.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2007) [1995]. The Northern Lights. His Dark Materials. London: Scholastic UK Ltd. p. 126. ISBN 978-1-4071-0405-8.
20.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2007) [1995]. The Northern Lights. His Dark Materials. London: Scholastic UK Ltd. p. 214. ISBN 978-1-4071-0405-8. Chapter 13
21.Jump up ^ "Children's novel triumphs in 2001 Whitbread Book Of The Year" (Press release). 23 January 2002. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
22.Jump up ^ "Living Archive: Celebrating the Carnegie and Greenaway Winners". CarnegieGreenaway.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
23.Jump up ^ Pauli, Michelle (21 June 2007). "Pullman wins 'Carnegie of Carnegies'". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 4 May 2010.
24.Jump up ^ "70 years celebration the publics favourite winners of all time".
25.Jump up ^ "The best novels ever (version 1.2)". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 4 May 2010.
26.Jump up ^ SLA – Philip Pullman receives the Astrid Lindgren Award
27.Jump up ^ Parry, Idris. "Online Traduction". Southern Cross Review. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
28.Jump up ^ Fried, Kerry. "Darkness Visible: An Interview with Philip Pullman". Amazon.com. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
29.Jump up ^ Mitchison, Amanda (3 November 2003). "The art of darkness". Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 12 April 2007.
30.Jump up ^ Oborne, Peter (17 March 2004). "The Dark Materials debate: life, God, the universe...". Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 1 April 2008.
31.Jump up ^ Ezard, John (3 June 2002). "Narnia books attacked as racist and sexist". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 4 April 2007.
32.Jump up ^ Abley, Mark (4 December 2007). "Writing the book on intolerance". The Star (Toronto). Retrieved 4 May 2010.
33.Jump up ^ Crosby, Vanessa. "Innocence and Experience: The Subversion of the Child Hero Archetype in Philip Pullman's Speculative Soteriology". University of Sydney. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
34.Jump up ^ Miller, Laura (26 December 2005). "Far From Narnia: Philip Pullman's secular fantasy for children". The New Yorker. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
35.Jump up ^ Overstreet, Jeffrey (20 February 2006). "Reviews:His Dark Materials". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on 18 March 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
36.Jump up ^ Thomas, John (2006). "Opinion". Librarians' Christian Fellowship. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
37.Jump up ^ Meacham, Steve (13 December 2003). "The shed where God died". Sydney Morning Herald Online. Retrieved 13 December 2003.
38.Jump up ^ "A dark agenda? Interview with Philip Pullman". surefish.co.uk. November 2002. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
39.Jump up ^ Lenz; Scott (2005: 97)
40.Jump up ^ Ebbs, Rachael. "Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials: An Attack Against Christianity or a Confirmation of Human Worth?". BridgeToTheStars.Net. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
41.Jump up ^ Greene, Mark. "Pullman's Purpose". The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
42.Jump up ^ Grenier, however, misrepresents the Authority: Pullman actually presents the Authority as a frail old man whose power the angel Metatron has taken.
43.Jump up ^ Grenier, Cynthia (October 2001). "Philip Pullman's Dark Materials". The Morley Institute Inc. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
44.Jump up ^ Donohue, Bill (9 October 2007). ""The Golden Compass" Sparks Protest". The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
45.Jump up ^ David Byers (27 November 2007). "Philip Pullman: Catholic boycotters are 'nitwits'". The Times (UK). Retrieved 28 November 2007.
46.Jump up ^ Petre, Jonathan (10 March 2004). "Williams backs Pullman". Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 12 April 2007.
47.Jump up ^ Rowan, Williams (10 March 2004). "Archbishop wants Pullman in class". BBC News Online. Retrieved 10 March 2004.
48.Jump up ^ "Sympathy for the Devil by Adam R. Holz". Plugged In Online. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
49.Jump up ^ Spanner, Huw (13 February 2002). "Heat and Dust". ThirdWay.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2007.[dead link]
50.Jump up ^ Bakewell, Joan (2001). "Belief". BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 11 September 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
51.Jump up ^ "A dark agenda?"
52.Jump up ^ [1]
53.Jump up ^ Dawtrey, Adam (13 March 2008). "'Compass' spins foreign frenzy". Variety.com. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
54.Jump up ^ "‘Golden Compass’ Director Chris Weitz Answers Your Questions: Part I by Brian Jacks". MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved 14 November 2007.
55.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (May 2006). "May message". Retrieved 24 September 2008. "And the latest script, from Chris Weitz, is truly excellent; I know, because I`ve just this morning read it. I think it`s a model of how to condense a story of 400 pages into a script of 110 or so. All the important scenes are there and will have their full value."
56.Jump up ^ Silverman, Rosa (22 March 2008). "Exclusive interview with Philip Pullman". The Times (UK). Retrieved 1 December 2008.
57.Jump up ^ Heritage, Stuart (15 December 2009). "Who killed off The Golden Compass?". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 16 March 2010.
58.Jump up ^ "Bridge to the Stars - Pronunciation". Retrieved 2 February 2007.
59.Jump up ^ pg.294 "I think it was my grandfather's magic lantern that Lord Asriel used..."Pullman, Philip (1995). Northern Lights. scholastic Point. ISBN 0-590-66054-3.
60.Jump up ^ pg.5 "...a decanter containing a rich golden wine..." Pullman, Philip (1995). Northern Lights. scholastic Point. ISBN 0-590-66054-3.
61.Jump up ^ pg.517; "How often he and his companions had played that heroic battle...taking turns to be Danes and French!" Pullman, Philip (1997). The Subtle Knife. Scholastic Point. ISBN 0-590-11289-9.
62.Jump up ^ Quiller-Couch, Arthur (Ed) (1919). The Oxford Book of English Verse: Sir Patrick Spens. Oxford University Press.
63.Jump up ^ Pullman, Philip (2008). Once Upon A Time In The North. Great Britain: David Fickling Books. p. 100. ISBN 9780385614320. Book contains fictionalized extract from "The 'Shipping World' Year Book" which contains coordinates for the port of "Novorossisk, Russia", located in Finland in our world (60°47′N 21°24′E).
External links[edit]
Philip Pullman, author's website
BridgetotheStars.net fansite for His Dark Materials and Philip Pullman
HisDarkMaterials.org His Dark Materials fansite
HisDarkMaterials.com, publisher Random House's His Dark Materials website
Cittagazze.com, the His Dark Materials, a French fansite
Scholastic: His Dark Materials, the UK publisher's website
Randomhouse: His Dark Materials, the U.S. publisher's website
The BBC's His Dark Materials pages
The Archbishop of Canterbury and Philip Pullman in conversation, from "The Daily Telegraph"

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Novels by Philip Pullman

 
His Dark Materials
Northern Lights (1995)·
 The Subtle Knife (1997)·
 The Amber Spyglass (2000)
 
 
Sally Lockhart
The Ruby in the Smoke (1985)·
 The Shadow in the North (1986)·
 The Tiger in the Well (1990)·
 The Tin Princess (1994)
 
 
The New-Cut Gang
Thunderbolt's Waxwork (1994)·
 The Gasfitter's Ball (1995)
 
 
Other
The Haunted Storm (1972)·
 Galatea (1976)·
 Count Karlstein (1982)·
 How to be Cool (1987)·
 Spring-Heeled Jack (1989)·
 The Broken Bridge (1990)·
 The White Mercedes (1992)·
 The Wonderful Story of Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp (1993)·
 Clockwork, or, All Wound Up (1995)·
 The Firework-Maker's Daughter (1995)·
 Mossycoat (1998)·
 The Butterfly Tattoo (1998)·
 I Was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers (1999)·
 Puss in Boots: The Adventures of That Most Enterprising Feline (2000)·
 The Scarecrow and his Servant (2004)·
 The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (2010)
 
 

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Northern Lights (novel)

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"The Golden Compass" redirects here. For the film based on the novel, see The Golden Compass (film).

Northern Lights
Northern Lights (novel) cover.jpg
Dust jacket of first edition
 
Author
Philip Pullman
Cover artist
David Scutt and Pullman
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Series
His Dark Materials[1]
Genre
Children's fantasy novel, steampunk
Publisher
Scholastic Point
Publication date
July 1995
Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages
399 pp (first edition)
ISBN
0-590-54178-1
OCLC Number
37806360
LC Classification
PZ7.P968 No 1995[2]
 PZ7.P968 Go 1996[3]
Preceded by
Once Upon a Time in the North
Followed by
The Subtle Knife
Northern Lights, known as The Golden Compass in North America, is a young-adult fantasy novel by Philip Pullman, published by Scholastic UK in 1995. Set in a universe parallel to ours, it features the journey of Lyra Belacqua to the Arctic in search of her missing friend, Roger Parslow, and her imprisoned "uncle", Lord Asriel, who has been conducting experiments with a mysterious substance known as "Dust".
Northern Lights is the first book of a trilogy, His Dark Materials (1995 to 2000).[1] Alfred A. Knopf published the first US edition April 1996, entitled The Golden Compass.[1][3] Under that title it has been adapted as a 2007 feature film by Hollywood and as a companion video game.
Pullman won the 1995 Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's outstanding children's book by a British subject.[4] For the 70th anniversary of the Medal, it was named one of the top ten winning works by a panel, composing the ballot for a public election of the all-time favourite.[5] Northern Lights won the public vote from that shortlist and was thus named the all-time "Carnegie of Carnegies" on 21 June 2007.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Title
2 Synopsis 2.1 Background
2.2 Plot summary
3 Characters
4 Critical reception 4.1 Awards
4.2 Religion
5 Film and video game adaptations
6 Audiobooks
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links
Title[edit]
For some time during pre-publication of the novel, the prospective trilogy was known in the UK as The Golden Compasses, an allusion to God's poetic delineation of the world. The term is from a line in Milton's Paradise Lost,[6] where it denotes the drafting compass God used to establish and set a circular boundary of all creation:

Then staid the fervid wheels, and in his hand
He took the golden compasses, prepared
In God's eternal store, to circumscribe
This universe, and all created things:
 One foot he centred, and the other turned
 Round through the vast profundity obscure
— Book 7, lines 224–229
Meanwhile in the US, publisher Knopf had been calling the first book The Golden Compass (singular), which it mistakenly understood as a reference to Lyra's alethiometer (depicted on the front cover shown here), understandable because the device superficially resembles a navigational compass. By the time Pullman had replaced The Golden Compasses with His Dark Materials as the name of the trilogy, the US publisher had become so attached to its mistaken title that it insisted on publishing the first book as The Golden Compass rather than as Northern Lights, the title used in the UK and Australia.[6]

Blake ancient of days.jpg   God-Architect.jpg
God as architect, wielding the golden compasses, by William Blake (left) and Jesus as Geometer in a 13th-century medieval illuminated manuscript of unknown authorship.
 
In the film version, the alethiometer is specifically referred to as a golden compass.
Synopsis[edit]
Background[edit]
The novel is set in a world dominated by a theocratic international organisation, the Magisterium (also commonly called "the Church"), which actively suppresses heresy. In this world, humans' individual souls naturally exist outside of their bodies in the form of sentient "dæmons": animal spiritual beings that constantly accompany, aid, and comfort their humans. Children's dæmons can wilfully and instantaneously change their appearance into that of any animal; once they reach puberty, however, all people's dæmons settle into one permanent animal form.
Plot summary[edit]
Lyra Belacqua—an English girl on the cusp of puberty—has been allowed to run somewhat wild with her beloved dæmon, Pantalaimon, on the grounds of Oxford University's Jordan College all her life, under the guardianship of the college's Master. One day, while awaiting the arrival of her uncle, Lord Asriel, Lyra sneaks into a wardrobe, in the hopes of spying on Asriel's lecture to the college's Scholars. Moments before Asriel is scheduled to begin the lecture, she witnesses a bottle of wine being poisoned by the Master, though she successfully stops Asriel from drinking it. Asriel hastily then orders Lyra to return to her hiding place in the wardrobe a moment before the Scholars enter the room. From here, Lyra watches Asriel's lecture, thus learning of "Dust", the name given to strangely behaving elementary particles that are inexplicably attracted to adults more than children. The lecture sparks Lyra's interest in Arctic exploration when Asriel reveals groundbreaking images of a city skyline in some parallel universe that can be viewed through the northern lights. The purpose of the lecture is to convince the Scholars that other worlds exist so that they will fund Asriel's ongoing research, which the oppressive Church considers heretical.
After Asriel leaves Jordan, successful in his effort for financial backing, Lyra begins hearing rumours of the Gobblers, a mysterious group that has been kidnapping children throughout England, allegedly for the purposes of torture or experimentation. Shortly after her own friend Roger Parslow goes missing, Lyra meets Mrs Coulter, a beautiful, enchanting, and worldly woman, and eagerly agrees when invited by the Master to go and live with her. Before Lyra leaves Jordan, the Master secretly entrusts Lyra with an alethiometer, a "truth teller" which resembles a four-handed pocket watch that will honestly answer any possible question asked by a skilled user. Although unable to read or understand its complex symbols at first, Lyra takes it with her, and gradually begins to use the device fluently over the course of the narrative—something which, it is later revealed, no adult can do as well as she. Lyra believes that the Master, who tried to poison Asriel, gives Lyra the alethiometer so that she will deliver it to Asriel as a reparation, or token of apology, for the earlier attempt on his life. It later seems clear that the Master only attempted to poison Asriel under great pressure from the Church.
After living a charming several weeks with Mrs Coulter, Lyra suddenly realises that Mrs Coulter is the leader of the General Oblation Board: the secret, Church-approved, child-stealing organisation that kids have been calling "the Gobblers". Horrified, Lyra flees and is rescued in London by the Gyptians, a canal-faring nomadic people whose children comprise many of Lyra's closest playmates at Jordan. The Gyptians reveal that Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter are in fact Lyra's father and mother. The Gyptians tell Lyra the true story of her parents' history and she begins life with the Gyptians at sea. The Gyptians have been hit hardest by the Gobblers' kidnapping activities and, during an emergency convocation of the Gyptian clans, they ultimately plan an expedition to the Arctic to rescue all of the missing children, including Roger.
On a stop in Trollesund, Lyra meets Iorek Byrnison, an outcast prince of the panserbjørne, or sapient "armoured bears". His armour, stolen from him by the villagers, is akin to his soul, and without it Iorek is bound in servitude to the village. Lyra uses her alethiometer to locate it for him and in return he—and an old friend of his, an aeronaut named Lee Scoresby—agree to help her on her quest. She also learns that Lord Asriel is now being held in exile by the panserbjørne at Svalbard.
The Trollesund consul of the witches tells the Gyptians that there is a prophecy about Lyra's destiny, which she must not know about, and that it seems the witch clans are choosing sides in preparation for some imminent war. The party consisting of Gyptians, Iorek Byrnison, Lee Scoresby, and Lyra continue north toward where they are told the Gobblers hold the children, at a place called Bolvangar. Guided by the alethiometer, Lyra detours at a village and finds, to her horror, a boy who has been severed from his dæmon. Lyra understands now that the Gobblers are deliberately cutting the bond between human and dæmon (a process called "intercision"): an uncanny notion equal to a human body being split from its soul. Though Lyra brings the boy back to her party, his psychological devastation overcomes him and he dies. In the Arctic wilderness, the party is then attacked by bounty hunters and Lyra, captured, is taken directly to Bolvangar: a research station for the General Oblation Board. Superficially, Bolvangar is run like a benign children's centre, complete with scheduled activities for its captured children, who are suspicious but generally compliant. At Bolvangar, Lyra locates Roger and devises a plan for all of the children to escape, knowing through the alethiometer that the Gyptian-led rescue party is still on its way. Mrs Coulter arrives, evidently as a supervisor to the facility, just as Lyra is caught spying by staff-members. The staff decide to silence Lyra through intercision, involving their newly developed dæmon-cutting guillotine; however, she is rescued at the last moment by Mrs Coulter who is shocked by her presence. Mrs Coulter then tries to coax the alethiometer away from Lyra but Lyra has switched the alethiometer case for a decoy, distracting Mrs Coulter long enough to engage the station's emergency alarm. In the ensuing commotion, Lyra sets the station on fire and leads all the children outside where they are met by Lee Scoresby, Iorek Byrnison, the Gyptians, and their new allies, the witch-clan of Serafina Pekkala. Using Lee Scoresby's hot air balloon, Lyra, Roger, and Iorek leave the scene as a battle erupts involving the Gyptians and witches against Bolvangar's mercenary guards and staff members. Lyra befriends Serafina Pekkala and later learns that all of the children have been successfully rescued from Bolvangar.
Determined to deliver the alethiometer to Lord Asriel, Lyra now directs the flying witches to tow the balloon toward Svalbard; however, Lyra falls out of the basket near Svalbard and is quickly taken prisoner by the panserbjørne in their castle. Although captive, Lyra is able to trick their usurping bear-king, Iofur Raknison, into agreeing to fight Iorek, by claiming that she is Iorek's dæmon, and that if Iofur killed Iorek, then she would become Iofur's dæmon—something no bear has and Iofur wants more than anything. Arriving at the castle to rescue Lyra, Iorek successfully kills Iofur in the fight and thus is made king himself. Lyra—now nicknamed "Lyra Silvertongue" by Iorek as a token of her ability to lie — travels onward to Lord Asriel's house of exile, accompanied by Iorek and Roger.
Despite being exiled, Lord Asriel is so influential that he has accumulated all the necessary equipment to continue his research on Dust. He explains to Lyra all he knows of Dust, including the Church's view that it is deeply sinful, his belief that Dust is somehow related to the source of all death and misery, the existence of parallel universes from which Dust originates, and his final goal: he intends to visit the other universes, find the source of Dust (and, therefore, the source of all death and misery), and ultimately destroy it, triumphantly claiming that "Death is going to die". As Lyra sleeps, Asriel leaves to fulfill his great experiment, bringing along his scientific equipment and taking Roger by force. Lyra awakes and pursues them, discovering that she has indeed brought her father what he wanted, though not in the way she thought; it was not the alethiometer he needed, but rather, it was Roger. The severing of a child's dæmon releases an enormous amount of energy, which is precisely what Lord Asriel needs to complete his task. Lyra is unable to save Roger in time though, and his death provides sufficient energy to tear a hole through the northern lights into a parallel universe, ripping the sky apart. Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter (who catches up with him by zeppelin) face the newly revealed world and romantically embrace, but Mrs Coulter feels unable to go with Asriel and painfully declines his invitation. Without further comment, Lord Asriel walks into the new universe alone and Mrs Coulter returns the way she came. Devastated at her part in rescuing Roger only to bring him to his death, Lyra decides that Dust, contrary to what all the vicious, dishonest adults in her life have told her, may be a force of good rather than evil. She and her dæmon Pantalaimon vow to discover if this is true and to stop Asriel. They then follow him through the opening in the sky.
This concludes the first novel, with the trilogy continuing in the next book, The Subtle Knife.
Characters[edit]
Lyra Belacqua and Pantalaimon: The principal characters. Lyra is described as having blue eyes and blond hair, along with being short for her age and quite thin but is still quite attractive. She is also brave, curious, and crafty. Her dæmon is Pantalaimon, nicknamed Pan. Because she is still a child, Pan is capable of changing into any shape he wishes, through he frequently appears as a brown moth, a wildcat, a white ermine, and a mouse. Lyra has been prophesied by the witches to help the balance of life, but must do so without being aware of her destiny.
Roger Parslow: One of Lyra's friends, a boy whose family works at Jordan College. When he is kidnapped and taken north, Lyra pursues him in hopes of rescuing him. He is killed at the end of Northern Lights by Lord Asriel.
Lord Asriel: Lyra's uncle, though, it is later revealed that he is actually her father. His dæmon is Stelmaria, a Moroccan snow leopard.
Marisa Coulter: An agent of the Magisterium, who does not hesitate to manipulate the Church to obtain funds for her projects. She is intelligent and beautiful, but extremely ruthless and callous. She is revealed to be Lyra's mother; as a result, she is unexpectedly kind to Lyra. Her dæmon is a golden monkey who, unusually, is not named throughout the trilogy.
Iorek Byrnison: Rightful king of the panserbjørne, armoured sentient bears, Iorek has been tricked out of his armour and reduced to a slave of the human village Trollesund. After Lyra helps him recover, he becomes very protective of her and joins the expedition to find the children seized by Gobblers. He gives her the name "Lyra the Silvertongue" after she tricks the usurper Iofur Raknison into fighting him.
Iofur Raknison: A panserbjørn who has usurped Iorek Byrnison's authority as king. Iofurs want a dæmon and Lyra tricks him into fighting the exiled Iorek by pretending to be Iorek's dæmon, and promising that when Iofur wins the fight she will become his.
Serafina Pekkala: A witch who closely follows Lyra on her travels. She is aware of Lyra's destiny. Serafina's dæmon is Kaisa, a snow goose, who is capable of physically moving separately from Serafina over long distances, a quality that only witches' dæmons appear to possess, although in the third book in the trilogy, The Amber spyglass, Lyra gets this capability. It is said she and Farder Coram had a son together.
Lee Scoresby: A Texan aeronaut who transports Lyra in his balloon. He and Iorek Byrnison are good friends and Lee comes to see Lyra as a surrogate daughter. His dæmon is Hester, an arctic snow hare.
Ma Costa: A Gyptian woman closely involved in the Syrian government. Her son Billy Costa is abducted by the evil "Gobblers". She rescues Lyra from Mrs Coulter and takes her to John Faa, a large man with sturdy hands.
John Faa: The King of all Gyptian people. He journeyed with Lyra to the North with his companion Farder Coram.
Critical reception[edit]
Awards[edit]
For Northern Lights Pullman won both the annual Carnegie Medal for British children's books[4] and the annual Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a similar award that authors may not win twice.[7] Six books have won both awards in 45 years through 2011.[a]
In the US, The Golden Compass was named Booklist Editors Choice – Top of the List, Publishers Weekly Book of the Year, a Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book, and a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book.[citation needed]
Religion[edit]
See also: Religious perspective of Pullman's trilogy
Some critics have asserted that the trilogy and the movie portray the Church and religion negatively[8][9][citation needed] while others have argued that Pullman's works should be included in religious education courses.[10] Peter Hitchens views the series His Dark Materials as a direct rebuttal of The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis.[11] Literary critic Alan Jacobs of Wheaton College argues that Pullman recasts the Narnia series, replacing a theist world-view with a Rousseauist one.[12]
Film and video game adaptations[edit]
Main articles: The Golden Compass (film) and The Golden Compass (video game)
A feature film adaptation of the novel, named The Golden Compass, produced by New Line Cinema with a budget of $180 million, was released on 7 December 2007. The novel was adapted by Chris Weitz, who also directed the film. Dakota Blue Richards, in her film debut, plays Lyra. The cast also includes Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Ian McKellen, Sam Elliott, Derek Jacobi, and Christopher Lee in principal roles.
A video game of the movie adaptation of the book, titled The Golden Compass, published by Sega and developed by Shiny Entertainment, was released 4 December 2007. Players assume the role of Lyra as she travels through the frozen wastes of the North in an attempt to rescue her friend kidnapped by a mysterious organisation known as the Gobblers. Travelling with her are an armoured polar bear and her dæmon Pantalaimon (Pan). Together, they must use a truth-telling alethiometer and other items to explore the land and fight their way through confrontations to help Lyra's friend. The Golden Compass features a mix of fighting and puzzle solving with three characters.[13]
Audiobooks[edit]
In 1996, Natasha Richardson narrated an audiobook version of the novel.
The trilogy, His Dark Materials, was abridged in a dramatisation by BBC Worldwide Ltd. that was published on 1 January 2003.
It was also adapted unabridged and released by BBC Audiobooks. It is narrated by the author, Philip Pullman, with a full cast, including Joanna Wyatt as Lyra, Alison Dowling as Mrs Coulter, Sean Barrett as Lord Asriel and Iorek Byrnison and Stephen Thorne as the Master and Farder Coram.
See also[edit]

Tom Sawyer 1876 frontispiece.jpgChildren's literature portal
 Portal-puzzle.svgFantasy portal
 
 
Notes[edit]
a.Jump up ^ Alternatively, six authors have won the Carnegie Medal for their Guardian Prize-winning books. Professional librarians confer the Carnegie and select the winner from all British children's books. The Guardian newspaper's prize winner is selected by British children's writers, "peers" of the author who has not yet won it, for one children's (age 7+) or young-adult fiction book. Details regarding author and publisher nationality have varied.
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c His Dark Materials series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved 2012-07-28. Select a title to see its linked publication history and general information. Select a particular edition (title) for more data at that level, such as a front cover image or linked contents.
2.Jump up ^ "Northern lights". Library of Congress Catalog Record (LCC). Retrieved 2012-07-28.
3.^ Jump up to: a b "The golden compass" (first US edition). LCC record. Retrieved 2012-07-28.
4.^ Jump up to: a b (Carnegie Winner 1995). Living Archive: Celebrating the Carnegie and Greenaway Winners. CILIP. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
5.Jump up ^ "70 Years Celebration: Anniversary Top Tens". The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards. CILIP. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
6.^ Jump up to: a b Frequently Asked Questions, 1: "Why is the trilogy called His Dark Materials? Why are there two different titles for the first book?". BridgeToTheStars.net: His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman, and other ideas ... (fan site). Retrieved 2007-08-20. Article 1 is a direct quotation of Pullman (no date).
7.Jump up ^ "Guardian children's fiction prize relaunched: Entry details and list of past winners". theguardian 12 March 2001. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
8.Jump up ^ Catholic League: For Religious and Civil Rights.[dead link]
9.Jump up ^ La Crosse Tribune – 7.0 : Bishop Listecki: ‘Golden Compass’ points to evil.[dead link]
10.Jump up ^ Petre, Jonathan (10 March 2004). "Williams backs Pullman". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
11.Jump up ^ Hitchens, Peter. "A labour of loathing". The Spectator. Retrieved 2006-09-21.[dead link]
12.Jump up ^ "Audition – Program 10 (On Philip Pullman)". Mars Hill Audio. 6 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-13. With MP3 audio recording.
13.Jump up ^ "The Golden Compass Review: Not as magical as you might hope". IGN Entertainment (ign.com). Retrieved 2007-06-02. Review of the video game.
CitationsLenz, Millicent (2005). His Dark Materials Illuminated: Critical Essays on Phillip Pullman's Trilogy. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3207-2.
External links[edit]
The Golden Compass in libraries (WorldCat catalog) —immediately, first US edition
Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials, dedicated website at publisher Random House
The Golden Compass at the Internet Movie Database
Philip Pullman at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
"His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass" review at The Open Critic

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The Golden Compass (film)

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The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass.jpg
Theatrical release poster
 
Directed by
Chris Weitz
Produced by
Bill Carraro
Deborah Forte
Screenplay by
Chris Weitz
Based on
Northern Lights
 by Philip Pullman
Starring
Nicole Kidman
Sam Elliott
Eva Green
Dakota Blue Richards
Daniel Craig
Music by
Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography
Henry Braham
Editing by
Anne V. Coates
Peter Honess
 Kevin Tent
Studio
New Line Cinema
Ingenious Film Partners
Scholastic Productions
Depth of Field
Rhythm and Hues
Distributed by
New Line Cinema (US)
Entertainment Film Distributors (UK)
Release date(s)
November 27, 2007 (London, premiere)
December 5, 2007 (United Kingdom)
 
Running time
113 minutes[1]
Country
United States
 United Kingdom
Language
English
Budget
$180 million[1]
Box office
$372,234,864[1]
The Golden Compass is a 2007 fantasy-adventure film based on Northern Lights (published as The Golden Compass in the U.S.), the first novel in Philip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials. Directed by Chris Weitz, it stars Dakota Blue Richards, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Tom Courtenay, Christopher Lee, Nicole Kidman and Sam Elliot. The project was announced in February 2002, following the success of recent adaptations of other fantasy epics, but troubles over the script and the selection of a director caused significant delays. At US$180 million, it was one of New Line Cinema's most expensive projects ever,[2] and its middling success in the US contributed to New Line's February 2008 restructuring.[3]
The story depicts the adventures of Lyra Belacqua, an orphan living in a parallel universe on a world that looks much like our own. In Lyra's world, a dogmatic ruling power called the Magisterium is conspiring to end tolerance and free inquiry. Poor, orphan and Gyptian children are disappearing at the hands of a group the children call the Gobblers. Lyra discovers that Mrs. Coulter is running the Gobblers. Rescued by the Gyptians, Lyra joins them on a trip to the far north in search of the missing children.
Before its release, the film received criticism from secularist organisations and fans of His Dark Materials for the dilution of the anti-religious elements from the novels, as well as from some religious organisations for the source material's anti-Catholic themes. The studio ordered significant changes late in post-production, which Weitz later called a "terrible" experience.[4] Although the film's visual effects (which Weitz has called the film's "most successful element") won both a BAFTA and an Academy Award, critical reception was mixed.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production 3.1 Development
3.2 Filming
3.3 Design
3.4 Music
4 Differences from the novel
5 Controversies
6 Reaction 6.1 Box office
6.2 Critical response
6.3 Accolades
7 Home media
8 Video game
9 Sequels
10 References
11 External links
Plot[edit]

 This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (August 2010)
At the beginning of the film, we learn that the story takes place in one of many alternate worlds, in which a person's soul is contained within an animal companion called a dæmon. The Magisterium, represented as a unified religious power, exercises power in the secular world. Lyra Belacqua, an orphan that resides in Jordan College, accidentally witnesses a Magisterium assassin poison her uncle's bottle of Tokai. Lyra then warns her uncle, Lord Asriel, who instructs her to remain in hiding. Lyra watches Asriel give a presentation regarding Dust, a particle that the Magisterium has forbidden the mention of. The college gives Asriel a grant to fund a northern expedition.
At dinner, Lyra meets Mrs. Coulter, who insists on taking Lyra north as her assistant. Before Lyra leaves, the Master of the college entrusts her with the only remaining alethiometer, a compass-like artifact that reveals the truth. The Magisterium has destroyed all the others. He instructs her to keep it secret, especially from Mrs. Coulter.
At Mrs. Coulter's house, Lyra mentions 'space dust'. Mrs. Coulter warns her never to mention it again. Mrs. Coulter's dæmon attacks Pan, causing Lyra to give in. Lyra and Pan discover that Mrs. Coulter is head of the General Oblation Board, the "Gobblers", who have been kidnapping local children. She also discovers that her best friend Roger and her Gyptian friend Billy have been taken by the Gobblers.
Lyra and Pan walk in on Mrs. Coulter's dæmon attempting to steal the alethiometer. They escape into the streets. The "Gobblers" pursue her, but she is saved by some Gyptians. Aboard a Gyptian boat heading north to rescue their children, Lyra shows the alethiometer to a Gyptian wise man, Farder Coram. On deck that night Serafina Pekkala, the witch queen, tells Lyra that the missing children are in a place called Bolvangar . Mrs. Coulter sends two mechanical spy flies after Lyra and Pan; one is batted away but the other is caught and sealed in a tin can by Farder Coram, who explains that the spy fly has a sting with a sleeping poison.
At a Norwegian port, Lyra is befriended by a cowboy aeronaut named Lee Scoresby, who advises her to hire an armoured bear. Exiled in shame, the giant polar bear Iorek Byrnison has been tricked out of his armour by the local townspeople. Using the alethiometer Lyra tells Iorek where to find his armour. Armoured again, the fearsome Iorek and his friend Lee Scoresby join the trek northward.
That night while riding on Iorek's back, Lyra finds a cowering Billy separated from his dæmon. Lyra reunites Billy with his mother just as the group is attacked by Samoyeds who capture Lyra. Taken to the armoured bear king Ragnar, Lyra tricks him into fighting Iorek one on one. After killing Ragnar, King Iorek carries Lyra near Bolvangar, to a thin ice bridge. Reaching the station, Lyra is taken to eat with the missing children. While hiding again Lyra discovers that the Magisterium scientists, under the guidance of Mrs. Coulter, are performing experiments to sever the bond between a child and their dæmon. Caught spying, Lyra and Pan are thrown in the intercision chamber, and end up unconscious from the energy force that tries to cut them. On seeing Lyra in the guillotine, Mrs. Coulter rescues her and takes her to her quarters.
When Lyra wakes up she is comforted by a distraught Mrs. Coulter, who explains the daemon cutting to Lyra and also tells Lyra that she is her mother. Lyra then guesses that Lord Asriel is her father. When Mrs. Coulter asks for the alethiometer, Lyra gives her the can containing the spy fly. The spy fly stings Mrs. Coulter, knocking her and her daemon out. Lyra runs to the room with the intercision machine. The growing chain reaction builds as Lyra yanks a control box loose and hurls it into the intercision machine, causing it to explode. This sets off a series of explosions that tear the facility apart.
Outside, the children are attacked by Tartar mercenaries and their wolf dæmons. The battle is joined by Iorek, the Gyptians, and a band of flying witches led by Serafina Pekkala. The Tartars are defeated and the children are rescued. Rather than returning south, Lyra, Roger and Iorek fly north with Lee Scoresby in search of Lord Asriel.
Unaware that he is in mortal danger, Lord Asriel has set up a laboratory to investigate the glowing Dust from another world.
Cast[edit]

 

Lyra (Richards) with Pantalaimon (cat form, voiced by Freddie Highmore) and Mrs. Coulter (Kidman) with her "Golden Monkey" dæmon. Scene filmed in the grand hall of Hedsor House, Buckinghamshire, UK.Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra Belacqua, who embarks on a voyage to battle the forces of evil and rescue her best friend. New Line Cinema announced 12-year-old Richards' casting in June 2006. She had attended an open audition after watching a stage production of His Dark Materials,[5] and was picked from 10,000 girls who auditioned, for what was her first acting role.[6]
Freddie Highmore as the voice of Pantalaimon, Lyra's dæmon. Pan was originally to be voiced by an older actor, but they called in Highmore instead, as it would be more of an intimate relationship if Pan and Lyra were the same age, and also would underscore the contrast between Lyra's relationship with him versus her relationships with older male characters such as Lord Asriel, Lee Scoresby, and Iorek.
Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Coulter, an influential woman who takes an interest in Lyra (and later admits that she is Lyra's mother). Kidman was author Philip Pullman's preferred choice for the role ten years before production of the film,[7] and despite initially rejecting the offer to star as she did not want to play a villain, she signed on after receiving a personal letter from Pullman.[8]
Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel, Lyra's strict and mysterious adventurer uncle (later revealed to be her father). In July 2006, it was reported that Paul Bettany was in talks to play the role.[9]
Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby, a Texan aeronaut who comes to Lyra's aid. Pullman has singled out Elliott's performance as one the film got "just right".[10]
Ian McKellen as the voice of Iorek Byrnison, a panserbjørn (armored bear) who becomes Lyra's friend and comrade. Nonso Anozie had recorded lines for the part of Iorek Byrnison, but was replaced by McKellen at a late stage as New Line wanted a bigger name in the role.[11] New Line president of production Toby Emmerich admitted he "never thought Anozie sounded like Iorek" and while he initially trusted director Weitz's casting decision, he "never stopped thinking that this guy didn't sound right." The recasting was against Weitz's wishes, though he later said "if you're going to have anyone recast in your movie, you're happy it's Ian McKellen."[5]
Eva Green as Serafina Pekkala, a witch queen. In an interview, Green has described her character and her looks: "I wanted to look a bit like from the Waterhouse painting. You know, quite pre-Raphaelite. And also she's barefoot, quite ethereal, and the material's quite translucent and see-through, because witches don't feel the cold. If they were going to wear heavy clothing it would prevent them from sensing the world around them. They're very close to nature."[12]
Ian McShane as the voice of Ragnar Sturlusson, king of the panserbjørner. Ragnar's name in the book was Iofur Raknison, but the name was changed to prevent confusion between him and Iorek.[13] However, in the German-language version of the film, the dialogue retains the name 'Iofur Raknison', whilst the subtitles reflect the change.
Kathy Bates as the voice of Hester, Lee Scoresby's jackrabbit dæmon.
Kristin Scott Thomas as the voice of Stelmaria, Lord Asriel's dæmon.
Ben Walker as Roger Parslow, Lyra's best friend, who is kidnapped and taken north.
Jim Carter as John Faa, the king of the Gyptians.
Tom Courtenay as Farder Coram, Gyptian second-in-command and advisor to John Faa.
Christopher Lee as the Magisterium's first high councilor. Lee's casting was also at New Line's behest, rather than that of Chris Weitz.[5]
Edward de Souza as the Magisterium's second high councilor.
Simon McBurney as Fra Pavel
Jack Shepherd as master of Jordan College.
Magda Szubanski as Mrs. Lonsdale
Derek Jacobi as the Magisterial emissary.
Clare Higgins as Ma Costa, member of a Gyptian family that aids Lyra.
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
"Peter's operation was so impressive that, well, I realized the distance between me and Peter Jackson... At that moment, I realized the sheer scope of the endeavor. And I thought, 'You know what? I can't do this'."
 — Director Chris Weitz on his initial departure from the project[5]
On February 11, 2002, following the success of New Line's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the studio bought the rights to Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. In July 2003 Tom Stoppard was commissioned to write the screenplay.[6] Directors Brett Ratner and Sam Mendes expressed interest in the film,[6] but a year later, Chris Weitz was hired to direct after approaching the studio with an unsolicited 40-page treatment.[14] The studio rejected the script, asking Weitz to start from scratch. Since Weitz was a fan of Stoppard, he decided not to read the adaptation in case he "subconsciously poached things from him."[15] After delivering his script, Weitz cited Barry Lyndon and Star Wars as stylistic influences on the film.[6] In 2004, Weitz was invited by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson onto the set of King Kong in order to gather information on directing a blockbuster film, and to receive advice on dealing with New Line Cinema, for whom Jackson had worked on Lord of the Rings. After a subsequent interview in which Weitz said the novel's attacks on organised religion would have to be softened, he was criticised by some fans,[5] and on December 15, 2004, Weitz announced his resignation as director of the trilogy, citing the enormous technical challenges of the epic.[6] He later indicated that he had envisioned the possibility of being denounced by both the book's fans and its detractors, as well as a studio hoping for another Lord of the Rings.[5]
On August 9, 2005, it was announced that British director Anand Tucker would take over from Weitz. Tucker felt the film would thematically be about Lyra "looking for a family",[6] and Pullman agreed: "He has plenty of very good ideas, and he isn't daunted by the technical challenges. But the best thing from the point of view of all who care about the story is his awareness that it isn't about computer graphics; it isn't about fantastic adventures in amazing-looking worlds; it's about Lyra."[16] Tucker resigned on May 8, 2006, citing creative disagreements with New Line, and Weitz returned to direct.[6] Weitz said "I'm both the first and third director on the film ... [B]ut I did a lot of growing in the interim."[17]
According to producer Deborah Forte, Tucker wanted to make a smaller, less exciting film than New Line wanted. New Line production president Toby Emmerich said of Weitz's return: "I think Chris realized that if he didn’t come back in and step up, maybe the movie wasn’t going to get made ... We really didn’t have a Plan B at that point."[14] Weitz was attracted back to the project after receiving a letter from Pullman asking him to reconsider[citation needed]. Since his departure, blueprints, production design and visual effects strategies had been put into position, and while Weitz admitted that his fears did not vanish, the project suddenly seemed feasible for the director.[5]
Filming[edit]

 

 "Lyra and her dæmon" (Richards, right, with Highmore, as Pantalaimon) record dialogue in post-production.
Filming began at Shepperton Studios on September 4, 2006,[6] with additional sequences shot in Switzerland and Norway.[14] Filming also took place at the Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich,[18] Chiswick House in London, and in Radcliffe Square, Christ Church, Oxford, Exeter College, Oxford, The Queen's College, Oxford, The Historic Dockyard Chatham[19] and Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire.
Design[edit]
Production Designer Dennis Gassner says of his work on the film: “The whole project is about translation – translation from something you would understand into something that is in a different vernacular. So, it’s a new signature, looking into another world that seems familiar but is still unique. There’s a term I use – called 'cludging' – it’s taking one element and combining it with another element to make something new. It’s a hybrid or amalgamation, and that’s what this movie is about from a design perspective. It’s about amalgamating ideas and concepts and theoretical and physical environments.”[20]
Rhythm and Hues Studios created the main dæmons, and Framestore CFC created all the bears.[21] British company Cinesite created the secondary dæmons.[22]
Music[edit]
Alexandre Desplat composed the soundtrack to the film. British music icon Kate Bush recorded the track Lyra which plays over the end credits.[23]
Differences from the novel[edit]
Numerous scenes from the novel did not feature in the film or were markedly changed. On December 7, 2007, New York Magazine reviewed draft scripts from both Stoppard and Weitz; both were significantly longer than the final version, and Weitz's draft (which, unlike Stoppard's, did not feature significant additions to the source material) was pronounced the best of the three. The magazine concluded that instead of a "likely three hours of running time" that included such scenes as Mrs. Coulter's London party and Lyra's meeting with a witch representative, the studio had opted for a "failed" length of under two hours in order to maximise revenue.[24]
On October 9, 2007, Weitz revealed that the final three chapters from Northern Lights had been moved to the film's potential sequel, The Subtle Knife, in order to provide "the most promising conclusion to the first film and the best possible beginning to the second",[25] though he also said less than a month later that there had been "tremendous marketing pressure" to create "an upbeat ending".[26] (The San Francisco Chronicle found this "truncated" ending abrupt.[27]) Author Pullman publicly supported these changes, saying that "every film has to make changes to the story that the original book tells — not to change the outcome, but to make it fit the dimensions and the medium of film".[28] In addition to removing the novel's unsettling ending, the film reverses the order in which Lyra travels to Bolvangar, the Gobbler's outpost, and then Svalbard, the armoured bears' kingdom.[29] (Neither deviation from the book features in Scholastic Publishing's The Golden Compass: The Story of the Movie novelization.) In July 2009, Weitz told a Comic Con audience that the film had been "recut by [New Line], and my experience with it ended being quite a terrible one”;[4] he also told Time.com that he had felt that by "being faithful to the book I was working at odds with the studio".[30]
In the book the Jordan College Master reluctantly poisons Lord Asriel's wine; in the film a visiting Magisterium official undertakes (more willingly) this action. The alethiometer is mentioned multiple times throughout the film as a "golden compass".
Tasha Robinson of The A.V. Club argued that through the use of a spoken introduction and other exposition-filled dialogue, the film fails by "baldly revealing up front everything that the novel is trying to get you to wonder about and to explore slowly".[29] Youyoung Lee wrote in a December 2007 Entertainment Weekly that the film "leaves out the gore", such as the book's ritualistic heart-eating that concludes the bear fight, "to create family-friendlier fare".[31] Lee also said that the film "downplays the Magisterium's religious nature", but Robinson argued that the depiction of the Church in the film is as "a hierarchical organization of formally robed, iconography-heavy priests who dictate and define morality for their followers, are based out of cathedrals, and decry teachings counter to theirs as 'heresy.'...doing ugly things to children under cover of secrecy". Robinson rhetorically then asks, "Who are most people going to think of besides the Catholic Church?"[29] The film does show more prominently scenes from the perspective of Magisterium officials than the novel. The novel never explicitly mentions the Magisterium's intentions except through the rumours and gossip of others, and through comments made by the character of Mrs. Coulter.
Series creator Philip Pullman suggested a scene not included in the books, in which Mrs. Coulter hits her dæmon.[32] Although the character has black hair in the novel, Pullman responded to the blonde Kidman's portrayal by saying "I was clearly wrong. You sometimes are wrong about your characters. She's blonde. She has to be."[33]
Controversies[edit]

 

 A Magisterium building damaged by Iorek Byrnison featuring religious imagery.[34]
Several key themes of the novels, such as the rejection of religion and the abuse of power in a fictionalised version of the Church, were diluted in the adaptation. Director Weitz said "in the books the Magisterium is a version of the Catholic Church gone wildly astray from its roots," but that the organization portrayed in his film would not directly match that of Pullman's books. Instead, the Magisterium represents all dogmatic organizations.[35] Weitz said that New Line Cinema had feared the story's anti-religious themes would make the film financially unviable in the U.S., and so religion and God ("the Authority" in the books) would not be referenced directly.
Attempting to reassure fans of the novels, Weitz said that religion would instead appear in euphemistic terms, yet the decision was criticised by some fans,[36] anti-censorship groups, and the National Secular Society (of which Pullman is an honorary associate), which said "they are taking the heart out of it, losing the point of it, castrating it..."[37] and "this is part of a long-term problem over freedom of speech." The Atlantic Monthly said also "With $180 million at stake, the studio opted to kidnap the book’s body and leave behind its soul."[38] The changes from the novel have been present since Tom Stoppard's rejected version of the script,[14] and Pullman expected the film to be "faithful,"[35] although he also said, "They do know where to put the theology and that’s off the film."[38] A Christianity Today review of the film noted that "'Magisterium' does refer, in the real world, to the teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church, and the film [is] peppered with religiously significant words like 'oblation' and 'heresy'", adding that when one character smashes through the wall of a Magisterium building, the damaged exterior is "decorated with [Christian] Byzantine icons."[34]
On October 7, 2007 the Catholic League called for a boycott of the film.[39] League president William A. Donohue said he would not ordinarily object to the film, but that while the religious elements are diluted from the source material, the film will encourage children to read the novels, which he says denigrate Christianity and promote atheism for children.[40] He cited Pullman telling the Washington Post in 2001 that he is trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.[41] The League hoped that "the film [would fail] to meet box office expectations and that [Pullman's] books attract few buyers,"[42] declaring the boycott campaign a success after a North American opening weekend which was lower than anticipated.[43] One week after the film's release, Roger Ebert said of the campaign, "any bad buzz on a family film can be mortal, and that seems to have been the case this time."[44]
R. Albert Mohler, Jr., the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, agreed that the broad appeal of the film was a dangerous lure to the novels, which he criticized for carrying a clear agenda to expose what [Pullman] believes is the "tyranny of the Christian faith" and for "[providing] a liberating mythology for a new secular age."[45] The Rev. Denny Wayman of the Free Methodist Church made the assertion that The Golden Compass is a "film trying to preach an atheistic message."[46] Other evangelical groups, such as The Christian Film and Television Commission, adopted a "wait-and-see" approach to the film before deciding upon any action,[47] as did the Roman Catholic Church in England & Wales.[48] Some religious scholars have challenged the view that the story carries atheistic themes,[49][50] while in November 2007, a review of the film by the director and staff reviewer of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office for Film and Broadcasting appeared on the website of the Catholic News Service and in Catholic newspapers across the country. The review suggested that instead of a boycott, it may be appropriate for Catholic parents to "talk through any thorny philosophical issues" with their children.[51] However, on December 10, 2007 the review was removed from the website at the USCCB's request.[52] On December 19, 2007, the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, published an editorial in which it denounced the film as godless.[53]
Pullman said of Donohue's call for a boycott, "Why don't we trust readers? Why don't we trust filmgoers? Oh, it causes me to shake my head with sorrow that such nitwits could be loose in the world."[48] In a discussion with Donohue on CBS's Early Show, Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, said that rather than promote atheism, the film would encourage children to question authority, saying that would not be a bad thing for children to learn.[54] Director Weitz says that he believes His Dark Materials is "not an atheistic work, but a highly spiritual and reverent piece of writing",[36] and Nicole Kidman defended her decision to star in the film, saying that "I wouldn't be able to do this film if I thought it were at all anti-Catholic".[17] Some commentators indicated that they believed both sides' criticism would prove ultimately impotent and that the negative publicity would prove a boon for the film's box office.[48][55][56] Nonetheless, the trilogy has not been continued in film, despite the success of the Golden Compass, prompting actor Sam Elliot to blame censorship and the Catholic church.[57]
Reaction[edit]
Box office[edit]
The North American opening weekend return was "a little disappointing" for New Line Cinema,[58] earning US$25.8 million with total domestic box office of $70 million compared to an estimated $180 million production budget.[1] Despite this, the film's loss rebounded as its performance outside the United States was described as "stellar" by Variety,[59] and as "astonishing" by New Line.[60] In the United Kingdom, the film grossed $53,198,635 and became the second highest grossing non-sequel of 2007 there (behind The Simpsons Movie). In Japan, the film was officially released in March 2008 on 700 screens, ultimately grossing $33,501,399; but previews of the film between February 23–24, 2008 earned $2.5 million. By July 6, 2008, it had earned $302,127,136 internationally, totaling $372,234,864 worldwide.[1] Overseas rights to the film were sold to fund the $180 million production budget for the film, so most of these profits did not go to New Line.[61] This has been cited as a potential "last straw" in Time Warner's decision to merge New Line Cinema into Warner Bros Pictures.[3]
Critical response[edit]
Reviews of The Golden Compass were mixed.[62] As of July 24, 2013, review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 42% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 188 reviews,[63] At the similar website Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 51, based on 33 reviews.[64]
Manohla Dargis of The New York Times said that the film "crams so many events, characters, [...] twists and turns, sumptuously appointed rooms and ethereally strange vistas [...] that [it] risks losing you in the whirl" and that while The Golden Compass is "an honorable work," it is "hampered by its fealty to the book and its madly rushed pace."[65] James Berardinelli of ReelReviews gave the film 2½ stars out of 4, calling it "adequate but not inspired" and criticising the first hour for its rushed pace and sketchily-developed characters.[66] James Christopher of The Times was disappointed, praising the "marvellous" special effects and casting, but saying that the "books weave a magic the film simply cannot match" and citing a "lack of genuine drama."[67]
Time rated it a "B" and called it a "good, if familiar fantasy", saying "The find is Dakota Blue Richards [...] who's both grounded and magical."[68] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated it four stars out of five, praising Nicole Kidman's casting and saying it had "no other challengers as [2007's] big Christmas movie."[69] Leonard Maltin gave the film three out of four stars, and said that "Richards is persuasive" and that it " does a good job of introducing us to an unfamiliar world." Critic Roger Ebert awarded the film four out of four stars and called it "a darker, deeper fantasy epic than the The Chronicles of Narnia or the Potter films," saying that it "creates villains that are more complex and poses more intriguing questions. As a visual experience, it is superb. As an escapist fantasy, it is challenging [...] I think [it] is a wonderfully good-looking movie, with exciting passages and a captivating heroine."[70]
Pullman himself was described by a Times interviewer as sounding "ambivalent" and "guarded" about the film, saying in March 2008: “A lot of things about it were good... Nothing's perfect. Nothing can bring out all that's in the book. There are always compromises”. He hoped, however, that the rest of the trilogy would be adapted with the same cast and crew.[71] In July 2009, after this possibility had been exhausted, Weitz told Time.com that he thought the film's special effects ended up being its "most successful element."[30]
Accolades[edit]
The Golden Compass won the 2008 BAFTA Award for Special Visual Effects[72] and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects notably beating out what many considered to be the front runner, Michael Bay's Transformers, which had swept the Visual Effects Society awards prior.[73] It was also nominated for two Critics' Choice Awards in 2007 ("Best Family Film," and "Best Young Actress" for Dakota Blue Richards[74]), five Satellite Awards, and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form. The Golden Compass was nominated for the National Movie Award for Best Family movie but lost to Disney/Pixar's WALL-E.
Home media[edit]
The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats in the United Kingdom on April 28, 2008 and the United States on April 29, 2008. The movie is close-captioned by the National Captioning Institute on its first Home Video release. The extra material on the single-disc DVD consists of previews of upcoming New Line Cinema films. The two-disc edition includes a commentary from writer/director Chris Weitz, eleven "making-of" featurettes, a photo gallery, and theatrical and teaser trailers. The Blu-ray disc features the same extras from the two-disc DVD edition.[75] Exclusive to Blu-ray Disc is Visual Commentary Picture-in-Picture feature which enables users to view behind the scene feature while watching the movie.
Shortly before the film's release, Weitz suggested that an extended cut of the film could be released on DVD, saying "I'd really love to do a fuller cut of the film"; he further speculated that such a version "could probably end up at two and a half hours."[76] This proposed cut would presumably not include the original ending: MTV reported in December 2007 that Weitz hoped to include that material at the beginning of a possible The Subtle Knife adaptation, and that a Compass Director's Cut might feature "a moment" of it as a "teaser".[77] Cast members Craig and Green have echoed this hope for such a DVD cut; so far, however, no official announcement has been made.[77]
Video game[edit]
Main article: The Golden Compass (video game)
The video game for this film was released in November 2007 in Europe and December 2007 in North America and Australia for the PC, Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and the Xbox 360. It was developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Sega.[78]
Players take control of the characters Lyra Belacqua and Iorek Byrnison in Lyra's attempt to save her friend Roger from the General Oblation Board. As this game does not fully take into account the changes made by the final version of the film, a small amount of footage from the film's deleted ending can be viewed near the end of the game, and the order in which Lyra travels to Bolvangar and Svalbard follows the book and not the film.
Sequels[edit]
At the time of The Golden Compass' theatrical release, Chris Weitz pledged to "protect [the] integrity" of the prospective sequels by being "much less compromising" in the book-to-film adaptation process.[26] New Line Cinema commissioned Hossein Amini to write a screenplay based on the second book in the trilogy, The Subtle Knife, potentially for release in 2010 or 2011, with the third book of the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass, to follow. However, New Line president Toby Emmerich stressed that production of the second and third films was dependent on the financial success of The Golden Compass.[79] When The Golden Compass did not meet expectations at the United States box office, the likelihood of a sequel was downplayed by New Line. According to studio co-head Michael Lynne, "The jury is still very much out on the movie, and while it's performed very strongly overseas we'll look at it early 2008 and see where we're going with a sequel."[80]
In February 2008, Weitz told The Daily Yomiuri, a Japanese newspaper, that he still hoped for the sequels' production: "at first it looked like we were down for the count because in the U.S. [the film] underperformed, but then internationally it performed [better] than expectations. So, a lot depends on Japan, frankly... I think if it does well enough here we'll be in good shape for that".[32] And although producer Deborah Forte had, that March, expressed optimism that the sequels could be made, and that she intended to see them realised,[81] the studio decided against producing them, with The Independent speculating that December and the uncertain economic climate may have contributed to their cancellation.[82]
By October 2008, the two planned sequels were officially placed on hold, according to New Line Cinema, because of financial concerns during the global recession.[83] Sam Elliott, however, stated, "The Catholic Church ... lambasted them, and I think it scared New Line off."[84]
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External links[edit]
Official website
The Golden Compass at the Internet Movie Database
The Golden Compass at AllRovi
The Golden Compass at Rotten Tomatoes
The Golden Compass at Metacritic
The Golden Compass at Box Office Mojo
Book Vs. Film: The Golden Compass by The Onion A.V. Club
The Golden Compass Production Notes

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Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and related works

 
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Films directed by Chris and Paul Weitz

 

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Categories: 2007 films
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The Subtle Knife

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The Subtle Knife
Sknife.JPG
1st edition
 
Author
Philip Pullman
Cover artist
Philip Pullman & David Scutt
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Series
His Dark Materials
Genre
Fantasy novel, Mystery
Publisher
Scholastic Point
Publication date
1997
Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages
341 pp
ISBN
0-590-54243-5
OCLC Number
44058512
Preceded by
Northern Lights (The Golden Compass)
Followed by
The Amber Spyglass
The Subtle Knife, the second book in the His Dark Materials series, is a young-adult fantasy novel written by Philip Pullman and published in 1997. The novel continues the adventures of Lyra Belacqua as she investigates the mysterious Dust phenomenon and searches for her father. Will Parry is introduced as a companion to Lyra, and together they explore the new realms to which they have both been introduced.
The book focuses more on the characters and their own individual plots, rather than just on Lyra's father, Lord Asriel, and his war against the Magisterium. It describes not only Lyra and Will's journey but also the journeys of Lee Scoresby and Serafina Pekkala. In addition, Pullman alludes heavily to the study of dark matter (or "Dust") and particle physics to further establish his metaphysical saga.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot summary
2 Critical reception
3 Adaptations
4 Footnotes
5 References
6 External links
Plot summary[edit]
Evading the police after accidentally killing an intruder in the night, twelve-year-old Will Parry discovers an invisible window in mid air. It leads him to Cittàgazze, an apparently deserted city in another world. There, Will encounters 12-year-old Lyra Silvertongue and her daemon Pantalaimon, who came here after entering the hole in the sky that her father, Lord Asriel, created at the end of Northern Lights.
Meanwhile, the witch Serafina Pekkala, who was separated from Lyra during a battle in Northern Lights, is searching for her. She discovers that the Magisterium and Lyra's mother, Mrs. Coulter, are torturing a witch to discover the prophecy that surrounds Lyra. She kills that witch when begged, and leaves to call a meeting of the witches council. The witches vote to band together and join Lyra's father, Lord Asriel, in his fight against the Magisterium. Lee Scoresby, a supporter of Lyra, ventures out to find the explorer Stanislaus Grumman, who is rumoured to know of an object that gives protection to whoever holds it, with the intent of ensuring that Lyra obtain that protection.
In Cittàgazze, Will and Lyra become allies; they discover they come from parallel Oxfords in different universes and decide to travel back into Will's world to gather more information. Will wants to find out about his father, who vanished during an expedition; Lyra is looking for Scholars who know about Dust. Lyra is told by her alethiometer (a device that reveals truth) to seek the physicist researcher Dr. Mary Malone who unknowingly is researching Dust (under the name Dark Matter).
Lyra revisits Dr. Malone the next day, but after accepting a ride from the well-dressed Sir Charles Latrom, she discovers that Sir Charles has stolen her alethiometer and she asks Will to help her retrieve it. When Lyra and Will confront Sir Charles, he readily admits that he has stolen the alethiometer and blackmails the pair into retrieving a mysterious knife from Cittàgazze in exchange for its return. They defeat the youth who holds the knife but Will receives a distinctive wound – the loss of two fingers – which the knife's true guardian explains as the sign that he is now the next true guardian of the Subtle Knife, a tool that cuts windows between worlds and cuts easily through anything – both material and spiritual. He explains further that this world is haunted by soul-eating Spectres, which prey on older children and adults but are invisible to children of their age, and that the knife must not fall into Sir Charles' hands.
Lyra and Will plan to steal back the alethiometer by using the knife. While doing so, Sir Charles arrives with Mrs. Coulter, and Lyra realises that Sir Charles is really Lord Boreal, a friend of Mrs. Coulter who came to Will's world long ago and established himself in a position of power. Will, overhearing their conversation, also hears news of his father, who had discovered a doorway between the worlds. Will and Lyra return to Cittagazze, and pursued by children seeking revenge for the death of the knife's holder, are found and rescued by Serafina Pekkala. She attempts to heal Will's wound with a spell, but fails. They then continue on to find Will's father.
Back in Will's world, Dr. Malone is visited by Sir Charles, purporting to be a figure of authority, who tells them that their funding will be discontinued if they do not co-operate with his wishes. Dr. Malone quits her job, but returns later that night to follow Lyra's suggestion that she attempt to communicate with the Shadows she is studying. She is told to travel through the same window between worlds used by Will and Lyra, and that her role is to "play the serpent" and that all her life's work has led to this. She is told where to begin her journey and to destroy her work to prevent others using it.
Lee Scoresby finally finds Grumman living as a shaman known as Jopari, an abbreviation of his true name John Parry. Grumman has summoned Scoresby so he can be taken to the world where the bearer of the Subtle Knife is, and instruct the bearer in his task, which is to find and help Lord Asriel's rebellion against The Authority. They set off in Scoresby's hot-air balloon. Pursued by Magisterium soldiers, they are forced to land. Scoresby dies holding off the soldiers so that Grumman can complete his task.
Mrs. Coulter tricks Sir Charles into revealing the secret of the knife, then after murdering him, uses the Spectres which she has learned to control to torture a witch into revealing the prophecy about Lyra as well as Will and Lyra's location and the manner of their protection by the witch clans. The prophecy is that Lyra is fated to be the second Eve, and Mrs. Coulter states her intention to destroy Lyra rather than risk a second Fall.
Serafina goes to aid Scoresby, having heard his last plea for help, and Will encounters Grumman, who staunches the bleeding in his hand and instructs him in his task. They begin to realise they are long-separated father and son, but a moment later Grumman is killed by a vengeful witch who loved Grumman, as he had not returned her love.
Will returns to camp to find a pair of angels, Balthamos and Baruch, waiting to guide him to Lord Asriel. He agrees and goes to awaken Lyra, but discovers that she is now missing and her guardian witches have been killed by Spectres. Will finds Lyra's abandoned alethiometer. He refuses to go with the angels until he finds Lyra.
This concludes the second novel, with the trilogy concluding in the next book, The Amber Spyglass.
Critical reception[edit]
Parents' Choice Gold Book Award; American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults; Booklist Editors' Choice; Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year; Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book; Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book; Book Links Best Book of the Year; American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
Adaptations[edit]
Before the release of The Golden Compass, a film adaptation of the first book in the series, on 7 December 2007, New Line Cinema said that an adaptation of The Subtle Knife would go into production only if the first film was a success.[1] The Golden Compass made over twice its budget worldwide but was a disappointment in the United States, leaving the fate of its sequel unclear. The international rights were also originally sold to provide financing for the first film, thus amounting to a significant disappointment for New Line Cinema. Producer Deborah Forte, however, is adamant that she will finish the trilogy, saying, "I believe there are enough people who see what a viable and successful franchise we have."[2]
An audiobook adaptation, featuring a full cast and narrating by the author, was released in 2002. See The Subtle Knife Audio.
As the second novel of the His Dark Materials trilogy, the book has also formed part of a radio drama on BBC Radio 4, starring Terence Stamp as Lord Asriel and Lulu Popplewell as Lyra, and as a two-part, six-hour performance for London's Royal National Theatre in December 2003, running until March 2004, and starring Anna Maxwell Martin as Lyra, Dominic Cooper as Will, Timothy Dalton as Lord Asriel and Patricia Hodge as Mrs Coulter, and a second run between November 2004 and April 2005.
Footnotes[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Mcnary, Dave (4 January 2007). "New Line pulls in pic scribe: Amini to pen second part of Pullman trilogy". Variety, Los Angeles. Retrieved 13 December 2007.
2.Jump up ^ Dawtrey, Adam (13 March 2008). "'Compass' spins foreign frenzy". http://www.variety.com/. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
References[edit]
Lenz, Millicent (2005). His Dark Materials Illuminated: Critical Essays on Phillip Pullman's Trilogy. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3207-2.
Frost, Laurie (2006). The Elements of His Dark Materials. The Fell Press.
External links[edit]
BridgetotheStars.net Fansite for His Dark Materials and Philip Pullman
HisDarkMaterials.org
Graphical timeline (unofficial)
ISBN 0-440-41833-X (American paperback edition)

[show]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and related works

 
­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

[hide]
v·
 t·
 e
 
Novels by Philip Pullman

 
His Dark Materials
Northern Lights (1995)·
 The Subtle Knife (1997)·
 The Amber Spyglass (2000)
 
 
Sally Lockhart
The Ruby in the Smoke (1985)·
 The Shadow in the North (1986)·
 The Tiger in the Well (1990)·
 The Tin Princess (1994)
 
 
The New-Cut Gang
Thunderbolt's Waxwork (1994)·
 The Gasfitter's Ball (1995)
 
 
Other
The Haunted Storm (1972)·
 Galatea (1976)·
 Count Karlstein (1982)·
 How to be Cool (1987)·
 Spring-Heeled Jack (1989)·
 The Broken Bridge (1990)·
 The White Mercedes (1992)·
 The Wonderful Story of Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp (1993)·
 Clockwork, or, All Wound Up (1995)·
 The Firework-Maker's Daughter (1995)·
 Mossycoat (1998)·
 The Butterfly Tattoo (1998)·
 I Was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers (1999)·
 Puss in Boots: The Adventures of That Most Enterprising Feline (2000)·
 The Scarecrow and his Servant (2004)·
 The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (2010)
 

 

Categories: 1997 novels
Anti-Catholic publications
British fantasy novels
Children's fantasy novels
His Dark Materials books
Novels by Philip Pullman
1990s fantasy novels
Sequel novels




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The Amber Spyglass

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Jump to: navigation, search

The Amber Spyglass
Tas pb uk.jpg
1st edition
 
Author
Philip Pullman
Cover artist
Philip Pullman & David Scutt
Country
United Kingdom
Language
English
Series
His Dark Materials
Genre
Fantasy
Publisher
David Fickling Books
Publication date
2000
Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages
518 pp
ISBN
ISBN 0-590-54244-3
OCLC Number
55870599
Preceded by
The Subtle Knife
Followed by
Lyra's Oxford
The Amber Spyglass is the third and final novel in the His Dark Materials series, written by English author Philip Pullman, and published in 2000.
The Amber Spyglass won the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year award, a British literature award, making it the first children's novel to receive the honour.[1] It was named Children's Book of the Year at the 2001 British Book Awards, and was also longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, again the first time this had happened to a children's book.[2]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Changes to U.S. edition
3 Chapter headings
4 Critical reception
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Plot[edit]
At the end of The Subtle Knife, Marisa Coulter captured Lyra. She has now relocated her to a remote cave to hide her from the Magisterium, who are determined to kill Lyra before she yields to original sin. In order to keep her hidden, Marisa forces Lyra to drink drugged tea that puts her to sleep. While deeply asleep, Lyra dreams that she is in a wasteland (later realized as the land of the dead) talking to her deceased friend Roger Parslow, whom she promises to help.
In Cittàgazze, two angels, Balthamos and Baruch, tell Will, the bearer of the Subtle Knife, that they are taking him to Lord Asriel. Will refuses to go until Lyra is rescued, to which the two assent. However, they are attacked by a soldier of the archangel Metatron, and Will uses the knife to cut a window into another world to escape. Baruch flies to Lord Asriel to tell him what has happened and to get help.
Meanwhile, an assassin is dispatched from the Magisterium, as they have determined that Dr. Mary Malone is the "Tempter" (see Fall of Man). Mary, who has stepped through a window from her own world (assumed to be the readers' world/Will's world) into Cittàgazze, eventually enters another window into a stranger world. There she meets sapient, elephantine creatures who call themselves mulefa and use large seedpods attached to their feet as wheels. These creatures have a complex culture, intricate language, and an infectious laugh. Although from completely different worlds, Mary and the Mulefa establish a rapport which results in Mary's acceptance into Mulefa community, where she learns that the trees from which the seedpods are gathered have gradually been going extinct for about 300 years. Mary uses the tree sap lacquer and accidentally constructs a telescope (the 'amber spyglass' of the title) that allows her to see the elementary particles known as Dust. Dust adheres to all life-forms that have attained a level of intelligence associated with building civilizations. She sees that Dust is flying away in large streams rather than falling on and nourishing the trees on which the mulefa mutually depend.
In his quest to rescue Lyra, Will meets Iorek Byrnison, the bear king of the armoured Panserbjørne, who are migrating south to avoid the Arctic melt caused by the effects of Lord Asriel's bridge (created at the end of Northern Lights). After challenging the bear to single combat to stop a raid on a nearby village, Will demonstrates the Knife on Iorek's armor; Iorek, seeing his helmet reduced to slivers in moments, accepts defeat. Iorek agrees to help rescue his beloved Lyra. Here, global warming is associated with similar disasters taking place throughout many worlds as a result of the upheavals regarding Dust.
Three forces – Will, Iorek, and Balthamos; Lord Asriel's army; and the army of the Magisterium – converge on Mrs. Coulter's cave, where Will is able to wake Lyra from her deep sleep. He is cutting a window into another world when Mrs. Coulter turns and looks directly at him. For a moment, Will is reminded of his own mother; as a result, his concentration falters, and the knife shatters, having been unable to sever his affection. Because the window he has cut is open, Will, Lyra, and two Gallivespian spies of Lord Asriel's army (the Chevalier Tialys and the Lady Salmakia) manage to escape to another world.
Although reluctant due to his discomfort about the power possessed by the knife, Iorek Byrnison repairs the Subtle Knife. Because Lyra promised Roger that she would help him, Will, Lyra, Tialys, and Salmakia travel and enter the world of the dead. They are forced to leave their dæmons behind, which is painful and akin to death. Will, Salmakia, and Tialys do not have visible, corporeal dæmons like Lyra, but they all do possess them. All of them feel the same pain when they are torn from their daemons upon entering the world of the dead.
The entry into the world of the dead reflects Greek mythology when an aged boatman (not named in the novel, but akin to Charon) ferries souls across a river to a dark, joyless realm where the many worlds' dead are tormented by harpies. Lyra finds Roger's ghost among the other ghosts. Will, Lyra, and the Gallivespians decide to free all the ghosts, and strike a deal with the harpies; in exchange for guiding them to a suitable place to open the window, and leading all subsequent spirits to the window afterwards, the harpies will demand to hear the life stories of all the spirits who pass through their realm, and have a right to bar access to any who have nothing to tell- with the obvious exception of infants who are too young to have experienced anything-, thus encouraging all to live rich, full lives and experience the wonders of the present world. With the help of the harpies, they travel to the highest land point where Will cuts a door into another world. The ghosts step through and dissolve, freeing them from the realm of the dead and reuniting their atoms with nature, their daemons' atoms, and the world.
Lord Asriel's forces capture Mrs. Coulter, but she escapes and flies off to warn the Consistorial Court. The Consistorial Court of Discipline arrests Mrs. Coulter; therefore, she allies herself with Asriel. She is also realizing the strength and depth of a mother's love for her child. Lord Asriel and Marisa talk, revealing that Asriel believes "sin" is simply enjoying life, which would be quelled by the Magisterium's desire for purity. Asriel has formed an army from all the worlds to conquer the Authority, who is the first angel created and thinks himself as god of the multiverse, and represents, in Asriel's mind, all the oppression that the Magisterium has caused.
The final battle begins. Will and Lyra must return to this realm (Asriel's) to retrieve their daemons. Will's daemon, which was separated from him, is now a visible entity like Lyra's daemon. John Parry/Stanislaus Grumman/Will's father and Lee Scoresby go with them; instead of dissolving with the other ghosts, they and other ghosts decide to remain temporarily intact in order to join Lord Asriel's army to fight the Spectres, wraith-like creatures that devour adult souls in various worlds, reasoning that the Spectres attack daemons which they no longer possess.
Mrs. Coulter enters the Clouded Mountain, citadel of the Authority, where she meets Regent Metatron. She offers to betray Asriel, letting Metatron think he will be able to kill him and get Lyra, but her ultimate hope is that he will destroy himself in the process. When she leads Metatron to Asriel, Mrs. Coulter is able to confess her scheme to him, and they unite to save Lyra and attack Metatron. All three fall into an Abyss between the worlds and cease to exist. Ironically, the Authority dies of his own frailty when Will and Lyra unknowingly free him from the crystal prison where Metatron trapped him; as he leaves the cage, he is so feeble that mere exposure to the atmosphere dissolves him into thin air.
Lyra and Will, with the help of Gallivespians, Iorek's bear army, and the ghosts, find their daemons and escape the battle, entering into the Mulefa world, where Tialys and Salmakia pass away (for Gallivespians live for only a short time). Here they encounter Mary, whom Lyra had met earlier in Will's world. They all exchange stories of what has happened, and Mary's story of why she decided not to be a nun anymore plants a seed in Lyra's mind. One day, while Will and Lyra are picnicking in the wood near their camp, Lyra puts a fruit to Will's lips. A few seconds later, the two of them realize they love each other and share their first kiss. The flow of Dust escaping is considerably slowed, and the new couple is enveloped in it. However, both the witch, Serafina Pekkala, and the female angel, Xaphania, pay them visits, each revealing news they do not want to hear. To their dismay, Xaphania reveals that all the openings between worlds – with the sole exception of the one leading out of the world of the dead to that of the mulefas – must be closed because each opening allows Dust to escape into oblivion, and each creation of a new opening generates a new Spectre. Lyra and Will must return to their own home worlds, as they are unable to survive more than ten years in any world but their own. The two protagonists make an emotional farewell, but before they part, Lyra leads Will into the Oxford of his world, to the Botanic Gardens. There they promise to return to the Garden, to a corresponding bench which stands in both of their worlds, every year on Midsummer's day, to think of each other and to be together in this way.

 

 "Lyra+Will" carved in the bench in the Botanic Garden.
Lyra returns to Jordan College. Having suddenly lost the subconscious grace that enabled her to read the alethiometer by instinct, she decides to study alethiometry at a special school. Hereinafter, she and dæmon Pantalaimon (who has taken the permanent form of a pine marten) begin following John Parry's (and Will's) suggestion to build the idealised Republic of Heaven at home. Will, too, returns to his world, accompanied by Mary Malone, who remains his friend and ally. When he returns, he decides to break the Subtle Knife by trying to open a window into another world while thinking about Lyra. During the return, Mary learns how to see her own dæmon, who appears as a black Alpine chough. Will's daemon, named Kirjava by Serafina Pekkala, has taken the permanent form of a large, shadow-colored cat.
Changes to U.S. edition[edit]
Pullman's publishers have primarily marketed the series to young adults, but Pullman also intended to speak to adults. North American printings of The Amber Spyglass have censored passages describing Lyra's incipient sexuality, which Pullman intends as a reevaluation of the tale of Adam and Eve. "This so-called original sin is anything but. It's the thing that makes us fully human."
The changed lines are italicized below:
"Marzipan" chapter (UK edition):
"As Mary said that, Lyra felt something strange happen to her body. She found a stirring at the roots of her hair: she found herself breathing faster. She had never been on a roller-coaster, or anything like one, but if she had, she would have recognized the sensations in her breast: they were exciting and frightening at the same time, and she had not the slightest idea why. The sensation continued, and deepened, and changed, as more parts of her body found themselves affected too. She felt as if she had been handed the key to a great house she hadn't known was there, a house that was somehow inside her, and as she turned the key, deep in the darkness of the building she felt other doors opening too, and lights coming on. She sat trembling, hugging her knees, hardly daring to breathe, as Mary went on:"
"Marzipan" chapter (Canadian & US edition):
"As Mary said that, Lyra felt something strange happen to her body. She felt as if she had been handed the key to a great house she hadn’t known was there, a house that was somehow inside her, and as she turned the key, she felt the other doors opening deep in the darkness, and lights coming on. She sat trembling as Mary went on:"[3][4]
Chapter headings[edit]
Each chapter carried at the beginning a quotation from one of Pullman's favorite authors, including Milton (Paradise Lost), William Blake, and Emily Dickinson.[5] After the first edition, Pullman had time to work on the customary drawings at the top of each chapter.
Critical reception[edit]
The Amber Spyglass won critical acclaim and many prestigious awards. It became the first children's book to win the Whitbread Book of the Year, and won the British Book Award, American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, Parents' Choice Good Book Award, Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book, New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and ABC Children's Booksellers' Choice. It became a New York Times Bestseller.
See also[edit]

Portal icon Novels portal
The bench at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden described late in the book is shown in a photograph in a sequel, Lyra's Oxford.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Gibbons, Fiachra (23 January 2002). "Epic children's book takes Whitbread". The Guardian (London: Guardian Unlimited). Retrieved 2007-04-05.
2.Jump up ^ Reynolds, Nigel (23 January 2002). "Children's book scoops £30,000 Whitbread prize". Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 2008-10-09.
3.Jump up ^ Rosin, Hanna (1 December 2007). "How Hollywood Saved God". The Atlantic Monthly (The Atlantic Monthly Group). Retrieved 2007-12-01.
4.Jump up ^ Corliss, Richard (8 December 2007). "What Would Jesus See?". Time (Time Inc.). Retrieved 2008-05-04.
5.Jump up ^ http://www.philip-pullman.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=62
Lenz, Millicent (2005). His Dark Materials Illuminated: Critical Essays on Phillip Pullman's Trilogy. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3207-2.
Frost, Laurie (2006). The Elements of His Dark Materials. The Fell Press.
External links[edit]
BridgetotheStars.net Fansite for His Dark Materials and Philip Pullman
Graphical timeline (unofficial)
ISBN 0-345-41337-7 (American paperback edition)

[show]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and related works

 
­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

­·
­·
­

 

[hide]
v·
 t·
 e
 
Novels by Philip Pullman

 
His Dark Materials
Northern Lights (1995)·
 The Subtle Knife (1997)·
 The Amber Spyglass (2000)
 
 
Sally Lockhart
The Ruby in the Smoke (1985)·
 The Shadow in the North (1986)·
 The Tiger in the Well (1990)·
 The Tin Princess (1994)
 
 
The New-Cut Gang
Thunderbolt's Waxwork (1994)·
 The Gasfitter's Ball (1995)
 
 
Other
The Haunted Storm (1972)·
 Galatea (1976)·
 Count Karlstein (1982)·
 How to be Cool (1987)·
 Spring-Heeled Jack (1989)·
 The Broken Bridge (1990)·
 The White Mercedes (1992)·
 The Wonderful Story of Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp (1993)·
 Clockwork, or, All Wound Up (1995)·
 The Firework-Maker's Daughter (1995)·
 Mossycoat (1998)·
 The Butterfly Tattoo (1998)·
 I Was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers (1999)·
 Puss in Boots: The Adventures of That Most Enterprising Feline (2000)·
 The Scarecrow and his Servant (2004)·
 The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (2010)
 

 

Categories: 2000 novels
His Dark Materials books
Novels by Philip Pullman
2000s fantasy novels
British fantasy novels
Children's fantasy novels
Costa Book Award winning works
British Book Award winning works
Anti-Catholic publications
Sequel novels



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This page was last modified on 20 October 2013 at 15:38.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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Inheritance Cycle

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This article is about the series by Christopher Paolini. For the trilogy by N.K. Jemisin, go to The Inheritance Trilogy (N.K. Jemisin)
The Inheritance Cycle
InheritanceCycleCovers.png
The covers of the four books.
 
Eragon
Eldest
Brisingr
Inheritance
 
Author
Christopher Paolini
Cover artist
John Jude Palencar
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Young-adult fiction,
Fantasy
Publisher
Paolini LLC (early edition of Eragon)
Alfred A. Knopf
Published
2002–2011
Media type
Print (hardcover and paperback) and audio
The Inheritance Cycle is a young adult tetralogy of epic fantasy novels written by American author Christopher Paolini. Set in the fictional world of Alagaësia (/æləˈɡeɪziə/), the novels focus on the adventures of a teenage boy named Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, as they struggle to overthrow the evil king Galbatorix. The series was originally intended to be a trilogy (named the "Inheritance Trilogy") until Paolini announced on October 30, 2007, while working on the third novel, that he believed the story was too complex to conclude in just three books.[1]
The first book in the series, Eragon, was published in 2002 and subsequently re-published in 2003; it was followed by Eldest in 2005. Both were New York Times bestsellers.[2][3][4] The third book in the series, Brisingr, was published on September 20, 2008,[5] and the fourth and final book, Inheritance, was released on November 8, 2011.[6] The series has sold 33.5 million copies worldwide.
Eragon was originally self-published by Paolini's family in 2002, as Paolini LLC, and re-published in 2003 by Knopf. In 2006, a feature film was released based on the first book in the cycle, Eragon, starring Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich and Djimon Hounsou. The film received generally negative reviews and closed as the 13th highest grossing fantasy-live action film within the United States.[7]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Books
2 Publication history
3 Synopsis
4 Notable characters
5 Setting 5.1 Geography
5.2 Inhabitants
5.3 Languages
6 Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia
7 Potential sequels
8 Criticism
9 Eragon film adaptation 9.1 Reviews
10 Footnotes
11 External links
Books[edit]

#
Title
Pages
Words[8]
Chapters
Publication Date
Notes

1 Eragon 544 157,200 59 August 26, 2003 Originally published when author Christopher Paolini was sixteen years old.
2 Eldest 668 213,516 71 August 23, 2005 
3 Brisingr 784 254,629 58 September 20, 2008 Originally planned to be published as one novel along with Inheritance[9]
4 Inheritance 839 280,712 78 November 8, 2011 Originally planned to be published as one novel along with Brisingr[9]

Publication history[edit]
Homeschooled by his parents, Christopher Paolini graduated from high school at the age of fifteen, but felt he was not yet mature enough for college, so he wrote Eragon in his spare time. After writing the first draft for a year, he spent a second year rewriting it and fleshing out the story and characters, and then presented it to his parents. They had it self-published by the family publishing company, Paolini International, and Paolini then traveled to various schools advertising his novel. In 2002, author Carl Hiaasen discovered the book while his stepson was reading it, and brought it to the attention of his publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. It was republished by Knopf in 2003.[10]
Eldest was released in hardcover in August 2005, and in paperback in March 2007. A limited edition, featuring extras such as a brief history of Alagaësia, a double-sided poster featuring Brom's ring and Glaedr, and a sneak peek of Brisingr was released in September 2006. The deluxe edition of Eldest has an excerpt from the third chapter of Brisingr.[citation needed]
Brisingr—a word that means "fire" in Alagaësia's ancient language, taken from Old Norse—was published on September 20, 2008.[9] Paolini's announcement of the book's publishing date included the revelation that the Inheritance Trilogy would now contain four books instead of three, thus resulting in the renaming of the series to the Inheritance Cycle.[1]
Inheritance was announced by Random House on March 23, 2011 with the cover artwork. It was released on November 8, 2011 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.[11]
Synopsis[edit]
In the fictional land of Alagaësia, there was an order which oversaw the countries and brought peace to the world. This group was known as the Dragon Riders, for they rode dragons, at the birth of which a bond was formed in accordance with a pact made between elves and dragons millennia earlier. One Dragon Rider named Galbatorix had his dragon slain by a group of Urgals; the dragon's death drove him mad. Denied another Dragon by the Council of Elder Riders, Galbatorix blamed the Council for the death of his dragon and sought to destroy the order. He made an alliance with a young rider, Morzan, and with his help slew another rider and took his dragon, Shruikan. Using magic, he broke Shruikan's will and forced the dragon to serve him. Gathering more Riders to his cause, he created the Thirteen Forsworn and with their help, took over Ilirea, the capital of the Broddring Kingdom, and destroyed Vroengard, the center of the Dragon Riders. Galbatorix slew the Elders, their leader Vrael, and most of the Dragon Riders. When the remaining dragons knew they could not win they cast a spell on the Forsworn's dragons, which made the Forsworn dragons unable to be named and became little more than beasts.
Elder Rider Oromis and his Dragon Glaedr fled to Ellesmera, the capital of the forest Du Weldenvarden, while Morzan confronted his old friend Brom, slaying his Dragon. However, Morzan showed mercy to Brom, who later escaped. After the fall of the Riders, Galbatorix reformed the Broddring Kingdom into the Empire, naming himself Emperor, though he never ruled the elves or dwarves.
Over the next century, several of the Forsworn were killed either from battle or power struggles, or committed suicide after going mad. Surda declared independence from Galbatorix and became its own country. Brom created the Varden, a rebellion meant to oppose the Empire, killing three of the Forsworn including Morzan; and orchestrated the deaths of five more. Brom and Morzan's wife, Selena fell in love while Brom was working undercover in Morzan's staff. Selena who had Morzan's son, became pregnant with Brom's child. She returned to Carvahall, her brother Garrow's home, to give birth to the child. After begging her brother and his wife to raise her son, Eragon, as their own, she left Carvahll to return to Morzan and her first son. She died soon afterward. When Brom needed to disappear he traveled to Carvahall to live, disguised as a storyteller to be near his son.
Over the next fifteen years, Galbatorix achieved control over the Shade Durza, and ordered him to attack a courier, Arya, who had been traveling with a Dragon egg, searching for its new Rider. Only two other Dragon eggs remain in the citadel in Ilirea, which has been renamed Urû'baen. Arya attempted to send the egg to Brom, but the remaining Eldunari altered the spell making the egg go to Eragon, because they believed that the egg might hatch for him, who finds the egg while on a hunting trip. Few days later, the egg hatches, and Eragon names the hatchling Saphira, becoming a Dragon Rider through their bond. His cousin, Roran, leaves for a job to earn money so he can start a family with his beloved, Katrina. His uncle, Garrow, is killed by King Galbatorix's servants, the Ra'zac, and Eragon flees Carvahall with Brom to hunt down the Ra'zac, unbeknownst to him that Brom is his father. Brom gives Morzan's sword, Zar'roc, to Eragon.
On the journey, Brom teaches Eragon sword fighting, magic, the Ancient Language, and the ways of the Dragon Riders. On the journey they become close friends. However, their camp is ambushed by the Ra'zac as Morzan's son Murtagh rescues them, but Brom is gravely injured. In his dying breath, Brom reveals to Eragon that he once was a Dragon Rider and his Dragon was also named Saphira.
Murtagh and Eragon rescue the courier Arya who reveals she is an elf and is in need of the Varden's medical assistance. They flee to the Varden, who have been hiding in the Beor Mountain's capital, Tronjheim. The Varden imprisons Murtagh after he refuses to allow his mind to be read, as Murtagh doesn't want them to learn of his parentage. Eragon is introduced to the Varden's leader, Ajihad, his daughter Nasuada, the dwarf King Hrothgar, and his foster son Orik. The Varden are attacked by an army of Urgals and Eragon receives a scar on his back from Durza, but Arya and Saphira create a distraction long enough for Eragon to stab Durza through the heart. In the aftermath, Ajihad is killed by a band of Urgals, and is replaced by Nasuada. Murtagh is captured, and swears fealty to Galbatorix. One of the two Dragon egg hatches for him, whom he names Thorn, and becomes a Dragon Rider through their newly formed bond.
In the remainder of the Rider War, Eragon and Saphira learn under the tutelage of Oromis and Glaedr in Ellesmera.During an elvish celebration, Eragon is changed by the dragons, giving him elf-like abilities (speed, strength) and healing his back as well as all of his other injuries. Eragon then reveals his true feelings to Arya accidentally. After much persistence, Arya angrily rejects Eragon's suit. Meanwhile, Nasuada moves the Varden to the separate country of Surda which is ruled by King Orrin, and Roran moves the villagers of Carvahall to Surda, after their village was destroyed by the Raz'ac, who also captured Katrina. Roran is promoted to Captain while Nasuada allows the Urgals to join the ranks of the Varden. Eragon and Saphira confront Murtagh and Thorn, who slew King Hrothgar. Murtagh bests Eragon, taking his sword Zar'roc and revealing to him the truth that they are brothers.
Eragon, Saphira, and Roran arrive at Helgrind, where they free Katrina. Eragon and Roran destroy much of Helgrind, slaying the Raz'ac while Saphira kills the Lethrblaka, the Raz'ac's adult form. After which, he goes to the Boer mountains and helps Orik become king of the dwarves. After that, Eragon goes back to the Du Weldenvarden and creates his own sword Brisingr, and learns that Brom is his real father (he and Murtagh are half brothers) and of the Eldunari, the hearts of hearts, which is also the source to Galbatorix's power from Oromis and Glaedr.
The Varden captures several cities of the Empire, and Oromis and Glaedr are killed by Murtagh and Thorn, though Glaedr has given his Eldunari to Eragon and Saphira to further their training. Nasuada is captured for interrogation by Murtagh, who heals her of her injuries, which causes an identity switch, breaking his oath to Galbatorix. Eragon travels to the Vault of Souls on the ruined Vroengard, which has a massive amount of secret Eldunari and Dragon eggs hidden from Galbatorix. Taking much of the Eldunari, he faces Galbatorix and after a fierce battle (after Murtagh and Thorn decide to help them), Galbatorix is slain. Meanwhile, Shruikan is killed by Arya.
Murtagh and Thorn retreat to somewhere in the north to have some time to themselves to do some thinking. Nasuada, after a heated debate with the leaders of the Varden, becomes the High Queen of Alagaësia. Arya returns to Du Weldenvarden to help choose a new monarch for the elves after the death of Queen Islanzadí in battle, and is chosen. She takes with her the rescued green dragon egg, which soon hatches for her. Thus, Arya becomes a Rider with her dragon named Fírnen. Near the end of the book, Arya reveals this to Eragon, and Saphira decides to test Fírnen "to see if he has the iron in his bones, and the fire in his belly to match [her]". They become mates shortly thereafter.
Eragon reworks the magic of the original pact between Riders and dragons to include both dwarves and Urgals, allowing the dragon eggs to hatch for members of their races. Eragon, coming to the conclusion that there is no safe place to raise the dragons and train new Riders in Alagaësia, begins planning transport of the Eldunarí and the eggs to a region east of Alagaësia. Save for two eggs which are kept in Alagaësia: one is to be sent to the dwarves, and the other to the Urgals. Those future Riders will travel to Eragon's new home for training, while new eggs will be sent back to Alagaësia to hatch for new Riders.
Notable characters[edit]
Main articles: List of Inheritance Cycle characters and Eragon (character)
Eragon: His quest begins when he finds a mysterious stone, which turned out to be a dragon egg, during a hunting trip. His journey begins by fleeing Carvahall with a mysterious old man named Brom. Eventually, his true training begins when he meets Oromis—an elven Dragon Rider who has been presumed dead who is hiding in Ellesmera awaiting the next Rider. He gradually learns how to fight, use magic, and read. He was named by his mother after the first Dragon Rider. He is deeply in love with Arya, has sworn fealty to Nasuada and is a member of the Ingeitum clan of dwarves. He has become widely known by various titles such as "Shadeslayer", "Kingkiller", "Argetlam" ("silver hand"), "Firesword", and "Bane of the Ra'zac." His main goal is to eventually defeat Galbatorix in battle and free Alagaësia, which he accomplishes in Inheritance. Following this, however, he leaves Alagaësia forever to be able to train the next Dragon Riders.
Arya, an elven princess rescued by Eragon in Eragon, with whom he falls in love. Until she was ambushed and captured by Durza, she acted as a courier for Saphira's egg, carrying it between the elves and the Varden. . Formerly referred to as Arya Dröttningu, and referred to occasionally as Arya-eldä, denoting her as worthy of high honor. At the end of Brisingr she kills a Shade, a creature in opposition to the protagonists, becoming one of the few people besides Eragon to have earned the name "Shadeslayer". After her mother's death in Inheritance, she takes over her position as queen (not by inheritance, but by fitness to rule). At the end of Inheritance, the last dragon egg that Galbatorix held hatches for her, and Arya names the dragon Fírnen. She tells Eragon that, given time, they could be together. However, Eragon leaves Alagaësia to raise up new dragons and Riders and Arya remains as queen of the elves.
Galbatorix, the initiator of the rebellion responsible for the Fall of the Riders. He is described as cruel and merciless, with little regard for any kind of life. Now the king of the Empire, he has amassed unparalleled power because of the enslavement of hundreds of dragons. Because of the power he wields, no one has been able to dethrone him and he has ruled for more than a century. He rides a black dragon named Shruikan, whom he stole from another Rider (whom he killed) and forced to bond with him. Throughout the first three books, he is only mentioned, never appearing in person until the final book.
Murtagh, the son of Morzan and Selena, is Eragon's half brother, an inch or so taller than Eragon, and is a few years older. He rescues Eragon and Saphira from the Ra'zac, when Brom was killed, and travels with them to Gil'ead, where Eragon is captured. Later, Murtagh and Saphira rescue Eragon and Arya from Durza, the Shade. Murtagh shoots Durza twice, once in the shoulder and once between the eyes, causing Durza to disappear. Murtagh then travels with Eragon to Farthen Dur and the Varden, where he gets locked up because off his father's legacy, though Ajihad lets him fight in The Battle Under Farthen Dur. Murtagh, in Eldest, gets captured and taken to Galbatorix, where the red dragon, Thorn, hatches for him. Here, he gets tourtured and is forced to swear loyalty to the king. At the end of Eldest, during the Battle of the Burning Plains, he kills Hrothgar and beats Eragon in a duel. But because of their previous friendship, he lets Eragon go, after taking Zar'roc and telling Eragon that he is his brother. In the third book, Murtagh is forced to swear more oaths to Galbatorix to ensure his obedience. Later, he battles Eragon again, but this time, with the help of elven spellcasters, Eragon beats him, though he loses consciousness and Murtagh escapes. In Inheritance, Murtagh is chosen to defend Dras Leona, though the Varden still capture the city. At the final confrontation between Eragon and Galbatorix, Galbatorix tells Murtagh to fight Eragon instead of himself. Murtagh nearly stikes a fatal blow in his anger, but Galbatorix prevents him from killing Eragon. Eragon, after realizing that Murtagh is probably a better swordsman, purposely leaves an opening for Murtagh to strike So he could counterattack. This move injured both of them and ended the duel, with Galbatorix claiming Eragon as the winner. right after the duel, Murtagh understands (he says "we understand") and his true name changes. Then, using the name of all names, Murtagh strips Galbatorix of his wards, allowing Eragon to kill him.Then, after the battle, Murtagh flies off and Eragon goes after him. They then acknowledge each other as brothers And Murtagh leaves. He was last sighted near Du Weldenvarden.
Setting[edit]
The series is set on the continent of Alagaësia.
Geography[edit]
The Beor Mountains are a vast and incredibly tall mountain range in the south of Alagaësia. Within this area is the Az Ragni (river) and Beartooth River, as well as multiple dwarf cities. The city of Tronjheim is located inside the hollow mountain Farthen Dûr. Northwest of Farthen Dûr is Tarnag, the home of Celbedeil, a great dwarven temple.
Du Weldenvarden is a dense forest which covers the north of Alagaësia. The elf cities of Ceris and Ellesméra are located within the forest, as well as the Gaena River and Lake Ardwen.
"The Empire" covers the west of Alagaësia and is the area under the control of King Galbatorix. The area is populated by humans living in cities and towns such as Aroughs, Belatona, Carvahall, Ceunon, Daret, Dras-Leona, Eastcroft, Feinster, Gil'ead, Kuasta, Narda, Therinsford, Teirm, Urû'baen, and Yazuac. The Empire is split by an untamed mountain range known as The Spine. The Palancar Valley, a major valley of The Spine, is the location of Eragon's hometown and is thus where the Inheritance Cycle begins. Helgrind is a large bare rock mountain near Dras-Leona. South of The Empire is the country of "Surda" which seceded from The Empire while Galbatorix was learning to use the Dragon's Heart of Hearts. Surda includes the cities of Aberon, Petrøvya, Dauth, Cithrí, Reavstone, and Lithgow.
The Hadarac Desert is a giant desert which covers the middle of Alagaësia.
Northwest of the mainland lies the island of Vroengard, containing the city of Doru Araeba. This used to be the home of the Riders before they fell. Now, it is inhabited by strange creatures and is almost completely abandoned.
Inhabitants[edit]
Alagaësia is populated by various sentient races, including Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Urgals (Urgals who grow over 8 feet tall are referred to as a Kull.), Dragons, Werecats, Shades (a human that is possessed by a spirit or spirits that is stronger than the human), and Ra'zac. Alagaësia was once host to a now extinct race known as the Grey Folk.
Languages[edit]
The Common Language
The Ancient Language(this is the one that is spoken by the elves)
The Dwarf Language
The Urgal Language
The Nomadic Language
Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia[edit]
Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia is a supplemental book to the Inheritance Cycle, published in November 2009.[12] The book takes the appearance of being written by Eragon after the events of Inheritance, and is directed at a "young Dragon Rider" (the reader).[13] Fully in color, the book features fifteen pieces of artwork depicting cities and the various races of Alagaësia.[12] Since it was published before the release of Inheritance, it contains hints of the novel's direction.[14]
Potential sequels[edit]
In an interview, Christopher Paolini stated that he is considering to write more stories set in Alagaësia. He plans for one of them to be a continuation of the Inheritance Cycle, and the others to be for new story lines (such as a possible prequel centering around Brom).[15]
Criticism[edit]
The books have been criticized for their derivative nature. The two most commonly discussed sources are Star Wars (because of numerous similarities in the plots[16]) and The Lord of the Rings (because of the setting, elven[17][18] and dwarven races,[17] the language[17] and character and place names). Even many positive reviews note that the work pulls strongly from the conventions of fantasy, in characters, maps, dialogue and concepts.[19]
The reviews of Eldest were similar. Paolini was cited as having developed as a writer from Eragon, but also noted were strong use of The Empire Strikes Back as source material, as well as The Two Towers and Dune.[20] USAToday also cited strong echoes of Star Wars in Eragon's plot,[17] while Entertainment Weekly writes that the plot closely resembles that of The Lord of the Rings.[21]
Eragon film adaptation[edit]
Main article: Eragon (film)
On December 15, 2006, a film adaptation of Eragon was released. The movie, starring Edward Speleers in the title role of Eragon, as well as Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Rachel Weisz, Sienna Guillory, Djimon Hounsou and Robert Carlyle, was produced by 20th Century Fox. Stefen Fangmeier made his directorial debut with Eragon. The screenplay was written by Peter Buchman. Principal photography for the film took place in Hungary and Slovakia. A DVD of the movie was released March 20, 2007. The film received negative reviews due to claims of amateur writing and of borrowing from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.[22] Because of the film's extensive criticism, and of the trilogy being unexpectedly extended into a cycle, there have been no plans for any future films.[citation needed]
Reviews[edit]
Video clip from Amazon.com
Recorded audio of interview with Christopher Paolini, from "Bill Thompson's Eye On Books"
Recorded audio of interview with Christopher Paolini, from Homeschool.com
"Philip Pullman, Tamora Pierce, and Christopher Paolini Talk Fantasy Fiction", from Powell's books
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b "Series will be expanded to include a fourth full-length novel" (PDF). Retrieved October 31, 2007.
2.Jump up ^ "Best sellers: September 14, 2003". www.nytimes.com. The New York Times. September 13, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
3.Jump up ^ "Children's best sellers: September 11, 2005". www.nytimes.com. The New York Times. September 11, 2005. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
4.Jump up ^ "Interview with Christopher Paolini". The Author Hour. January 21, 2009.
5.Jump up ^ "Brisingr by Christopher Paolini". www.randomhouse.com. Random House. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
6.Jump up ^ "Last book of Christopher Paolini's ‘Inheritance' cycle out in November", Washington Post, March 23, 2011
7.Jump up ^ "Fantasy — Live Action Movies". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
8.Jump up ^ http://huttomiddle.dcboe.com/?PageName=TeacherPage&Page=14&StaffID=138229&iSection=Teachers&CorrespondingID=138229
9.^ Jump up to: a b c "Book Three in the Inheritance Cycle Will Have a First Printing of 2.5 Million Copies". Random House. January 16, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
10.Jump up ^ "The Author, About Christopher Paolini". alagaesia.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
11.Jump up ^ "Book 4 News Release". March 23, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
12.^ Jump up to: a b "Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia on Amazon". Retrieved January 14, 2012.
13.Jump up ^ "Big Twenty Exploring the Huge Book 4 Plot Revelations Made in Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia". August 2, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
14.Jump up ^ "Alagaesia Newsletter May 2009". May 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
15.Jump up ^ Shurtugal fansite -First Post-Inheritance Interview with Christopher Paolini
16.Jump up ^ Commonsense Media: Review of Eragon
17.^ Jump up to: a b c d "More of the 'Rings' magic", USA Today January 20, 2004
18.Jump up ^ Books 2005: The 5 Worst", Entertainment Weekly
19.Jump up ^ Barnes & Noble Editorial Reviews
20.Jump up ^ Commonsense Media: Review ofEldest
21.Jump up ^ Book Review: Eldest, Entertainment Weekly, August 19, 2005
22.Jump up ^ Eragon (2006) - Rotten Tomatoes
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eragon
alagaesia.com official Inheritance Cycle website
shurtugal.com, leading Inheritance Cycle fan website

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The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

 
Novels
Eragon (2002)·
 Eldest (2005)·
 Brisingr (2008)·
 Inheritance (2011)
 
 
Adaptations
Eragon (film)·
 Eragon (video game)
 
 
Other articles
Eragon (character)·
 List of characters·
 Dragon Riders
 

 

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Inheritance Cycle
High fantasy novels




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Eragon

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This article is about the novel by Christopher Paolini. For other uses of the name, see Eragon (disambiguation).

Eragon
Head and neck of a dragon. She has spikes on her scaly curved neck and antler-like projections over her eyes.
Cover by John Jude Palencar, featuring the blue dragon Saphira
 
Author
Christopher Paolini
Cover artist
John Jude Palencar
Country
United States
Language
English
Series
Inheritance Cycle
Genre
Young adult
Fantasy novel
Publisher
Paolini LLC (first edition), Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date
2002 (first edition), August 26, 2003 (Knopf)
Media type
Print (hardcover and paperback) and audio-CD
Pages
509 (Knopf)
 544 (Paolini LLC)
ISBN
ISBN 0-375-82668-8 (First Knopf edition) ISBN 0-9666213-3-6 (Paolini LLC)
OCLC Number
52251450
Dewey Decimal
[Fic] 21
LC Classification
PZ7.P19535 Er 2003
Followed by
Eldest
Eragon is the first book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, who began writing at the age of 15. After writing the first draft for a year, he spent a second year rewriting it and fleshing out the story and characters. Paolini's parents saw the final manuscript and decided to self-publish Eragon. Paolini spent a year traveling around the United States promoting the novel. By chance, the book was discovered by Carl Hiaasen, who got it re-published by Alfred A. Knopf. The re-published version was released on August 26, 2003.
The book tells the story of a young farm boy named Eragon, who finds a mysterious stone in the mountains. A dragon he later names Saphira hatches from the stone, which was really an egg. When the evil King Galbatorix finds out about Eragon and his dragon, he sends his servants, the Ra'zac, after them in an effort to capture them. Eragon and Saphira are forced to flee from their hometown, and decide to search for the Varden, a group of rebels who want to see the downfall of Galbatorix.
Critiques of Eragon often pointed out the similarities to other works such as Earthsea and Dragonlance. Reviews also called the book a notable achievement for such a young author as Paolini. Eragon was the third-best-selling children's hardback book of 2003, and the second-best-selling paperback of 2005. It placed on the New York Times Children's Books Best Seller list for 121 weeks. Eragon was adapted into a feature film of the same name that was released on December 15, 2006.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Background 1.1 Origins and publication
1.2 Inspiration and influences
2 Books
3 Plot summary
4 Genre
5 Reception
6 Film adaptation
7 References
8 External links
Background[edit]
Origins and publication[edit]
Christopher Paolini started reading fantasy books when he was ten years old. At the age of fourteen, as a hobby, Paolini started writing the first novel in a series of four books, but he could not get beyond a few pages because he had "no idea" where he was going. He began reading everything he could about the "art of writing", and then plotted the whole Inheritance Cycle book series. After a month of planning out the series, he started writing the draft of Eragon by hand. It was finished a year later, and Paolini began writing the "real" version of the book.[1] After another year of editing, Paolini's parents saw the final manuscript. They immediately saw its potential and decided to publish the book through their small, home-based publishing company, Paolini International.[2] Paolini created the cover art for this edition of Eragon, which featured Saphira's eye on the cover. He also drew the maps inside the book.[3]
Paolini and his family toured across the United States to promote the book. Over 135 talks were given at bookshops, libraries, and schools, many with Paolini dressed up in a medieval costume; but the book did not receive much attention. Paolini said he "would stand behind a table in my costume talking all day without a break – and would sell maybe forty books in eight hours if I did really well. [...] It was a very stressful experience. I couldn't have gone on for very much longer."[1] In the summer of 2002, American novelist Carl Hiaasen was on vacation in one of the cities that Paolini gave a talk in. While there, his stepson bought a copy of Eragon that he "immediately loved".[1] He showed it to his stepfather, who brought the book to the attention of the publishing house Alfred A. Knopf. Michelle Frey, executive editor at Knopf, contacted Paolini and his family to ask if they were interested in having Knopf publish Eragon. The answer was yes, and after another round of editing, Knopf published Eragon in August 2003. It also led to a new cover, drawn by John Jude Palencar.[4]
Inspiration and influences[edit]

A balding man wearing rimless glasses is sitting at a table autographing books. He is wearing a sports coat. A glass of wine and a stack of books are on the table.

Philip Pullman in April 2005. Paolini received much inspiration from Philip Pullman, the author of the fantasy book series His Dark Materials.
Paolini cites old myths, folk tales, medieval stories, the epic poem Beowulf, and authors J. R. R. Tolkien and Eric Rücker Eddison as his biggest influences in writing. Other literary influences include David Eddings, Andre Norton, Brian Jacques, Anne McCaffrey, Raymond E. Feist, Mervyn Peake, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Frank Herbert.[5] Paolini has also received inspiration from the two authors Philip Pullman and Garth Nix. In Eragon, Paolini "deliberately" included the "archetypal ingredients" of a fantasy book – a quest, a journey of experience, revenge, romance, betrayal, and a "special" sword.[1]
The ancient language used by the elves in Eragon is based "almost entirely" on Old Norse, German, Old English, and Russian myth.[6] Paolini commented that "[I] did a god-awful amount of research into the subject when I was composing it. I found that it gave the world a much richer feel, a much older feel, using these words that had been around for centuries and centuries. I had a lot of fun with that."[7] Picking the right name for the characters and places was a process that could take "days, weeks, or even years". Paolini said that "if I have difficulty choosing the correct moniker, I use a placeholder name until a replacement suggests itself."[2] He added that he was "really lucky" with the name Eragon, "because it's just dragon with one letter changed." Also, Paolini commented that he thought of the name "Eragon" as the the two parts of it: "era" and "gone" as if the name itself changes the era in which the character lives. He thought the name fit the book perfectly, but some of the other names caused him "real headaches".[7]

A river flows through a flat valley with mountains in the background.

 Paolini received inspiration from Paradise Valley, Montana (Emigrant Peak pictured, as viewed from west bank of Yellowstone River)
The landscape in Eragon is based on the "wild territory" of Paolini's home state, Montana.[1] He said in an interview that "I go hiking a lot, and oftentimes when I'm in the forest or in the mountains, sitting down and seeing some of those little details makes the difference between having an okay description and having a unique description."[7] Paolini also said that Paradise Valley, Montana is "one of the main sources" of his inspiration for the landscape in the book. Eragon takes place in the fictional continent Alagaësia. Paolini "roughed out" the main history of the land before he wrote the book, but he did not draw a map of it until it became important to see where Eragon was traveling. He then started to get history and plot ideas from seeing the landscape depicted.[7]
Paolini chose to have Eragon mature throughout the book because "for one thing, it's one of the archetypal fantasy elements". He thought Eragon's growth and maturation throughout the book "sort of mirrored my own growing abilities as a writer and as a person, too. So it was a very personal choice for that book."[7] Eragon's dragon, Saphira, was imagined as "the perfect friend" by Paolini.[1] He decided to go in a more "human direction" with her because she is raised away from her own species, in "close mental contact" with a human. "I considered making the dragon more dragon-like, if you will, in its own society, but I haven't had a chance to explore that. I went with a more human element with Saphira while still trying to get a bit of the magic, the alien, of her race."[7] Paolini made Saphira the "best friend anyone could have: loyal, funny, brave, intelligent, and noble. She transcended that, however, and became her own person, fiercely independent and proud."[2]
Books[edit]
Eragon (2002)
Eldest (2005)
Brisingr (2008)
Inheritance (2011)
Fifth Book (2014)
Plot summary[edit]
The book starts off with a prologue describing an encounter in a forest between a Shade (a sorcerer possessed by evil spirits) and three elves, two male and one female. The Shade, named Durza, with the help of twelve sentient horned humanoids called Urgals, kill the two male elves and capture the female elf, Arya. Before she is captured, Arya magically transports a blue stone she was carrying, which is later revealed to be a Dragon egg, to a mountain range considered dangerous called the Spine.
Eragon is a fifteen-year-old boy who lives with his uncle Garrow and cousin Roran on a farm near the village of Carvahall. While hunting in the Spine, Eragon is surprised to see the Blue Dragon egg, which he believes to be a stone, appear in front of him. A few months later, Eragon witnesses a baby Dragon hatch from the egg. Eragon names the Dragon Saphira. He raises the Dragon in secret until two of King Galbatorix's servants, the Ra'zac, come to Carvahall looking for the egg. Eragon and Saphira manage to escape by hiding in the Spine, but Garrow is fatally wounded and the house and farm are burned down by the Ra'zac. Once Garrow dies, Eragon is left with no reason to stay in Carvahall, so he goes after the Ra'zac, seeking vengeance for the destruction of his home and his uncle's death. He is accompanied by Brom, an elderly storyteller, who provides Eragon with the sword Zar'roc and insists on helping him and Saphira.
Eragon becomes a Dragon Rider through his bond with Saphira. Eragon is the only known Rider in Alagaësia other than Galbatorix, who, with the help of the now-dead Forsworn, killed the Riders a hundred years ago. On the journey, Brom teaches Eragon sword fighting, magic, the ancient language, and the ways of the Dragon Riders. Their travels bring them to the city of Teirm, where they meet with Brom's friend Jeod. Eragon's fortune is told by the witch Angela, and her companion, the werecat Solembum, gives Eragon some mysterious advice. With Jeod's help, they are able to track the Ra'zac to the southern city of Dras-Leona. Although they manage to infiltrate the city, Eragon encounters the Ra'zac in a cathedral and he and Brom are forced to flee. Later that night, their camp is ambushed by the Ra'zac. A stranger named Murtagh rescues them, but Brom is gravely injured. Saphira suggests to take Brom on one last dragon ride to die with pride as a dragon rider, then soon after, Brom dies.
Murtagh becomes Eragon's new companion and they travel to the city Gil'ead to find information on how to find the Varden, a group of rebels who want to see the downfall of Galbatorix. While stopping near Gil'ead, Eragon is captured and imprisoned in the same jail that holds a woman he has been having dreams about. As she is being dragged past, her pointed ears are revealed, labeling her an elf. Murtagh and Saphira stage a rescue, and Eragon escapes with the unconscious elf. During the escape, Eragon and Murtagh battle with Durza. Murtagh shoots Durza between the eyes with an arrow, and the Shade disappears in a cloud of mist.
After escaping, Eragon contacts the unconscious elf telepathically, and discovers that her name is Arya. She tells them that she was poisoned while in captivity and a potion found only with the Varden, the elves, and the King himself can cure her. Arya is able to give directions to the exact location of the Varden: a city called Tronjheim, which sits in the hollow mountain Farthen Dûr. She also adds that they have only four days to reach the Varden or she will die. The group go in search of the Varden, both to save Arya's life and to escape Galbatorix's wrath. When they are traveling to the Varden the group notices a huge unit of Urgals following them. The Urgals are revealed to be larger than normal and are called Kull. On the way, Murtagh reveals that he is Morzan's son, who was the first and last of the Forsworn.
The Kull reach Eragon right outside the Varden's entrance, but are driven off with the help of the Varden, who escort Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, and Arya to Farthen Dûr. When they arrive in Farthen Dûr, Eragon is led to the leader of the Varden, Ajihad. Ajihad imprisons Murtagh after he refuses to allow his mind to be read to determine if he is a friend or a foe to the Varden. Eragon is told by Ajihad that Durza was not destroyed by Murtagh's well placed arrow, because the only way to kill a Shade is with a stab to the heart. Orik, nephew of the dwarf King Hrothgar, is appointed as Eragon and Saphira's guide. Orik shows them a place to stay and introduces them to Hrothgar. Eragon also meets Ajihad's daughter, Nasuada, and Ajihad's right hand man, Jörmundur. He also runs into Angela and Solembum, who have arrived in Tronjheim, and visits Murtagh in his prison. He is tested by two magicians, The Twins, as well as Arya.
Eragon is at last able to rest, but a new invasion is imminent. As the battle begins, the Varden and the dwarves are pitted against an enormous army of Urgals, deployed by Durza and Galbatorix. During the battle, Eragon faces Durza again. Durza, having gravely wounded Eragon's back, is about to capture him but is distracted by Saphira and Arya, who break a large star sapphire Isidar Mithrim on the chamber's ceiling. Durza's attention is diverted long enough for Eragon to stab him in the heart with Zar'roc. After Durza's death, the Urgals are released from a spell which had been placed on them, and begin to fight among themselves. The Varden take advantage of this opportunity to make a counter-attack, forcing off the Urgals. While Eragon is unconscious, someone called 'The Cripple Who Is Whole' contacts him telepathically and tells Eragon to come to him for training in the forest of the elves, Du Weldenvarden.
Genre[edit]
As described above, Paolini added in "archetypal ingredients" of a fantasy book – a quest, a journey of experience, revenge, romance, betrayal, and a 'special' sword.[1] The book is described as a fantasy with Booklist writing "Paolini knows the genre well—his lush tale is full of recognizable fantasy elements and conventions".[8] The book has been compared to other books of the fantasy genre such as Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Reviews have also felt that the plot genre is too similar to those other fantasy novels.[9] The book was called a "high fantasy" by Kirkus Review.[8]
Reception[edit]
Eragon received generally mixed reviews, although it was criticised for its derivative nature. Liz Rosenberg of The New York Times Book Review criticized Eragon for having "clichéd descriptions", "B-movie dialogue", "awkward and gangly" prose, and a plot that "stumbles and jerks along, with gaps in logic and characters dropped, then suddenly remembered, or new ones invented at the last minute". However, she concluded the review by noting that "for all its flaws, it is an authentic work of great talent".[10] School Library Journal wrote that in Eragon "sometimes the magic solutions are just too convenient for getting out of difficult situations".[11] Common Sense Media called Eragon's dialogue "long-winded" and "clichéd", with a plot "straight out of Star Wars by way of The Lord of the Rings, with bits of other great fantasies thrown in here and there." The website did concede that the book is a notable achievement for such a young author, and that it would be "appreciated" by younger fans.[9]
Favorable reviews of Eragon often focused on the book's characters and plot. IGN's Matt Casamassina called the book "entertaining", and added that "Paolini demonstrates that he understands how to hold the reader's eyes and this is what ultimately separates Eragon from countless other me-too fantasy novels."[12] Chris Lawrence of About.com thought the book had all the "traditional ingredients" that make a fantasy novel "enjoyable". The book was a "fun read" for him because it is "quick and exciting" and "packed" with action and magic. Lawrence concluded his review by giving the book a rating of 3.8/5, commenting that "the characters are interesting, the plot is engrossing, and you know the good guy will win in the end."[13]
Eragon was the third best-selling children's hardback book of 2003,[14] and the second best-selling children's paperback of 2005.[15] It placed on the New York Times Children's Books Best Seller list for 121 weeks.[16] In 2006, the novel was awarded with a Nene Award by the children of Hawaii.[17] It won the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award[18] and the Young Reader's Choice Award the same year.[19]
Film adaptation[edit]
Main article: Eragon (film)

View of a mountainside with steep cliffs and domed structures built on the ledges.

 Aerial photography of the Ság mountain, which served as the backdrop for Farthen Dûr in the film adaptation of the book.
A film adaptation of Eragon was released in the United States on December 15, 2006. Plans to create the film were first announced in February 2004, when 20th Century Fox purchased the rights to Eragon. The film was directed by first-timer Stefen Fangmeier, and written by Peter Buchman.[20] Edward Speleers was selected for the role of Eragon.[21] Over the following months, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Chris Egan and Djimon Hounsou were all confirmed as joining the cast.[22] Principal photography for the film took place in Hungary and Slovakia.[23]
The film received mostly negative reviews, garnering a 16% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes;[24] the tenth worst of 2006.[25] The Seattle Times described it as "technically accomplished, but fairly lifeless and at times a bit silly".[26] The Hollywood Reporter said the world of Eragon was "without much texture or depth".[27] The story was labelled "derivative" by The Washington Post,[28] and "generic" by the Las Vegas Weekly.[29] Newsday stressed this point further, asserting that only "nine-year-olds with no knowledge whatsoever of any of the six Star Wars movies" would find the film original.[30] The acting was called "lame" by the Washington Post,[28] as well as "stilted" and "lifeless" by the Orlando Weekly.[31] The dialogue was also criticized: MSNBC labelled it "silly";[32] the Las Vegas Weekly called it "wooden".[29] Positive reviews described the film as "fun"[33] and "the stuff boys' fantasies are made of".[34] The CGI work was called "imaginative" and Saphira was called a "magnificent creation".[35] Paolini stated he enjoyed the film, particularly praising the performances of Jeremy Irons and Ed Speleers.[36]
Eragon grossed approximately $75 million in the United States and $173.9 million elsewhere, totaling $249 million worldwide.[37] Eragon is the thirteenth highest grossing fantasy-live action film within the United States; twenty-first when adjusted for inflation.[38] It is the second highest grossing film with a dragon at its focal point,[39] and the sixth highest grossing film of the sword and sorcery subgenre.[40] Eragon was in release for seventeen weeks in the United States, opening on December 15, 2006 and closing on April 9, 2007.[41] It opened in 3020 theaters, earning $8.7 million on opening day and $23.2 million across opening weekend, ranking second behind The Pursuit of Happyness.[42] Eragon’s $75 million total United States gross was the thirty-first highest for 2006.[43] The film earned $150 million in its opening weekend across 76 overseas markets, making it the #1 film worldwide.[44] The film’s $249 million total worldwide gross was the sixteenth highest for 2006.[45]
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Spring, Kit (2004-01-25). "Elf and efficiency". The Observer. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
2.^ Jump up to: a b c Saichek, Wiley (2003-09). "Christopher Paolini interview". Teenreads.com. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
3.Jump up ^ Paolini, Christopher (2002). Eragon. Paolini International LLC. ISBN 0-9666213-3-6. OCLC 49993776.
4.Jump up ^ "The Author". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
5.Jump up ^ "Christopher Paolini Q&A". Shurtugal.com. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
6.Jump up ^ Jana Schulman, "Retelling Old Tales: Germanic Myth and Language in Christopher Paolini's Eragon," The Year's Work in Medieval-ism 25 (2010), 33-41.
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Weich, Dave (2003-07-31). "Philip Pullman, Tamora Pierce, and Christopher Paolini Talk Fantasy Fiction". Powell's Books. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
8.^ Jump up to: a b "Reviews: Eragon BETA". catalog.dclibrary.org. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
9.^ Jump up to: a b Berman, Matt. "Eragon Book Review and Rating". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
10.Jump up ^ Rosenberg, Liz (2003-11-16). "The Egg and Him". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
11.Jump up ^ Rogers, Susan. "Amazon.com Eragon". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
12.Jump up ^ Casamassina, Matt (2004-03-01). "Book Review: Eragon". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
13.Jump up ^ Lawrence, Chris. "Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1)". About.com. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
14.Jump up ^ "Best-Selling Children's Books, 2003". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
15.Jump up ^ "Best-Selling Children's Books, 2005". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
16.Jump up ^ "New York Times Best Seller List". The New York Times. 2008-01-06.
17.Jump up ^ "Nene Award Website - 2006 winner". R.E.A.D for Nene. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
18.Jump up ^ "2006 Winner — Eragon". Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
19.Jump up ^ "YRCA Past Winners". Pacific Northwest Library Association. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
20.Jump up ^ "Eragon". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
21.Jump up ^ Lyall, Sarah (2006-07-18). "He Was a Teenage Spy, Surrounded by Treacherous Adults". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
22.Jump up ^ Parsons, Ryan (2006-08-15). "More Eragon Stills!". CanMag. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
23.Jump up ^ "Silver Screen Destinations: Eragon". AdventureTravelLogue. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
24.Jump up ^ "Eragon". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2012-05-17.
25.Jump up ^ "8th Annual Golden Tomatoes Awards". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
26.Jump up ^ Macdonald, Moira (2006-12-14). "Even preteens aren't slayed by familiar tale". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
27.Jump up ^ Honeycutt, Kirk (2006-12-14). "Eragon". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
28.^ Jump up to: a b Hunter, Stephen. "Eragon". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
29.^ Jump up to: a b Bell, Josh (2006-12-14). "Lord of the Wings". Las Vegas Weekly. Archived from the original on 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
30.Jump up ^ Seymour, Gene (2006-12-15). "Eragon". Newsday. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
31.Jump up ^ Ferguson, Jason (2006-12-14). "Eragon". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
32.Jump up ^ Germain, David (2006-12-13). "'Eragon' is a 'Star Wars' wannabe". MSNBC. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
33.Jump up ^ Smith, Michael. "This Week's Movie Review". Crazed Fanboy. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
34.Jump up ^ "Eragon". Urban Cinefile. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
35.Jump up ^ Arnold, William (2006-12-15). "All that's missing are the hobbits". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
36.Jump up ^ "Movie Viewer". Shurtugal.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
37.Jump up ^ "Eragon (2006)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
38.Jump up ^ "Fantasy — Live Action Movies". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
39.Jump up ^ "Dragon- Focal Point of Movie Movies". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
40.Jump up ^ "Sword and Sorcery Movies". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
41.Jump up ^ "Eragon (2006)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
42.Jump up ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for December 15–17, 2006". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
43.Jump up ^ "2006 Yearly Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
44.Jump up ^ Segers, Frank (2006-12-18). "'Eragon' soars atop overseas box office". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
45.Jump up ^ "2006 Yearly Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eragon
Eragon at the official website

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 List of characters·
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Eldest

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Eldest
Head of a dragon staring at the viewer He has spikes on his curved neck and antlers-like projections over his eyes.
Cover of USA first edition, featuring the red dragon Thorn
 
Author
Christopher Paolini
Illustrator
John Jude Palencar
Cover artist
John Jude Palencar
Country
United States
Language
English
Series
Inheritance Cycle
Genre
Fantasy
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date
August 23, 2005
Media type
Print (Hardcover and Paperback) and audio-CD
Pages
668 pp (hardcover edition)
ISBN
ISBN 0-375-82670-X (hardcover edition)
OCLC Number
58919923
Dewey Decimal
[Fic] 22
LC Classification
PZ7.P19535 El 2005
Preceded by
Eragon
Followed by
Brisingr
Eldest is the second book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini and the sequel to Eragon. Eldest was first published in hardcover on August 23, 2005, and was released in paperback in September 2006.[1] Eldest has been released in an audiobook format,[2] and as an ebook.[3] Like Eragon, Eldest became a New York Times bestseller.[3] A deluxe edition of Eldest was released on September 26, 2006, including new information and art by both the illustrator and the author.[4] Other editions of Eldest are translated into different languages.[5][6]
Eldest begins following several important events in Eragon. The story is the continued adventures of Eragon and his dragon Saphira, centering around their journey to the realm of the Elves in order to further Eragon's training as a Dragon Rider. Other plots in the story focus on Roran, Eragon's cousin, who leads the inhabitants of Carvahall to Surda to join the Varden, and Nasuada as she takes on her father's role as leader of the Varden. Eldest ends at the Battle of the Burning Plains, where Eragon faces a new Dragon Rider, Murtagh, and a new dragon, Thorn.
Reviews pointed out the similarities between Eldest and other works such as The Lord of the Rings,[7] while praising the themes of the book, such as friendship and honor.[8] Several of these reviews commented on the style and genre of Eldest,[9] while others considered the possibility of a film adaptation similar to the adaption of its prequel Eragon.[10]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot synopsis 1.1 Setting
1.2 Characters
1.3 Plot summary
2 Critical reaction
3 Themes
4 Literary style and genre
5 Film adaptation 5.1 Limited edition
5.2 References
5.3 External links

Plot synopsis[edit]
Setting[edit]
Eldest begins three days after the events of the preceding novel, Eragon, in the dwarf city of Tronjheim, inside of a hollowed mountain named Farthen Dûr. Farthen Dûr is in the southeastern part of Alagaësia, the fictional continent where the Inheritance Cycle takes place. Throughout the novel, the protagonists travel to many different places: Ellesméra, the elven capital city located in the forest Du Weldenvarden, on the northern portion of Alagaësia; Carvahall, a small town located on the northwestern part of Alagaësia in Palancar Valley; and Aberon, the capital of Surda, located in the southern portion of Alagaësia. And also known as mardki
Characters[edit]
Main article: List of the Inheritance Cycle characters
The story is told in third-person through protagonists Eragon, Roran, and Nasuada. Eragon is nearly always accompanied by his dragon Saphira. Due to the multiple points-of-view, multiple stories take place concurrently, and the protagonist characters do not meet often. Several other characters return from Eragon, including Arya (the elf warrior, daughter of the elven queen), Orik, Roran (Eragon's cousin and a major character), Ajihad (the leader of the Varden, who dies and is replaced by his daughter Nasuada), and Angela (the herbalist). Some new characters are introduced in Eldest, such as Oromis and his dragon Glaedr. Murtagh appears briefly as a minor protagonist but then reappears later as a primary antagonist with his dragon, Thorn. Galbatorix and the Ra'zac also reprise their roles as primary antagonists.
Plot summary[edit]
Eldest begins as Ajihad, the leader of the rebel Varden force, is ambushed and killed, with Murtagh gone while The Twins and Murtagh are assumed dead. At his funeral, Ajihad's daughter Nasuada is elected to command the Varden. The protagonists Eragon and Saphira then decide to travel to the forest Du Weldenvarden to become trained as a Dragon Rider by the elves. The dwarf king, Hrothgar, decides to adopt Eragon to his clan, Durgrimst Ingeitum, and have his now foster brother, Orik, accompany him to the forest. Once there, Eragon meets Oromis, The Cripple Who Is Whole, and his Dragon Glaedr, the only Dragon and Rider secretly alive besides Eragon, Saphira and Galbatorix and his mentally ill, forcibly bonded dragon Shruikan. Oromis and Glaedr, however, are both crippled, and so cannot fight Galbatorix and must hide to avoid Galbatorix hunting them down. Eragon and Saphira are taught the use of logic, magic theory, scholarship, and combat, among other things.
Meanwhile, Eragon's cousin Roran, is planning to marry Katrina, daughter of Sloan the butcher. While the village is at peace, they are unexpectedly attacked by Galabatorix's soldiers and the Ra'zac, the strangers who had killed Roran's father, Garrow. The village metalsmith, Horst, equips his sons along with Roran with equipment. Roran takes a hammer and whacks the soldiers. The Ra'zac and most of the soldiers escape, saying that they want information for Roran. The entire village then sets up defenses, and during a second invasion, the Ra'zac escape again. One night, Roran wakes up to find Katrina being attacked by the Ra'zac, who sneaked into the house. Roran then takes off the cloth around the Ra'zac's face and sees that they are monsters, not humans. A Ra'zac bites Roran, leaving a serious injury, and leave with Katrina captured. While Roran is chasing them, Sloan, Katrina's father, betrays the village and joins the Ra'zac. The Ra'zac escape with their steeds, the Lethrblaka, who are originally their parents.
Meanwhile, Nasuada chooses to move the Varden from Tronjheim to Surda to mount an attack on the Empire. The Varden suffer financial troubles, however, until Nasuada learns that she can create an expensive lace with magic, and sell it at extremely low rates. One night when Nasuada is in her room, a character named Elva saves her from an assassination attempt. Elva is enchanted, and locates the assailant, who is killed after unwillingly surrendering information to Varden magicians about a subversive group based in Surda called the Black Hand, who is plotting to kill Nasuada. Nasuada later attends a meeting with key figures in Surda's government to discuss a potential upcoming battle against the Empire. They learn that the conflict is coming sooner than they initially suspected, and mobilize forces to attack, as well as sending for help from the dwarves.
In the meantime, Eragon continues his training, but is discouraged when the scar on his back causes him to have agonizing seizures multiple times per day. He has been swooning over Arya for most of the book. Saphira also has a similar problem with Glaedr, as she believes him to be a good choice for a mate and tries to win his affections. Eragon tells her it would not be proper, and she in turn replies that Arya is not as important as his education. Both efforts fail miserably, but bring Eragon and Saphira closer together. Later, at the ancient elven ceremony, the Agaetí Blödhren (Blood-Oath Celebration), Eragon is altered by a spectral dragon. The changes alter his senses, and enhance his abilities, effectively turning him into an elf-human hybrid, as well as healing all of his wounds, scars, and back injury. Reinvigorated, Eragon continues training until he learns that the Empire will soon attack the Varden in Surda. Afterward he confesses his feelings for Arya who rejects him harshly. Dismayed, he leaves without completing his training, to aid the Varden in battle. Upon leaving he is given a bow with magical arrows, a belt with twelve priceless diamonds, an enchanted flask of elvish concoction, a copy of his poem, and the blessing of Oromis and Glaedr.
Meanwhile, Roran is planning to rescue Katrina. He decides that the only solution is to join the Varden in Surda, and so convinces almost the entire village to travel there. The village reaches Narda, where they pay for barges to sail to Teirm. In Teirm, Roran meets Jeod, Brom's friend, who tells him about Eragon and that he is a Dragon Rider now. Roran is stunned that his cousin is a Dragon Rider, and he asks Jeod for help to reach the Varden. Jeod decided to go with them and he gathers a group of his friends to steal a ship called the Dragon Wing. The village is chased by a group of Galbatorix's boats, but they force themselves into the gigantic whirpool, the Boar's eye, so that they can trap the enemy ships.
Meanwhile, Eragon arrived at the Varden's camp, who is under attack of an army of one hundred thousand of Galbatorix's soldiers. A group of Urgals join the Varden, and Eragon is able to repel the opposing army with help from the dwarves' reinforcements. Eventually, a Dragon Rider appears in favor of the Empire. The hostile Dragon Rider kills the dwarf king Hrothgar, and soon begins to fight with Eragon. The Dragon Rider is soon unmasked by Eragon and is revealed to be Murtagh, his old friend. Murtagh tells Eragon that he was kidnapped and forced into loyalty by Galbatorix after a dragon hatched for him, whom he named Thorn. Murtagh outmatches Eragon, but shows mercy due to their old friendship. Before leaving, Murtagh reveals that Eragon is his brother, and takes Eragon's sword as well. Ultimately, Galbatorix's army is forced to retreat due to heavy losses, after the arrival of the dwarves and the village of Carvahall and the departure of Murtagh and Thorn. Roran manages to defeat the Twins by bashing them in the heads with his hammer, thus enhancing his title of Roran Stronghammer. In the end, Eragon reunites with Roran and Eragon decides to help Roran rescue Katrina from the Ra'zac in Dras-Leona.
Critical reaction[edit]
Eldest received generally negative reviews, and it was met with criticism similar to Eragon for to its derivative nature. School Library Journal noted that Eldest lacked originality, but would still find reception among fans. It also acknowledged that themes of Eldest are based generally on the works of other writers.[7] BookBrowse also criticized Eldest, but said, as School Library Journal noted, that nothing the reviewers can say will stop some children from reading the book.[9] Entertainment Weekly rated Eldest as one of the worst five books of 2005, calling it a "700-page drag."[11] The Boston Globe gave a negative review for Eldest, criticizing the very low points and for "drama that rises to a wet pop."[9] The Christian Science Monitor gave Eldest a C+ grade. Similar to other reviews, it criticized the long plot and its similarities to The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, as well as the lack of humor. The review commented that Roran, one of the secondary major characters, had the best part of the book.[12] SFSignal also gave Eldest a poor review, giving it one out of five stars. The main reason of this was for its dull pace. The SFSignal review, like The Christian Science Monitor, did say that Roran had the "strongest sequence" in the book.[13]
However, there were also some more positive reviews of Eldest. Bookmarks magazine saw Eldest's similarity to other works, but said that Eldest displayed more emotional depth than Eragon.[7] Publishers Weekly also gave a positive review for Eldest, praising the revelations in the final pages.[9] Barnes & Noble gave a positive review for Eldest, in particular for its style, characters and themes such as friendship, forgiveness, responsibility, and honor.[9] Eldest won the 2006 Quill Award in Young Adult Literature.[14][15] Eldest also was nominated for a British Book Award in the Children's Book of the Year section,[16] the Disney Adventures Book Award, the Colorado Blue Spruce Award, Young Adult Book Award, and the Wyoming Soaring Eagle Book Award.[17]
Themes[edit]
Several themes in Eldest have been noted. A Barnes & Noble reviewer praised the honor, friendship, responsibility, and forgiveness in the book. The reviewer called these themes "age-transcendent".[8] School Library Journal commented on how Eragon looked for a definition for good and evil.[8] A third review, while not identifying any specific themes, said the author was "layering his themes" to make the book more exciting.[18] Another review praised the story for the themes of power, family, and maturing.[19] Paolini commented on the theme in Eldest of vegetarianism:[20]

"One of my goals as an author is to explore various aspects of human nature. It's my job, then, to attempt to understand why people act, even if it differs from my own point of view or practice, and to present those reasons to the best of my ability. The actions and beliefs of my characters are not necessarily my own."
There are also themes of religion and atheism, the dwarves being highly religious, the elves being atheists, and Eragon, growing up without a religious background but a set of superstitions, wondering if there are higher powers.
Literary style and genre[edit]
Eldest falls in the genre of juvenile fiction[21] and fantasy.[22] Reviews often commented on how Eldest borrowed from the fantasy genre.[7] Other reviews criticized and praised the writing style of the author. Los Angeles Times, while noting that the writing was more mature, criticized the novel for being inconsistent and having an archaic style. An Entertainment Weekly review was negative toward the story because it was slow-paced, while The Washington Post said Eldest needed to be shortened.[23] A reviewer from The Boston Globe said:[9]

"He is to English as a bad dog to a chainsaw: he worries it, and worries it, and devastation spreads around him."
On the other hand, Barnes & Noble called the writing style fluid[9] and Children's Literature praised the story for being richly detailed. Kirkus Reviews compared the story to a patchwork of fantasy elements and characters, then concluded that it, despite being derivative, was exciting and held together well.[23]
Film adaptation[edit]
Whether or not the book will be adapted to film remains a matter of speculation. When asked whether there would be a movie adaptation of Eldest at the premiere of Eragon, Christopher Paolini replied, "I think we'll know after opening weekend."[24] Many critics have considered the possibility of a sequel in their reviews of Eragon. One critic said that 20th Century Fox's plans to adapt Eldest was "jumping the gun" and that "they will have a tough time convincing anyone but the most die-hard fans to return for another helping."[25] Even some critics who gave the film positive reviews were skeptical towards the possibility of a sequel: "That the studio hopes to build a franchise on this, now that—that is expecting way too much."[10]
According to an interview with director Stefen Fangmeier:
“ I'm not quite sure what is currently going on. My own personal perspective is that until we sort of figure out what happens in the third book. Evidentially, I asked Christopher... about that and he was not volunteering much of what was going to happen. I think it's very important to see where this ends up; how it's resolved. I think until you kind of have an understanding of what the third piece of that puzzle is, it's kind of hard to look at that second book, of course I read it, it's very much a transitional story element. I think one would be best off to write the third film first, and then, being happy with that, going back to the second one and doing all the set-up work that will pay off in the third. Then probably filming two and three together as they did with Pirates of the Caribbean; as one production."
That means, given the time frame, it might still be another year before there are actually are scripts for both films and these things can move ahead. I don't know if Fox is waiting to see the revenues the DVD will create. I think they were modestly happy with the worldwide box office."[26]
 ”
Fangmeier's comments were made in March 2007, before the October 2007 announcement that the trilogy was to be expanded into a four-book cycle.[27] As of 2013, there are no plans for Eldest being made into a movie.
Limited edition[edit]
A deluxe version of Eldest called the "Limited Edition" was released on September 26, 2006.[28] It was published by Random House.[29] The deluxe edition included an excerpt of Brisingr, a poster of Glaedr (which would become the cover art for Brisingr), the history of Alagaësia, art by Christopher Paolini, and a list of characters, places, objects, and dwarf clans.[29] The deluxe edition was also released in an Ebook format.[30]
Eldest has been published in forty-one countries,[31] several translations from English into different languages have been made. Translations for languages such as Spanish,[32] Portuguese,[5] and Serbian have appeared.[33] Worldwide Eldest has several publishers including Gailivro, which publishes the Polish and Portuguese Eldest,[34] and Gramedia Pustaka Utama, the publisher of the Indonesian translations.[6]
An omnibus of Eragon and Eldest was published on July 8, 2008 and included never-before-seen manuscripts by Christopher Paolini.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "Eldest paperback". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
2.Jump up ^ "Eldest audiobook". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
3.^ Jump up to: a b "Eldest eBook". eBooks.com. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
4.Jump up ^ "Eldest — Deluxe edition". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2006-05-27.
5.^ Jump up to: a b "Eldest". Gailivro. Archived from the original on 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
6.^ Jump up to: a b "Detail Buku". Gramedia Pustaka Utama. Retrieved 2007-11-13.[dead link]
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d "Reviews of Eldest". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
8.^ Jump up to: a b c "Eldest (Inheritance Cycle #2)". Barnes & Noble.com. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
9.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "BookBrowse reviews of Eldest". BookBrowse. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
10.^ Jump up to: a b "Eragon films review". Hollywood Video. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
11.Jump up ^ Reese, Jennifer (2005-12-22). "Books: The 5 Worst". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
12.Jump up ^ "Book Roundup". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
13.Jump up ^ "Review: Eldest". SFSignal. Archived from the original on 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
14.Jump up ^ "The Quill Book Awards". Borders. Archived from the original on 2007-09-14. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
15.Jump up ^ "Eldest wins a 2006 Quill Book Award". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
16.Jump up ^ "Winners". British Book Awards. Archived from the original on 2007-11-06. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
17.Jump up ^ "Eldest". Random House. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
18.Jump up ^ "ELDEST: Inheritance, Book II". Bookreporter.com. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
19.Jump up ^ "Eldest: Inheritance, Book II (Audio CD Unabridged)". Buy.com. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
20.Jump up ^ "Talking Trilogy with Christopher Paolini". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
21.Jump up ^ "Eldest". Random House. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
22.Jump up ^ "Eldest". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
23.^ Jump up to: a b "Eldest (Inheritance Cycle #02) by Christopher Paolini". Powell's Books. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
24.Jump up ^ "Interview with Christopher Paolini". Shurtugal.com. Retrieved 2006-12-25.[dead link]
25.Jump up ^ "Eragon film review". TheMovieBoy. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
26.Jump up ^ "Interview with Stefan Fangmeier". Movieweb. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
27.Jump up ^ "Series will be expanded to include a fourth full-length novel" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-10-31.
28.Jump up ^ "Eldest Limited Edition". Random House. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
29.^ Jump up to: a b "Eldest (Inheritance Trilogy #2): Deluxe Edition". Barnes & Noble.com. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
30.Jump up ^ "Eldest Limited Edition eBook". Ebooks.com. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
31.Jump up ^ "News". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
32.Jump up ^ "Eldest Spanish language translation". Barnes & Noble.com. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
33.Jump up ^ "Spain's "Eragon CE", Serbia's Eldest". Shurtugal.com. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
34.Jump up ^ "Eldest covers". Shurtugal.com. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
External links[edit]
Official site, which includes autobiographical comments from Paolini
Audio Interview with Christopher Paolini

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The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

 
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Eragon (2002)·
 Eldest (2005)·
 Brisingr (2008)·
 Inheritance (2011)
 
 
Adaptations
Eragon (film)·
 Eragon (video game)
 
 
Other articles
Eragon (character)·
 List of characters·
 Dragon Riders
 
 
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Fantasy novels
2005 novels
2000s fantasy novels
Sequel novels
Quill Award winning works
Novels by Christopher Paolini
Alfred A. Knopf books




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Brisingr

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Brisingr
Cover is a profile of a golden dragon's head and neck.
The English cover of Brisingr, featuring the golden dragon Glaedr
 
Author
Christopher Paolini
Illustrator
John Jude Palencar
Cover artist
John Jude Palencar
Country
United States
Language
English
Series
Inheritance Cycle
Genre
Young adult literature, high fantasy
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date
September 20, 2008
Media type
Print (Hardcover and Paperback) and audio-CD
Pages
Normal: 749 Deluxe: 800
ISBN
978-0739368046
Preceded by
Eldest
Followed by
Inheritance
Brisingr is the third book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. It was released on September 20, 2008. Originally, Paolini intended to conclude the then Inheritance Trilogy in three books, but during writing the third book he decided that the series was too complex to conclude in one book. A deluxe edition of Brisingr, which includes removed scenes and previously unseen art, was released on October 13, 2009
Brisingr focuses on the story of Eragon and his dragon Saphira as they continue their quest to overthrow the corrupt ruler of the Empire, Galbatorix. Eragon is one of the last remaining Dragon Riders, a group that governed the fictional nation of Alagaësia, where the series takes place. Brisingr begins almost immediately after the preceding novel Eldest concludes.
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, the book sold 550,000 copies on its first day of sale, a record for a Random House children's book.[1] The novel debuted at number one on USA Today's top 150 bestsellers list. Reviewers criticized the book for its length, while commenting on Paolini's growing maturity in his treatment of characters.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot 1.1 Setting and characters
1.2 Plot summary
2 Background 2.1 Writing
2.2 Split and editing
2.3 Title, cover, and audio book
3 Promotion and release
4 Critical reception
5 References
6 External links
Plot[edit]
Setting and characters[edit]
Main articles: List of the Inheritance Cycle characters and Alagaësia
Brisingr begins about three days after the events in Eldest conclude. It continues the story of the Inheritance Cycle and takes place on the fictional continent of Alagaësia during a struggle for power as the small country Surda and a rebel group called the Varden attempts to overthrow the larger Empire. They are supported mainly by elves, dwarves, and Urgals, but the Empire is populated with large numbers of humans, who far outnumber Surda and its allies. The Inheritance Cycle focuses on the story of a teenage boy named Eragon and his dragon Saphira. Eragon is one of the few remaining Dragon Riders, a group that governed Alagaësia in past times but were almost destroyed by a Rider named Galbatorix, who took control of the land. Galbatorix's greatest fear is that a new Rider will rise up and usurp his position as king of the Empire, so when he finds out about Eragon and his dragon, he sends his servants after them in an effort to capture them. Eragon and Saphira are forced to flee from their home, and decide to join the Varden.
Brisingr is told in third-person from the perspectives of multiple primary protagonists. These characters include the humans Eragon, Roran, Nasuada, the dragon Saphira, and the dragon Glaedr. The humans Galbatorix and Murtagh return as antagonists, along with Murtagh's dragon, Thorn. The Ra'zac return for a minor antagonist role, and Varaug, a Shade, also appears for a main antagonist role. Many minor characters reprise their roles in Brisingr from previous installments of the Inheritance Cycle, including the elves Arya, Islanzadí, and Oromis; the dwarf Orik; the humans Angela, Katrina and Elva; and the dragon Glaedr.
Plot summary[edit]
Main article: Synopsis of the Inheritance Cycle
Brisingr begins as Eragon, Saphira, and Roran travel to Helgrind, the home of the Ra'zac, the creatures that had killed Eragon's uncle, Garrow. There they rescue Roran's betrothed, Katrina, who was being held prisoner, and kill one of the Ra'zac. Saphira, Roran, and Katrina return to the Varden, while Eragon stays behind to kill the remaining Ra'zac. While he is fighting the Ra'zac, it mentions that Galbatorix has discovered the name of all names. Eragon doesn't understand, and ignores the Ra'zac, and kills him. Once he returns to the Varden, Eragon discovers that Katrina is pregnant with Roran's child and a wedding is arranged, which Eragon is to conduct. Just before it begins, a small force of enchanted troops attack alongside Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn. The enchanted soldiers had spells cast by Galbatorix that couldn't allow them to feel pain. King Orrin, King of Surda, discovers a method to kill the soldiers, behead them. Elven spell-casters aid Eragon and Saphira and cause Murtagh and Thorn to flee back to the Empire, winning the battle. After the fight, Roran marries Katrina. The leader of the Varden, Nasuada, then orders Eragon to attend the election of the new dwarf king in the Beor Mountains. Once among the dwarves, Eragon is the target of a failed assassination, found to be the work of the dwarf clan Az Sweldn rak Anhûin, whom the dwarf Orik then forces into exile. Having earned the sympathies of the dwarves, Orik is elected the new king.
After Orik's coronation, Eragon and Saphira return to the elven capital Ellesméra to train. There, Saphira revealed from a memory that Eragon's deceased mentor, Brom, is Eragon's father; which Brom asked her to show him when the time was right. Glaedr also reveals the source of Galbatorix's power: Eldunari,[2] or heart of hearts. An Eldunarí allows the holder to communicate with or draw energy from the dragon it belongs to, even if the dragon is deceased. Galbatorix spent years collecting Eldunari, and forcing the deceased dragons to channel their energy to him through their Eldunari. After training, Eragon visits Rhunön, the elven blacksmith who forges swords for Riders. But Rhunön wouldn't create a weapon for him because long ago she swore an oath never to create a weapon again after the Fall of the Riders. But after Eragon's repeated requests, she creates a weapon by controlling Eragon's body. Eragon gives a name to the sword,"Brisingr." Before Eragon and Saphira depart for the Varden, Oromis says that the time has come for him and Glaedr to openly oppose the Empire in combat alongside the Queen of the Elves, Islanzadí. Thus, Glaedr gives his own Eldunari to Eragon. If anything should happen to Glaedr, Eragon would still be able to get advice from him. Then Glaedr and Oromis fly to Gil'ead, while Eragon and Saphira fly to Feinster, the city that the Varden are laying siege to.
Meanwhile, Roran is sent on various missions as part of the military force of the Varden. One of the targets is a convoy of supply wagons guarded by enchanted soldiers that can't feel pain. The unit suffers extreme casualties, and the commander is replaced after losing his hand. During a mission to attack a large enemy force raiding a village, plans made by the new commander almost cause the operation to fail, but Roran gives new orders and kills one hundred and ninety-three enemy soldiers, leading the Varden to victory. Despite saving the mission, Roran is charged with insubordination and is flogged as a punishment. After the public whipping, Nasuada promotes Roran to commander and sends his unit on a mission. He leaves in command of a group of both men and Urgals to enforce the idea of men and Urgals working together. When an Urgal, Yarbog, challenges Roran for leadership of the unit, he wrestles the Urgal and forces him to submit. After returning to the Varden, his squad joins the siege of Feinster, a city in the Empire. As the siege begins, Eragon rescues the elf Arya and departs to find the leader of the city, but discovers that three magicians are attempting to create a Shade. While racing to kill the magicians, Eragon has a vision through Glaedr's Eldunarí showing Oromis and Murtagh fighting. Murtagh is using power of several Eldunari, and Glaedr and Thorn fight in the sky. Soon Glaedr is badly wounded. In the midst of the fighting, Galbatorix possesses Murtagh and tries to lure Oromis to his side: when he fails, and after Oromis suffers a seizure, Galbatorix uses Murtagh to kill him and Glaedr is killed shortly after. After the vision, the magicians have managed to create the Shade Varaug. Eragon and Arya fight desperately to slay Varaug. Eragon then distracts Varaug by battling him through the mind. Arya then stabs Varaug in the heart. After the successful siege, Nasuada tells Eragon the Varden's plans for invading the Empire. Arya and Eragon are now both known as Shadeslayers.
Background[edit]
Writing[edit]
The first two books in the Inheritance Cycle, Eragon and Eldest, sold over 15 million copies worldwide together.[3] Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books and the publisher of the books, prepared Brisingr's release by printing 2.5 million copies in advance, Random House's biggest initial print run of a children's book. Paolini said he tried not to let the expectations surrounding Brisingr affect him,[4][5] stating that "As an author, I found that I can't really allow myself to think about those things. I actually fell into that trap with the first part of Brisingr. I sat there and I started obsessing about every single word."[5] He turned away from his computer and began writing on parchment paper instead. The pages were rewritten on a computer document afterwards by his mother.[5][6][7]
Unlike Eragon, Brisingr features multiple points of view. Parts of the book are written in Saphira's perspective for the first time in the series.[5][6] Paolini based the dragon's behavior and attitude on the pets and animals he grew up around, particularly his pet cats: "I thought a dragon would be like a cat in some ways, that same sort of self-satisfied attitude."[5] He added that it was challenging to depict scenes from the standpoint of a dragon, but he enjoyed doing it because Saphira "has so many interesting thoughts and opinions."[8]
The Ancient Language used by the elves in the Inheritance Cycle is partly based on Old Norse.[9] The word brisingr is an ancient Old Norse word meaning "fire",[4][9][10] which Paolini found while reading through a dictionary of word origins. Paolini said he "loved it so much, he decided to base the rest of [the Ancient Language] on Old Norse. To find more words, I went online and dug up dictionaries and guides to the language. I invented more words based on what I learned and then formed a system of grammar and a pronunciation guide to fit my world. Developing this has probably been the most difficult part of writing the books."[9] The languages used by the dwarves and Urgals in the book were created from scratch by Paolini.[9]
When asked by Sci Fi Wire what kind of challenges he faced while writing the book, Paolini said it was trying to avoid any references to modern items or actions. Brisingr takes place long before the industrial revolution, which Paolini said "limits not only the things my characters use and do, but it also informs their worldview. This constraint extends to more recent words and phrases as well. For example, in Brisingr, I was going to use the description short-order. When I researched its origins, however, I discovered that it was coined to describe modern cooking: a short-order cook."[9]
Split and editing[edit]


"A few chapters into Brisingr when Eragon and Roran have attacked Helgrind where the Ra'zac are, [...] Eragon encounters a moral quandary and in order to resolve it in a way that felt consistent to [his] character, I ended up adding about a hundred pages to the book. [...] I like big books, but there is a point when it gets too big [...] At that point I began to realize that [...] maybe the Inheritance Trilogy should become the Inheritance Cycle, and instead of three books it should be four books."
Christopher Paolini[11]
According to its author, Brisingr features a complex story with "weighty moral dilemmas" and "a sheer number of events that gives it a rich narrative." Halfway through the writing of the book, Paolini realized the story was so complex that it was going to end up being 2,000 pages.[5] He decided to split it into two books, and thus the Inheritance Trilogy became the Inheritance Cycle.[6][12] Paolini revealed this decision in an October 2007 press release,[13] and stated that his development as a writer since Eragon is what caused the book to become so complex.[5]
The decision to bring in and then kill a Shade at the end of the book was made when Paolini realized he needed a new ending for the book after it was split up. He was in need of plot points that were strong enough to keep the reader interested through the ending of the book. The point of view of Glaedr and Oromis' confrontation with Thorn and Murtagh was combined with the Shade battle to further keep the reader interested.[14]
The first draft of the book was finished in April 2008. In a newsletter sent out that month, Paolini said he was busy "chewing [his] way through the editing, which has been a surprisingly enjoyable experience this time around."[15] The hardest part of editing was having to excise material that he spent days and weeks working on. "However, as most any writer will tell you, just because you spent ten days slaving over a certain scene is no reason to keep it in the final manuscript. The only question that matters is whether the scene contributes to the book as a whole," he said.[15] Michelle Frey, executive editor at Alfred A. Knopf who worked with Paolini on Eragon and Eldest, assisted Paolini as the editor of Brisingr.[16]
Title, cover, and audio book[edit]

Head and shoulders photo of a man in a jacket with a beard and moustache looking into the camera.

John Jude Palencar illustrated the cover of Brisingr.
Paolini said "Brisingr" was one of the first words he thought of for the book's title, as it was the first Ancient Language word that Eragon learned in the series, and it holds a particular significance for him.[17][18] Unlike the first two books in the series, Brisingr has a subtitle: The Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular. Paolini revealed it in a newsletter at his official website, in which he said that it was added "because I felt it suited the story, and also because, in a way, I still view Brisingr and Book Four as two halves of the same volume; the subtitle is merely the name of the first of these two sections."[19]
John Jude Palencar illustrated the English cover featuring the golden dragon Glaedr. The content of the cover was one of the few things initially confirmed by Paolini before he wrote the book. He had originally planned for it to feature a green dragon,[20] but later indicated that this was affected by the expansion of the series to a four-book cycle.[21] Paolini liked the cover because it reflects that Brisingr is the longest and "most intense entry in the series so far."[15] The Japanese translation of Brisingr was so large that the publisher split it into two volumes. Since the Japanese did not want the same cover on two volumes, they commissioned Palencar to paint one of the Lethrblaka for the second volume. The Lethrblaka are the Ra'zac's steeds and parents.[22] Paolini made drawings based on the book for the deluxe edition of Brisingr, including one with Eragon's arm and hand holding the sword he receives in the book. The sword, named Brisingr, has flames around its blade.[14]
Gerard Doyle provided the voice for the English audio book of Brisingr.[12] In order to help Doyle with this, Paolini recorded the pronunciation of every invented name and word in Brisingr from a list over nine pages long. It was tricky even for Paolini to do this because he cannot "roll [his] r's" properly.[19] Doyle said he prepared for narrating Brisingr by going "largely by physical description. If there are specific details about the voices, I latch onto those as best I can. But if a creature’s anatomical features are described, I try to imagine, for example, how the jaw might work...and then try and adapt that and attach it to something that sounds okay to the ear and is still slightly stranger than normal."[23]

Promotion and release[edit]

Photo of a circular building surrounded by grass.

 Paolini visited the Beckman auditorium at Caltech during his book tour to promote Brisingr.[24]
In March 2008, a spoiler about the book was released on the Inheritance Cycle's official website, stating that "In Brisingr, Eragon will meet a god."[25] In May 2008, Paolini posted a video message on his website stating that in the book, Eragon will meet "a new, rather terrifying enemy" that "likes to laugh, but not in a good way."[26] A third and final spoiler was released by Paolini in July 2008, stating that one of the characters will become pregnant in the book.[27] Excerpts from Brisingr were released both on the official Inheritance Cycle website[28] and on MSNBC, which held an interview with Paolini the day before the release of the book.[29] Paolini toured across ten cities in the North America to promote the book;[1][7][30] his first visit was to New York City on September 19, 2008, and his last was to Bozeman on November 22, 2008.[30]
Brisingr was released in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom on September 20, 2008, though it was originally supposed to be released on September 23, 2008.[17][31] Nancy Hinkel, publishing director of Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, said the company received "an outpouring of requests from booksellers hoping to host midnight launch parties. We have responded to their enthusiasm by advancing the date, and we know fans will welcome the opportunity to celebrate the publication together."[17][32] More than 2,500 midnight party events were held in the United States for the September 20 release.[33][34][35] A deluxe edition of Brisingr was released on October 13, 2009, including deleted scenes, foldout posters, never-before-seen art by the author, and a guide to dwarf runes.[36]
Brisingr sold 550,000 copies in North America on its first day of an initial print run of 2.5 million copies.[37][38][39] Both the initial print run and first-day sales were the largest ever for the Random House Children's Book division.[1][38] Brisingr sold 45,000 copies on its first day in the United Kingdom and was the fastest-selling children's book in the country in 2008.[1][40][41] In Australia, the book sold 141,000 copies in 2008, making it one of the country's top ten best-selling books of the year.[42][43] Brisingr debuted at number one on USA Today's top 150 bestsellers list. It stayed on the list for 25 consecutive weeks until March 3, 2009.[44]
Critical reception[edit]
Brisingr received mixed to positive reviews, with critical reviewers commenting on the book's length and Paolini's growing maturity in his treatment of characters. David Durham of the Washington Post gave the novel a moderately negative review, praising Paolini for his streamlined prose, but said the novel loses focus in the middle. He added, though, that Brisingr "reconnects with the core elements that animate Eragon's tale" toward the end of the book, and Paolini shows growing maturity during some "quiet" moments in Brisingr, although Durham noted these parts could bore younger readers. Durham also found that Paolini's new characters are original, and that Paolini added depth to some characters from the previous novels in the Inheritance Cycle.[45] In contrast, Sheena McFarland of The Salt Lake Tribune said that Paolini "hasn't learned how to create characters that readers can relate to," although she praised him for strong female characters in Brisingr such as Arya and Nasuada. McFarland calls the last fifty pages "riveting", but says they are a "paltry reward for trudging through the 700 preceding pages."[46]
Publishers Weekly gave Brisingr a negative review, criticizing the novel for relying on "classic fantasy tropes", and noting that Brisingr might appeal to younger readers, but older readers might be unimpressed.[47] Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) reviewer Kathleen Beck criticized the length of the book, accusing Paolini of "plainly [enjoying] wandering around in his fantasy world" and urging him to provide a cleaner finish to the series. She further criticized the content of the book, asserting that "there is a lot of action in [Brisingr] but paradoxically not much forward motion."[48] Haley Keeley of The Buffalo News, however, commented that with alternating points of views every few chapters, Paolini "manages to convey the complexity of the situation while offering refreshing new perspectives."[49] Children's Literature writer Jamie Hain gave the book a positive review, praising the action scenes, as well as the appeal to both male and female readers. She asserts that it is a "long read", but it is "worth it for those who reach the end."[48]
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d Roback, Diane (September 23, 2008). "‘Brisingr’ Breaks Random House Children’s Record". Publisher Weekly. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
2.Jump up ^ Macauley, Mike (May 29, 2009). "May 2009 Monthly Q&A with Christopher Paolini". Shurtugal.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
3.Jump up ^ "Waterstone’s tips Brisingr as this Christmas's Harry Potter". The Daily Telegraph (London). September 18, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
4.^ Jump up to: a b Marcus, Caroline (September 21, 2008). "Brisingr has dragon saga fans elated". The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved July 31, 2009.
5.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Holt, Karen (September 2008). "From home-schooled teen to hit author, Paolini takes wing with dragon series". BookPage. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
6.^ Jump up to: a b c Brown, Matthew (September 22, 2008). "Christopher Paolini: Family, Montana landscape shape author". The Seattle Times (Associated Press). Retrieved July 31, 2009.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Goodnow, Cecelia (October 7, 2008). "Christopher Paolini's 'Brisingr' keeps fans fired up". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
8.Jump up ^ "Shur'tugal's Exclusive Interview with Christopher Paolini". Shurtugal.com. June 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
9.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Joseph Adams, John (October 2, 2008). "Q&A: Brisingr Fires Up Paolini". Sci Fi Wire. Sci Fi Channel. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
10.Jump up ^ Wadley, Carma (September 21, 2008). "Fans line up for new Paolini book, 'Brisingr'". Deseret News. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
11.Jump up ^ Paolini, Christopher. "News about the Inheritance Trilogy". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
12.^ Jump up to: a b Rosenberg, Alan (November 25, 2008). "Audio Reviews: ‘Eragon’ author’s new ‘Brisingr’". The Providence Journal. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
13.Jump up ^ "Series Will Be Expanded To Include A Fourth Full-Length Novel (PDF)". Random House Children's Books. October 30, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
14.^ Jump up to: a b Macauley, Mike (October 2008). "First Post-Brisingr Interview with Christopher Paolini". Shurtugal.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
15.^ Jump up to: a b c Paolini, Christopher (April 2008). "Alagaësia News". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
16.Jump up ^ "Brisingr press release (PDF)". Random House Children's Books. January 16, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
17.^ Jump up to: a b c "Midnight Release for Paolini". San Francisco Chronicle. January 16, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
18.Jump up ^ "Third book in 'Inheritance' series to get midnight release". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 22, 2008. p. C7.
19.^ Jump up to: a b Paolini, Christopher (June 2008). "Alagaësia News". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
20.Jump up ^ Macauley, Mike (May 19, 2004). "Highlights from the CP Phone Chat". Shurtugal.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
21.Jump up ^ Paolini, Christopher (December 2007). "Alagaësia News". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
22.Jump up ^ Paolini, Christopher (September 2008). "Alagaësia News". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
23.Jump up ^ "Narrator Profile - Gerard Doyle". AudioFile. 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
24.Jump up ^ "Book calendar". Los Angeles Times. October 12, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
25.Jump up ^ "BRISINGR Spoiler released!". Alagaesia.com. March 18, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
26.Jump up ^ "Brisingr Spoiler released!". Alagaesia.com. May 12, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
27.Jump up ^ "Third and final Brisingr spoiler released!". Alagaesia.com. June 14, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
28.Jump up ^ "Fricaya - Excerpt". Alagaesia.com. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
29.Jump up ^ "Excerpt: Fantasy novel ‘Brisingr’". MSNBC. September 19, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
30.^ Jump up to: a b "Brisingr Tour Announced!". Alagaesia.com. August 5, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
31.Jump up ^ "Book Notes". Richmond Times-Dispatch. April 6, 2008. p. H3.
32.Jump up ^ Italie, Hillel (July 10, 2008). "Vampires at midnight! Parties for last 'Twilight'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
33.Jump up ^ Rosen, Judith (July 14, 2008). "'Breaking Dawn' and 'Brisingr' in a Post-Harry World". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
34.Jump up ^ Minzesheimer, Bob (August 19, 2008). "For kids, magical reading takes wing this fall". USA Today. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
35.Jump up ^ Memmott, Carol (September 17, 2008). "Midnight hour will usher in Paolini's latest". USA Today. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
36.Jump up ^ "Brisingr Deluxe Edition". Random House. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
37.Jump up ^ "Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Kidman, Alec Baldwin". The New York Times. September 24, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
38.^ Jump up to: a b "Christopher Paolini's Brisingr sets record". Toronto Star. September 24, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
39.Jump up ^ "A never-ending story". Mint. October 18, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
40.Jump up ^ Adams, Stephen (September 23, 2008). "Harry Potter rival Brisingr is fastest selling children's book of the year". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved July 31, 2009.
41.Jump up ^ Flood, Alison (September 23, 2008). "Books: Fantasy novel Brisingr is children's new favourite". The Guardian (London). Retrieved July 31, 2009.
42.Jump up ^ Steger, Jason (January 3, 2009). "Clinching it with the occult, cricket cooking and crime". The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved July 31, 2009.
43.Jump up ^ Wyndham, Susan (January 3, 2009). "Rowling still near the top of the pole". Brisbane Times. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
44.Jump up ^ "Brisingr search on Best-Selling Books Database". USA Today. July 29, 2009. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
45.Jump up ^ Anthony Durham, David (September 25, 2008). "For Fantasy Fans, the Dragons Fly Again". The Washington Post. p. C13. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
46.Jump up ^ McFarland, Sheena (October 4, 2008). "'Brisingr' bores with its meandering". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
47.Jump up ^ "PW's Review of Brinsingr". Publishers Weekly. September 22, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
48.^ Jump up to: a b Beck, Kathleen; Hain, Jamie. "Brisingr (Inheritance Cycle #3) - Editorial Reviews". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
49.Jump up ^ Keeley, Haley (September 24, 2008). "'Brisingr' continues the Eragon saga". The Buffalo News. Retrieved July 31, 2009.[dead link]
External links[edit]
Alagaesia.com, the official Inheritance Cycle website

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The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

 
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 Eldest (2005)·
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 Inheritance (2011)
 
 
Adaptations
Eragon (film)·
 Eragon (video game)
 
 
Other articles
Eragon (character)·
 List of characters·
 Dragon Riders
 
 
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Inheritance (novel)

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 This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may only interest a specific audience. Please help relocate any relevant information, and remove excessive detail that may be against Wikipedia inclusion policy. (March 2012) 

Inheritance
Inheritance2011.JPG
The English cover of Inheritance, featuring the green dragon Fírnen
 
Author
Christopher Paolini
Cover artist
John Jude Palencar
Country
United States
Language
English
Series
Inheritance Cycle
Genre
Fantasy
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date
November 8, 2011
Media type
Print (hardcover and paperback), audiobook, and e-book
Pages
860[1]
ISBN
978-0375856112
Preceded by
Brisingr
Inheritance is the fourth and final book in the Inheritance Cycle written by American author Christopher Paolini.
The Inheritance Cycle was originally intended to be a trilogy, but Paolini has stated that during writing, the length of Brisingr grew, and the book was split into two parts to be published separately. Because of this, many plot elements originally intended for Brisingr are in Inheritance.[2]
Since the release of Inheritance, Paolini has expressed his future interest in expanding upon Alagaësia and the Inheritance Cycle. In an interview, he talked about a potential "book five," a prequel centering around Brom, and said that he has planned "around seven more stories set in Alagaësia — and one of those is in fact a series."[3]

Contents
  [hide] 1 Summary
2 Pre-release history 2.1 Decision for a fourth book
2.2 Publication announcement
3 Post-release
4 Critical reception
5 References
6 External links
Summary[edit]
The Inheritance book starts when the Varden attack Belatona, a city of the Empire. In the battle, Saphira (Saphira is Eragon’s dragon) is nearly killed by a Dauthdaert (death spear) called Niernen —a spear from the Dragon Wars intended to destroy magical wards and kill dragons. Belatona is soon captured by the Varden, and an alliance is later formed between the Varden and the werecats.
Roran is sent on a mission to capture Aroughs, which proves to be a rather difficult task. He comes up with a risky plan and Aroughs is taken, although Roran's men get many injuries. Roran rejoins the Varden at Dras-Leona when they are in the process of making plans to attack the city. Murtagh and his dragon Thorn are occupying the city, therefore not giving the chance of attacking the city directly. Jeod finds information to the entrance of a sewer system that was never completed under the city. Assuming the existence of a secret tunnel into the city, Eragon leads a small group (himself, Arya, Angela, the werecat Solembum, and an elf named Wyrden) into the city to open the gates for the Varden. It turns out that the tunnels are used by the priests of Helgrind, and Eragon and Arya are captured after being separated from Angela and Solembum and witnessing the death of Wyrden. Because the priests are angry at Eragon for killing their gods (which are revealed to be the Ra'zac themselves), they intend to feed Eragon and Arya to Ra'zac hatchlings. Eragon and Arya struggle and injure themselves while being held captive until Angela and Solembum save them. Eragon is then able to open the city gates and defeat Murtagh and Thorn, allowing the Varden to take control of the city. In the middle of the night, Murtagh and Thorn attack the Varden’s camp and capture Nasuada. In her absence, Eragon is appointed as the leader of the Varden as they march on to Urû'baen with hopes of overtaking the city.
Eragon remembers Solembum's advice (in the first book Eragon) telling about the Vault of Souls and the Rock of Kuthian. He invites Solembum to his tent and questions Solembum's knowledge of the Rock of Kuthian, of which the werecat has none at all. During the conversation, Solembum loses himself as a new voice talks to Eragon before abruptly ending, bringing Solembum back from a trance he cannot remember. Eragon eventually discovers that the Vault is on Vroengard Island. Eragon then talks with Glaedr about the Vault of Souls but Glaedr is unable to remember the conversation. Eragon realises that very powerful magic is causing everyone in Alagaesia —except for Saphira and himself— to forget about the Vault of Souls and the Rock of Kuthian after they hear of it. After Eragon finds a way (by special words) to remind and let Glaedr understand him, Glaedr believes that Eragon is telling the truth and advises him and Saphira to immediately find the source of and reason for the powerful magic, as it could help them in the fight against Galbatorix. Eragon and Saphira take Glaedr's Eldunarí as a guide.
After a while on the island, Eragon and Saphira learn that they must speak their true names in order for the Rock of Kuthian to allow them to enter. After days, they find their true names and the rock opens. Inside, the three of them find a hoard of Eldunarí and dragon eggs that were hidden away before Galbatorix destroyed the Riders. Umaroth, the dragon of Vrael (the last leader of the Dragon Riders) who speaks for all of the Eldunarí, says that the time has come for them to reveal themselves and to help Eragon and the Varden to overthrow Galbatorix. Eragon and the others leave Vroengard with all the Eldunarí save five, who volunteer stay and guard the eggs, and as they pass through the rock back onto the surface to open land, their knowledge of the existence of the stored dragon eggs is removed from their minds. They make their way to Urû'baen, where the combined forces of the Varden, the elves (led by Queen Islanzadí), the werecats (led by Grimmr Halfpaw) and the dwarves (led by King Orik) are preparing to attack Urû'baen.
Eragon and Saphira reach Urû'baen as the siege begins. The Eldunarí are revealed to the leaders of the Varden and all of them form a plan to attack the city. The forces of the Varden attack Urû'baen while Eragon, Saphira, Arya, Elva, and eleven elven spellcasters led by Blödhgarm break into Galbatorix's citadel. They cautiously make their way to the throne room after progressing through a series of traps, during which the elven spellcasters assigned to protect Eragon are taken captive. In the throne room, Galbatorix subdues Eragon, Saphira, Arya, and Elva and informs them that he has learned the true name of the ancient language, which he referred to as the Word. With the Word he is able to control the usage of magic with the ancient language. Galbatorix orders Murtagh and Eragon to fight using only their swords; Eragon eventually defeats Murtagh. Murtagh, whose oath to Galbatorix was broken due to a recent change in his true name, uses the Word to strip Galbatorix of his wards. Enraged, Galbatorix renders Murtagh unconscious and attacks Eragon with his mind, while Saphira and Thorn attack Shruikan. Using energy from the Eldunarí, Eragon casts a spell to make Galbatorix understand his crimes, and experience the pain and suffering that he has caused. Meanwhile, Arya kills Shruikan using the Dauthdaert. When the pain and agony he has caused becomes unbearable, Galbatorix utters the incantation for unmaking himself, which results in a huge explosion that destroys most of Urû'baen. Eragon, using energy from the Eldunarí, is able to protect those in the citadel.
Murtagh and Thorn, being broken from their oaths of loyalty to Galbatorix, retreat to somewhere in the north to have some time to themselves to do some thinking. Before leaving, Murtagh teaches the Word to Eragon and then bids him farewell. Nasuada, after a heated debate with the leaders of the Varden, becomes the High Queen of Human Alagaësia and King Orrin of Surda grudgingly pledges his allegiance to her. Arya returns to Du Weldenvarden to help choose a new queen for the elves after the death of Queen Islanzadí, her mother, in battle, and is chosen. She takes with her the rescued green dragon egg, which soon hatches for her. Thus, Arya becomes a Rider with her dragon named Fírnen.
Eragon reworks and rephrases the magic of the original pact between Riders and dragons to include both dwarves and Urgals, allowing the dragon eggs to hatch for members of their races. Eragon, coming to the decision that there is no safe place to raise the dragons and train new Riders in Alagaësia, begins planning means of transport of the Eldunarí and the eggs to a region far east of Alagaësia. Save for two eggs which are kept in Alagaësia: one is to be sent to the dwarves, and the other to the Urgals. Those future Riders will travel to Eragon's new home for training, while new eggs will be sent back to Alagaësia to hatch for new Riders. Eragon says that he will never return to Alagaësia, and leaves with Saphira.
Pre-release history[edit]
Decision for a fourth book[edit]
In a video that was released on October 30, 2007, Christopher Paolini stated that during the work on the third book, he realized it would become too long and so he decided to split it into two separate books. His explanation is as follows:[2]
“ I plotted out the Inheritance series as a trilogy nine years ago, when I was fifteen. At that time, I never imagined I’d write all three books, much less that they would be published. When I finally delved into Book Three [Brisingr], it soon became obvious that the remainder of the story was far too big to fit in one volume. Having spent so long thinking about the series as a trilogy, it was difficult for me to realize that, in order to be true to my characters and to address all of the plot points and unanswered questions Eragon and Eldest raised, I needed to split the end of the series into two books. ”
—Christopher Paolini
 
Publication announcement[edit]
On March 23, 2011, Random House announced the title, cover artwork, and release date of Inheritance. It was released on November 8, 2011 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India, Australia, and New Zealand.[4]
Post-release[edit]
[icon] This section requires expansion. (December 2011)
Released with a first print of 2.5 million copies, Inheritance sold nearly half a million copies on the first day in the United States. It debuted at No. 1 on the USA Today's "Best-Selling Books" list.[5]
Critical reception[edit]
Inheritance has received mixed to negative reviews, criticised due to unresolved plot threads, derivative characteristics of Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, and heavy use of deus ex machina. Richard Marcus of the Seattle Pi said that "Paolini clutters up the book with page upon page of battles that could just as easily taken place off stage" and that "the last hundred or so pages of the book are spent in a very awkward attempt to tie up all the loose ends".[6] However Shelby Scoffield of Deseret News called the book "a sophisticated novel" and "a sense of closure to a truly great series", but criticised Paolini's use of "long and boring details".[7]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Macauley, Mike (September 27, 2011). "Inheritance (Book 4) Official Page Count Exclusively Confirmed!". Shurtugal. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
2.^ Jump up to: a b "Series will be expanded to include a fourth full-length novel" (PDF). Retrieved October 31, 2007.
3.Jump up ^ "First Post-Inheritance Interview with Christopher Tackles Book 4′s "Hot Topics" and More!". December 10, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
4.Jump up ^ "Book 4 News Release". March 23, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
5.Jump up ^ "'Inheritance' by Christopher Paolini debuts at No. 1". USA Today. November 17, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
6.Jump up ^ Richard Marcus (19 November 2011). "Book Review: Inheritance". Seattle Pi. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
7.Jump up ^ Shelby Scoffield (26 November 2011). "Book Review: Inheritance is sophisticated but overly long". Deseret News. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
External links[edit]
alagaesia.com official Inheritance Cycle website
shurtugal.com, Inheritance Cycle fan website

[hide]
v·
 t·
 e
 
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

 
Novels
Eragon (2002)·
 Eldest (2005)·
 Brisingr (2008)·
 Inheritance (2011)
 
 
Adaptations
Eragon (film)·
 Eragon (video game)
 
 
Other articles
Eragon (character)·
 List of characters·
 Dragon Riders
 

 

Categories: Inheritance Cycle
Novels by Christopher Paolini
2011 novels





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Eragon (film)

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Jump to: navigation, search

Eragon
Eragon Teaser Poster 10.jpg
Theatrical release poster
 
Directed by
Stefen Fangmeier
Produced by
John Davis
 Adam Goodman
 Gil Netter
Screenplay by
Peter Buchman
Based on
Eragon
 by Christopher Paolini
Starring
Edward Speleers
Jeremy Irons
Sienna Guillory
Robert Carlyle
John Malkovich
Garrett Hedlund
Rachel Weisz (voice)
Music by
Patrick Doyle
Cinematography
Hugh Johnson
Editing by
Roger Barton
 Masahiro Hirakubo
Chris Lebenzon
Studio
Davis Entertainment
Distributed by
20th Century Fox
Release date(s)
December 14, 2006
 
Running time
99 minutes
Country
United States
 United Kingdom
 Hungary
 Australia
Language
British English
Budget
$100 million
Box office
$249,488,115
Eragon is a 2006 fantasy-adventure film based on the novel of the same name by author Christopher Paolini. The cast includes Edward Speleers in the title role, Jeremy Irons, Garrett Hedlund, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Alun Armstrong, Joss Stone, and the voice of Rachel Weisz as Saphira the dragon.
The film was directed by Stefen Fangmeier, a first-time director, who had previously worked as a visual effects director on Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. The screenplay was written by Peter Buchman, who is best known for Jurassic Park III. Principal photography took place at the Mafilm Fót Studios in Hungary, starting on August 1, 2005. Special visual effects and animation were by Weta Digital and Industrial Light & Magic.
Eragon was released worldwide between December 13 and December 15, 2006 by 20th Century Fox. It was the 10th worst reviewed film of 2006 on Rotten Tomatoes,[1] and the 31st highest grossing film of 2006 in the US.[2] A DVD and Blu-ray of the film was released March 20, 2007. It has first aired on Disney XD in the United States as a television broadcast on April 6, 2009.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production 3.1 Development
3.2 Casting
3.3 Filming
3.4 Music
4 Distribution 4.1 Video game
4.2 Home media
5 Reception 5.1 Critical response
5.2 Box office
5.3 Accolades
6 References
7 External links
Plot[edit]
See also: Eragon
Eragon (Ed Speleers) is a 17-year-old farm boy who lives in the small village of Carvahall in the fictional country of Alagaësia. The story begins with Arya, an elf & princess of Ellesméra, running for her life with a "stone" stolen from the evil king, Galbatorix. She is surrounded by a ring of fire created by a shade (dark sorcerer) called Durza, and to protect the stone from him she uses her magic to send it to a distant forest where the young farmer Eragon is hunting for food. The stone magically appears before Eragon who then takes it to his hometown in hopes of trading it for food. After he brings it home, he realizes it is an egg as a blue dragon hatches from it. As he reaches to touch the dragon, a magical mark is burned into his palm, magic that is felt all across the land by those who have a connection to legend of the dragon, mainly Arya, a former dragon rider named Brom, and Galbatorix himself. Eragon tries to keep the dragon & take care of it until Galbatorix sends the Ra'zac (his monster minions) to capture Eragon and his new dragon. Eragon sends the dragon into the sky so she may learn to fly, which she succeeds before returning to him fully grown due to her magic. She reveals herself to him as Saphira & that they are able to hear each other's thoughts. After seeing the Ra'zac in town, Eragon hurries home to protect his uncle, but Saphira picks him up and tells him that the monsters are after him. When he finally gets home, Eragon finds his uncle dead and blames Saphira, sending her away. As he mourns over his uncle's body, Brom arrives, asking Eragon to call his dragon. After a brief scuffle, Brom implores Eragon to leave town, in which they do after Brom sets fire to his uncle's barn, burning his remains.
On the way to the Varden (rebel freedom fighters devoted to destroying Galbatorix), Eragon learns that he and Saphira have a special attachment like other dragon riders, and if he dies, she will die as well. Brom also tells him that he is not fully ready to face the Ra'zac or Durza, and starts training him in sword-fighting and magic. On the way they take shelter in a small village, where a fortune-teller tells Eragon that a woman is calling her name so that he can save her and his path is full of deadly obstacles. Soon they are attacked by Urgals, but Eragon unintentionally produces magic, which wipes them out & causes him to go unconscious from the strain of the magic. Eragon soon learns how to produce small scale magic and to bond his powers with Saphira.
After seeing Ra'zac's fall, Durza uses his black magic on Arya, setting a trap to make Eragon come to him and try to rescue her. Even after Brom's warning, Eragon comes and rescues Arya till he is confronted by Durza. During the fight, Durza magically hurls a spear at Eragon, but Brom throws himself in the way and is mortally wounded. During the fight, Eragon shoots an arrow at Durza's head, causing him to disappear. They all escape from there and soon Brom dies of his wounds, while flying on the wings of a dragon one last time.
Following the way to find the Varden, Eragon takes oath so that he may fulfill Brom's destiny: to overthrow the tyrannical empire of the evil king, Galbatorix. As Arya goes weak from Durza's poison, Eragon confronts a hooded figure that has been following him. He reveals himself to be Murtagh, who offers to take them to the Varden. Once there, the Varden welcome the new rider, but expose Murtagh for what he really is, the son of the traitorous Morzan who betrayed the dragon riders. Eragon, Saphira, Arya, and the Varden prepare for war as Durza and his men surround the rebel camp. The Varden fight with Galbatorix's men as Eragon & Saphira duel in the skies with Durza flying on a shadowy beast of dark magic. Eragon & Saphira are successful in killing Durza, but not before Saphira is mortally wounded in the battle. Eragon uses his magic to heal her wounds and once again passes out from the strain.
The following morning, Eragon awakes with Murtagh at his side. He calls for Saphira, fearing she might have died from the battle, but she appears fully healed. They fly off together to catch up with Arya as she is on her way to Ellesméra to help lead the elves against Galbatorix in the coming war. She calls Eragon "Shadeslayer" and bids him goodbye. Meanwhile in Galbatorix's castle, angered that his men were defeated by a mere boy, the King rips off a curtain, revealing his pitch black dragon, Shruikan, who breathes fire, and the film ends.
Cast[edit]
Edward Speleers as Eragon
Jeremy Irons as Brom
Sienna Guillory as Arya
Robert Carlyle as Durza
John Malkovich as Galbatorix
Garrett Hedlund as Murtagh
Alun Armstrong as Garrow
Chris Egan as Roran
Gary Lewis as Hrothgar
Djimon Hounsou as Ajihad
Rachel Weisz as the voice of Saphira
Richard Rifkin as Horst
Steven Spiers as Sloan
Joss Stone as Angela
Caroline Chikezie as Nasuada
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
Plans to create a film based on Christopher Paolini's best-selling novel were first announced in February 2004. 20th Century Fox purchased the rights to Eragon. Screenwriter Peter Buchman, whose credits included Jurassic Park III, wrote the screenplay. Buchman, a fan of fantasy and science fiction literature and films, says he was "blown away" by the author's precociousness, his mastery of plot lines and characters, and his ability to create several completely imaginary worlds.[citation needed]
Casting[edit]
Speleers was selected for the title role after a worldwide casting search. "Ed came in [to the casting session], and we just looked at each other and said, "That's Eragon, that's the guy from the book," said director Stefen Fangmeier: "I got a strong sense of Ed's sparkle, of his life. It's the kind of thing where you just know he's destined to become a movie star. Speleers won the role as he was trying to learn his lines for a school production of Hamlet. Others considered for the role included Alex Pettyfer but since production took place in central Europe and Pettyfer is afraid of flying, he declined the role.[3]
On July 15, 2005, in an official press release from 20th Century Fox, it was confirmed that Speleers had signed on to the project. Over the following months, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Chris Egan, and Djimon Hounsou were all confirmed as joining the Eragon cast. Paolini, author of the original novel, had expressed his wishes to be featured in a cameo role in the film — specifically, as a warrior who is beheaded in the battle of Farthen Dûr. However, he was unable because of his European book tour.[4]
Jeremy Irons, who welcomed the opportunity to reintroduce himself to younger audiences, took on the role although Dungeons & Dragons (a previous fantasy film he had acted in) had flopped, and he said that he thought that Eragon "had been better managed" than that film.[5]
Filming[edit]

 

 Aerial photograph of the Ság Mountain, which served as the backdrop for Farthen Dûr
In August 2005, Fox began filming Eragon at various locations throughout Hungary and Slovakia, including:
Pilisborosjenő, Budapest Metropolitan Area, Hungary
Budapest, Hungary
Ság-hegy, Hungary
Celldömölk, Hungary
High Tatras, Slovakia
Filming ended a month later in September, beginning the film's post-production stage, with Industrial Light and Magic creating the film's CGI.
The decision was made later on in production to add feathers to the standard bat-like wings of the dragon Saphira.[6] The studio had been inspired by the Angel's wings in X-Men: The Last Stand.[7] Jean Bolte, lead viewpaint artist for ILM on the film, calls them "skethers" (half-feathers, half-scales) and was inspired by the scales of the pangolin.[8] It was eventually decided that Saphira's colors scheme should be subdued rather than vibrant in order to be more realistic.[7]
Music[edit]

Eragon: Music from the Motion Picture
 
Soundtrack album by Patrick Doyle

Released
December 12, 2006
Recorded
2005–2006
Length
55:24
Label
RCA
Producer
Patrick Doyle, Maggie Rodford
Patrick Doyle chronology

Wah-Wah
 (2006) Eragon
 (2006) The Last Legion
 (2007)

 
Singles from Eragon soundtrack
1."Keep Holding On"
 Released: November 17, 2006
 
The score for the film was composed by Patrick Doyle who also did the score of 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Avril Lavigne also recorded the theme song for the film, entitled "Keep Holding On", which was featured in the credits and on the soundtrack.[9] The track was released as a single in 2006 (and later as a track on her 2007 album The Best Damn Thing) and reached 17 on Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in America.[10]
Track listing1."Eragon"
2."Roran Leaves"
3."Saphira's First Flight"
4."Ra'zac"
5."Burning Farm"
6."Fortune Teller"
7."If You Were Flying"
8."Brom's Story"
9."Durza"
10."Passing the Flame"
11."Battle for Varden"
12."Together"
13."Saphira Returns"
14."Legend of Eragon"
15."Keep Holding On" – Avril Lavigne
16."Once in Every Lifetime" – Jem
Distribution[edit]
Video game[edit]
Main article: Eragon (video game)
The video game based on the motion picture was developed by Stormfront Studios and Amaze Entertainment and was released in November 2006.
Home media[edit]
Eragon was released on VHS,[11] DVD and Blu-ray in the US on March 20, 2007. It debuted at number 1 on the national DVD sales charts and at number 3 on the DVD rental charts.[12] It grossed more than US$35.2 million in rentals.[13] It was released on DVD in Europe on April 16, 2007 and in Australia on April 18, 2007. It is believed to be the final film released on VHS in the US.
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Eragon received negative reviews. The film was one of the worst reviewed films of 2006, garnering a 16% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes.[14] Rotten Tomatoes' audience ratings gave it an approval rating of 58%, from 487,000 ratings.[14] The Seattle Times described the film as "technically accomplished, but fairly lifeless and at times a bit silly".[15] The Hollywood Reporter said the world of Eragon was "without much texture or depth."[16] The story was labeled "derivative" by The Washington Post,[17] and "generic" by the Las Vegas Weekly.[18] Newsday stressed this point further, asserting that only "nine-year-olds with no knowledge whatsoever of any of the six Star Wars movies would find the film original."[19] The acting was called "lame" by the Washington Post,[17] plus "stilted" and "lifeless" by the Orlando Weekly.[20] The dialogue was also criticized, with MSNBC labelling it "silly";[21] the Las Vegas Weekly called it "wooden".[18]
Positive reviews described the film as "fun"[22] and "the stuff boys' fantasies are made of."[23] The CGI work was called "imaginative" and Saphira was called a "magnificent creation."[24] Christopher Paolini stated he enjoyed the film, particularly praising the performances of Jeremy Irons and Edward Speleers.[25]
Box office[edit]
Eragon grossed approximately $75 million in the US and $173.9 million elsewhere, grossing $249 million worldwide.[26] Director Stefen Fangmeier believes that Fox was "modestly happy with the worldwide box office."[27] Eragon is the 13th highest grossing fantasy-live action film within the United States; 21st when adjusted for inflation.[28] It is the second highest grossing film with a dragon at its focal point.[29][30] Adjusted for inflation it falls to eighth place behind such films as Willow, Dragonheart, The Dark Crystal and Conan the Barbarian.[31]
Eragon was in release for 17 weeks in the US, opening on December 15, 2006 and closing on April 8, 2007.[32] It opened in 3020 theaters, earning $8.7 million on opening day and $23.2 million across opening weekend, ranked 2nd behind The Pursuit of Happyness.[33] Eragon's second weekend US box office dropped by almost 70%, possibly due to the opening of Night at the Museum, another family film from 20th Century Fox,[34] the 41st biggest second weekend drop since this statistic was kept.[35] Eragon's $75 million total US gross was the 31st highest for 2006.[36]
The film earned $150 million in its opening weekend across 76 overseas markets, making it the #1 film worldwide.[37] This was attributed to the sheer scope of Eragon's global launch as the film ranked number 1 in fewer than half of the overseas territories it was released in.[38] The foreign box office competition for the film's opening week was "soft;"[39] had Eragon been released one year earlier, it would have been placed fourth.[40] Eragon's UK opening was "a disappointment,"[38] in Australia it was "solid if unimpressive,"[38] but its most impressive market was France,[41] where the film earned more than $21 million.[42] The film's $249 million total worldwide gross was the 16th highest for 2006.[43] Eragon grossed $86,995,160 on DVD from March 20, 2007 – May 13, 2007.[44]
Accolades[edit]
Saturn Awards (2007)
Nominated: Best Fantasy Film
Nominated: Best Performance by a Younger Actor - Edward Speleers
CDG Award (Costume Designers Guild) (2007)
Nominated: Excellence in Costume Design for Film (Fantasy) - Kym Barrett
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "8th Annual Golden Tomatoes Awards". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
2.Jump up ^ "2006 Yearly Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
3.Jump up ^ Lyall, Sarah (2006-07-20). "He Was a Teenage Spy, Surrounded by Treacherous Adults". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
4.Jump up ^ "More Eragon Stills!". CanMag. 2006-08-15. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
5.Jump up ^ Carnivale, Rob. "Eragon — Jeremy Irons interview". IndieLondon. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
6.Jump up ^ Moerk, Christian (2006-12-10). "How Does a Dragon Look When It Talks? Ask a Wildebeest". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Bielik, Alain (2006-12-13). "Eragon: Conjuring A Compelling CG Dragon". VFXWorld. Animation World Network. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
8.Jump up ^ Robertson, Barbara (2006-12-19). "Beneath the Surface: Eragon's Viewpainter". CGSociety. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
9.Jump up ^ ""Keep Holding On" now playing at radio!". Avril Lavigne. 2006-11-20. Archived from the original on 2007-05-08. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
10.Jump up ^ "Artist Chart History — Avril Lavigne". Billboard. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
11.Jump up ^ http://www.amazon.com/Eragon-VHS-Ed-Speleers/dp/B00005JOLJ
12.Jump up ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (2007-03-29). "'Eragon' Breathes Fire on Competition". Home Media Magazine. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
13.Jump up ^ "Eragon Box Office & Rental Numbers". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
14.^ Jump up to: a b "Eragon". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
15.Jump up ^ Macdonald, Moira (2006-12-14). "Even preteens aren't slayed by familiar tale". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
16.Jump up ^ Honeycutt, Kirk (2006-12-14). "Eragon". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
17.^ Jump up to: a b Hunter, Stephen. "Eragon". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
18.^ Jump up to: a b Bell, Josh (2006-12-14). "Lord of the Wings". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
19.Jump up ^ Seymour, Gene (2006-12-15). "Eragon". Newsday. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
20.Jump up ^ Ferguson, Jason (2006-12-14). "Eragon". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
21.Jump up ^ Germain, David (2006-12-13). "'Eragon' is a 'Star Wars' wannabe". MSNBC. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
22.Jump up ^ This Week's Movie Review Nolan's Pop Culture Review #351
23.Jump up ^ Urban Cinefile ERAGON
24.Jump up ^ Arnold, William (2006-12-14). "All that's missing are the hobbits". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
25.Jump up ^ Shur'tugal.com Movie Viewer
26.Jump up ^ Eragon (2006)
27.Jump up ^ Jacobs, Evans (2007-03-20). "Stefan Fangmeier Creates Fantasy with Eragon". Retrieved 2007-11-06.
28.Jump up ^ "Fantasy — Live Action Movies". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
29.Jump up ^ "Dragon- Focal Point of Movie Movies". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
30.Jump up ^ "Sword and Sorcery Movies". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
31.Jump up ^ "Adjusting for Movie Ticket Price Inflation". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
32.Jump up ^ Eragon (2006)
33.Jump up ^ Weekend Box Office Results for December 15–17, 2006
34.Jump up ^ Weekend Box Office Results for December 22–24, 2006
35.Jump up ^ Biggest Second Weekend Drops at the Box Office
36.Jump up ^ 2006 Yearly Box Office Results
37.Jump up ^ "'Eragon' soars atop o'seas b.o".[dead link]
38.^ Jump up to: a b c Around the World Roundup: 'Eragon' Claims Top Spot
39.Jump up ^ Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com - Studio Briefing - 27 December 2006
40.Jump up ^ McNary, Dave (2006-12-26). "'Eragon' brings box office heat abroad". Variety.
41.Jump up ^ Around the World Roundup: 'Night' Reigns for Third Weekend
42.Jump up ^ Eragon (2006) - International Box Office Results
43.Jump up ^ 2006 Yearly Box Office Results
44.Jump up ^ [1]
External links[edit]

Portal icon United States portal
Portal icon Film portal
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eragon (film)
Eragon at the Internet Movie Database
Eragon at AllRovi
Eragon at Box Office Mojo
Eragon at Rotten Tomatoes
Eragon at Metacritic

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The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

 
Novels
Eragon (2002)·
 Eldest (2005)·
 Brisingr (2008)·
 Inheritance (2011)
 
 
Adaptations
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 Eragon (video game)
 
 
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Eragon (character)·
 List of characters·
 Dragon Riders
 

 

Categories: 2006 films
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2000s fantasy films
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Inheritance Cycle
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