24/11/04
30Blinded by the Northern Lights
In general, I don’t ‘do’ books. Over the last few years, my reading has dwindled to an embarrassing one-per-year, apart from a holiday in Rhodes in which I managed to get through a grand total of three.
The type that I have managed to read, tend to be “humourous travel writing” – Round Ireland with a Fridge, McCarthy’s Bar, Are you Dave Gorman?, Join Me, that sort of thing.
I’ve just finished reading the wife’s copy of The Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman (in just 2 weeks – a personal record!), and I’m absolutely blown away. I’ve not felt so excited about fiction in a long, long time, and I’ve certainly not had that ‘can’t put this down’ feeling before (I also have this unexplainable thing about airships in stories, which was why I read Michael Moorcock’s ‘Oswald Bastable’ Trilogy -but that’s another story). That insatiable need to find somewhere quiet to read just another few pages has never been so stong.
What makes these books really ‘live’ for me is that Lyra’s story is based in Oxford (just down the road from me), at an imaginary Jordan College. The description of the city makes me feel right at home, and I can see the places Pullman describes, and suspend my disbelief that alternative universes actually exist.
Now I just hope that others share my enthusiasm, and that haven’t just made an arse of myself.
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wim said 1366 days ago:
Well done, Jon!!Waite until you have read the others, “The amber spyglass” & “The subtle knife”, are fantastic and I can assure you that they will capture your attention and imagination as the first one did.
Next try some books written by our own (local) isobelle carmody.
Happy reading,
W
steve said 1366 days ago:
Spot on Jon, they are great books. I’m not much of a reader myself, and I managed all 3 in a week. They are extremely addictive, and just keep getting better, building to a fantastic ending. I wish I had them to read again!!Laurens Holst said 1366 days ago:
I’ll keep the title in mind. It looks interesting. Though I mostly read fantasy and sci-fi.That ‘can’t put this down’ feeling – amazing that you never had that before. I have skipped nights, school days, even exams because of that.
~Grauw
steve said 1366 days ago:
These books are total fantasy, with an extremely dark anti-religion vein (more complicated). They are books for kids, but are very adult, and intrigue on many levels.Jeff Croft said 1366 days ago:
Jon-Please stop making such an arse of yourself. It’s embarrasing!
:)
Jeff
Hans said 1366 days ago:
Dammit—you had me excited with the title… I thought you’d caught the astronomy bug for a moment. Oh well, at least you’re reading some more. Congrats….?Neil said 1366 days ago:
I’ve read all 3 books. Over here in the States, the first book is called “The Golden Compass”. They’re all wonderful books. We’re on holiday now, and for our drive, I bought the audiobook of “The Golden Compass” to make our long drive more fun and re-live the Lyra’s story again. I’m glad you enjoy them!Silus Grok said 1365 days ago:
Wonderful books…. when you’re done with the trilogy, don’t miss LYRA’S OXFORD, Pullman’s short-story follow-up to the trilogy.Chris Vincent said 1365 days ago:
You might consider your one book per year to be embarrassing, but most people where I live are lucky to get in maybe one book every three years. When I’m reading, they ask me why. This makes me a sad panda.cboone said 1365 days ago:
yes, yes: fabulous books.and they get better as you go along…
and i agree with silus: don’t, by any means, miss Lyra’s Oxford — i’m not yet clear on exactly what part it plays in the overall story is, but i’m sure that it plays an important one.
Dave Foy said 1365 days ago:
I love reading but don’t ever get the time to read as much as I’d like, but I’ve just polished off all 3 books in the His Dark Materials trilogy too (though i did start earlier in the year). Just wait till you get stuck into the 2nd (Subtle Knife) – suddenly everything you thought you knew gets whipped upside down! I won’t spoil it …Andy Bastable said 1365 days ago:
Hehe, it’s ok Jon – I get excited when there is a fictitious time traveller who shares my (rather unusual) surname! ;)The last exciting read of mine was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time which is just mind-blowingly good. I strongly recommend it to all!
Barry said 1365 days ago:
Try Matthew Reilly for some good easy-on-the-brain thrillers.Matthew Pennell said 1365 days ago:
Actually I found Northern Lights quite hard going (in the holding my interest sense) and had to force myself to get to the end. To be honest, I don’t understand all the rave reviews it’s been getting, particularly from the “Adults-reading-kids-books” Harry Potter fans – it was okay, but nothing special.Mearso said 1365 days ago:
I can relate to snatching time to read a book for pleasure. I’ve read Northern Lights and thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially liked the Ice Bears idea. I’ve just finished Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre. It was great fun, with some lovely ideas. No flying airships though.Just have to decide from the vast array of unread books on my shelves at home what to read next.
steve said 1365 days ago:
Not embarassing – just slightly late to the party (Pullman has been getting almost as much press as JK Rowling over the last couple of years, and more deservedly so IMO).Now do yourself a favour by trying to get tickets for the repeat season of the stage version at the National Theatre.
Andyk said 1365 days ago:
Lol… All I ever read are geeky web design and development books. I can’t remember the last time I read a work of fiction.wookie said 1365 days ago:
Fantasy and sci-fi books are my personal favourites – not read the Pullman ones yet, by the GF has and they’re in the ‘to be read’ pile!For a good page turner I’d strongly recommend any Iain M Banks novel (Consider Phlebas or Excession are good starters), or a Ken Macleod perhaps. The Gollancz Sci-Fi and Fantasy ‘Masterworks’ collections have a great spread of novels too (despite their ‘graphically-challenged’ covers ;o) Oh, and don’t forget Gibson & Sterling’s The Difference Engine if you like airships and that Moorcock-esque Victoriana thing.
I just finished reading Gene Wolfe’s four part Book of the New Sun, which is one of the most enigmatic and beautifully written books I’ve read, although not always a page turner as such. I could go on making recommendations long past anyone’s tolerance so I’ll leave it at that! ;o)
the missis @ work said 1365 days ago:
only ‘late to the party’ if you don’t work every night and most of every weekend – ease up, guys, it’s not a competition!Sally said 1365 days ago:
I just love hearing/reading about people discovering The Northern Lights and His Dark Materials trilogy as this is just how I felt when I read it/them too. It was great to see something enjoyed by so many people (that hasn’t been turned into a film to boost its popularity!) come 3rd in the BBC’s Big Read last year too.Alex Cabrera said 1365 days ago:
It came out in 2000, but if you haven’t read House of Leaves I recommend you pick it up immediately. I can assure you it’s like no other book you’ve ever read.Scott Johnson said 1365 days ago:
Regrettably, I tend to not “do” books either. But you have reminded me of that feeling that I get when I just can’t put a book down. Perhaps I’ll head to the bookstore before getting on that plane tomorrow and do some reading this weekend.john.e.boy said 1364 days ago:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060082070/102-1770118-2570502?v=glanceargh – the blog lost my text – not a valid email address?! Who the fuck give out an email address these day?!?
Josh said 1364 days ago:
I agree, it’s an excellent book, and of the three titles in the His Dark Materials trilogy, I think it’s the best. The last book, The Amber Spyglass , is somewhat disappointing in it’s final denouement, but nevertheless the whole series is very intelligent, imaginative and grapples with some big ideas. If you’re looking for another “page turner” of a book, I recommend The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon. It’s an easy read, but an excellent one. When I first began to read it, I so quickly became engrossed in the story that I finished the whole book in one sitting.Tom said 1364 days ago:
Absolutely brilliant books – I totally disagree with the whole ‘these are just kids books’ snobbery. The Dark Materials deals with some gigantic philosophical issues and works on many levels.I’m looking forward to the film adaptation currently in production (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385752/). It’s going to be directed by Chris Weitz (the guy who made the American Pie trilogy) but apparently he’s a huge fan and Pullmans involved so hopefully it’ll be a guddun’. The next Lord of the Rings me thinks!
Tim Blair said 1363 days ago:
I read all three in a week about three years ago—just couldn’t put them down! I found The Amber Spyglass reasonably hard going as it pulls together the various story threads from first two books, and it’s a lot darker than the others. Pullman’s done a excellent job and there’s definitely no shame in reading these “kids books”!Patrick Fitzgerald said 1360 days ago:
I was a voracious reader when I was younger, but until recently I had not been reading much. After landing a new job with a commute of 30+ minutes, I started checking out audio books from the library. I am also considering joining audible.com since my library doesn’t always have the greatest selection.Bronwyn said 1360 days ago:
{grin} I fell in love with His Dark Materials almost immediately, but then, I’m addicted to fiction. Other university students got drunk after papers or exams. What I loved was getting booked—I went to the library and brought back armloads and armloads of novels.Jon, you should look for Pullman’s Sally Lockhart novels. You can find some airships in a supporting role in Heinlein’s Job. Harry Harrison’s Tunnel Through the Deeps
(or, A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah!), is an enjoyable piece of alternate-timeline Victoriana.
Other fantasy authors/books that I love and want others to love too: – Barry Hughart’s Master Li novels – Garth Nix’s Sabriel books; mmmmm…. – Susan Shwartz’s Byzantine historical fantasies – Melissa Scott (especially the Roads of Heaven trilogy) – Terry Pratchett – everything by Charles DeLint – Meredith Ann Pierce – Alis A. Rasmussen’s The Labyrinth Gate
I could go on for some hours more, given a good library to spark my memory. :) Time to hit Ottawa’s main branch for books 2 and 3 of His Dark Materials and whatever DeLint I haven’t read lately.
Sally said 1356 days ago:
News: Anyone in the UK who saw ‘the Culture Show’ on BBC 2 last night will have seen an interview with Phillip Pullman in which he confirmed that he is going to write a fourth book, working title is currently ‘the book of dust’. He said that he’s going to lock himself away from January to write it and it is going to be big so could take up to 3 years to write!Joe Clay said 1353 days ago:
Lately I’ve been reading a lot more. I had finally read Lord of the Rings last year (after having read the Hobbit like ten years before) when I got the red leatherette edition, which I HIGHLY recommend to any Tolkien fan. I recently finished Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which was excellent. I also finished Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, which I’ve owned for three years. My last book was Orwell’s (Blair’s) 1984 which I absolutely loved. I’ve also been trying to finally read all those books I have from high school that I was supposed to read.Prior to this year I might’ve read a book a year — might being the operative word. If you go on my trend you may end up reading more than you ever have. My only problem has been finding time to read.