Comments on: His Dark Materials, a review or possibly a rant http://savageearth.net/wordpress/archives/83 ... and into yours Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: runester http://savageearth.net/wordpress/archives/83/comment-page-1#comment-31 runester Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:26:18 +0000 http://savageearth.net/wordpress/archives/83#comment-31 Nice summary. I was struck by all of the supernatural beings and powers that existed - in this supposedly secular world. There were witches who performed magic, there choirs of angels with differing powers. There was the Chariot of Heaven, a vast flying mountain/fortress. There was a great deal more ... so the secular principles seemed kind of moot in a world filled with so much magic and so many magical beings. Finally, there was an unstated by implied 'greater power' that seemed to be directing events towards a desired destiny. It felt very much like 'god'. For example, her ability to immediately and accurately read the Alethiometer turns out to be a gift, which is later rescinded when no longer needed. OK, who gave it to her? Who decided that she no longer needed it? There was more language like this in the third book when the scientist was exploring the alien world with the wheeled ones - constantly references to how everything fit together, as if there was a vast plan and they were all just playing their parts. Who's plan? Who has been secretly guiding events, across multiple worlds, towards some grand outcome? Who has arranged all of these things? He never, as far as I remember, says 'evolution' or 'nature', and the implication is certainly something supernatural. But, that 'divine hand' would negate the greater portion of the story. In conclusion, his theme was muddled, at best. Nice summary. I was struck by all of the supernatural beings and powers that existed – in this supposedly secular world. There were witches who performed magic, there choirs of angels with differing powers. There was the Chariot of Heaven, a vast flying mountain/fortress. There was a great deal more … so the secular principles seemed kind of moot in a world filled with so much magic and so many magical beings.

Finally, there was an unstated by implied ‘greater power’ that seemed to be directing events towards a desired destiny. It felt very much like ‘god’. For example, her ability to immediately and accurately read the Alethiometer turns out to be a gift, which is later rescinded when no longer needed. OK, who gave it to her? Who decided that she no longer needed it? There was more language like this in the third book when the scientist was exploring the alien world with the wheeled ones – constantly references to how everything fit together, as if there was a vast plan and they were all just playing their parts. Who’s plan? Who has been secretly guiding events, across multiple worlds, towards some grand outcome? Who has arranged all of these things?

He never, as far as I remember, says ‘evolution’ or ‘nature’, and the implication is certainly something supernatural. But, that ‘divine hand’ would negate the greater portion of the story.

In conclusion, his theme was muddled, at best.

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