Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is
rightly acclaimed as a modern classic. Pullman
creates alternative worlds that fascinate and
delight, and has built up a loyal army of readers.
He has been described as the ‘most significant’,
but also the ‘most dangerous’ author in Britain.
Who is Philip Pullman, and why have his books
provoked such a wide variety of strong opinions?
Tony Watkins explains what makes
His Dark Materials such a magnificent
work of fiction. He explores the
influences that shaped Pullman’s
writing and the major themes of the trilogy,
including dæmons, Dust and Pullman’s
perspective on God.
