Golden Facts About His Dark Materials, HBO's Latest Fantasy Hit
His Dark Materials is a trilogy of British epic fantasy novels written for young adults, beginning with The Golden Compass (originally Northern Lights) in 1995, then The Subtle Knife (1997) and concluding with The Amber Spyglass (2000). The series focuses on the coming of age of Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry as they travel through a series of parallel universes. With the highly anticipated HBO and BBC TV show hitting screens this fall, buzz has never been higher for this beloved series—so read on to discover more about it!
1. Beloved in Britain
In 2003, BBC’s Big Read put out a call to find Britain’s best-loved novel, and it turns out that the British like His Dark Materials even more than Harry Potter! The series ranked #3 on the list, just below Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice, which puts it in some serious company!
2. Limited Appeal
When Philip Pullman originally conceived the series, he thought it might appeal to “a few clever kids and a few adults.”
Well, the books have sold close to 18 million copies worldwide and been translated into 40 languages since their publication, so there must be a lot of clever kids and adults out there!
3. Flipping Milton
His Dark Materials is actually an interpretation of Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, which Pullman read and loved as a teenager. As an adult, he decided to take that poem, which focused on Adam and Eve and Satan’s expulsion from heaven, and turn it upside down. In the end, instead of focusing on a fall and loss of innocence, it celebrates it as a part of growing up.
4. High Hopes
Both the BBC and HBO must have been pleased with the advanced buzz the 2019 television adaptation was receiving because they renewed it for a second season of eight episodes before the first season had even aired.
