His Dark Materials

I finished His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman last night and the critics were right when they said it was the last great work of fiction in the 20th century. It's truly a wonderful collected works including The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife & The Amber Spyglass. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy and anyone who has yet to discover that they do. This work will bring you into the fantastical fold if only you give it a chance! 

It's rare that Fantasy writers are able to communicate love in a heart aching way - most of the time it's done one such a large scale, with characters that are stoic and brave, therefore loosing the tenderness of true love in the scope of the story - but Pullman has pulled it off. 

Here is my favorite moment in the collected works… I cry each time I read it. I know you must know the characters to really feel the moment, but I hope it translates how wonderful of a writer Pullman is! 

"I will love you forever, whatever happens. Till I die and after I die, and when I find my way out of the land of the dead, I'll drift about forever, all my atoms, till I find you again…"

"I'll be looking for you, Will, every moment, every single moment. And when we do find each other again, we'll cling so tight that nothing and no one'll ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you… We'll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those specs of light you see floating in sunbeams… And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won't just be able to take one, they'll have to take two, one of you and one of me, we'll be joined so tight…" 

– From The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman © 2000 

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