Similar to His Dark Materials? ...

[tommydarascal]

Hi everyone!

I have read Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy recently. Does anybody know any books that are similar to this?

Please let me know!

Thanks,

tommydarascal

 

[Twilite]

If by similar you mean similar storylines, I can't help, but if you mean in the same genre, I read the Wind Singer trilogy after HDM. It's possibly aimed at people slighlty younger (I don't remember exactly) but I enjoyed them, maybe worth a look.

 

[Jemima Aslana]

Milton's Paradise Lost?

Ahem, no, that's an attempt at humour, since that's the one His Dark Materials is based on/inspired by.

 

[KristoCat]

I'm assuming that by "similar" you mean a story involving something fantastical and featuring strong, smart older children/young adults as main characters. I thought the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis were very similar to His Dark Materials. Also, of course, there's Harry Potter. Another good fantasy involving older children/teenagers is the Prydain chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. The first novel is called Taran Wanderer and it's a rich fantasy series based on Welch legend.

 

[Vintagewhino]

Hello,
I have a suggestion: 'Vellum' by Hal Duncan. There are plenty of reviews around and it's definitely worth a read. A little more complicated to follow than His Dark Materials but just as fun and certainly as brave.

 

[Ainulindale]

I would recommend a recent book I read that is getting a lot of mention to be similar to Pullman's work although not a YA book. It features adolscent characters and is a fantastic tale with firm roots in reality however. It's the first book in a series that will probably encmpass four books, and is a magnificent retrun of Paul Park to SFF work. It's called A Princess of Roumania, and is one of the better SFF releases this year IMHO - a delightful first book in a series. I reviewed the book here, and had a the opportuntiy to inetrview Mr. Park a couple of weeks ago here.

Very comparable in quality IMHO.

I have a suggestion: 'Vellum' by Hal Duncan. There are plenty of reviews around and it's definitely worth a read. A little more complicated to follow than His Dark Materials but just as fun and certainly as brave

.

I was one of the first people to have a review up on Vellum a few months ago, and although I think it has next to no similarities with Pullman's work, I think this is the best SFF release of 2005 and one of the most audacious debuts in recent memory. My review is here. I also had the opportuntiy to interview Hal Duncan as well here.

This is an incredible book, the sequel Ink coming out iin 2006 is the book I'm looking most forward to.

 

[Vintagewhino]

I was one of the first people to have a review up on Vellum a few months ago, and although I think it has next to no similarities with Pullman's work, I think this is the best SFF release of 2005 and one of the most audacious debuts in recent memory. My review is here. I also had the opportuntiy to interview Hal Duncan as well here.

This is an incredible book, the sequel Ink coming out iin 2006 is the book I'm looking most forward to.

I don't want to turn this into a pi55ing contest, but to say there are next to no similarities is somewhat amusing.
There are plenty of similiarities, none more so than the fact that both authors took a great of inspiration from 'paradise lost'. Although the way they go about it differs I would say that an interest in one would very easily lead to to read the other. It did in my case; and with several others I have spoken to.

Anyway, it was interesting to read your review, and I wasn't surprised to see you rated Vellum so highly.

 

[Ainulindale]

don't want to turn this into a pi55ing contest, but to say there are next to no similarities is somewhat amusing.

No need to worry, I'm much too comfortable and confident with the value of my own opinion to take offense, just because someone else has differing one I'm concious that this is a discussion board afterall.

There are plenty of similiarities, none more so than the fact that both authors took a great of inspiration from 'paradise lost'. Although the way they go about it differs I would say that an interest in one would very easily lead to to read the other. It did in my case; and with several others I have spoken to.

That's your opinion - you are certainly welcome to it. Note that I interviewed Duncan where he states the simialrities between his work and Pullman's regarding backdrop/War in Heaven - so I'm aware of the superficial (first hand) similarities - I just don't equate reading a Pullman book (who I am a big fan of although I think His Dark Materials takes a noticeable slide - but still excellent) with reading a Duncan book. I'm not going to deny fans of Pullman very well may enjoy Duncan (I am one of them) - I just think it's more attributed to people with good tastes in SF/F works liking good SF/F works.

You say they go by it a different manner, and you are right and it makes all the difference in the world. Duncan is much more errudite - and although Pullman's content is much more mature that most (not me) would think kids should reard due to it's YA target audience - I think we both agree Duncan's content is much more so. I can give my 4 year old Pullman's work and she could comprehend and read it just fine - I'm unsure if she could follow Vellum (actually I'm sure she can't).

My comment Next to No implies my recognition of what I think is a superficial similarity (that obviously I was aware of).

Anyway, it was interesting to read your review, and I wasn't surprised to see you rated Vellum so highly.

When I first got this manuscript (I think in June/July) - I was really astounded. I have noted this before but this is a book that 80% of genre fans will not appreciate at all - but the minority that does will make sure it's nominated for all the genre recognition. There are not many debut novels this audacious. At this point, even after reading Crowley's Lord Byron novel, and recognizing how good Tamar Yellin's Genizah at the House of Shepher was - at this point it's the best SF/F novel I have read published in 2005

Anyways - thanks for the comments. Always welcome.

 

[Idril Silmaure]

Garth Nix writes similar style books, though in my opinion not as interesting or deep, but definitely worth reading.