Finished Philip Pullman’s trilogy a couple of nights ago.

Wow.

Just… wow.

On the anti-religious aspect of it – it does come down pretty hard on religion in general, and Christianity in particular, in places. I can see where the controversy comes from. Haven’t seen the movie (and not sure whether I will), but I’ve heard that the religious aspect is heavily toned down; having said that, I can see how you could take the stabs at religion out of the first book and still keep the story intact. If they go on and film The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, it’s going to be nearly impossible to keep it out.

But, on the… fifth hand, it is fiction. And the weird thing is that it reads more like a Christian heresy than an atheist polemic. I don’t think a Christian would ever have written anything like it; but it is set in a universe where Christianity is much closer to the truth, in some ways, than it is in reality (from an atheist perspective).

Anyway, read it. All of you.

…better known in the US, and now elsewhere on account of the movie, as The Golden Compass.

I’ve heard very little of the Christian furore over the movie that has apparently sprung up out of nowhere in the US. Possibly in Australia even the fundies are unwilling to say anything bad about a movie with Nicole Kidman in it. (Successful Aussie stars are few and revered, and Nic is one of the starriest.) Aaaanyway, I was unsure whether to see the movie, because it’s apparently not as good as the book (duh) which I hadn’t read, the allegedly atheist message is apparently a bit of drummed-up anti-hype, and there are so many other movies to choose from that came out on Boxing Day.

Then Tina’s sister got her the His Dark Materials trilogy for Christmas, which changes the equation completely. I have a full and growing reading list, so I wouldn’t have bought them on my own for a while otherwise, but having them right here is a different story. So I’ve borrowed and started on Northern Lights, and if I get through it in the next day or two, I’ll probably see the movie. And be disappointed in all likelihood. But hopefully either the Christadelphians or Baptists in the block opposite the cinema will whine about it, which will make it more fun.