The Elements of His Dark Materials

by Laurie Frost

An illustrated, comprehensive, reader-friendly reference to Pullman's brilliant trilogy--valuable for fans and researchers alike. Packed with clues to literary imagery and subtle allusions, Frost's encyclopedia-style guide exposes the depths of all three titles, including the appendices in the 10th anniversary editions of Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass published in the UK in 2005 (not yet released in the US). The Elements of His Dark Materials
Foreword by Philip Pullman
140 photos
26 illustrations
11 maps (for Gobbler sightings, gyptians' voyage, Scoresby's journeys, Will and Iorek's route to the Himalayas)
12 chapters (for characters, places, applied and natural sciences, and social structures) US and UK page numbers for each element described
Reference section with suggestions for further reading, works relating to His Dark Materials , and a Pullman bibliography. Extra-textual remarks accompany some elements' entries and
Notes on text-level differences between the UK and US editions or between the three volumes;
Observations -- speculative comments
Facts -- real world counterparts to the fictional elements of the books
Updates --based on the appendices Philip Pullman added to the tenth anniversary editions of the trilogy (not yet released in the US).

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

560 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2006

Reviews

[mad mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Sraffie’s library is complete without it!

When the author of the source material readily admits to using someone else’s reference book to help write the sequel(s), you know it’s got to be good! Laurie Frost’s The Elements of His Dark Materials: The Guide to Philip Pullman's Trilogy is an epic encyclopedia worthy of this most epic of series. (It’s my absolute favorite, in case you couldn’t tell.) Exhaustively researched and referenced, Elements covers everything you want/need to know about His Dark Materials.

The book is organized around eleven primary subjects, many of which are further divided into subsections (reproduced here since Amazon’s listing doesn’t include the table of contents):

I. Characters
* Cross-Reference of Characters

II. Places and Peoples
* The Words of the Worlds
* The Worlds
* Cities, Countries, Regions, Continents, and Elements of Topography
* Structures and Streets
* The Oxfords
* Peoples

III. Creatures, Beings and Extraordinary Humans

IV. The Alethiometer, the Subtle Knife, the Amber Spyglass
* The Alethiometer and associated entries
* The Subtle Knife and associated entries
* The Amber Spyglass and associated entries

V. Philosophy, Psychology, and Theology
* Multiple worlds, Prophecy, Stories
* Dust, Rusakov particles, Shadows/Shadow-particles, Sraf

VI. Applied Metaphysics

VII. Applied Sciences and Technology
* Clothing and Accessories
* Smokes and Medicines
* Food and Drink
* Information Technology
* Transportation
* Weapons
* Other Crafted Goods and Materials

VIII. The Natural Sciences
* Physical Sciences
* Animals
* Animals Exclusive to HIS DARK MATERIALS
* Plants
* Trees Exclusive to HIS DARK MATERIALS
* Scientific Studies

IX. Social Structures of the Worlds
* Ecclesiastical
* Educational
* Political, Military, and Others
* Juvenile Alliances
* Financial/Commerce

X. Languages and Diction

XI. Allusions
* Religious – Biblical and Otherwise

XII. Epigraphs
* Book Epigraphs
* Chapter Epigraphs

Reference
* Philip Pullman Bibliography
* HDM References
* Works Cited and Information Sources

(This TOC is from the 2006 US edition.)

Lyra and Will, Lord Asriel and Marisa Coulter, Baruch and Balthamos, Mary Malone and Atal the mulefa, Dust and daemons, Jordan College and Oxford – it’s all here, in such depth and detail that you might just find yourself inspired to reread the trilogy for the umpteenth time.

Addictively entertaining, Elements is the rare reference book that’s suitable for both serious research and casual reading. It has a permanent place in my bedside book pile, and I often find myself sneaking an entry or two before bed. Whether overcome with the sudden urge to brush up on a plot detail, or if I’m just killing some time by flipping it open to read a random entry, I rarely find myself disappointed. (I’d love for some of the entries to be a bit longer and more detailed - but then, like any good Sraffie, I can never get enough HDM!)

Though I’m no academic, it’s also proven invaluable in planning my HDM-themed menu for the upcoming Vegan MoFo. During the Vegan Month of Food – usually held in October - bloggers pledge to write about vegan food every day for a month. Some bloggers choose a theme; in 2013, I’d like to feature foods inspired by His Dark Materials. An ambitious project, that: with the exception of marzipan, food really isn’t central to the plot of His Dark Materials (unlike in The Hunger Games, for example) - and indeed, I had trouble coming up even just a handful of ideas. That is, until I remembered that Elements includes an entire section on foods! Eight months to go, and already I have enough possibilities to fill the entire month. There’s no way I’d be able to pull it off without Elements.

Seriously, I can’t give this book enough stars!

http://www.easyvegan.info/2013/02/18/...

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding this companion helpful as I read The Golden Compass with my son, especially when he has general questions about Lyra's world that aren't explicitly addresed in the books, for example, questions about the nature of daemons. A good reference to the trilogy.

[Bernie4444 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowledge adds dimension to reading.

Most fiction stands alone as an informative read. Some make you think, and some do not. However, as with all the classics, many writers do not create characters and places out of whimsy.

There are so many hours in a day and the masses cannot be educated in every discipline needed to understand the deeper meaning of many of the symbols, places, and names involved in the stories we read. So, we can use the help of books like "The Elements of His Dark Materials" by Laurie Frost to fill in the gaps and keep us focused on the original story. The book seems more massive than the book it is describing.

Even with books like "Annotated Alice" the philosophy is absent, and another book "Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy" is needed to fill in the gaps. This book may not be the whole story, but it is a great starting place.

From the Back Cover:
Spoiler Warning
Please be aware that the encyclopedic nature of this book makes spoilers inevitable.

[Meggie Belacqua · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you love HDM, this book is PERFECT for you!