Hello. Do you by any chance have any book recs that feel similar to HDM. Currently finished all the books in the series including book of dust and i’m really struggling to read anything as good haha. I swear Pullman gives me the biggest readers block!
ohh good question! i don’t think i’ve ever come across any books that feel quite like his dark materials, but i’m always looking for connections so here are a few:
the starless sea - there are a few elements that feel very hdm-esque such as doorways, knives, fate and destiny and the importance of stories. this book actually got me out of my reading slump and is now one of my all time favourites! i’d recommend it anyway because it’s just beautifully written fantasy
lord of the rings - i’ve been meaning to read tolkien for AGES so i can’t actually vouch for any of his work, but the premise of the series seems very heavy on worldbuilding and epic fantasy adventure much like hdm. also all the lore and religious context seems quite interesting to me especially because pullman and tolkien seem to have different views. another series about stories and the goodness of humanity so i expect it’s a win. i’m only avoiding it because the book is huge and the writing seems very heavy so it might not be the best choice if you’re looking for something easy to read
the book thief - not in the same genre whatsoever but i’m putting it here because the protagonist liesel is very like lyra, in my opinion. also this is my favourite standalone book of all time so i will literally recommend it every chance i get. it’s all about the nature of humans, death and tragic stories so quite reminiscent of the amber spyglass but i could just be reaching here. this book is genuinely so beautifully written and at its core fits very much with the values of his dark materials
a darker shade of magic - i’ve only just started reading this but so far it’s all about travelling between alternate universes. go figure. a different vibe though, it’s more of a fantasy royal kingdom
