For those with kids, Pullman writes plenty of real childrens books too, and they are all gems. My favourite is “I was a rat”. Try it. If you don’t have children, borrow a niece or nephew and read it to them.

In later life I’ve come to the conclusion that all of the best children’s books (and the ones I liked most when I was a child) are the most ‘adult’ ones. Children love dark and complicated and ambiguous – it’s us adults who foolishly imagine that they will be upset or overwhelmed.

I am not sure that the book is atheistic (in the sense of against all religion) rather than just pointing out severe flaws in many religious organizations. Consider two quotes [with my comments following each in brackets]:

“… The Authority, god, the Creator, the Lord, Yahweh, El, Adonai, the King, the Father the Almighty – those were all names he gave himself. He was never the creator. … He told those who came after him that he had created them, but it was a lie. …”.
[ In my opinion, this can be read as the bad guy "The Authority" being just that, merely an authoritative ruler of a religious organization, such as the presider over an Inquistion, and NOT really G-d.]

“… the Authority considers that conscious beings of every kind have become dangerously independent … the followers of wisdom … have always tried to open minds … the Authority and his churches have always tried to keep them closed …”
[In my opinion, this describes the attitude of any bureaucratic totalitarian dictator with respect to "emperor-has-no-clothes" independent thought, a couple of examples being: arXiv's blacklisting; and the conflict throughout the history of China between Confucian rigid bureaucracy and Taoist creativity. (Note that recently the current Chinese government has endorsed Confucianism, but continues to repress such Taoist-related entitities as Falun Dafa.)]

In short, I don’t see Lyra’s killing The Authority as a death-of-G-d scene, but as a triumph of open-ended Taoist creativity over rigid Confucian authority, which is consistent with my religious views (Einstein-Spinoza-Taoist Pantheism),
so
I don’t think that you have to be in the “church militant of atheism” to be OK with the way the book(s) turn out.

Tony Smith

PS – The Golden Compass reminds me of the Chinese LoPan,
and
the three instruments: Golden Compass; Subtle Knife; and Amber Spyglass
remind me of
the Shinto Triad: Mirror; Sword; and Jewel

The second: An occasionally interesting sequel.

The third: Probably only amusing to devout members of the church militant of atheism – and only for political reasons rather than literary.

Overall, a good start with a contrived and boring ending. The sinister characters at the center of the plot become unconvincing and ultimately ridiculous.

The judgement of the prize committee is bizarre – only the first half of the first book is truly of the highest caliber.

I found the author’s attempt to wrap his mystical story in particle physics terminology merely annoying.

But, of course, that’s part of what makes them such a joy. They don’t treat the reader like an idiot. The world is presented as it is, and the assumption is that you, the reader, are smart enough to fit all the pieces together — to be aware enough of particle physics to pick up those allusions, likewise with Victorian England, likewise to just get what is going on with matched demons without a didactic explanation. The values business — think for yourself about what religion means, and has meant through history — is just one more part of this.

I expect it is true that the set of kids who can cope with this is smaller than the set that can cope with Harry Potter, but I also suspect it is larger than many supposed educators suspect. (cf Stephen Johnson’s _Everything Bad is Good for You_)

Now, while my parents still believe the earth is 6000 years old and more hurricanes are signs of the endtimes, I’m studying biology and the evolution of drought resistance. There were certainly other influences that helped me, but these books gave me the courage to start asking questions.