Once in a while we happen upon a story that surprises us. It does not happen very often, but when it does, it makes us happy. Based on our "movie-watching" profile Netflix recommended The Golden Compass as a movie we would likely enjoy.

Netflix was absolutely right. We liked it so much that we decided to learn more about the original book and its author, Philip Pullman. We checked out Pullman's other writings and found that The Golden Compass was the first in His Dark Materials series. The trilogy has received a host of awards and accolades, including the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's biggest children's literary prize.

The sequel to The Golden Compass movie was in neogotiations, but rumor has it that the Church viewed the storyline as "anti-Catholic" and this caused the studio to shelve the project. Sam Elliot, who plays Lyra’s ally (aeronaut Lee Scoresby), said:

"The Catholic Church happened to The Golden Compass, as far as I’m concerned. It did incredible’at the box office, taking $380million. Incredible. It took $85million in the States. The Catholic Church … lambasted them, and I think it scared New Line off...It’s a shame as it’s a great trilogy."

Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, the printed and the audio versions of the series are still available...and book burnings hardly ever happen in civil society anymore. So, if you are hankering for a story of "good vs evil", "knowledge vs ignorance", or just want for an engaging tale with imagination and heart, then check out the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman. You will not be disappointed.

We are almost done with our 3rd listening of the Harry Potter series. This weekend we will load the entire His Dark Materials series onto our iPod and enjoy it on our trip out to L.A. Yes, we are going to talk to some people about getting the sequel back on track. [Permalink] -Philip Pullman : His Dark Materials