The Republic of Heaven

Was it just because they were the best books you ever read? The underlying philosophy? Did you connect with one of the characters? Did you enjoy the not-so-subtle attack on organized religion? Well? Why did you decide to obsess over these particular books?

I'll tell you why I decided later; it's kinda sad ^^;

um cause the books were good and wills dead sexy

Because they're the best books ever. and the whole dæmon thing.

*attaches himself to an Invisible Lyra* Im attached

I entered into the noble cause of Sraffie because HDM is simply my favourite series of books ever. That and the underlying philosophy and the war against the church! I probably wouldn't have got so involved if I hadn't found these lovely forums though

Heh, yeah it's pretty much the same for me. And anyway, I needed something to obsess over in my life. Much better than being obsessed with...shudders...pokemon cards, or train spotting, or hornby models, or geographical excursions, or stamp collecting, or yodelling, or star trek, or getting arrested every day...

I hope I didn't offend too many people there... .

As long as no one has a problem with the Pokémon games I'm fine.

Well...the main reason now is that it helped me find Celierra, but also for all of the issues it brings up and makes you think about.

Because once in awhile there's a book that means something.

i was between religions when i read them and it was interesting to hear different religious views firstly and secondly i loved the characters and dæmons, and i thought it was very fasinating to hear theories of other worlds and to start making up some theories of my own.

I liked the idea of daemons and of other worlds. I also like that kind of story, missions ect. It was brilliant at the end when they fell in Love, that was like a bonus to the whole story, but then the bonus was destroyed. Thats like giving a child a lifetimes supply of sweets then taking them away plus more.
I suppose I kind of related to Will aswell.

*twitch, twitch*

I became a sraffie for a lot of reasons...um...*tries to rememeber why* That's a hard question. I suppose it's because the characters are so real and I can relate to a lot of them and the daemons of course, and the plot, too. And the concepts are all things that I am interested in.

Because I read the first page of Northern Lights and was immediatley hooked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

because they are simply the best books i've ever read.

I read the Daily Mail's rant about Pullman being semi-Satanic, and wondered how a man could be only *partially* in favour of Auld Nick. Then I started on NL, and had finished TAS within a month.

Was that the infamous Hitchens article, by any chance?

As for me, HDM was recommended to my by someone whose opinions (especially on books) I really trust, and after reading TGC, I was hooked. One day, doing research for an annotated bibliography for English class (I needed publishers and copyright dates and stuff for all the books I'd read that year), I stumbled upon darkmaterials.com and my life has never been the same. I think it took until I came here to really make me an official sraffie though.
Edit: Oh, I forgot to mention. One of the main reasons I started reading HDM was the phrase "cesspit of moral filth," applied to Mrs. Coulter but used by the abovementioned friend in such a creative manner that I had to see where it came from. *sigh* I really have no life.

Eloquent wrote:

Was that the infamous Hitchens article, by any chance?

Oh, the penny drops. That's why you were so keen on hitting him.

hehe, I made this topic sooooooooooo long ago and all of a sudden it's randomly getting answers.
I like hearing why everyone became a sraffie! They are all perfectly lovely reasons.

I read the first book as part of a reading program at my school about 2 years ago. I found the concepts and the world created absolutely enchanting and desired absolutely to find out what happened to Lyra after venturing through. As soon as I started reading about Will, I knew something would develop there. I read TSK in about a couple days, and I said to myself, "Wow, we're really getting epic here." I will never forget the moment that I finished TAS, and I don't think for the rest of my life will that point in time ever cloud for me. I'm a romantic, of sorts, and I simply couldn't stand the utter perfection of the ending, how completely horrible and yet sensible the parting of Lyra and Will was, how it must be, despite every way it must not. Even if HDM had only that, I would still be a Sraffie, but oh, there's so much more: the epic ramifications of the system the Authority had created, the new order Lord Asriel melded, and the heavy duties of those who remained. Then there's the stark contrast between the forces, and yet, they are somewhat the same.

These are the things that mystify us all, ideas, concepts, and implications that apply to all and speak to individuals, with feelings as simple and as complex as love, life, the world, death, and so much more. I can see no way how someone could not fall in love with HDM as I have.

Well a friend of mine sent me a link once to this site, and then a few months later having read the books i remembered the site and came back here to reassure myself that I wasn't the only person to have cried at the ending. I've stayed here because its reasonably small and there is a great community and I feel I 'belong' (oh the horrendous cliche) It is the best forum on the web, and by the way did i mention the books are amongst the best I've ever read.
I've just notcied Ive been a member exactly six months, doesn't time fly.