Daemon Voices: On Story and Storytelling - Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman, the internationally best-selling author of the His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust trilogies, has published his guide to the art of narrative craft in Daemon Voices: On Story and Storytelling.

Compiled from a series of essays, speeches, and novel introductions spanning a nearly twenty-year period, this collection of writing touches on myriad subjects. Not simply a discussion of Pullman’s own works, he delves into an analysis of his own literary inspirations such as Blake, Milton and the Brothers Grimm.

Touching on religion - one of the primary themes in His Dark Materials trilogy, he makes the case for atheism in the most articulate of ways, as he discusses religion as a method of control and censorship, as well as his belief in the person Jesus, but not the myth Jesus Christ - which was the primary theme of his novel The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ.

Most interestingly, Pullman makes the case for fantasy - as someone who doesn’t consider himself to be a writer of the genre - as a respectable literary form, rather than a second-class citizen in the world of publishing. Not only that but Pullman makes the case for reading as a valuable and necessary pastime for young children, and adults, if we are to continue to be a society of intelligent and open-minded citizens.

I supplemented my reading of Daemon Voices with the audiobook, read by Pullman himself, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Pullman’s readings bring his essays and speeches to life, and he is a captivating orator.

If you’re a fan of Pullman’s writing, or you’re just interested in reading or writing generally, I would highly recommend picking up a copy and poring over the insight and wisdom contained within this collection of essays on the literary art form.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

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