Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy imagines parallel worlds where people’s souls live outside their bodies as animal companions. Young Lyra Belacqua battles the oppressive Magisterium (a stand-in for organized religion), discovers dark matter called Dust, and participates in the death of God. The books are explicitly anti-authoritarian and anti-religious authority, arguing humans should build meaning without divine oversight. They’re also adventure stories about growing up, first love, and choosing kindness over obedience. Pullman makes atheism heroic and treats children’s intelligence seriously, writing fantasy where critical thinking triumphs over blind faith.
