Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

To be honest, it depends who you are and what you're after, 08 Oct 2007
And that's why I give it three stars (although really that's more of an average between four and two, depending on who you are and what you're after). If you're a child, or someone without much of a background in science (particularly physics), and if you're interested in learning, then this book will be interesting and I think it's well worth a read. If you, say, have a physics A level, then a good deal of this book will be covering old ground, and at a pace you may find slow. If you are after something to whet your appetite while Pullman slaves away on his next installment (aren't we excited!) then this is probably not it.

Let's be fair - it's not fiction, and it's not Pullman, so you're not likely to be glued to pages. But it never claims to be. What it is, it does well, the science in here is detailed without being overwhelming, and fairly complete - to be honest you barely need to know anything at all to be able to understand the science here, you just need to be willing.

And it does show what I feel it was intended to - that a lot of what Pullman wrote about in His Dark Materials is based (on some level) in fact. And that is of course what makes Science Fiction writing so exciting and so addictive - and also what makes studying science so fascinating for science fiction fans. And it's good for the imagination of the romantically inclined, like me - the fact that the existance of parallel worlds is hypothesised at the highest levels gives me that little chance to believe that His Dark Materials might all be true...

But anyway, the book itself is a good, easy read to dip in and out of or to rattle through, and hopefully this review has given you a clue as to whether it's right for you!

cheap but not nasty, 23 Sep 2007
if you've read philip pullman's "his dark materials" you will definitely be wondering just how much is fact and how much is fantasy. john gribbin's book (co-written by the mrs) goes through much of the scientific basis of the various premises of the groundbreaking trilogy.

you will be amazed to discover that alternative realities, in the form of multiverses, are not just figments of pullman's imagination, but are indeed products of quantum theory. the nature of time, evolution, dark matter and other bits are all discussed in a manner that is both relevatory and fascinating. all-in-all you are left with the impression that pullman's novels are much more than mere fairy tales. i know that you will enjoy it like i did.

Making Science Magical, 04 Sep 2005
I bought this for my children and was entranced enough to read it myself. I disagree with previous reviewers: it is possible to read and enjoy this, even if you have not read the dark materials trilogy. It only uses the ideas in Pullman's books as introductions, to show how the facts about how our universe works are as awe inspiring and magical as any imagined fantasy. Clearly and cleverly written it is a beautiful introduction to the wonder of science for anyone, explaining theories of the unconscious mind, dark matter, northern lights and even parallel universes. Large text, a bit pricey, but well worth it.

A misleading but good introduction to SCIENCE, 24 Nov 2003
I couldn't help to but feel a little cheated after reading this book. I think Philip Pullman is a fantastic storyteller and the 'His Dark Materials' [HDM] novels are agmonst the best works of fiction published in recent years. Also, my background is science and I have a young son who has been just as spellbound by Pullman's writing as myself. So I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into this book, and hopefully my son's.

The first problem with this book is explained by Pullman himself in his introduction: 'When I heard that they [the Gribbins] were interested in writing a book about the science of 'His Dark Materials', I felt as priveleged as if Dan Dare had invited me for a flight in his rocket. But I wondered what they'd find to say... Because I wasn't writing about science, after all... Take the idea of parallel worlds. Many writers have used this idea, though it doesn't always come with a scientific explanation.'

This sums up the book up. A lot of its content could've been applied to other books, or the link with HDM is tenuous. It merely takes something from Pullman as a starting point and explains it, but in doing so, leaves the original subject behind. Don't get me wrong, the explanation of the science itself is excellent but just how illuminating it is in reference to HDM, is debatable.

The other problem with the feeling of being cheated by the price and physical size in comparison to the content. For a children's book it is expensive. And it's size is quite large. But the amount of content is fairly minimal and spread-out. Put is this way, there is alot of white space. The book would have looked a lot better value at £5.99 and a size smaller, with the text still the same size (and it could easily have fitted).

All in all, this is a good book and compliments the other book recently published on Philip Pullman, the excellent 'Darkness Visible' by Nicholas Tucker.

Prepare to be amazed, 12 Nov 2003
Amazing! I didn't think I could appreciate Pullman's Dark Materials anymore than I already did ... but this book blew me away. It has added a new dimension to Lyra and Will's worlds. Mary and John Gribbin explain in an amazingly clear way the science behind such phenomena as the Northerns Lights, the alternate worlds, the Dark Material itself. It is easy-to-understand without trivalising some of the most complicated concepts in science. If only I had had this when I was studying this stuff!!!! ... and if I had read this when I was at school I would never have slept through physics. I am almost tempted to go back and relearn it all again. What an incredible world we live in and what an incredible man Pullman is to be able to capture so many concepts across so many fields in a single series! I think this is the key to Pullman's work. Despite being a fantasy it is so real, so possible and holds so many truths about us as humans and now through the brilliance of Mary and John Gribbin it goes one deeper delving into the complex, amazing world we live in and showing us that maybe it isn't really that much fantasy at all.

I don't think you could read this book without having read Pullman's Dark Materials, but if you haven't read His Dark Materials I envy you because to discover this series is to discover the series of a lifetime. Read them and then read this book and then just sit back and feel your mind expanding.

Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

To be honest, it depends who you are and what you're after, 08 Oct 2007
And that's why I give it three stars (although really that's more of an average between four and two, depending on who you are and what you're after). If you're a child, or someone without much of a background in science (particularly physics), and if you're interested in learning, then this book will be interesting and I think it's well worth a read. If you, say, have a physics A level, then a good deal of this book will be covering old ground, and at a pace you may find slow. If you are after something to whet your appetite while Pullman slaves away on his next installment (aren't we excited!) then this is probably not it.

Let's be fair - it's not fiction, and it's not Pullman, so you're not likely to be glued to pages. But it never claims to be. What it is, it does well, the science in here is detailed without being overwhelming, and fairly complete - to be honest you barely need to know anything at all to be able to understand the science here, you just need to be willing.

And it does show what I feel it was intended to - that a lot of what Pullman wrote about in His Dark Materials is based (on some level) in fact. And that is of course what makes Science Fiction writing so exciting and so addictive - and also what makes studying science so fascinating for science fiction fans. And it's good for the imagination of the romantically inclined, like me - the fact that the existance of parallel worlds is hypothesised at the highest levels gives me that little chance to believe that His Dark Materials might all be true...

But anyway, the book itself is a good, easy read to dip in and out of or to rattle through, and hopefully this review has given you a clue as to whether it's right for you!

cheap but not nasty, 23 Sep 2007
if you've read philip pullman's "his dark materials" you will definitely be wondering just how much is fact and how much is fantasy. john gribbin's book (co-written by the mrs) goes through much of the scientific basis of the various premises of the groundbreaking trilogy.

you will be amazed to discover that alternative realities, in the form of multiverses, are not just figments of pullman's imagination, but are indeed products of quantum theory. the nature of time, evolution, dark matter and other bits are all discussed in a manner that is both relevatory and fascinating. all-in-all you are left with the impression that pullman's novels are much more than mere fairy tales. i know that you will enjoy it like i did.

Making Science Magical, 04 Sep 2005
I bought this for my children and was entranced enough to read it myself. I disagree with previous reviewers: it is possible to read and enjoy this, even if you have not read the dark materials trilogy. It only uses the ideas in Pullman's books as introductions, to show how the facts about how our universe works are as awe inspiring and magical as any imagined fantasy. Clearly and cleverly written it is a beautiful introduction to the wonder of science for anyone, explaining theories of the unconscious mind, dark matter, northern lights and even parallel universes. Large text, a bit pricey, but well worth it.

A misleading but good introduction to SCIENCE, 24 Nov 2003
I couldn't help to but feel a little cheated after reading this book. I think Philip Pullman is a fantastic storyteller and the 'His Dark Materials' [HDM] novels are agmonst the best works of fiction published in recent years. Also, my background is science and I have a young son who has been just as spellbound by Pullman's writing as myself. So I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into this book, and hopefully my son's.

The first problem with this book is explained by Pullman himself in his introduction: 'When I heard that they [the Gribbins] were interested in writing a book about the science of 'His Dark Materials', I felt as priveleged as if Dan Dare had invited me for a flight in his rocket. But I wondered what they'd find to say... Because I wasn't writing about science, after all... Take the idea of parallel worlds. Many writers have used this idea, though it doesn't always come with a scientific explanation.'

This sums up the book up. A lot of its content could've been applied to other books, or the link with HDM is tenuous. It merely takes something from Pullman as a starting point and explains it, but in doing so, leaves the original subject behind. Don't get me wrong, the explanation of the science itself is excellent but just how illuminating it is in reference to HDM, is debatable.

The other problem with the feeling of being cheated by the price and physical size in comparison to the content. For a children's book it is expensive. And it's size is quite large. But the amount of content is fairly minimal and spread-out. Put is this way, there is alot of white space. The book would have looked a lot better value at £5.99 and a size smaller, with the text still the same size (and it could easily have fitted).

All in all, this is a good book and compliments the other book recently published on Philip Pullman, the excellent 'Darkness Visible' by Nicholas Tucker.

Prepare to be amazed, 12 Nov 2003
Amazing! I didn't think I could appreciate Pullman's Dark Materials anymore than I already did ... but this book blew me away. It has added a new dimension to Lyra and Will's worlds. Mary and John Gribbin explain in an amazingly clear way the science behind such phenomena as the Northerns Lights, the alternate worlds, the Dark Material itself. It is easy-to-understand without trivalising some of the most complicated concepts in science. If only I had had this when I was studying this stuff!!!! ... and if I had read this when I was at school I would never have slept through physics. I am almost tempted to go back and relearn it all again. What an incredible world we live in and what an incredible man Pullman is to be able to capture so many concepts across so many fields in a single series! I think this is the key to Pullman's work. Despite being a fantasy it is so real, so possible and holds so many truths about us as humans and now through the brilliance of Mary and John Gribbin it goes one deeper delving into the complex, amazing world we live in and showing us that maybe it isn't really that much fantasy at all.

I don't think you could read this book without having read Pullman's Dark Materials, but if you haven't read His Dark Materials I envy you because to discover this series is to discover the series of a lifetime. Read them and then read this book and then just sit back and feel your mind expanding.

Fun for many reasons, 01 May 2008
This is an interesting book on many levels. It's good on the origins of comics and superheroes, the reference section is surprisingly extensive with characters who will be new to most people and it is neither highbrow nor condescending.
Well worth a few quid.

Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

To be honest, it depends who you are and what you're after, 08 Oct 2007
And that's why I give it three stars (although really that's more of an average between four and two, depending on who you are and what you're after). If you're a child, or someone without much of a background in science (particularly physics), and if you're interested in learning, then this book will be interesting and I think it's well worth a read. If you, say, have a physics A level, then a good deal of this book will be covering old ground, and at a pace you may find slow. If you are after something to whet your appetite while Pullman slaves away on his next installment (aren't we excited!) then this is probably not it.

Let's be fair - it's not fiction, and it's not Pullman, so you're not likely to be glued to pages. But it never claims to be. What it is, it does well, the science in here is detailed without being overwhelming, and fairly complete - to be honest you barely need to know anything at all to be able to understand the science here, you just need to be willing.

And it does show what I feel it was intended to - that a lot of what Pullman wrote about in His Dark Materials is based (on some level) in fact. And that is of course what makes Science Fiction writing so exciting and so addictive - and also what makes studying science so fascinating for science fiction fans. And it's good for the imagination of the romantically inclined, like me - the fact that the existance of parallel worlds is hypothesised at the highest levels gives me that little chance to believe that His Dark Materials might all be true...

But anyway, the book itself is a good, easy read to dip in and out of or to rattle through, and hopefully this review has given you a clue as to whether it's right for you!

cheap but not nasty, 23 Sep 2007
if you've read philip pullman's "his dark materials" you will definitely be wondering just how much is fact and how much is fantasy. john gribbin's book (co-written by the mrs) goes through much of the scientific basis of the various premises of the groundbreaking trilogy.

you will be amazed to discover that alternative realities, in the form of multiverses, are not just figments of pullman's imagination, but are indeed products of quantum theory. the nature of time, evolution, dark matter and other bits are all discussed in a manner that is both relevatory and fascinating. all-in-all you are left with the impression that pullman's novels are much more than mere fairy tales. i know that you will enjoy it like i did.

Making Science Magical, 04 Sep 2005
I bought this for my children and was entranced enough to read it myself. I disagree with previous reviewers: it is possible to read and enjoy this, even if you have not read the dark materials trilogy. It only uses the ideas in Pullman's books as introductions, to show how the facts about how our universe works are as awe inspiring and magical as any imagined fantasy. Clearly and cleverly written it is a beautiful introduction to the wonder of science for anyone, explaining theories of the unconscious mind, dark matter, northern lights and even parallel universes. Large text, a bit pricey, but well worth it.

A misleading but good introduction to SCIENCE, 24 Nov 2003
I couldn't help to but feel a little cheated after reading this book. I think Philip Pullman is a fantastic storyteller and the 'His Dark Materials' [HDM] novels are agmonst the best works of fiction published in recent years. Also, my background is science and I have a young son who has been just as spellbound by Pullman's writing as myself. So I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into this book, and hopefully my son's.

The first problem with this book is explained by Pullman himself in his introduction: 'When I heard that they [the Gribbins] were interested in writing a book about the science of 'His Dark Materials', I felt as priveleged as if Dan Dare had invited me for a flight in his rocket. But I wondered what they'd find to say... Because I wasn't writing about science, after all... Take the idea of parallel worlds. Many writers have used this idea, though it doesn't always come with a scientific explanation.'

This sums up the book up. A lot of its content could've been applied to other books, or the link with HDM is tenuous. It merely takes something from Pullman as a starting point and explains it, but in doing so, leaves the original subject behind. Don't get me wrong, the explanation of the science itself is excellent but just how illuminating it is in reference to HDM, is debatable.

The other problem with the feeling of being cheated by the price and physical size in comparison to the content. For a children's book it is expensive. And it's size is quite large. But the amount of content is fairly minimal and spread-out. Put is this way, there is alot of white space. The book would have looked a lot better value at £5.99 and a size smaller, with the text still the same size (and it could easily have fitted).

All in all, this is a good book and compliments the other book recently published on Philip Pullman, the excellent 'Darkness Visible' by Nicholas Tucker.

Prepare to be amazed, 12 Nov 2003
Amazing! I didn't think I could appreciate Pullman's Dark Materials anymore than I already did ... but this book blew me away. It has added a new dimension to Lyra and Will's worlds. Mary and John Gribbin explain in an amazingly clear way the science behind such phenomena as the Northerns Lights, the alternate worlds, the Dark Material itself. It is easy-to-understand without trivalising some of the most complicated concepts in science. If only I had had this when I was studying this stuff!!!! ... and if I had read this when I was at school I would never have slept through physics. I am almost tempted to go back and relearn it all again. What an incredible world we live in and what an incredible man Pullman is to be able to capture so many concepts across so many fields in a single series! I think this is the key to Pullman's work. Despite being a fantasy it is so real, so possible and holds so many truths about us as humans and now through the brilliance of Mary and John Gribbin it goes one deeper delving into the complex, amazing world we live in and showing us that maybe it isn't really that much fantasy at all.

I don't think you could read this book without having read Pullman's Dark Materials, but if you haven't read His Dark Materials I envy you because to discover this series is to discover the series of a lifetime. Read them and then read this book and then just sit back and feel your mind expanding.

Fun for many reasons, 01 May 2008
This is an interesting book on many levels. It's good on the origins of comics and superheroes, the reference section is surprisingly extensive with characters who will be new to most people and it is neither highbrow nor condescending.
Well worth a few quid.

A great book!, 16 Aug 2005
Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) is remembered for two things - his great works of Christian theology (Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, and many more) and his Chronicles of Narnia books. Many people examine the Narnia books for Christian allegories, but as Mr. Lewis himself stated, the books were not written as allegories, but were fantastic stories into which Christian truths pushed themselves. This book is not so much an examination of the theology of the Chronicles of Narnia, but a look at the Christian truths that are found there nonetheless.

I must say that I found this to be a wonderfully interesting book. The authors examine the Christian truths reflected in the Narnia books - everything from creation, to sin, redemption, and the nature of man. If you are a fan of the Narnia books, then you will enjoy this one. Indeed, I don't doubt that C.S. Lewis himself would have enjoyed it.

And, I will add that this book is simple enough reading that you can give it to a high school or even junior high school student, and they will be able to read and fully understand it. This is a great book that I highly recommend to everyone!

Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

To be honest, it depends who you are and what you're after, 08 Oct 2007
And that's why I give it three stars (although really that's more of an average between four and two, depending on who you are and what you're after). If you're a child, or someone without much of a background in science (particularly physics), and if you're interested in learning, then this book will be interesting and I think it's well worth a read. If you, say, have a physics A level, then a good deal of this book will be covering old ground, and at a pace you may find slow. If you are after something to whet your appetite while Pullman slaves away on his next installment (aren't we excited!) then this is probably not it.

Let's be fair - it's not fiction, and it's not Pullman, so you're not likely to be glued to pages. But it never claims to be. What it is, it does well, the science in here is detailed without being overwhelming, and fairly complete - to be honest you barely need to know anything at all to be able to understand the science here, you just need to be willing.

And it does show what I feel it was intended to - that a lot of what Pullman wrote about in His Dark Materials is based (on some level) in fact. And that is of course what makes Science Fiction writing so exciting and so addictive - and also what makes studying science so fascinating for science fiction fans. And it's good for the imagination of the romantically inclined, like me - the fact that the existance of parallel worlds is hypothesised at the highest levels gives me that little chance to believe that His Dark Materials might all be true...

But anyway, the book itself is a good, easy read to dip in and out of or to rattle through, and hopefully this review has given you a clue as to whether it's right for you!

cheap but not nasty, 23 Sep 2007
if you've read philip pullman's "his dark materials" you will definitely be wondering just how much is fact and how much is fantasy. john gribbin's book (co-written by the mrs) goes through much of the scientific basis of the various premises of the groundbreaking trilogy.

you will be amazed to discover that alternative realities, in the form of multiverses, are not just figments of pullman's imagination, but are indeed products of quantum theory. the nature of time, evolution, dark matter and other bits are all discussed in a manner that is both relevatory and fascinating. all-in-all you are left with the impression that pullman's novels are much more than mere fairy tales. i know that you will enjoy it like i did.

Making Science Magical, 04 Sep 2005
I bought this for my children and was entranced enough to read it myself. I disagree with previous reviewers: it is possible to read and enjoy this, even if you have not read the dark materials trilogy. It only uses the ideas in Pullman's books as introductions, to show how the facts about how our universe works are as awe inspiring and magical as any imagined fantasy. Clearly and cleverly written it is a beautiful introduction to the wonder of science for anyone, explaining theories of the unconscious mind, dark matter, northern lights and even parallel universes. Large text, a bit pricey, but well worth it.

A misleading but good introduction to SCIENCE, 24 Nov 2003
I couldn't help to but feel a little cheated after reading this book. I think Philip Pullman is a fantastic storyteller and the 'His Dark Materials' [HDM] novels are agmonst the best works of fiction published in recent years. Also, my background is science and I have a young son who has been just as spellbound by Pullman's writing as myself. So I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into this book, and hopefully my son's.

The first problem with this book is explained by Pullman himself in his introduction: 'When I heard that they [the Gribbins] were interested in writing a book about the science of 'His Dark Materials', I felt as priveleged as if Dan Dare had invited me for a flight in his rocket. But I wondered what they'd find to say... Because I wasn't writing about science, after all... Take the idea of parallel worlds. Many writers have used this idea, though it doesn't always come with a scientific explanation.'

This sums up the book up. A lot of its content could've been applied to other books, or the link with HDM is tenuous. It merely takes something from Pullman as a starting point and explains it, but in doing so, leaves the original subject behind. Don't get me wrong, the explanation of the science itself is excellent but just how illuminating it is in reference to HDM, is debatable.

The other problem with the feeling of being cheated by the price and physical size in comparison to the content. For a children's book it is expensive. And it's size is quite large. But the amount of content is fairly minimal and spread-out. Put is this way, there is alot of white space. The book would have looked a lot better value at £5.99 and a size smaller, with the text still the same size (and it could easily have fitted).

All in all, this is a good book and compliments the other book recently published on Philip Pullman, the excellent 'Darkness Visible' by Nicholas Tucker.

Prepare to be amazed, 12 Nov 2003
Amazing! I didn't think I could appreciate Pullman's Dark Materials anymore than I already did ... but this book blew me away. It has added a new dimension to Lyra and Will's worlds. Mary and John Gribbin explain in an amazingly clear way the science behind such phenomena as the Northerns Lights, the alternate worlds, the Dark Material itself. It is easy-to-understand without trivalising some of the most complicated concepts in science. If only I had had this when I was studying this stuff!!!! ... and if I had read this when I was at school I would never have slept through physics. I am almost tempted to go back and relearn it all again. What an incredible world we live in and what an incredible man Pullman is to be able to capture so many concepts across so many fields in a single series! I think this is the key to Pullman's work. Despite being a fantasy it is so real, so possible and holds so many truths about us as humans and now through the brilliance of Mary and John Gribbin it goes one deeper delving into the complex, amazing world we live in and showing us that maybe it isn't really that much fantasy at all.

I don't think you could read this book without having read Pullman's Dark Materials, but if you haven't read His Dark Materials I envy you because to discover this series is to discover the series of a lifetime. Read them and then read this book and then just sit back and feel your mind expanding.

Fun for many reasons, 01 May 2008
This is an interesting book on many levels. It's good on the origins of comics and superheroes, the reference section is surprisingly extensive with characters who will be new to most people and it is neither highbrow nor condescending.
Well worth a few quid.

A great book!, 16 Aug 2005
Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) is remembered for two things - his great works of Christian theology (Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, and many more) and his Chronicles of Narnia books. Many people examine the Narnia books for Christian allegories, but as Mr. Lewis himself stated, the books were not written as allegories, but were fantastic stories into which Christian truths pushed themselves. This book is not so much an examination of the theology of the Chronicles of Narnia, but a look at the Christian truths that are found there nonetheless.

I must say that I found this to be a wonderfully interesting book. The authors examine the Christian truths reflected in the Narnia books - everything from creation, to sin, redemption, and the nature of man. If you are a fan of the Narnia books, then you will enjoy this one. Indeed, I don't doubt that C.S. Lewis himself would have enjoyed it.

And, I will add that this book is simple enough reading that you can give it to a high school or even junior high school student, and they will be able to read and fully understand it. This is a great book that I highly recommend to everyone!

A sound analysis, 01 Aug 2007
This examination of the extremely popular Harry Potter series proved to be an interestingly thorough analysis. Each chapter of this examination deals with a different psychological aspect of the books and also compares certain events and behaviours in the stories, to that of real life explanations. There is comprehensive reference to many famous pyschologists including freud, Milgram, Bowlby etc, and particular concentration on the psychology of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the Hogwarts school in general. If you like Harry Potter and find the field of psychology interesting, then you will like this book. Being a developmental psychology student, I found the chapter on attachment styles in the HP Books very helpfull.

Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

To be honest, it depends who you are and what you're after, 08 Oct 2007
And that's why I give it three stars (although really that's more of an average between four and two, depending on who you are and what you're after). If you're a child, or someone without much of a background in science (particularly physics), and if you're interested in learning, then this book will be interesting and I think it's well worth a read. If you, say, have a physics A level, then a good deal of this book will be covering old ground, and at a pace you may find slow. If you are after something to whet your appetite while Pullman slaves away on his next installment (aren't we excited!) then this is probably not it.

Let's be fair - it's not fiction, and it's not Pullman, so you're not likely to be glued to pages. But it never claims to be. What it is, it does well, the science in here is detailed without being overwhelming, and fairly complete - to be honest you barely need to know anything at all to be able to understand the science here, you just need to be willing.

And it does show what I feel it was intended to - that a lot of what Pullman wrote about in His Dark Materials is based (on some level) in fact. And that is of course what makes Science Fiction writing so exciting and so addictive - and also what makes studying science so fascinating for science fiction fans. And it's good for the imagination of the romantically inclined, like me - the fact that the existance of parallel worlds is hypothesised at the highest levels gives me that little chance to believe that His Dark Materials might all be true...

But anyway, the book itself is a good, easy read to dip in and out of or to rattle through, and hopefully this review has given you a clue as to whether it's right for you!

cheap but not nasty, 23 Sep 2007
if you've read philip pullman's "his dark materials" you will definitely be wondering just how much is fact and how much is fantasy. john gribbin's book (co-written by the mrs) goes through much of the scientific basis of the various premises of the groundbreaking trilogy.

you will be amazed to discover that alternative realities, in the form of multiverses, are not just figments of pullman's imagination, but are indeed products of quantum theory. the nature of time, evolution, dark matter and other bits are all discussed in a manner that is both relevatory and fascinating. all-in-all you are left with the impression that pullman's novels are much more than mere fairy tales. i know that you will enjoy it like i did.

Making Science Magical, 04 Sep 2005
I bought this for my children and was entranced enough to read it myself. I disagree with previous reviewers: it is possible to read and enjoy this, even if you have not read the dark materials trilogy. It only uses the ideas in Pullman's books as introductions, to show how the facts about how our universe works are as awe inspiring and magical as any imagined fantasy. Clearly and cleverly written it is a beautiful introduction to the wonder of science for anyone, explaining theories of the unconscious mind, dark matter, northern lights and even parallel universes. Large text, a bit pricey, but well worth it.

A misleading but good introduction to SCIENCE, 24 Nov 2003
I couldn't help to but feel a little cheated after reading this book. I think Philip Pullman is a fantastic storyteller and the 'His Dark Materials' [HDM] novels are agmonst the best works of fiction published in recent years. Also, my background is science and I have a young son who has been just as spellbound by Pullman's writing as myself. So I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into this book, and hopefully my son's.

The first problem with this book is explained by Pullman himself in his introduction: 'When I heard that they [the Gribbins] were interested in writing a book about the science of 'His Dark Materials', I felt as priveleged as if Dan Dare had invited me for a flight in his rocket. But I wondered what they'd find to say... Because I wasn't writing about science, after all... Take the idea of parallel worlds. Many writers have used this idea, though it doesn't always come with a scientific explanation.'

This sums up the book up. A lot of its content could've been applied to other books, or the link with HDM is tenuous. It merely takes something from Pullman as a starting point and explains it, but in doing so, leaves the original subject behind. Don't get me wrong, the explanation of the science itself is excellent but just how illuminating it is in reference to HDM, is debatable.

The other problem with the feeling of being cheated by the price and physical size in comparison to the content. For a children's book it is expensive. And it's size is quite large. But the amount of content is fairly minimal and spread-out. Put is this way, there is alot of white space. The book would have looked a lot better value at £5.99 and a size smaller, with the text still the same size (and it could easily have fitted).

All in all, this is a good book and compliments the other book recently published on Philip Pullman, the excellent 'Darkness Visible' by Nicholas Tucker.

Prepare to be amazed, 12 Nov 2003
Amazing! I didn't think I could appreciate Pullman's Dark Materials anymore than I already did ... but this book blew me away. It has added a new dimension to Lyra and Will's worlds. Mary and John Gribbin explain in an amazingly clear way the science behind such phenomena as the Northerns Lights, the alternate worlds, the Dark Material itself. It is easy-to-understand without trivalising some of the most complicated concepts in science. If only I had had this when I was studying this stuff!!!! ... and if I had read this when I was at school I would never have slept through physics. I am almost tempted to go back and relearn it all again. What an incredible world we live in and what an incredible man Pullman is to be able to capture so many concepts across so many fields in a single series! I think this is the key to Pullman's work. Despite being a fantasy it is so real, so possible and holds so many truths about us as humans and now through the brilliance of Mary and John Gribbin it goes one deeper delving into the complex, amazing world we live in and showing us that maybe it isn't really that much fantasy at all.

I don't think you could read this book without having read Pullman's Dark Materials, but if you haven't read His Dark Materials I envy you because to discover this series is to discover the series of a lifetime. Read them and then read this book and then just sit back and feel your mind expanding.

Fun for many reasons, 01 May 2008
This is an interesting book on many levels. It's good on the origins of comics and superheroes, the reference section is surprisingly extensive with characters who will be new to most people and it is neither highbrow nor condescending.
Well worth a few quid.

A great book!, 16 Aug 2005
Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) is remembered for two things - his great works of Christian theology (Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, and many more) and his Chronicles of Narnia books. Many people examine the Narnia books for Christian allegories, but as Mr. Lewis himself stated, the books were not written as allegories, but were fantastic stories into which Christian truths pushed themselves. This book is not so much an examination of the theology of the Chronicles of Narnia, but a look at the Christian truths that are found there nonetheless.

I must say that I found this to be a wonderfully interesting book. The authors examine the Christian truths reflected in the Narnia books - everything from creation, to sin, redemption, and the nature of man. If you are a fan of the Narnia books, then you will enjoy this one. Indeed, I don't doubt that C.S. Lewis himself would have enjoyed it.

And, I will add that this book is simple enough reading that you can give it to a high school or even junior high school student, and they will be able to read and fully understand it. This is a great book that I highly recommend to everyone!

A sound analysis, 01 Aug 2007
This examination of the extremely popular Harry Potter series proved to be an interestingly thorough analysis. Each chapter of this examination deals with a different psychological aspect of the books and also compares certain events and behaviours in the stories, to that of real life explanations. There is comprehensive reference to many famous pyschologists including freud, Milgram, Bowlby etc, and particular concentration on the psychology of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the Hogwarts school in general. If you like Harry Potter and find the field of psychology interesting, then you will like this book. Being a developmental psychology student, I found the chapter on attachment styles in the HP Books very helpfull.

A facinating life, a fantastic biography, 02 Dec 2006
The Monsters is a fantastic book. It gives potted biographies, not only of Mary Shelley, but also of Mary Wollsencraft and William Godwin (Mary's parents), Percy Shelley, Byron and Polidori. The book considers the circumstances of Mary's life which led to her writing Frankenstein and the subsequent events.

The book was facinating. It didn't waste time going over loads and loads of pointless details, concentrating on the important issues for Mary. Having read this book, I feel a new respect for a woman who was under valued in life and is probably underrated in death.

A must for any lover of all things gothic.

Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

To be honest, it depends who you are and what you're after, 08 Oct 2007
And that's why I give it three stars (although really that's more of an average between four and two, depending on who you are and what you're after). If you're a child, or someone without much of a background in science (particularly physics), and if you're interested in learning, then this book will be interesting and I think it's well worth a read. If you, say, have a physics A level, then a good deal of this book will be covering old ground, and at a pace you may find slow. If you are after something to whet your appetite while Pullman slaves away on his next installment (aren't we excited!) then this is probably not it.

Let's be fair - it's not fiction, and it's not Pullman, so you're not likely to be glued to pages. But it never claims to be. What it is, it does well, the science in here is detailed without being overwhelming, and fairly complete - to be honest you barely need to know anything at all to be able to understand the science here, you just need to be willing.

And it does show what I feel it was intended to - that a lot of what Pullman wrote about in His Dark Materials is based (on some level) in fact. And that is of course what makes Science Fiction writing so exciting and so addictive - and also what makes studying science so fascinating for science fiction fans. And it's good for the imagination of the romantically inclined, like me - the fact that the existance of parallel worlds is hypothesised at the highest levels gives me that little chance to believe that His Dark Materials might all be true...

But anyway, the book itself is a good, easy read to dip in and out of or to rattle through, and hopefully this review has given you a clue as to whether it's right for you!

cheap but not nasty, 23 Sep 2007
if you've read philip pullman's "his dark materials" you will definitely be wondering just how much is fact and how much is fantasy. john gribbin's book (co-written by the mrs) goes through much of the scientific basis of the various premises of the groundbreaking trilogy.

you will be amazed to discover that alternative realities, in the form of multiverses, are not just figments of pullman's imagination, but are indeed products of quantum theory. the nature of time, evolution, dark matter and other bits are all discussed in a manner that is both relevatory and fascinating. all-in-all you are left with the impression that pullman's novels are much more than mere fairy tales. i know that you will enjoy it like i did.

Making Science Magical, 04 Sep 2005
I bought this for my children and was entranced enough to read it myself. I disagree with previous reviewers: it is possible to read and enjoy this, even if you have not read the dark materials trilogy. It only uses the ideas in Pullman's books as introductions, to show how the facts about how our universe works are as awe inspiring and magical as any imagined fantasy. Clearly and cleverly written it is a beautiful introduction to the wonder of science for anyone, explaining theories of the unconscious mind, dark matter, northern lights and even parallel universes. Large text, a bit pricey, but well worth it.

A misleading but good introduction to SCIENCE, 24 Nov 2003
I couldn't help to but feel a little cheated after reading this book. I think Philip Pullman is a fantastic storyteller and the 'His Dark Materials' [HDM] novels are agmonst the best works of fiction published in recent years. Also, my background is science and I have a young son who has been just as spellbound by Pullman's writing as myself. So I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into this book, and hopefully my son's.

The first problem with this book is explained by Pullman himself in his introduction: 'When I heard that they [the Gribbins] were interested in writing a book about the science of 'His Dark Materials', I felt as priveleged as if Dan Dare had invited me for a flight in his rocket. But I wondered what they'd find to say... Because I wasn't writing about science, after all... Take the idea of parallel worlds. Many writers have used this idea, though it doesn't always come with a scientific explanation.'

This sums up the book up. A lot of its content could've been applied to other books, or the link with HDM is tenuous. It merely takes something from Pullman as a starting point and explains it, but in doing so, leaves the original subject behind. Don't get me wrong, the explanation of the science itself is excellent but just how illuminating it is in reference to HDM, is debatable.

The other problem with the feeling of being cheated by the price and physical size in comparison to the content. For a children's book it is expensive. And it's size is quite large. But the amount of content is fairly minimal and spread-out. Put is this way, there is alot of white space. The book would have looked a lot better value at £5.99 and a size smaller, with the text still the same size (and it could easily have fitted).

All in all, this is a good book and compliments the other book recently published on Philip Pullman, the excellent 'Darkness Visible' by Nicholas Tucker.

Prepare to be amazed, 12 Nov 2003
Amazing! I didn't think I could appreciate Pullman's Dark Materials anymore than I already did ... but this book blew me away. It has added a new dimension to Lyra and Will's worlds. Mary and John Gribbin explain in an amazingly clear way the science behind such phenomena as the Northerns Lights, the alternate worlds, the Dark Material itself. It is easy-to-understand without trivalising some of the most complicated concepts in science. If only I had had this when I was studying this stuff!!!! ... and if I had read this when I was at school I would never have slept through physics. I am almost tempted to go back and relearn it all again. What an incredible world we live in and what an incredible man Pullman is to be able to capture so many concepts across so many fields in a single series! I think this is the key to Pullman's work. Despite being a fantasy it is so real, so possible and holds so many truths about us as humans and now through the brilliance of Mary and John Gribbin it goes one deeper delving into the complex, amazing world we live in and showing us that maybe it isn't really that much fantasy at all.

I don't think you could read this book without having read Pullman's Dark Materials, but if you haven't read His Dark Materials I envy you because to discover this series is to discover the series of a lifetime. Read them and then read this book and then just sit back and feel your mind expanding.

Fun for many reasons, 01 May 2008
This is an interesting book on many levels. It's good on the origins of comics and superheroes, the reference section is surprisingly extensive with characters who will be new to most people and it is neither highbrow nor condescending.
Well worth a few quid.

A great book!, 16 Aug 2005
Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) is remembered for two things - his great works of Christian theology (Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, and many more) and his Chronicles of Narnia books. Many people examine the Narnia books for Christian allegories, but as Mr. Lewis himself stated, the books were not written as allegories, but were fantastic stories into which Christian truths pushed themselves. This book is not so much an examination of the theology of the Chronicles of Narnia, but a look at the Christian truths that are found there nonetheless.

I must say that I found this to be a wonderfully interesting book. The authors examine the Christian truths reflected in the Narnia books - everything from creation, to sin, redemption, and the nature of man. If you are a fan of the Narnia books, then you will enjoy this one. Indeed, I don't doubt that C.S. Lewis himself would have enjoyed it.

And, I will add that this book is simple enough reading that you can give it to a high school or even junior high school student, and they will be able to read and fully understand it. This is a great book that I highly recommend to everyone!

A sound analysis, 01 Aug 2007
This examination of the extremely popular Harry Potter series proved to be an interestingly thorough analysis. Each chapter of this examination deals with a different psychological aspect of the books and also compares certain events and behaviours in the stories, to that of real life explanations. There is comprehensive reference to many famous pyschologists including freud, Milgram, Bowlby etc, and particular concentration on the psychology of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the Hogwarts school in general. If you like Harry Potter and find the field of psychology interesting, then you will like this book. Being a developmental psychology student, I found the chapter on attachment styles in the HP Books very helpfull.

A facinating life, a fantastic biography, 02 Dec 2006
The Monsters is a fantastic book. It gives potted biographies, not only of Mary Shelley, but also of Mary Wollsencraft and William Godwin (Mary's parents), Percy Shelley, Byron and Polidori. The book considers the circumstances of Mary's life which led to her writing Frankenstein and the subsequent events.

The book was facinating. It didn't waste time going over loads and loads of pointless details, concentrating on the important issues for Mary. Having read this book, I feel a new respect for a woman who was under valued in life and is probably underrated in death.

A must for any lover of all things gothic.

An Astounding resource, 24 Oct 2007
Luckhurst's encyclopaedic knowledge is matched by his incisive judgment, intellectual generosity and clear writing style. A superb starting point for anyone who wants to know more about the history and diversity of science fiction.

Indispensable, 29 Jan 2006
For all the 'Tower junkies' out there, something was lost forever the moment the last sentence ended in the 7th and final Dark Tower book.
Mercifully, the Stephen King/Marvel Dark Tower collaboration is currently underway, but if you need a fix to pass the time until then, not to mention a downright fascinating read, Bev Vincent's book is essential.

The book can be summed up as a part-biography, part-analysis of the series. Not to be confused with the 'Concordance' books, this isn't a Dark Tower encyclopedia; more an intelligent and multi-angled exploration of the characters, the (book by book) events and the semantics behind Stephen King's epic.
The depth of Vincent's insight and understanding is illustrated by King himself, quoted on the cover of the book as saying it "opens doors to Roland's world that not even I knew existed".

Every aspect, every nook, every unfound door has been delved into here. Vincent looks not only at the series itself but at all the related books in King's universe. He finds significance in the most seemingly-insubstantial events, that we as readers would probably have passed by without a moments thought, and somehow seems to put together the pieces we never knew were there.
If you have any quarrels with the books that you need laid to rest (I won't say what my own were here, lest I spoil the story), and I'm sure we all have a few, you will almost certainly find an explanation or theory in here that will put you at ease, or even a whole different perspective to mull over.

What else is there to say? The book is definitely text-heavy, with only a handful of pictures lingering within its 350 page bulk. These few images show various places and landmarks mentioned in the books, and considering how fascinating these images are to look at, it's disappointing that there's not just a few more in there to break up the text. The book also contains a glossary of Mid-World speak, and the original poem 'Childe Rowland To The Dark Tower Came' by Robert Browning, in which the books are thematically grounded.
'The Road To The Dark Tower' is a refreshing and level-headed look at the world(s) of our favourite ka-tet, although for obvious reasons, it's best left until you've finished books 1 through 7.

To be honest, it depends who you are and what you're after, 08 Oct 2007
And that's why I give it three stars (although really that's more of an average between four and two, depending on who you are and what you're after). If you're a child, or someone without much of a background in science (particularly physics), and if you're interested in learning, then this book will be interesting and I think it's well worth a read. If you, say, have a physics A level, then a good deal of this book will be covering old ground, and at a pace you may find slow. If you are after something to whet your appetite while Pullman slaves away on his next installment (aren't we excited!) then this is probably not it.

Let's be fair - it's not fiction, and it's not Pullman, so you're not likely to be glued to pages. But it never claims to be. What it is, it does well, the science in here is detailed without being overwhelming, and fairly complete - to be honest you barely need to know anything at all to be able to understand the science here, you just need to be willing.

And it does show what I feel it was intended to - that a lot of what Pullman wrote about in His Dark Materials is based (on some level) in fact. And that is of course what makes Science Fiction writing so exciting and so addictive - and also what makes studying science so fascinating for science fiction fans. And it's good for the imagination of the romantically inclined, like me - the fact that the existance of parallel worlds is hypothesised at the highest levels gives me that little chance to believe that His Dark Materials might all be true...

But anyway, the book itself is a good, easy read to dip in and out of or to rattle through, and hopefully this review has given you a clue as to whether it's right for you!

cheap but not nasty, 23 Sep 2007
if you've read philip pullman's "his dark materials" you will definitely be wondering just how much is fact and how much is fantasy. john gribbin's book (co-written by the mrs) goes through much of the scientific basis of the various premises of the groundbreaking trilogy.

you will be amazed to discover that alternative realities, in the form of multiverses, are not just figments of pullman's imagination, but are indeed products of quantum theory. the nature of time, evolution, dark matter and other bits are all discussed in a manner that is both relevatory and fascinating. all-in-all you are left with the impression that pullman's novels are much more than mere fairy tales. i know that you will enjoy it like i did.

Making Science Magical, 04 Sep 2005
I bought this for my children and was entranced enough to read it myself. I disagree with previous reviewers: it is possible to read and enjoy this, even if you have not read the dark materials trilogy. It only uses the ideas in Pullman's books as introductions, to show how the facts about how our universe works are as awe inspiring and magical as any imagined fantasy. Clearly and cleverly written it is a beautiful introduction to the wonder of science for anyone, explaining theories of the unconscious mind, dark matter, northern lights and even parallel universes. Large text, a bit pricey, but well worth it.

A misleading but good introduction to SCIENCE, 24 Nov 2003
I couldn't help to but feel a little cheated after reading this book. I think Philip Pullman is a fantastic storyteller and the 'His Dark Materials' [HDM] novels are agmonst the best works of fiction published in recent years. Also, my background is science and I have a young son who has been just as spellbound by Pullman's writing as myself. So I was really looking forward to getting my teeth into this book, and hopefully my son's.

The first problem with this book is explained by Pullman himself in his introduction: 'When I heard that they [the Gribbins] were interested in writing a book about the science of 'His Dark Materials', I felt as priveleged as if Dan Dare had invited me for a flight in his rocket. But I wondered what they'd find to say... Because I wasn't writing about science, after all... Take the idea of parallel worlds. Many writers have used this idea, though it doesn't always come with a scientific explanation.'

This sums up the book up. A lot of its content could've been applied to other books, or the link with HDM is tenuous. It merely takes something from Pullman as a starting point and explains it, but in doing so, leaves the original subject behind. Don't get me wrong, the explanation of the science itself is excellent but just how illuminating it is in reference to HDM, is debatable.

The other problem with the feeling of being cheated by the price and physical size in comparison to the content. For a children's book it is expensive. And it's size is quite large. But the amount of content is fairly minimal and spread-out. Put is this way, there is alot of white space. The book would have looked a lot better value at £5.99 and a size smaller, with the text still the same size (and it could easily have fitted).

All in all, this is a good book and compliments the other book recently published on Philip Pullman, the excellent 'Darkness Visible' by Nicholas Tucker.

Prepare to be amazed, 12 Nov 2003
Amazing! I didn't think I could appreciate Pullman's Dark Materials anymore than I already did ... but this book blew me away. It has added a new dimension to Lyra and Will's worlds. Mary and John Gribbin explain in an amazingly clear way the science behind such phenomena as the Northerns Lights, the alternate worlds, the Dark Material itself. It is easy-to-understand without trivalising some of the most complicated concepts in science. If only I had had this when I was studying this stuff!!!! ... and if I had read this when I was at school I would never have slept through physics. I am almost tempted to go back and relearn it all again. What an incredible world we live in and what an incredibl