"Philip Pullman's epic trilogy remains controversial for its negative depiction of religion. Scholars from various literary, philosophical, and theatrical fields address topics relevant to reading, studying, understanding the work, and its basis in Milton's Paradise Lost; the influence of science fiction on the series; issues of social class, religion, sexuality, and gender; and recent stage productions"--Provided by publisher.
Steven Barfield is joint editor of Critical Engagements, the journal of the UK Network for Modern Fiction Studies, and a member of the editorial board for the on-line journal, Literary London: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Representation of London. Katharine Cox is a principal lecturer in English at UWIC (University of Wales Institute Cardiff) where she is head of the Department of Humanities.