His Dark Materials: What are the key differences between the series and the books?

The BBC and HBO launched its lavish new adaptation of His Dark Materials recently. Featuring an all-star cast including James McAvoy and Ruth Wilson, the new series promises to be a televisual version of the beloved Philip Pullman novels. Here are some of the big differences between the original source material and the drama series.

What are the key differences between His Dark Materials and the books?

Lyra

In the books, Lyra Belacqua (played by Dafne Keen) looks very different from her onscreen incarnation.

Speaking about auditioning for the iconic role, rising star Keen said: “I read it. Curly blonde hair. I was like, ‘Okay’.

“When I first did the auditions I genuinely thought I wasn’t going to get it.

“Also, my self-tape – I’d been stung by a jellyfish, so my whole face was swollen. So I sent that in and was like, ‘This is definitely not going to work.’

“Then I did an audition with Ruth [Wilson] and that went really well.

“Then I came in and I feel like me and Lyra don’t physically look that much alike but personality-wise we’re not that far off.”

On the similarities between herself and Lyra, she said both were “very nosy, very curious, quite loud probably. I think quite cheeky in general.”

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Lyra’s arrival at Jordan College

The opening episode of His Dark Materials sees Lord Asriel (McAvoy) arriving at Jordan College in Oxford during The Great Flood and demanding Scholastic Sanctuary for baby Lyra.

He thrusts the infant into the hands of the Master (Clarke Peters) before disappearing again.

But in the novels, the story opens with Lyra spying on the Master as he tries to poison her uncle.

The show appears to have taken this scene from La Belle Sauvage, the first novel from Pullman’s prequel trilogy The Book of Dust, according to Den of Geek.

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The alethiometer

Lyra is presented with the alethiometer – or Golden Compass – by the Master in the opening instalment as a way to protect her.

The contraption is a truth-telling device which Lyra must figure out how to work.

In the show, she tries unsuccessfully to use it and harness its powers but this first attempt comes earlier on than in the source text.

On top of this, in the books Lyra is given the alethiometer by a character called Malcolm rather than the Master.

One final detail worth noting is the Golden Compass appears to be more square in this screen adaptation – rather than circular.

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The Gyptians

The Gyptian people were also introduced to the show in the season premiere with children being kidnapped by Gobblers for sinister and unknown purposes.

The group was introduced in a touching daemon settling scene which saw Tony Costa (Tyler Howitt.) reaching puberty and his soul choosing a permanent form.

In the books, the Gyptians aren’t introduced to the story in this way.

Also, in the series, a young boy is lured away by a golden fox whereas in the novels it’s a golden monkey which viewers know belongs with Mrs Coulter (Wilson).

READ MORE: His Dark Materials: What year is His Dark Materials set?

The Magisterium

In the novels, The Magisterium is a shadowy organisation but a distant threat nonetheless.

But in the show, the Church arrives fairly early on with a scene between Father MacPhail (Will Keen) and Lord Carlo Boreal (Ariyon Bakare).

However, Lord Boreal crops up later on in the books at Mrs Coulter’s cocktail party rather than a sinister scene in a Magisterium building.

His Dark Materials airs on BBC One on Sundays at 8pm

source: express.co.uk