He is the best-selling author of His Dark Materials, a trilogy of fantasy novels, and a number of other books. Northern Lights (aka The Golden Compass) was published in 1996 and won the Carnegie Medal, one of the most prestigious British children's fiction awards, and the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.

It is argued that Pullman has an anti-Christian agenda. He is quoted as saying, "I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief. Mr. (C.S.) Lewis would think I was doing the Devil's work.” Columnist Peter Hitchens states, “He is the anti-Lewis, the one the atheists would have been praying for, if atheists prayed.” (The Mail on Sunday, 2002/01/27)

“But I'm not in the business of offending people. I find the books upholding certain values that I think are important. Such as that this life is immensely valuable. And that this world is an extraordinarily beautiful place, and we should do what we can to increase the amount of wisdom in the world.” --Washington Post, 2001/2/19