Helpful Score: 2
I loved the HDM trilogy, and this books was fine. However, it is more of a short story that should appear in some sci-fi magazine and not in a book of its own. I'm happy to read it and pass it on to others just so you don't have to pay the $6.99 to read it. Share it with everyone you can. Takes about 30 minutes to read. Very true to the trilogy though, but stands alone as a story of its own.
Helpful Score: 1
Beautiful map, nice pictures, fairly simple short story "Lyra and the Birds" set after His Dark Materials.
A short story featuring the same characters featured in Pullman's His Dark Materials YA fantasy trilogy, these events take place about two years after that. Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon, are sought out by a person-less dæmon to find a half-mad alchemist who can brew a potion for his sick person, a northern witch. This leads them on a wild chase through Oxford and they soon discover that things aren't quite what they seem. A very quick, light read--too short, IMO, although the pull-out map and woodcuts made for interesting additions to the story. I really hope he decides to continue this series further!