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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Attention all serious book collectors and fans of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. This undoubtedly beautiful package, cloth-bound in a classy red and adorned by numerous illustrations by master engraver and illustrator John Lawrence, is sure to be a must-purchase. A pint-sized pocket volume, Lyra's Oxford packages together a short story set in the same universe as his famous trilogy, a fold-out map of the alternate-reality city of Oxford which Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon inhabit, a short brochure for a cruise to The Levant aboard the SS Zenobia and a postcard from the inventor of the amber spyglass, Mary Malone. Pullman, in his introduction, suggests that the peripheral items within "might be connected with the story, or they might not; they might be connected to stories that haven't appeared yet. It's difficult to tell."
The story, "Lyra and the Birds", begins when Lyra and Pantalaimon spot a witch's daemon called Ragi being pursued over the rooftops of Oxford by a frenzied pack of birds. The daemon heads straight for Lyra and is given shelter. The creature was given Lyra's name as somebody who might help. The daemon is seeking one Sebastian Makepeace--an alchemist living in a part of Oxford known as Jericho. Together Lyra and Pan try to guide the daemon to the home of this man, but it is a journey fraught with more danger than they had at first anticipated.
Somehow, this is a book that puzzles and fascinates all at the same time. It's very sumptuous and lovingly crafted but tantalising brief. The fourth volume in Pullman's award-winning sequence is The Book of Dust and despite the author's reputation for taking his time in writing each of his longer works, it is now just too far away in the future to be funny anymore. (Age 10 and over)--John McLay
Book Description
A new short story from master storyteller, Philip Pullman, set in the Oxford of Lyra's world in His Dark Materials trilogy, bound with a beautifully illustrated map.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a little goes a long way...,
By coatgal (london) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Lyra's Oxford (His Dark Materials) (Hardcover)
Oh, how is it possible to be so pleased and yet so dissappointed in a book? Readers left wanting more after His Dark Materials will find that there is not much more on offer, as the major content of Lyra's Oxford is a short (note that word - the entire book is only 50 pages long), intriguing story set 2 years after the end of the trilogy. But what a beautiful book: it's binding and presentation make it a item to treasure and Pullman's way of dropping significant, and often seemingly unrelated pieces of information in front of the readers' eyes allows you to walk away with thoughts, possibilities and perhaps's developing in your own mind. A tonic to the imagination and a perhaps an appertiser for the promised Book of Dust?
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
One for the fans, but better was to come,
By
This review is from: Lyra's Oxford (His Dark Materials) (Paperback)
As someone who has recently finished reading His Dark Materials and considers it one of the best series of novels ever written, I eagerly bought both this and Once Upon A Time In The North together from Amazon and - considering them both together - I am glad I did. I love miscellanies and companion books and both of these books are both great for the serious fan, containing snippets of information deliberately out of context - the idea being to make you think and fill in the gaps with your own imagination.
But if you have only read the first book (or seen the film), I would advise buying Once Upon A Time In The North - as that is a great standalone story of reasonable length - and not this one until you have read your way to the end of the His Dark Materials trilogy. The story in Lyra's Oxford - Lyra and the Birds - is great if you want to find out more about Lyra Silvertongue's life after the end of The Amber Spyglass, but as a standalone story it is - I have to sadly admit - a bit boring. I think Philip Pullman definitely learned a lesson from this though, because the next short story - Once Upon A Time In The North (out now) - sees him return to form with a genuinely exciting short story that requires no prior knowledge of the series to enjoy.
39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A bridge of dust,
This review is from: Lyra's Oxford (His Dark Materials) (Hardcover)
With the earlier publication of The Amber Spyglass, it seemed that Philip Pullman had finished his involvement with Lyra and the other characters of His Dark Materials. Thankfully, Lyra's Oxford shows that is not the case, and far from being just a tacked-on addition to that series, it's a full story in it's own right and also possibly a tantalising teaser for The Book of Dust, whenever it finally arrives.The story within the book ('Lyra And The Birds') is an interesting tale of itself, excitingly detailing Lyra and Pantalaimon's dangerous trip across Oxford to help a witch's daemon. It's similar to the early chapters of Northern Lights, with Lyra front and centre, surrounded by fascinated descriptions of Pullman's strange alternate Oxford. However, it's the other ephemera that really make the book a must-read and turn it from being just a story into a true mystery. Children and adults alike will have lots of fun looking over the map and the other items, looking for little clues that cast new light on both the story and His Dark Materials, making this book into a bridge between His Dark Materials and The Book Of Dust.
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