GOLDEN COMPASS: His Dark Materials Book I

Fans of the trilogy His Dark Materials will love this sumptuously illustrated edition of the first volume, with evocative modern drawings in colour to illustrate every stage in Lyra's epic story. The cast of characters assembled in Oxford's Jordan College all have their own daemon, a shapeshifting alter ego that helps them through life. At atmospheric illustration shows Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon as they gatecrash the gloomy college dining room and see the Master pouring poison into a decanter intended for Lyra's uncle Asriel (daemon: a snow leopard). When Lyra warns Asriel of his imminent peril he dashes the decanter to the ground as if by accident, but although Lyra has saved his life she later overhears the Master saying that the attempted poisoning was done for her sake and Asriel's continued existence will mean terrible suffering for Lyra. When the Gobblers arrive in Oxford and children start disappearing, Lyra is persuaded by the sinister Mrs Coulter to be her assistant, initially charmed by her attractiveness but soon finding herself in a group of young people under coercive control. Lyra's friend Roger, the kitchen boy, becomes one of the disappeared and Lyra believes she can save him when she joins her uncle's expedition to the far north, with only her daemon and the golden compass, or alethiometer (truth machine), to help her. The object of their quest is a mysterious dust which holds the key to an alternative world. The superb illustrations feature every stage of Lyra's adventure including the Northern Lights, rocky chasms, a ride in a balloon and a selection of ferocious animals. 288pp, sumptuous large edition with numerous high-quality illustrations. Remainder mark on this rare US import.