After 17-year wait, author Philip Pullman releases new ‘Dark Materials’ volume, the first in a trilogy

The 17-year wait for a return to the mystical world of British author Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials series ended Thursday with the release of La Belle Sauvage, the first volume of a new trilogy.

The Book of Dust series will take readers back to the parallel world that has captivated readers young and old, selling more than 17.5 million copies in over 40 languages.

La Belle Sauvage is set 10 years before Northern Lights – the first volume in His Dark Materials, released in 1995 – and revolves around Lyra Belacqua, the headstrong heroine of the original trilogy.

Fans will once again be immersed in the world of alethiometers – compass-like devices used to find truthful answers to questions – and daemons – creatures that express a person’s inner-self in physical form.

“At the centre of The Book of Dust is the struggle between a despotic and totalitarian organisation, which wants to stifle speculation and inquiry, and those who believe thought and speech should be free,” the 70-year-old author said.

“This volume and the next will cover two parts of Lyra’s life: starting at the beginning of her story and returning to her 20 years later,” he said.

“There are some characters who are new to us, including an ordinary boy who, with Lyra, is caught up in a terrifying adventure that takes him into a new world,” he added.