Hello Wottareaders, great news for those who all those who are fond of Phillip Pullman’s work. The Secret Commonwealth, the long-awaited second volume of The Book of Dust trilogy, is coming out soon! Let’s know more about Philip Pullman’s new book, this upcoming novel will be published soon.
What is The Book of Dust?
The Book of Dust trilogy is an expansion of the most acclaimed fantasy series by Phillip Pullman: His Dark Materials. The first novel of The Book of Dust trilogy, La Belle Sauvage, is set twelve years before the first book of His Dark Materials.
You might have noticed that I haven’t said that The Book of Dust trilogy is a prequel despite the fact that as previously said is connected to His Dark Materials trilogy. The Book of Dust first novel, La Belle Sauvage, being set years before the original series. There is a reason for that, this series is actually not a prequel, as Phillip Pullman himself stated:
“In fact, The Book of Dust is… an ‘equel’. It doesn’t stand before or after His Dark Materials, but beside it. It’s a different story, but there are settings that readers of His Dark Materials will recognise, and characters they’ve met before.”
An equel then, as the author says. As you see The Book of Dust saga takes place before, meanwhile and after His Dark Materials events, quite an interesting approach.
What is The Secret Commonwealth about
Like the original trilogy, the story of The Book of Dust centers on Lyra Belacqua (also known as Lyra Silvertongue). While in the first novel, La Belle Sauvage, Lyra is a baby who will be protected by Alice and her dæmon, in the second volume Lyra is already 20 years old.
In The Secret Commonwealth Lyra will travel with her daemon Pantalaimon and other companions across Europe and Asia, searching for a city haunted by dæmons. As you see, the second volume takes of The Book of Dust trilogy takes place after the events in His Dark Materials. This is why before reading this second book you might want to read Lyra’s Oxford. This is a short novel telling the story of Lyra Belacqua being 15 years old, that is, two years after the end of the original trilogy and at the same chronologically preceding the events occurring in The Secret Common Wealth.
The Secret Commonwealth release date
If you are wondering when The Book of Dust volume 2 will be released here you have the answer, The Secret Commonwealth will be published on 3 October 2019.
About the author Philipp Pullman
Philipp Pullman is an English writer, his most notorious work is his fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials. Philipp Pullman is considered by The Times The 50 greatest British writers since 1945. Maybe know His Dark Materials saga as The Golden Compass, the title under which this series was adapted as a film.
This book series, as the original series, are great to introduce kids into books! For more book suggestions for kids just check these books for kids.
Take a look at His Dark Materials reading order.
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