Few fantasy authors have shaped modern literature the way Philip Pullman has. The His Dark Materials trilogy remains one of the most unforgettable fantasy series with its blend of philosophy, science, theology, and adventure that’s captivated generations of readers.
Personally, I didn’t actually dive into the story of Lyra and the universe Pullman created until I was technically “too old” for it. I believe it’s recommended for a teenage audience (more on this in a bit!), but I picked it up when I was a grown up and still loved it.
Now, over 25 years since Northern Lights ( known as The Golden Compass in the US) first introduced us to Lyra Belacqua and her daemon Pantalaimon, Pullman’s companion trilogy, The Book of Dust, is finally reaching what promises to be a breathtaking conclusion.
With the release of The Rose Field, the third and final volume of The Book of Dust, on 23rd October 2025 (this week at the time of publishing!), this is the perfect time to explore (or revisit) Lyra’s world. Below, you’ll find everything you need: the reading order, character guides, summaries, world connections, and what to expect from this final instalment.
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His Dark Materials Reading Order
Philip Pullman’s world spans multiple series, novellas, and short stories. Here’s the chronological and publication order to help you navigate the universe of Pullman:
His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Original Series)
This is the landmark trilogy that began it all:
Northern Lights (1995) (The Golden Compass)
This book introduces Lyra Belacqua, a fearless girl living among the scholars of Jordan College in Oxford, in the parallel world of His Dark Materials where every person’s soul lives outside the body as an animal companion, known as a daemon. When her friend Roger is taken by mysterious kidnappers known as the Gobblers, Lyra uncovers a vast conspiracy involving the mysterious “Dust”, the Magisterium, and her own family, including her ambitious father, Lord Asriel, and the complex Mrs Coulter.
The Subtle Knife (1997)
Lyra meets Will Parry, a boy from our own world. Together they discover a weapon capable of cutting through worlds, the Subtle Knife that the book takes its name from, and they begin to explore questions about consciousness, morality, and destiny through a variety of fantasy worlds.
The Amber Spyglass (2000)
The story reaches cosmic heights, exploring the deepest questions of existence, love, and loss. Lyra and Will’s journey becomes a mythic tale of emotional growth and sacrifice, one of fantasy’s most indelible heroines coming into her own.
Pullman’s His Dark Materials is a trilogy about growing up and seeing the world as it truly is. It’s no wonder the first book won the Carnegie Medal, then later what was termed as the “Carnegie of Carnegies” and remains a forever-favourite of His Dark Materials fans.
The Book of Dust Trilogy (The New Trilogy)
Where His Dark Materials dealt with destiny and loss, The Book of Dust explores knowledge, power, and imagination, themes that shape the adult Lyra’s life and Pullman’s larger metaphysical ideas. These extraordinary novels of The Book of Dust run parallel to and beyond the original series.
La Belle Sauvage (2017)
The first book in the trilogy, La Belle Sauvage, takes us back to baby Lyra, literally! Told from the perspective of Malcolm Polstead, a loyal, brave boy who works at his parents’ inn near Oxford, the story unfolds as a devastating flood engulfs the land. When a group of radical men and the sinister Marcel Delamare threaten the child Lyra, Malcolm undertakes a dangerous journey across the Silk Roads of the flooded world to save her.
This volume’s tone feels like fairy tales and tellers of folk tales, a more traditional adventure with a mythic undertone. Illustrated by Chris Wormell, its atmospheric art and language of fantasy evoke the world-changing ways Pullman’s storytelling always inspires.
The Secret Commonwealth (2019)
The second volume of Philip Pullman’s Book of Dust leaps 20 years forward. Lyra is now a twenty-year-old undergraduate at Jordan College, struggling with scepticism and disillusionment, a powerful reflection on the lost imagination of adulthood. Her relationship with her beloved Pan (Pantalaimon) has fractured, and when a brutal murder sets events in motion, she’s drawn into an epic journey across Europe and Asia, from the ruins of a deserted city to the heart of the desert known as the Desert of Karamakan.
Here, Pullman expands on the secret of Dust and the search of her dæmon, weaving in rogue scientists, old institutions, and the enduring power of stories. Readers also meet new and important characters, including Marcel Delamare and the People of the Air, while the loyal Malcolm Polstead returns as a scholar.
The Rose Field (2025)
Publishing 23rd October 2025 from David Fickling Books and Penguin Random House, The Rose Field promises a breathtaking conclusion to the series. It will finally unite the intertwining odysseys of Malcolm and Lyra, exploring what it means to live fully in the present moment and the search of her imagination after trauma and change.
Early hints suggest the story involves a trail of roses, a mysterious red building, and special roses that symbolise Lyra’s emotional renewal. It promises to be a hopeful work, bringing closure to the extraordinary novels of The Book of Dust.
The Wider World of His Dark Materials
Beyond the two main trilogies, Pullman has built a network of shorter works and companion stories that deepen our understanding of Lyra’s world.
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Lyra’s Oxford (2003)
Set two years after The Amber Spyglass, this beautifully illustrated novella revisits Lyra and Pan as they meet a dying man and uncover the secrets of a mysterious red building above Oxford. It’s both a coda and a prelude, hinting at what’s to come in The Book of Dust.
Once Upon a Time in the North (2008)
A prequel following Lee Scoresby (and his dæmon Hester) on an early adventure in the Arctic, encountering Iorek Byrnison long before the events of Northern Lights. A must-read for anyone who loves Pullman’s tellers of folk tales energy.
The Collectors (2014)
A short story available as an audiobook, narrated by Bill Nighy. A haunting Oxford tale about an art collector, a mysterious woman named Mrs. Coulter, and a painting of Lyra that seems to hold a dark power.
Serpentine (2020)
Set between The Amber Spyglass and The Secret Commonwealth, this touching novella follows Lyra and Pantalaimon as they return to Trollesund, the northern town where they once met Iorek Byrnison. The story explores the changed nature of their bond. After the events of The Amber Spyglass, Lyra and Pan can separate without pain, but that new freedom brings emotional distance too.
Originally written years earlier for a charity auction and later published by David Fickling Books, Serpentine offers a quiet, reflective glimpse into Lyra’s emotional growth and her continuing search of her dæmon.
The Imagination Chamber (2022)
A short collection of vignettes, tiny windows into Lyra’s world and the people’s lives touched by Dust. It offers a philosophical bridge between The Secret Commonwealth and The Rose Field, focusing on the search of her imagination and the world readers have come to love.
His Dark Materials & The Book of Dust Reading Order
If it feels like all the above got a bit complicated, let’s make it a bit less so! Here is my recommended His Dark Materials and Book of Dust complete reading order, that takes into account both series plus the novellas and companion stories. This is the publication order rather than the order that follows the timeline, however the publication order is the most recommended as it means you’re less likely to fall prey to any spoilers, and you’ll also have the context to understand what’s happening and why.
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1. Northern Lights (The Golden Compass)
2. The Subtle Knife
3. The Amber Spyglass
4. Lyra’s Oxford (Novella)
5. Once Upon a Time in the North (Novella)
6. The Collectors (Short Story)
7. La Belle Sauvage
8. The Secret Commonwealth
9. Serpentine (Novella)
10. The Imagination Chamber (Collection)
11. The Rose Field
Main Characters in His Dark Materials & The Book of Dust
The His Dark Materials universe features some of the most complex and memorable characters in fantasy fiction. Here are a few of the most important characters and where they appear (without any spoilers!):
- Lyra Belacqua/Lyra Silvertongue: the heart of both trilogies. From baby Lyra in La Belle Sauvage to the twenty-year-old undergraduate in The Secret Commonwealth, her journey is one of curiosity, courage, and emotional growth.
- Pantalaimon (Pan): Lyra’s daemon and constant companion. Their bond and its fracture form the emotional core of The Secret Commonwealth and The Rose Field.
- Malcolm Polstead: introduced in La Belle Sauvage, Malcolm’s transformation from innkeeper’s son to scholar is one of the series’ most stunning achievements. His loyalty, bravery, and quiet strength make him a fan-favourite.
- Lord Asriel: “a powerful scholar and explorer whose ambitions reach across worlds, architect of a war against Heaven. His radical vision challenges the cosmos itself.
- Mrs. Coulter: a brilliant and dangerous figure whose motives are never entirely clear, manipulative, brilliant, yet ultimately capable of love. One of the most fascinating figures in modern fantasy.
- Will Parry: the boy with the Subtle Knife, whose story intertwines with Lyra’s across worlds.
- Lee Scoresby, Iorek Byrnison, and Serafina Pekkala: old friends from the original trilogy who shaped the fate of multiple worlds.
We also have Lyra’s mother and Lyra’s father, but if you’re reading this guide before ever picking up the books, I’ll leave the statement at that!
Each character embodies Pullman as a writer of literary fiction sensibility, complex motivations, emotional realism, and philosophical depth hidden beneath adventure and fantasy.
Themes and Symbolism
Pullman’s writing stands apart for how it uses fantasy to explore the deepest questions of life, from free will to consciousness and the divine. The Book of Dust trilogy, in particular, centres on the search for understanding, the tension between faith and reason, and the rediscovery of imagination in a disenchanted world.
Dust, or the secret of Dust, as Pullman calls it, represents consciousness itself. Through it, he connects the world of the roses, old institutions, and new understanding of the world.
From troops of witches to rogue scientists, from world-changing ways of storytelling to the heart of the desert, Pullman’s universe remains a meditation on curiosity, empathy, and the power of questioning.
But all these are handled in such a careful way that makes it accessible, even for teen readers. He’s a brilliant author to be able to do this!
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FAQs about Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust
Is The Book of Dust Series Now Complete?
Yes, 23rd October’s The Rose Field publication marks the third and final volume of The Book of Dust. While Pullman has hinted that smaller works (perhaps another novella in the vein of Lyra’s Oxford) could still appear, the new trilogy will officially conclude with this release.
So, if you’ve been waiting to dive in until the series was complete, now is the perfect time. With all three volumes of The Book of Dust available, readers can experience the full scope of Pullman’s universe, from baby Lyra to the search of her imagination as an adult.
What Age are His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust suitable for?
While His Dark Materials began as young adult fantasy, the later works, particularly The Secret Commonwealth and The Rose Field, are aimed slightly more at adult readers who have grown with the books. They explore mature themes such as faith, disillusionment, and mortality.
That said, the original trilogy remains suitable for teens and up.
The age rating for His Dark Materials is suggested as 11-18, although I’ve seen others say 9-12 year olds could read the Northern Lights.
The Book of Dust age rating is suggested as 13+.
Is The Golden Compass the same as the Northern Lights?
Yes, they’re the same book! Just with different titles depending on where you are in the world.
When His Dark Materials was first published in 1995, Philip Pullman titled the first volume Northern Lights in the UK. However, when it was released in the US a couple of years later, the publisher changed the title to The Golden Compass.
The reason for the change comes from a bit of confusion: Pullman had originally considered calling the entire trilogy The Golden Compasses, a reference to the divine compasses in John Milton’s Paradise Lost (“…he took the golden compasses, prepared / In God’s eternal store…”). The US publisher thought this referred to Lyra’s alethiometer (the truth-telling instrument central to the story) and renamed the first book accordingly.
- UK title: Northern Lights
- US title: The Golden Compass
Aside from the title, the story itself is identical, both follow Lyra Belacqua’s first adventure in Oxford, her journey north, and the discovery of the mysterious substance known as Dust.
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Do You Need to Read the His Dark Materials Novellas?
As quick answer, no, you don’t need to read the novellas, but they add a lot of richness to the story if you want a deeper understanding of Lyra’s world.
Each of the shorter works — Lyra’s Oxford, Once Upon a Time in the North, Serpentine, The Collectors, and The Imagination Chamber — stands alone, offering glimpses into moments that happen between or around the main trilogies. They expand on themes of curiosity, storytelling, and the search of her dæmon, often providing emotional texture rather than major plot points.
If you’re new to Pullman’s world, you can probably safely skip them on your first read (but I wouldn’t!). But if you already love His Dark Materials and want to see how Lyra and Pantalaimon change over time, or how old friends like Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison first met, the novellas are well worth picking up. They also help bridge the gap between The Amber Spyglass and The Book of Dust, particularly Serpentine and Lyra’s Oxford.
Do You Need to Read His Dark Materials Before The Book of Dust?
Technically, no, you can start with La Belle Sauvage, since it’s a prequel that takes place about a decade before Northern Lights. However, most readers get far more out of The Book of Dust if they’ve already read the original His Dark Materials trilogy.
Here’s why:
- The Secret Commonwealth and The Rose Field pick up when Lyra is an adult, and much of their emotional impact depends on knowing her past adventures, her relationships with Lord Asriel, Mrs Coulter, and her daemon Pantalaimon.
- Pullman builds heavily on the ideas introduced in the first trilogy, especially the secret of Dust, the parallel worlds, and the events of The Amber Spyglass.
- Familiar faces, locations, and institutions (like Jordan College and the Magisterium) return with deeper meaning if you’ve experienced them before.
So while the Book of Dust novels can technically stand alone, particularly La Belle Sauvage, you’ll appreciate the intertwining odysseys of Malcolm and Lyra much more if you’ve already followed her through His Dark Materials.
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Recommended order for new readers:
- His Dark Materials trilogy (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass)
- The Book of Dust trilogy (La Belle Sauvage, The Secret Commonwealth, The Rose Field)
- Optional novellas and short stories (Lyra’s Oxford, Once Upon a Time in the North, Serpentine, The Collectors, The Imagination Chamber) – or stick to publication order as outlined above for better flow.
Special Editions of The Rose Field
For collectors and dedicated fans, Waterstones is offering exclusive editions of The Rose Field to mark the 30th anniversary of Lyra’s first appearance in Northern Lights.
The Rose Field Exclusive Edition
- Features original foiled endpapers, a foiled cover design, and a ribbon bookmark.
- A Standard Edition is also available for readers who prefer a more traditional format.
The Rose Field Exclusive Slipcase Edition
- A strictly limited deluxe edition, presented in a slipcase with foiled casing and beautifully designed original endpapers.
- Offers the perfect addition to any Pullman fan’s bookshelf.
His Dark Materials Adaptations and Cultural Legacy
The His Dark Materials trilogy was adapted into a BBC/HBO television series starring Dafne Keen as Lyra, which concluded in 2022. The show drew heavily from both The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, earning praise for its visual world-building and faithfulness to the original series.
Pullman’s influence reaches beyond the screen. His works are often compared to Harry Potter, but with a more philosophical tone, a writer of literary fiction using fantasy to question authority and explore the present moment.
Why The Rose Field Is the Perfect Finale
Early reviewers and Pullman himself have described The Rose Field as his most hopeful novel, a story about reconciliation, wonder, and rediscovering the world’s beauty. It promises to close the circle between the first book (La Belle Sauvage) and His Dark Materials, with old friends, new threats, and an ending that honours everything readers love about Lyra’s journey.
For a generation raised on Northern Lights, this is the chance to say goodbye, not with sorrow, but with the knowledge that the story’s language of fantasy has reshaped how so many of us see the world. Personally, I’m quite sad it’s coming to an end, but it’s also an exciting chance to close the book – literally!
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Few series manage to span decades, genres, and age groups while maintaining their magic. From the trail of roses to the heart of the desert, from Jordan College to the world of the roses, Philip Pullman’s books remain stunning achievements in storytelling.
Whether you’re rediscovering Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon, or meeting Malcolm Polstead for the first time, the Book of Dust series invites you to reflect on imagination, truth, and what it means to be human. With The Rose Field, Pullman completes one of the most extraordinary trilogies in modern fantasy — a story for all today’s readers, and for every dreamer still in search of Dust.
