<b><b><i>NEW YORK TIMES</i> BESTSELLER</b><br> <b> </b><br> <b>Philip Pullman returns to the parallel world of His Dark Materials to expand on the story of Lyra, “one of fantasy’s most indelible heroines” (<i>The New York Times Magazine</i>).</b><br> <b> </b><br> <b>Don’t miss Volume II of The Book of Dust: <i>The Secret Commonwealth</i>!</b><br> <b> </b><br> </b>Malcolm Polstead and his daemon, Asta, are used to overhearing news and the occasional scandal at the inn run by his family. But during a winter of unceasing rain, Malcolm finds a mysterious object—and finds himself in grave danger. <br><br> Inside the object is a cryptic message about something called Dust; and it’s not long before Malcolm is approached by the spy for whom this message was actually intended<i>.</i> When she asks Malcolm to keep his eyes open, he begins to notice suspicious characters everywhere: the explorer Lord Asriel, clearly on the run; enforcement agents from the Magisterium; a gyptian named Coram with warnings just for Malcolm; and a beautiful woman with an evil monkey for a daemon. All are asking about the same thing: a girl—just a baby—named Lyra.<br>  <br> Lyra is at the center of a storm, and Malcolm will brave any peril, and make shocking sacrifices, to bring her safely through it.<b><br>  <br> <b>“Too few things in our world are worth a seventeen-year wait: <i>The Book of Dus</i>t is one of them.” —<i>The Washington Post</i></b><br> <b> </b><br> <b>“The book is full of wonder. . . . Truly thrilling.” —<i>The New York Times</i></b><br> <b> </b><br> <b>“People will love the first volume of Philip Pullman’s new trilogy with the same helpless vehemence that stole over them when <i>The Golden Compass</i> came out.” —<i>Slate</i></b><br><br></b>