Rating: 
Summary: lyra's oxford
Review: pay no attention to this reviewI haven't read this book. If Philip Pullman's previous books are anything to go by, this one will be good but i'm only typing this in case once i have the website will let me read other reviews of it
Rating: 
Summary: Beware - Not worth it!
Review: Readers who enjoyed the HDM books may be tempted by this one, but as the HDM books themselves teach, some temptations are dangerous. Giving in to this one will lighten your wallet and perhaps diminish your respect for Pullman, who really owes his readers better than the thin (to put it kindly) bit of a story he offers up here. The story is a simple one: Lyra gets a message, responds to it, is confronted by apparently inexplicable danger, the danger is explained. That's it. The mystery isn't very mysterious, the danger and suspense aren't very well developed and the explanation is as contrived as the story. All the depth and polish and tremendous storytelling that made HDM almost impossible to put down is missing here. I don't know what to make of it. Was it a sketch published too soon?
If there was a way to give it zero stars I would because people are going to buy it based on their experience of the HDM books and are going to be bitterly disappointed or, worse yet, people are going to buy it to see if they'd like the HDM books, read it, think that this is like them, and miss the terrific experience that they offer.
Whoever convinced Pullman to release this should be ashamed of himself, as should he for allowing it to happen. It looks to me like pure exploitation of readers.
Rating:
Summary: A good thing in a small package
Review: Short but sweet - maybe it could be seen as a piece of overpackaging (nice packaging at that!) but Pullman is on such good form here that, even though it left me wanting for more, it was in a nice way. It's no wonder that there is such a growing movement of people creating stories and characters on-line based on Lyra's world and it is a true tribute to the scale of Pullman's achievement. I am happy to have even these small crumbs, for all that they are so tantalizing.
Rating: 
Summary: A tightly woven fable
Review: Taking his fan base completely by surprise (those members of his fan base that aren't ardent followers anyway) Philip Pullman has added a new chapter to the "His Dark Materials" saga. The series that catapulted Pullman from a minor children's literature existence to magnificent and overwhelming kiddie lit super-stardom has a new book to its name. Entitled "Lyra's Oxford", the book is consists of the following: A quote, an introduction, a story, and ephemera. This book is merely a small link to the further adventures to follow, it seems. As such, it stands as a perfect little entity within its own right.
The plot found in this book is nothing so much as a short story. Some 43 pages long it tells the tale of Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon. A quick note: If you haven't read any of the other "His Dark Materials Books" you could probably slog through this novella, though I wouldn't recommend it. Exposition isn't dwelt on here. The tale begins when Lyra and Pan spot a wayward daemon of a witch being attacked by a flock of starlings. After rescuing the much maligned creature the daemon bird tells them that he is frantically searching for a man named Makepeace. Lyra and Pan are charged to find this man and help the daemon save his mistress from death. Stirring stuff and a nice little story in its own right. Here we finally get a glimpse into Lyra's daily life. Jordan College has been fleshed out a little more and we meet various professors and students as Lyra searches for information about Makepeace. By the end of the tale, more questions have been raised than answered but barring the unfortunate death of the author (not likely) we'll have further Lyra goings on to look forward to soon.
If I've any problems with the book they probably stem from a single moment. Not to give anything away, Lyra is faced at some point with almost certain danger and/or death. In summoning her courage the girl thinks to herself, "Will-Will-be like Will-". Huh? This is the first moment our spunky heroine has EVER pretended to be anyone else in order to face her fears. This suggests that we are dealing with a softer gentler Lyra, a thought confirmed when Pullman writes that for Lyra, "the slightest thing had the power to move her to pity and distress". I miss the old headstrong Lyra. The strong independent Lyra. There are glimpses of her here, but not enough to fully put my mind at rest. I can only hope that the future books will remember that old Lyra better than this book does.
Now the story I was describing was actually entitled "Lyra and the Birds". "Lyra's Oxford" is the name of the book itself and it is a great deal more interesting. Here we can find maps of Oxford, postcards (one from Mary Malone herself!), photographs, advertisements, pages from old books, and a variety of other odds and ends. The effect is nothing so much as a childlike version of the "Griffin and Sabine" books, once so popular. In his introduction to the book, Pullman reflects that these little bits and pieces of ourselves that are sometimes the most telling. While their importance may remain hidden to us for now, readers are advised to hold onto this book tightly for future reference. It is obviously awash in clues that will become clearer in time. I myself was particularly interested in one of the advertisements for a book entitled, "The Bronze Clocks of Benin". Its author, Marisa Coulter, may stir a couple memories here and there. And there and here.
Altogether, I'd say the book's a delicate and successful composition. Its back cover advertises it as "beguiling" and I am inclined to agree. Some people may complain that for its price it is relatively small. Others will pore for hours over the various countries in Lyra's world (advertised by the "Globetrotter") and possible cruise destinations. If you're a fan of a book that will allow you to pick apart thousands of ideas and clues, I think you'll find "Lyra's Oxford" charming.
Rating:
Summary: A tightly woven fable
Review: Taking his fan base completely by surprise (those members of his fan base that aren't ardent followers anyway) Philip Pullman has added a new chapter to the "His Dark Materials" saga. The series that catapulted Pullman from a minor children's literature existence to magnificent and overwhelming kiddie lit super-stardom has a new book to its name. Entitled "Lyra's Oxford", the book is consists of the following: A quote, an introduction, a story, and ephemera. This book is merely a small link to the further adventures to follow, it seems. As such, it stands as a perfect little entity within its own right.
The plot found in this book is nothing so much as a short story. Some 43 pages long it tells the tale of Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon. A quick note: If you haven't read any of the other "His Dark Materials Books" you could probably slog through this novella, though I wouldn't recommend it. Exposition isn't dwelt on here. The tale begins when Lyra and Pan spot a wayward daemon of a witch being attacked by a flock of starlings. After rescuing the much maligned creature the daemon bird tells them that he is frantically searching for a man named Makepeace. Lyra and Pan are charged to find this man and help the daemon save his mistress from death. Stirring stuff and a nice little story in its own right. Here we finally get a glimpse into Lyra's daily life. Jordan College has been fleshed out a little more and we meet various professors and students as Lyra searches for information about Makepeace. By the end of the tale, more questions have been raised than answered but barring the unfortunate death of the author (not likely) we'll have further Lyra goings on to look forward to soon.
If I've any problems with the book they probably stem from a single moment. Not to give anything away, Lyra is faced at some point with almost certain danger and/or death. In summoning her courage the girl thinks to herself, "Will-Will-be like Will-". Huh? This is the first moment our spunky heroine has EVER pretended to be anyone else in order to face her fears. This suggests that we are dealing with a softer gentler Lyra, a thought confirmed when Pullman writes that for Lyra, "the slightest thing had the power to move her to pity and distress". I miss the old headstrong Lyra. The strong independent Lyra. There are glimpses of her here, but not enough to fully put my mind at rest. I can only hope that the future books will remember that old Lyra better than this book does.
Now the story I was describing was actually entitled "Lyra and the Birds". "Lyra's Oxford" is the name of the book itself and it is a great deal more interesting. Here we can find maps of Oxford, postcards (one from Mary Malone herself!), photographs, advertisements, pages from old books, and a variety of other odds and ends. The effect is nothing so much as a childlike version of the "Griffin and Sabine" books, once so popular. In his introduction to the book, Pullman reflects that these little bits and pieces of ourselves that are sometimes the most telling. While their importance may remain hidden to us for now, readers are advised to hold onto this book tightly for future reference. It is obviously awash in clues that will become clearer in time. I myself was particularly interested in one of the advertisements for a book entitled, "The Bronze Clocks of Benin". Its author, Marisa Coulter, may stir a couple memories here and there. And there and here.
Altogether, I'd say the book's a delicate and successful composition. Its back cover advertises it as "beguiling" and I am inclined to agree. Some people may complain that for its price it is relatively small. Others will pore for hours over the various countries in Lyra's world (advertised by the "Globetrotter") and possible cruise destinations. If you're a fan of a book that will allow you to pick apart thousands of ideas and clues, I think you'll find "Lyra's Oxford" charming.
Rating:
Summary: A little Gem
Review: The design of this book is so elegant it feels like a treasure slipped out of Lyra's world and into ours. The story is concise and intriguing, but perhaps more suited to Pulman's grown-up fans, as it doesn't have a lot of plot.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit of fun but not for serious HDM readers
Review: The story of 'Lyra and the birds' is fairly well written and does explain more about Lyras life after saying goodbye to Will. Unfortunately, though it is not particularly bad, it doesn't live up to the expectations readers of the His Dark Materials trilogy will have. It is simply a short story with a rough, vague ending. Most people reading the other books in the series will no doubt be good at reading (as they can be tough going sometimes)and this addition seems almost patronising. An ok book overall but if you wish to keep your opinions of Lyra and Will as they are left in the last book then I would discourage you from spending this much money.
Rating:
Summary: Not a book for teens
Review: This book is about witches and deamons. I read it before I allowed my daughter to read it. (I will not let her read it.) It is hard to read. I had to look up words in the dictionary for meaning. When I bought the book I thought it would be something interesting and true about Oxford, England. The book is short and only takes about a hour to read.
Rating: 
Summary: The Book of strange stuff
Review: This book is really weird. It is only 50 pages long and dosnt really mean anything. But it might have to do with another book coming out soon, and some of the things might be made clear later, I don't know. The writing isn't anywhere near as good as the other books. But if you are a real HDM fan, you might find the many extras interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Short but sweet
Review: This extremely short story takes place in the universe of "His Dark Materials." Buy it if you must own the pull-out map and other accessories of alternate places, but don't expect it to sweep you away as the trilogy did.
|
