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1 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 Parent's should be aware of Pullman's ulterior motive... Nov 14, 2009
Mr. Pullman keeps cranking out his tired old atheistic, anti-religious message. Anyone who has read George MacDonald's "At the Back of the North Wind" or "The Princess and the Goblin" which G.K. Chesterton attributes as the book "that had made a difference to my whole existence" can discern the difference between an innocent, wonder-filled adventure and Mr. Pullman's 'dark indeed' fantasy. In my humble opinion, I feel his books would be much more appropriate for cynical teen prodigies on the order of Holden Caulfield . At least Pullman is honest about his objectives, but I think parents should be made aware of just what those objectives are.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 A glimpse into the past, with substance Aug 12, 2009
Pullman does a fabulous job with this short story and his focus; Lee Scoresby. Pullman takes us back to a time when Lee and Hester are much younger and hungry for adventure. The read is quick but does not leave the reader burning with questions.
Pullman takes care to show the development of the character we already admire. This story attests to Lee's honor-centric character with a well developed plot and lively support characters.
Pullman, unlike many other successful series authors, actually satisfies the reader's yearning for a follow-up with substance.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Enjoyable vignette adds depth to magnificent "His Dark Materials" mythos Apr 24, 2009
Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series offers more thrills and insight than any reader has the right to expect. While Pullman's young heroine Lyra generally steals the show and occupies a well-earned place in the hearts of millions, Pullman's universe is chock-full of fascinating characters who may be "supporting" characters in Lyra's story but are full-fledged heroes in their own right.
Lee Scoresby, gentleman of fortune and hot-air balloonist ("aeronaut") is one such character. A good-hearted Wild Bill Hickock, Scoresby serves the "beloved uncle" figure in Lyra's story and offers some of the most exciting and poignant scenes in the entire series. Along with his daemon, a hare named Hester, Scoresby also inject a scruffy, semi-profane, rough-and-tumble element into a pantheon of rather noble heroes.
This novella provides some necessary back-story for Scoresby and Hester. Set decades before Lyra is born, "Once Upon a Time . . ." explains how Scoreby became such close friends with the polar-bear-king-in-exile Iorek Byrnison. Scoresby arrives in an Arctic town in the midst of a political power struggle as sinister corporate interests move in to seize the reins. These interests have retained the "services" of a stone-cold murderer from Scoresby's past, and it's no secret where Scoresby's loyalties will lie in this exchange.
As with most prequels, a lot of the drama is lost (you know Scoresby's going to survive, after all). But Pullman manages to bring in enough danger and mystery to the brief tale that the book is darn hard to put down anyway. Not an easy task, to be sure.
This is a must-read for die-hard fans of "His Dark Materials." I only use four stars instead of five to separate this novella from the five-star ratings for the longer books in this series. A fun, enjoyable read.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 A fun companion novel Apr 20, 2009
Much like Lyra's Oxford, this is a book that is wonderful as a companion novel, but wouldn't stand well on its own. It is a fun, quick read with some action and drama peppered throughout, but mostly it's a `guilty pleasure' of sorts for fans of the His Dark Materials trilogy to get more about the world and the characters that Pullman so deftly created. Also, one of the best aspects to this book is the binding and that it comes with a cool little card game that Pullman invented. It's truly more of a collector's item that just a book, which makes it cool to own.
-Lindsey Miller, [...]
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Intriguing Story Apr 19, 2009
Pullman has done it again. A great story, it is a prequel to his bestselling "His Dark Materials" trilogy. It provides a backstory for some of the most beloved characters in the series. If you are a fan of Pullman's works, this is a must read!
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