This book isn't out yet, in fact you'll gather from the letter below that it's still being written. I've added this page because anyone who has read Northern Lights and The Subtle Knife will undoubtedly be interested in any information about when we can expect the third book.

Following an enquiry to the publishers (Feb 1999), I received the following circular, which I'll just reproduce as it stands.

Dear Fan,

As I know you are eagerly awaiting news of the third book in the His Dark Materials trilogy I thought I would drop you a short note to keep you updated. (Just think how often Philip Pullman must have to field the question of when it will be out!) Well, the news is good, very good.

A month or so back I received a telephone call from Philip Pullman. As the editor of one of the must have titles of 1999 I had been trying to be ever so diplomatic and not mention that book — whenever we spoke. Imagine my delight therefore when Philip says, "I wonder if I could come round and talk about volume three." (oh yes!)

So there I am sitting on my own sofa, in my own house with Philip Pullman, the author himself, telling me the whole story of His Dark Materials volume three. Part of me wanted to shout, "Stop it, stop it! I want to wait and read it as a book", but then what would you have done? It would be like telling JRR Tolkien to stop telling you the story of the Lord of the Rings. So I just sat there and lapped it up as Philip paced up and down in my living room and out spilled the words of a born storyteller.

And as I listened I realised that I was hearing something quite remarkable. The story of Lyra from Northern Lights, and Will from The Subtle Knife and all the many characters and the wonderful themes that are set running in those two books have been fused and woven together to make a larger and fully satisfying whole and proper end. The final story really delivers. Philip Pullman has not ducked the challenge he set himself. In volume three he has gone for the ultimate and achieved it. The magnitude of that achievement will take some time to be appreciated.

There are some certainties: volume three will be longer than the other two volumes by quite a bit. It will be published this Autumn by Scholastic Press in hardback. And the shops will sell many copies. And the libraries will need to stock many copies. And you will not be disappointed. How I envy you with this wonderful story ahead to read.

Your sincerely,

David Fickling Editor

Last updated 10th May 1999

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