Review by Zacynthus (2004-05-13)
I am a big fan of Pullman, especially the "His Dark Materials Trilogy." However I found this short story rather trite and to be blunt quite silly. The other things bundled with it are quite interesting so it is worth a look, but I would not buy it.

Review by mojosmom (2004-04-23)
This short story is set two years after the end of the His Dark Materials trilogy. Lyra is back at Oxford, in school, when a witch's daimon comes seeking her help. A strange illness is killing witches and leaving their daimons alive. But there is something strange about the way the birds of Oxford are reacting to the daimon . . .

It's a lovely little volume, bound in red cloth with a drawing of Oxford's spires. Inside, there is a folded map tipped in, along with other ephemera, some of which relates to the story, some of which hints that there may be more to come.

If you loved His Dark Materials, you'll want to read this.