Must read books

His Dark Materials - The Subtle Knife

This is the second book in the HDM series by Philip Pullman. 

Published: 1997

There was talk of making this into a film on the condition that the Golden compass was a success. The movie doubled its budget but sales where disappointingly low in the US so the sequel was canceled.

Synopsis (once again, from wikipedia) 

Lyra journeys through Asriel's opening between worlds to , an otherworldly city whose denizens have discovered a clean path between worlds at a far earlier point in time than others in the storyline. Cittàgazze's reckless use of the technology has released soul-eating , to which children are immune, rendering much of the world incapable of transit by adults. Here Lyra meets , a twelve-year-old boy from our world. Will, who recently killed a man to protect his ailing mother, has stumbled into Cittàgazze in an effort to locate his long-lost father. Venturing into Will's (our) world, Lyra meets Dr. Mary Malone, a physicist who is researching what she calls Shadow Particles, which are the same as Lyra's Dust. Lyra encourages Dr. Malone to attempt to communicate with the particles, and when she does they tell her to travel into the Cittàgazze world.

Will becomes the bearer of the eponymous Subtle Knife, a tool forged 300 years ago by Cittàgazze's scientists from the same materials used to make 's silver guillotine. One edge of the knife can divide even and form subtle divisions in space, creating portals between worlds; the other edge easily cuts through any form of matter. After meeting with witches from Lyra's world, they journey on.

Meanwhile, back in Lyra's world, Lee Scoresby seeks out Stanislaus Grumman. When Scoresby finds him, Grumman insists on being taken through the opening into the Cittàgazze world in Scoresby's balloon. Scoresby dies defending Grumman from the forces of the Church. Grumman turns out to be Will's long-lost father and he succeeds in reuniting with his son before he is murdered by a witch who loved him but was turned down. After his father's death, Will discovers that Lyra has been kidnapped and he is approached by two angels requesting his aid.

My Opinion:

This was my favourite book in the series. The introduction of Will great as he is one of my characters in the series. 

What I like about this series is the boys and girls will enjoy it equally. 

I rate it 8.25/10 

Recommended for ages 8+