Sir Philip Pullman has announced the second novel in his Book Of Dust series – featuring the return of heroine Lyra Belacqua.
The Secret Commonwealth: The Book Of Dust Volume Two will be published in October.
Publishers have released an extract from the book before it hits the shelves.
Extract taken from The Secret Commonwealth: The Book Of Dust Volume Two by Philip Pullman, published by David Fickling Books in association with Penguin Random House:
“It used to be you who was impulsive,” said Pan, “and me who kept holding you back. We’re different now.”
She nodded. “Well, you know, things change … This isn’t just shoplifting. This is murder.”
“I know. I saw it.”
“And maybe by doing this we’d be helping the murderer get away with it. By interfering with the investigation. That can’t be right.”
“That’s another thing,” he said.
“What?”
“You used to be optimistic. You used to think that whatever we did would turn out well. Even after we came back from the north, you used to think that. Now you’re cautious, you’re anxious … You’re pessimistic.”
She knew he was right, but it wasn’t right that he should speak to her accusingly, as if it was something to blame her for.
“I used to be young,” was all she could find to say.
He made no response.
They didn’t speak again till they reached the station. Then she said: “Pan, come here,” and he leapt up at once into her hands. She put him on her shoulder and said quietly, “You’re going to have to look out behind. Someone might be watching.”