| Will Parry's mother is seeing things, and his father disappeared years ago, presumed dead. After he commits involuntary manslaughter, Will Parry discovers an interdimensional window, and flees through it to another world, in the town of Çittagaze, where he meets the silvertongued Lyra.
Will and Lyra return to our world's Oxford after staying in Cittagaze for a while, and meets the villainous Lord Boreal, who steals Lyra's magical device, the alethiometer. He desires something for himself from the world of Cittagaze- the subtle knife, which can cut through anything and allow its chosen owner to travel through various dimensions. Will returns to Citagazze and looks for the knife. Joined by Lyra, he discovers its whereabouts, but must fight its insane owner in order to gain posession of it. After winning the fight and losing two fingers an old man speaks with him, and tells him that his two missing fingers indicate that Will is the chosen bearer of the knife, and that he must keep it from Lord Boreal, so Lyra and Will sneak into Lord Boreal's mansion to steal the knife and keep the compass out of their opponent's position while he is deep in conversation with Lyra's evil mother Mrs. Coulter. After Will and Lyra escape the mansion, they follow the advice of the alethiometer and seek aid from the scientist Mary Malone, who discovers she can make contact with dust. After Will and Lyra leave she follows the dust's commands and smashes the machine she uses to contact it. Also following upon the dusts' advice, she slips through the window to Cittagaze. Meanwhile, Will and Lyra use the powers of the knife and alethiometer to go through multiple worlds, including one in which Will encounters his father and he learns of his true destiny. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes Explore: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Descript. of chases or violence - 20 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30 % Main Character Identity: - Male Profession/status: Age: - a kid If magical mental powers: - super strength Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Eccentric: Yes How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters Setting Terrain Earth setting: - 20th century A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - humans in a contemporary society - inhabited by friendly aliens - unfriendly aliens - empty, or nearly empty world - very controlled society Takes place on Earth? Yes Planet outside solar system? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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