His Dark Materials The Collectors, Philip Pullman
His Dark Materials The Collectors, Philip Pullman
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His Dark Materials: The Collectors

Author: Philip Pullman

Narrator: Bill Nighy

Unabridged: 32 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/20/2022

Synopsis

This companion story to His Dark Materials is a chilling Gothic tale with a revealing glimpse of the iconic Mrs. Coulter--one of Philip Pullman's most enigmatic characters.
 
In this darkly delicious tale, internationally acclaimed author Philip Pullman invites listeners to meet the mysterious girl who will one day become the sinister Mrs. Coulter.

On a cold winter's night, two art collectors are settled before a fire in the senior common room of a college in Oxford, discussing two new unusual pieces--a portrait of a striking young woman and a bronze sculpture of a fearsome monkey. How could they imagine that they are about to be caught in the cross-fire of a story that has traveled across time and worlds…

Watch the HBO adaptation of His Dark Materials, an original series starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dafne Keen, Andrew Scott, and Ruth Wilson!

Cover art: © Balthus, Portrait de la jeune fille en costume d'amazone, 1932 (modified 1982), Oil on canvas, private collection, 52 x 72 cm.

About The Author

PHILIP PULLMAN is one of the most acclaimed writers working today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy, which has been named one of the top 100 books of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly. The Book of Dust, Pullman's eagerly anticipated return to the world of His Dark Materials, will also be a book in three parts. It began with La Belle Sauvage and continues with The Secret Commonwealth.Pullman was knighted for his services to literature in the 2019 New Year Honours. He lives in Oxford, England. Tom Duxbury grew up in Yorkshire and studied illustration at the University of Brighton.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lisa of Troy on September 14, 2023

Have you ever felt a magnetic attraction, a pull towards something or someone, like you couldn’t be separated even if you tried? One winter night, two gentlemen start a discussion over a fire. One has newly acquired two pieces in his art collection. What could they be? This is a delightful short story......more

Goodreads review by Ms. Smartarse on June 24, 2021

An old painting of a young woman is inexplicably linked to a statue of a terrifying monkey, and all who try to separate the two fall victim to some truly terrible accidents. Or so the rumors say... This was such a deliciously creepy story that drops hints of His Dark Materials left, right and center.......more

Goodreads review by Sara on August 25, 2018

Short out to Jayson for bringing this to my attention! A short story set in the Dark Materials universe, centering on the mysterious painting of a young fair haired woman, a brass monkey statue and two collectors at a university college. I enjoyed this. Although it was short, and hence didn’t have ti......more

Goodreads review by Sara on November 06, 2020

Don't mind me, just trying to stay in the His Dark Materials universe for as long as possible! This short story is about two art collectors recounting an intriguing tale about a young Marisa Coulter. Not a lot of information is given and whilst this was very enjoyable, it left me wanting more.......more

Goodreads review by Andrew on August 17, 2015

A 32 minute Christmas gift to its members from Audible, this prequel to a series of books by Pullman benefits from being read by the excellent Bill Nighy. I'm sure it would have been helpful if I'd had some knowledge of the series (I don't) as I did struggle to know quite where the story was leading......more

Quotes

"This elegant edition, with black-and-white linocut illustrations by Tom Duxbury, marks the print debut of Philip Pullman's gothic novella, which is about "the girl who will become the dangerous Mrs. Coulter" in His Dark Materials." —New York Times

"Readers will be left with a renewed appreciation for one of our most sublime storytellers." —Wall Street Journal

"The slow burn from curious mystery, to the increasingly darker and ultimately horrific ending, is the classic stuff of late night gothic.  With Tom Duxbury’s lovely spare illustrations on nearly every page, The Collectors is a gorgeous visit to a much-loved literary landscape. It’s a quick read, but one to be savored, and certainly a treat worth indulging." —Locus

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