Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #112730 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-05
• Released on: 2007-11-05
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Audiobook
• Binding: Audio CD

Synopsis
Philip Pullman's thrilling fantasy comes alive in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation. The award-winning "His Dark Materials" trilogy is a breathtaking epic adventure spanning a multitude of worlds. "Northern Lights", the opening instalment, sees Lyra and her shape-changing daemon embark on a dangerous quest. In Oxford, Lyra learns that children are being kidnapped by the mysterious Gobblers. When her friend Roger vanishes she determines to find him, and is given a powerful alethiometer which can reveal the truth in all things. After discovering that the adults around her are not what they seem, Lyra and Pantalaimon join forces with a band of gyptians.Travelling north they encounter witch-queens and armoured bears, before being captured and taken to Bolvangar - where children are being used in terrible and secret experiments. Gripping, full of suspense and often funny, "Northern Lights" has an all-star cast including Terence Stamp, Emma Fielding, Bill Paterson, Kenneth Cranham and Ray Fearon. It is now a major motion picture, "The Golden Compass", starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.

Customer Reviews

Immensely Disappointing
I embarked upon the BBC Radio 4 dramatisation as an avid reader and admirer of Philip Pullman's works. My daughter introduced me to The Northern Lights three years ago and I remember her expressing jealousy that I was entering this wonderful series of books for the first time. I have since read the series twice and listened to the original audio book set three or four times. So maybe I came to this BBC dramatisation with some pre-conceived notions - I certainly came to it with a deep love of Pullman's writing.
What I found in the BBC Radio production was sadly pathetic. The script itself was good, relying very largely as it does upon Pullman's actual text, and the choice of an angel as narrator made real sense, but who chose the cast? In general one is left with the impression that they did not read the script in advance and if they did then they did not understand it. The pace is rushed and speeches are garbled in the manner of the worst of amateur dramatics. There is no attempt (or ability?) to impart the rich, deep characterisation of the original - where is the sardonic Asriel or the mischievous but determined and complex Lyra or the proud Will? Has Lee Scoresby or his daemon ever listened to an American accent?
A sad waste of resource on this wonderful set of books. So dont throw away your money on this. Instead buy the dramatisation with Pullman as narrator or just read the books - all are truly inspiring.
Shame on you BBC!

everso slightly disappointing dramatisation
It's great to hear it after reading, but give yourself the pleasure of reading it in full first, to get the best out of the fantastic, mindblowing story.

The only problem is Lyra. In the book Pullman goes to a lot of trouble to get her accent - she's definitely supposed to be a bit rough. On the CD she sounds straight out of stage school.