Once Upon a Time in the NorthThis prequel to the Golden Compass tells how Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby struck up an unlikely friendship with an armored bear (Iorek Byrnison). Scoresby, having recently won a balloon in a poker game, makes an unsteady landing on the arctic island of Novy Odense. Once on land, Scoresby and his hare daemon, Hester, set out to find lodging and a soothing drink. At a local pub, Lee learns of a Captain van Breda whose cargo is being held at dock by an unscrupulous mining company, Larsen Manganese. He helps the Captain out of a barroom brawl, but gets only a curt “Go to hell” in return.

Later, Lee follows a boarding house acquaintance to a fiery political rally for mayoral candidate, Ivan Dimitrovich Poliakov. Enamored with the candidate’s beautiful but ditzy daughter, Lee agrees to meet with Poliakov about an employment opportunity. He’s almost sold on the deal, until he sees that Poliakov has hired a trained killer (and former acquaintance of Lee), one Mr. Morton (aka Pierre McConville).

Lee turns down the job and makes plans instead to help Captain van Breda free his cargo from the warehouse where it’s being held by Poliakov and his men (including McConville). Iorek Byrnison overhears Lee’s plan and decides to join in the assault on the warehouse (he resents Poliakov’s anti-bear campaign).

A bloody battle ensues, and this, of course, is where Scoresby and Byrnison are at their best. They quickly gain each other’s respect and start what ends up as a lifelong friendship.

Like Lyra’s Oxford, this novella provides a unique glimpse into the His Dark Materials’ verse. The volume includes sweet engravings by John Lawrence and a pull-out board game, Peril of the Pole. Overall, a must-read for diehard fans.

DweebMeter: 4.5/5

Links

CBBC Newsround Review of this book

Once Upon a Time on Wikipedia

Philip Pullman’s Website