The definitive production of The Subtle Knife, narrated by Ruth Wilson, star of the major BBC series His Dark Materials.
“She had asked: what is he? A friend or an enemy?
The alethiometer answered: he is a murderer.
When she saw the answer, she relaxed at once.”
Lyra finds herself in a shimmering, haunted otherworld - Cittàgazze, where soul-eating Spectres stalk the streets and wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky.
But she is not without allies: 12-year-old Will Parry, fleeing for his life after taking another's, has also stumbled into this strange new realm.
On a perilous journey from world to world, Lyra and Will uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power.
And with every step, they move closer to an even greater threat - and the shattering truth of their own destiny.
The second volume in Philip Pullman's globally bestselling His Dark Materials trilogy.
Ruth Wilson is an award-winning actress, best known for her roles in His Dark Materials, Luther, Mrs Wilson and The Affair. She won universal acclaim, and the BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Mrs Coulter in the BBC adaptation of His Dark Materials.
Also available in His Dark Materials, read by Ruth Wilson:
Northern Lights.
The Amber Spyglass, which includes a bonus conversation between Ruth Wilson and Philip Pullman.
Brought to you by Penguin.
© Philip Pullman 1997 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Philip Pullman (Author)
Philip Pullman was born in Norwich and educated in England, Zimbabwe, Australia and Wales. He studied English at Exeter College, Oxford.
His first children's book, Count Karlstein, was published in 1982. To date, he has published thirty-three books, read by children and adults alike. His most famous work is the His Dark Materials trilogy. These books have been honoured by several prizes including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Book Prize, and (for The Amber Spyglass) the Whitbread Book of the Year Award - the first time that prize had been given to a children's book. Pullman has received numerous other awards, including the Eleanor Farjeon Award and the Astrid Lindgren Award. He was knighted in the 2019 New Year's Honours List for Services to Literature.
Philip Pullman (Author)
Philip Pullman is one of the most highly respected children's authors writing today. Winner of many prestigious awards, including the Carnegie of Carnegies and the Whitbread Award, Pullman’s epic fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials has been acclaimed as a modern classic. It has sold 17.5 million copies worldwide and been translated into 40 languages. In 2005 he was awarded the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. He lives in Oxford.