Pullman's Northern Lights drops you into right into his alternative, but ever so close to our own, universe and is all the better for it.It's a world where steampunk like technology subtly blends with the supernatural. The familiar is slightly twisted - even the language. It feels like late 19th century England at times, but clearly a version of it where the Church was never reformed and scientific enlightenment barely scratched the surface. Most intriguing of all, near everyone is accompanied by visible versions of the invisible friends many children have. It's quite Narnia like at times.
At the heart of it though, it's a tense chase book with elements of coming of age and identity.
Reveals tend to come late, and without foreshadowing and any exposition is sparse and hard fought for. I hope the subsequent books pay off the investment of time.
Verdict: Groundwork for classic fantasy?
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