The Collectors by Philip Pullman

‘But the thing is,’ said Horley, ‘they didn’t know each other at all. Never heard of each other. It wasn’t about the makers. Only about the works.’ On a dark winter’s night in 1970, Horley and Grinstead huddle for warmth in the Senior Common Room of a college in Oxford. Conversation turns to the two impressive works of art that Horley has recently added to his collection. What the two men don’t know is that these pieces are connected in mysterious and improbable ways; and they are about to be caught in the cross-fire of a story which has travelled time and worlds. A His Dark Materials story.

Precise rating: 3.5 ⭐

Like “Once Upon a Time in the North” and “La Belle Sauvage,” the Collectors is a great little addition to the world of His Dark Materials. Elsewhere Pullman has called these little tidbits “lantern slides” and I think that's about right.

I haven't read the new one yet, about adult Lyra, but I think the approach in these is better: an interesting tangent, or a fleshing-out of the world, instead of a direct sequel. Sequels are tough because you're unwrapping the tidy bow you wrapped up last time, and re-introducing new stakes and something new about your character. But who doesn't want to hear about Lee Scorseby and Iorek fighting back in the good old days for 100 pages? Or how Ms. Coulter's haunting effect on powerful men lasts long after she's left them behind? This is the way to expand a universe. Think of it as the “Beedle the Bard” approach as opposed to the “Cursed Child,” or perhaps HBO's Watchmen show. If you liked the Golden Compass trilogy, a Bill Nighy narration of this short story is a no-brainer.

PS: yes of course I wish he hated religion less, and I'd be glad to talk about it if you want to. Look up his interview with Rowan Williams, a leading Anglican theologian, for a worthwhile conversation about this