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His Dark Materials | Study Guide

Philip Pullman

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Course Hero, "His Dark Materials Study Guide," December 11, 2017, accessed June 7, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/His-Dark-Materials/.

His Dark Materials | Book Summaries

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Timeline of Events

  • In the beginning

    Will's father, the explorer John Parry, disappears. Will is left to care for his mother.

    The Golden Compass
  • Seven years later

    The Gobblers begin stealing children across Lyra Belacqua's England, including Lyra's friend Roger.

    The Golden Compass
  • Shortly afterward

    Lyra leaves Jordan College with Mrs. Coulter after receiving the alethiometer from the Master.

    The Golden Compass
  • Six weeks later

    Realizing Mrs. Coulter leads the Oblation Board, Lyra escapes. She is rescued by the Costas.

    The Golden Compass
  • Several days later

    Lyra is taken to John Faa, leader of the gyptians, who plans to rescue the abducted children.

    The Golden Compass
  • Two weeks later

    The clans enlist the help of the bear Iorek Byrnison and balloonist Lee Scoresby.

    The Golden Compass
  • Shortly afterward

    Lyra is captured and taken to Bolvangar, where the Oblation Board experiments on children.

    The Golden Compass
  • Two days later

    Lyra orchestrates the children's escape. Lee Scorseby rescues her and Roger.

    The Golden Compass
  • Shortly afterward

    Lee's balloon is attacked. Lyra is captured by armored bears.

    The Golden Compass
  • Three days later

    Iorek arrives, saves Lyra, and regains his throne from the usurper Iofur Raknison.

    The Golden Compass
  • The next day

    Lyra and Roger head to Lord Asriel's fortress.

    The Golden Compass
  • The next day

    Asriel kills Roger to release energy that will open a window to another world. Lyra follows him.

    The Golden Compass
  • Several weeks later

    In a parallel Oxford, Will Parry finds the entrance to Cittàgazze and meets Lyra.

    The Subtle Knife
  • Shortly afterward

    Will and Lyra go to Oxford. Lyra meets Dr. Mary Malone, a scientist who studies Dust.

    The Subtle Knife
  • At the same time

    Lee Scorseby locates Dr. Grumman, who is actually Will's father, John Parry.

    The Subtle Knife
  • Shortly afterward

    Lee is killed in battle while protecting John Parry.

    The Subtle Knife
  • At the same time

    In Will's Oxford, Sir Charles Latrom blackmails Will and Lyra into finding him the subtle knife.

    The Subtle Knife
  • The next day

    Lyra and Will locate the subtle knife in Cittàgazze. Will becomes the bearer.

    The Subtle Knife
  • That night

    Will finally meets his father. Parry tells Will to bring the knife to Asriel but is then killed.

    The Subtle Knife
  • The next day

    Lyra is abducted by Mrs. Coulter.

    The Subtle Knife
  • At the same time

    Mary Malone begins her search for Lyra. She discovers the world of the mulefa.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Weeks later

    The angel Baruch finds the cave where Mrs. Coulter is hiding with Lyra.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Shortly afterward

    Baruch dies after telling Asriel about the power of Metatron and the approximate location of Lyra.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • At the same time

    The Consistorial Court of Discipline sends their followers to kill Lyra.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Immediately afterward

    Will rescues Lyra from the cave. Mrs. Coulter is captured by Lord Asriel's soldiers.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Days later

    Will and Lyra enter to the land of the dead, looking for a way to release the ghosts.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • At the same time

    The Consistorial Court detonates a bomb to destroy Lyra. The ghost of Lee Scorseby saves her.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Shortly afterward

    The battle between the regent and Asriel begins. The ancient Authority crumbles to dust.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Shortly afterward

    Asriel and Mrs. Coulter sacrifice themselves to kill Metatron and save Lyra.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Immediately afterward

    Will and Lyra find Mary Malone in the land of the mulefa. Mary is trying to stop the loss of Dust.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Immediately afterward

    Mary unknowingly guides the children's sexual awakening. The flow of Dust stops.

    The Amber Spyglass
  • Days later

    Will and Lyra return to their own worlds, determined to build the Republic of Heaven on Earth.

    The Amber Spyglass

Book Summaries Chart

Book Summary
The Golden Compass The Golden Compass takes place in "a universe like ours, but different in many ways." The vocabulary and geography a... Read More
The Subtle Knife The Subtle Knife temporarily leaves Lyra Belacqua's world behind and opens in the world of the reader—a world of cell ... Read More
The Amber Spyglass The Subtle Knife ended with Lyra Belacqua's abduction. The Amber Spyglass begins by answering the question of where Ly... Read More
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