His Dark Materials Books in Order

His Dark Materials is Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy following Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry across parallel worlds, where a mysterious substance called Dust draws them into a struggle against the controlling authority of the Church. The saga blends adventure, science, and philosophy as the children confront questions of free will, innocence, and what it means to grow up.

Publication order

In the order the books were originally released.

  1. Cover of The Subtle Knife

    The Subtle Knife

    1997 · Philip Pullman

    Lyra crosses into a strange, half-deserted city in another world and meets Will, a boy from our own Oxford who is fleeing a violent secret of his…

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  2. Cover of The Amber Spyglass

    The Amber Spyglass

    2000 · Philip Pullman

    Lyra is held captive while powerful forces gather for a final reckoning, and Will sets out to find and free her with the help of unlikely allies. As…

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Companion & related books

Short-story collections and companion titles in this series.

  • Cover of Lyra's Oxford

    Lyra's Oxford

    2003 · Philip Pullman

    In this slim companion piece, Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon are drawn into a small but unsettling adventure in the streets of her Oxford after a…

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Frequently asked questions

What order should I read the His Dark Materials books in?

Publication order — Widely recommended by readers and the publisher (Scholastic/Penguin Random House) Start with “The Subtle Knife.”

How many books are in the His Dark Materials series?

We list 2 books by Philip Pullman , published between 1997–2000.

Where can I buy the His Dark Materials books?

Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.