Lyra from 'The Golden Compass' to have her finale after 30 years: Philip Pullman announces final book

British author Philip Pullman, one of the world's most celebrated children's fantasy authors, has revealed details of the sixth and final book dedicated to Lyra Belacqua, the protagonist of the famous trilogies 'His Dark Materials' and 'The Book of Dust' (published in Italy by Salani). The volume, entitled 'The Rose Field' , will be published on October 23 in the United Kingdom and will follow the adventures of Lyra up to her twenties.

First introduced in 1995's The Golden Compass, young Lyra was just 11 years old. The book won numerous awards and sparked a series that has been translated into dozens of languages ​​and loved by millions of readers around the world. Now 78, Pullman told the BBC he was "relieved" to have finished the work: "I've come out of it alive and I can see it turning into a proper book."

'The Rose Field'

The title 'The Rose Field' refers to a magnetic or gravitational field, a concept hinted at in the opening chapters of 'The Golden Compass', when scholars at Jordan College, Oxford, secretly discussed the mysterious phenomenon called 'dust'. "In this final book, Lyra is on the verge of discovering what 'dust' really is and what it means," Pullman explained. "The story revolves around that discovery."

But 'The Rose Field' goes beyond fantasy adventure. Pullman, a former English literature teacher at Oxford University, also tackles philosophical and contemporary themes. "We also talk about the nature of imagination. I have my own idea of ​​what imagination is, and Lyra will discover hers," the writer told the BBC.

The novel also touches on highly topical issues, such as the growing influence of tech billionaires and the impact of the extractive industry: "Over the past decade, I've come to understand how much the power of money, the super-rich, and the tech sector really affects our world." Pullman also reflects on global geopolitical evolution: "We may be at the end of a long period of American dominance, which could end like any empire: with chaos and destruction, followed by a new form of collaboration between nations." However, the author also sees a glimmer of hope: "We live in an age where we have access to the wisdom of centuries thanks to the Internet. It would be interesting to see if we can put it to good use. I fear that most of us won't, but some of us will."

'The Rose Field' comes six years after the second book in 'The Book of Dust' and will conclude a series that has sold more than 49 million copies worldwide, according to British publisher Midas. With the conclusion of the series, Pullman announced that he will focus on writing his memoirs, provisionally titled "Before I Forget." "I've been talking about writing an autobiography for a long time, before the memories fade," he said. "I was born in 1946, when the British Empire still existed, and I've seen so many changes. I want to remember what made me happy, what made me excited, and put it down in writing. It's a shame to leave all that to the dust."

(by Paolo Martini)