Once Upon a Time in the North – Philip Pullman (2008)

Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, published in 2008, is a prequel novella set in the world of the His Dark Materials trilogy. It recounts the early adventures of Lee Scoresby, the Texan balloonist, and his first meeting with the armored bear Iorek Byrnison, blending western adventure with Pullman’s signature philosophical depth and vivid world-building.

Plot Summary

The battered cargo balloon came skimming over the icy sea, rattling through a rainstorm and wrestling with the northwest wind. At the helm was Lee Scoresby, a lanky young Texan with a weathered hat, a thin mustache, and a restless heart. His daemon, Hester, a sharp-tongued Arctic hare, clung to the tangle of ropes and tools in the gondola as they hurtled toward the scattered buildings of Novy Odense. A last-minute hammering at the gas valve – using a revolver, no less – sent them sagging and crashing, the balloon skimming past a gas tank by mere inches. Lee emerged from the wreckage with a grin, brushing rain from his hat, already aware of the curious eyes watching from the gas depot.

Novy Odense smelled of oil and old fish, its wooden buildings crouched beneath the sky, its streets churned with mud. Among the townsfolk shuffled great armored bears, their eyes dark and wary, their power caged beneath the rules of the town. Lee, ever the drifter, walked into the town’s heart, pockets light, looking for work. An oil boom had stirred the place into restless ambition, and Lee’s curiosity soon led him to a crowded bar, where tensions simmered and the air tasted of smokeleaf. There, a fiery Dutch captain named van Breda raged at his misfortune, his ship trapped in the harbor by debts and false charges, his cargo locked in a warehouse at the mercy of corrupt officials.

Lee, drawn to the drama like a moth to lantern light, watched as the town’s rough politics unfolded. A mayoral election loomed, with Ivan Dimitrovich Poliakov, a thick-bearded man with fierce eyes, fanning the flames of anti-bear sentiment. Beside him fluttered his daughter, Olga, a young woman all soft smiles and delicate charm. The town buzzed with excitement over Poliakov’s campaign, but beneath the cheers lurked a more sinister current – the tightening grip of Larsen Manganese, a mining company hungry for power.

Among the crowd, Lee met a poet and journalist, Oskar Sigurdsson, who saw in Lee a useful ally, and the cold, self-contained librarian, Victoria Lund, whose quiet presence concealed more fire than her prim appearance suggested. But the shadow that unsettled Lee most was not the town’s politics, nor its brewing unrest, but the lean figure of Pierre Morton – or McConville, as Lee remembered him. A killer from the Dakota country, McConville carried a rattlesnake daemon around his neck and a trail of blood behind him. That Poliakov had such a man at his side told Lee all he needed to know.

Lee’s refusal to work for Poliakov and his brush with McConville set him adrift in the cold town, but it was the sight of Captain van Breda’s desperation that pulled him back into the fray. The captain’s ship, a schooner bound with drilling machinery and oil samples, was pinned in the harbor by the Harbor Master’s games, the cargo slated for auction if not loaded by high tide the next day. Van Breda’s temper raged, his crew frayed, and his hopes dwindled. Lee saw the trap Poliakov had set, and saw, too, the chance to tip it over.

A quiet alliance formed when a bear named Iorek Byrnison rose from the water’s edge. A hulking figure of pale fur and immense strength, Iorek had been watching, his own grievances against the town gnawing at him. With only a battered helmet as armor, he offered to stand beside Lee and the captain, a silent promise of force should force be needed.

That night, Lee prepared. He studied the quay, eyed the warehouses, and shook the rust from his revolver. Victoria Lund came to him in the still hours, her face streaked with tears, seeking counsel on a question of the heart. Her vulnerability stirred a tenderness in Lee, her quiet bravery shining clearer than Olga’s coquettish charm. As morning broke, Lee, Iorek, and van Breda faced the quay together.

At the warehouse gates, the Harbor Master sputtered protests, but Lee, with the smooth confidence of a gambler on a hot streak, spun a yarn of legal loopholes and cargo rights, citing fictitious laws with such gusto that the poor official was left blinking, his cat daemon burying its face in his uniform. Meanwhile, Iorek loomed at Lee’s side, his armored bulk a silent argument no man dared challenge.

With the crowd swelling, drawn by the commotion, the warehouse doors creaked open. Van Breda’s crew scrambled to load the cargo, their movements fast and sure. On the far edge of the quay, Morton watched with narrowed eyes, his hand resting near his holster. Lee’s fingers hovered close to his own gun, though he knew the revolver’s cylinder was stiff from neglect. Hester’s quiet warnings murmured against his chest as the work raced against the rising tide.

The moment shattered when Poliakov and his men arrived. Words flew sharp as knives, but it was Iorek who tipped the scales. With a sudden roar, the bear lunged, scattering the hired thugs like autumn leaves in a gale. Morton stood his ground, gun drawn, but Lee had already moved, a flicker of motion and a sharp crack, the Texan’s bullet grazing Morton’s shoulder and sending him staggering. The schooner, heavy with its load, pulled away from the dock as the sun broke through the clouds, its sails snapping like victory banners.

Lee watched the ship slip past the lighthouse, van Breda at the helm, his face alight with triumph. Iorek, bloodied but unbowed, stood beside him, the crowd parting in wary awe. The Texan touched his hat, his smile faint and tired. He had gambled his luck, risked his neck, and found in a strange northern town a friend in a bear, a cause worth fighting for, and a glimpse of honor in a world thick with greed.

As the town settled under the shifting light, Lee crossed paths once more with Victoria Lund. A glance, a quiet nod, and an understanding passed between them – something had been mended, something had been set right, if only for a while. With Hester nestled close, Lee walked toward his balloon, the open sky calling once again, the winds of chance waiting to carry him onward.

Main Characters

• Lee Scoresby: A young Texan aeronaut in his mid-twenties, Lee is witty, resourceful, and principled. Despite his rough-and-tumble exterior, he has a strong sense of justice and compassion, which drives him to help the beleaguered Captain van Breda and stand against the corrupt powers of Novy Odense. His arc shows a young man learning to channel his rebellious instincts into meaningful action.

• Hester: Lee’s daemon, a dry, sardonic Arctic hare, acts as his conscience and adviser. Hester balances Lee’s impulsiveness with her cautious, reflective nature, and their interactions reveal Lee’s inner thoughts and moral struggles.

• Iorek Byrnison: A young armored bear exiled from his homeland, Iorek is proud, solitary, and deeply bound by honor. Though initially marginalized, he becomes Lee’s formidable ally, displaying loyalty, strength, and a quiet wisdom that foreshadows his future role in His Dark Materials.

• Captain van Breda: A desperate Dutch sea captain, van Breda’s ship and livelihood are threatened by corrupt local forces. He is fiery and driven by honor, but his vulnerability draws Lee into the central conflict of the story.

• Pierre Morton (McConville): A dangerous hired gun and Lee’s old enemy, Morton represents cold, mercenary violence. His quiet menace adds tension to the political conflict, and his clash with Lee highlights themes of justice and personal loyalty.

• Miss Victoria Lund: A seemingly austere librarian, Victoria reveals unexpected vulnerability and courage. Her moral dilemma and eventual choice reflect the broader themes of honor, duty, and personal freedom.

• Ivan Dimitrovich Poliakov: The ambitious and unscrupulous mayoral candidate, Poliakov embodies corruption and prejudice, particularly in his anti-bear rhetoric. His political maneuvering catalyzes much of the town’s unrest.

Theme

• Honor and Justice: The story is a classic tale of a lone outsider standing up against corruption. Lee’s determination to help those oppressed by powerful forces, even at personal risk, explores the moral imperative to act against injustice.

• Prejudice and Otherness: Pullman addresses the marginalization of the bears, depicting them as both feared and degraded by human society. This motif resonates with broader themes of racism, colonialism, and the fear of the “other.”

• Loyalty and Friendship: The bond that forms between Lee and Iorek—across species, cultures, and personal histories—underscores the transformative power of trust and shared struggle.

• Freedom and Responsibility: Lee’s free-spirited nature clashes with the responsibilities that come with caring for others. His growth involves balancing independence with a commitment to doing what’s right.

Writing Style and Tone

Philip Pullman’s writing in this novella is brisk, cinematic, and infused with a dry wit that perfectly matches the adventurous tone of the tale. He masterfully balances vivid action sequences with rich character introspection, using snappy dialogue, sharp observations, and atmospheric details to immerse the reader in the icy, volatile world of Novy Odense.

Pullman’s tone is both playful and thoughtful. While the novella is a thrilling adventure with echoes of the Wild West and seafaring tales, it also carries undercurrents of melancholy and social commentary. His prose carries a nostalgic charm, as though recounting a folktale or legend, while simultaneously offering sharp insights into power, prejudice, and human (and non-human) dignity.