His Dark Materials Part 1: Northern Lights

The award-winning His Dark Materials trilogy is a breathtaking epic adventure spanning a multitude of worlds. Northern Lights the opening instalment sees Lyra and her shape-changing daemon embark on a dangerous quest. In Oxford Lyra learns that children are being kidnapped by the mysterious Gobblers. When her friend Roger vanishes she determines to find him and is given a powerful alethiometer which can reveal the truth in all things. After discovering that the adults around her are not what they seem Lyra and Pantalaimon join forces with a band of Gyptians. Travelling north they encounter witch-queens and armoured bears before being captured and taken to Bolvangar - where children are being used in terrible and secret experiments... Gripping full of suspense and often funny this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation has an all-star cast including Terence Stamp Emma Fielding Bill Paterson Kenneth Cranham and Ray Fearon.