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Daemon Voices
Daemon Voices
Jan 1, 2026 7:36 AM

Author:Philip Pullman,Philip Pullman,Simon Mason

Daemon Voices

Penguin Presents the audio edition of Daemon Voices, written and read by Philip Pullman with an introduction by Simon Mason.

In over 30 essays, written over 20 years and recorded by the author himself in his home city of Oxford, one of the world's great story-tellers meditates on the art of story-telling. Warm, engaging and often amusing collection of writing which offers thoughts on a wide variety of topics, including the origin and composition of Philip's own stories, the craft of writing and the story-tellers who have meant the most to Philip. The art of story-telling is everywhere present in the essays themselves, in the instantly engaging tone, the vivid imagery and striking phrases, the resonant anecdotes, the humour and learnedness. Together, they are greater than the sum of their parts: a single, sustained engagement with story and story-telling.

Reviews

Remarkable . . . It has the power to move hearts and change minds

—— Guardian

Incredibly charming, brutal and brilliant

—— Observer

It wreaks emotional havoc

—— Independent

Everybody should [read it]

—— Financial Times

Jodi Picoult for beginners

—— Irish Times

It will delight children and adults

—— Telegraph

So authentic you'll swear a kid wrote the book

—— Glamour

Funny, touching, honest, and uplifting - though there's plenty of opportunity for tears, too

—— Daily Mail

Rich and memorable

—— New York Times

Tremendously uplifting and a novel of all-too-rare power . . . an unforgettable, deeply moving character

—— Sunday Express

[A] beautiful, funny and sometimes sob-making story of quiet transformation

—— The Wall Street Journal

[A] glorious exploration of the nature of friendship, tenacity, fear, and most importantly, kindness

—— The Huffington Post

D[estined to go the way of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and then some . . . It is dark, funny, touching

—— The Times

An amazing book . . . I cried my eyes out

—— Tom Fletcher

What a gem of a story . . . This book made me laugh, made me angry, made me cry

—— Malorie Blackman

Thoughtful but never preach

—— Sophie Kinsella

Wonder is essentially . . . a wonder. [It] touches the heart in the most life-affirming, unexpected ways

—— Nicholas Sparks

Every page is honest, brave and delightful

—— Laura Dockrill

A powerful read

—— Stylist

A funny, emotional, brilliantly observed story

—— Bella Magazine

It's one of those rare books with almost universal appeal: it will make you laugh, cry and break your heart

—— The Bookseller

Simultaneously fabulous and tragic, Swan Song is an incredibly accomplished debut

—— Attitude

Our generation’s The Secret History

—— Pendora

Triumphant debut…remarkable

—— Woman & Home

A vivid debut … based on ten years of research, this is a dazzling read that’s been worth the wait

—— Image Magazine

Stunning... It’s probably one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever owned

—— Bookish Chat Blog

Hypnotically fascinating

—— The Arts Desk

The book is dripping with atmosphere and character and is such a pleasure to read.

—— And Then I Read A Book blog

Pure pleasure

—— Evening Standard Magazine

She deftly gives us an insight into their inner lives... while creating defined personalities that resonate and intrigue. Lyrical and fascinating, the fact that this is Greenberg-Jephcott's debut is astounding.

—— Emerald Street

A stunning debut novel that seamlessly blends history, fact and fiction in this imaginative re-telling of the life of novelist Truman Capote

—— Woman's Weekly

A brilliant first novel

—— Rose Tremain , Daily Mail

A slick debut pulled off with brio, Swan Song is glamorous, vivid and sometimes even daring in its intelligence

—— Irish Times

A dazzling read

—— Image magazine

Greenberg-Jephcott’s debut is fizzing with energy and ideas…The novel has style and substance in spades.

—— Observer

With a grounding in history, it is a fascinating read about the deepest secrets of an iconic author.

—— Hello!

Intoxicating

—— Prima

Swan Song is utterly divine.It swept me up and I just couldn't put it down ... it is the writing in this debut novel that astounds most of all. It is vivid, addictive and whips up a terrific portrait of a deeply contradictory and complex man, contrasting scenes from his unorthodox childhood with those from the gilded bubble he ended up in that he lanced through his own actions.

—— Victoria Sadler

A sumptuous look at the icons of Manhattan's high society scene in the mid-20th century ... An immersive readthat will have you questioning real histories versus the ones we create for ourselves.

—— History Extra

He offers the reader a masterful study of a mind devoted to fairness… The Children Act is also a fascinating, painstakingly researched look inside the judicial process… Conveyed in crisp prose, this attention to detail elevates the moral conundrums…beyond the sensationalism lesser authors might have pursued. It is, in all respects, a novel that is carefully judged.

—— Irish Examiner

It explores the tension between cool-headed secularism and ardent belief. It is at times preposterous – and yet it has a magical readability and is slender enough to read in one intense, absorbing sitting.

—— Jason Cowley , New Statesman

In typical McEwan style, The Children Act is unputdownable and hauntingly beautiful.

—— Sushmita Bose , Khaleej Times

The Children Act is a…sophisticated exploration of how society treats children and how children’s welfare can be considered in the complex world in which we live, where issues about how children should be raised are not subject to consensus.

—— Carol Storer , Legal Action

If you have any unanswered letters on your desk, McEwan’s latest will have you grabbing your pen pronto.

—— Independent

The Children Act shows McEwan as a master of fiction who strives to teach us how to live.

—— Olivia Cole , GQ Magazine UK

Powerful and moving.

—— Sir David Bell , Times Higher Education

Taut, sparing and effortless, this is another exquisitely wrought novel from the master of the novella.

—— Good Book Guide

A subtly musical arrangement of urgently topical issues…it may be read at a sitting, but resonates for much longer.

—— Lewis Jones , Spectator

It’s absorbing and, almost a novella, it doesn’t outstay its welcome.

—— Nick Bevan , Times Higher Education

Definitely one of the best books I have read this year.

—— Natalie K. Watson , Church Times

This is a wonderful read with sharp, crystalline prose and, together with a superb moral dilemma, this is a beautiful and moving story.

—— Bath Chronicle

Offering a window into a compelling world of life or death dilemmas, this is told in prose as polished as you’d expect.

—— Daily Mail

The book is bursting of beautiful writing. You’ll want to read it all over again.

—— Kirsty Brimelow , The Times

A story of human behavior told in a raw, uncluttered, unforgiving way.

—— Cambridge News

Renowned author McEwan manages to surprise throughout this book, right to the last page.

—— Mayfair Magazine

A story of human behavior told in a raw, uncluttered, unforgiving way – and we could all have done with another couple of hundred pages.

—— Cambridge Magazine

McEwan writes in taut, sparing and effortless prose.

—— Good Book Guide

Ian McEwan writes stories of exquisite precision and clarity. This one is ace.

—— William Leith , Evening Standard

A page-turning novel

—— John Koski , Mail on Sunday

As one has come to expect, McEwan sets up the moral issues with delicacy and precision.

—— John Sutherland , The Times

Ian McEwan is at his most compelling with the story of Fiona Maye… Awesome

—— Marcus Field , Independent

A wonderfully readable and thought-provoking book

—— Kathryn Atkins , Bristol Magazine

A short novel that will linger in your mind for a long time

—— Woman’s Weekly

Another beautifully written masterpiece

—— Beyond

relevant, emotive, moving, this is beautifully written and a guaranteed page turner

—— Matthew Smith , H Edition

One of our best authors at his best.

—— Murray Neil , Hertfordshire Life

One of my favourite authors… McEwan’s fascination with judicial issues, with music and poetry, and with the moral conundrum of how far you place your religious beliefs above the life of someone you love, all feature in this book which will leave you thinking long after you have finished it.

—— Frances Colville , Frost Magazine

It's an enjoyable and often surprising novella.

—— Charlotte Heathcote , Daily Express

It asks fundamental questions in a sober, intelligent way about the choices we make and our blindness when it comes to our beliefs.

—— Francois Ozon, film-maker , Observer

Here he is again: vulnerable, insightful, passionate and utterly in control. He’s amazing.

—— Robert Webb , Mail on Sunday
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