0 5 , ▁ ▁but ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁P ull man ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁considering ▁splitting ▁the ▁novel ▁into ▁two ▁volumes , ▁one ▁set ▁before ▁His ▁Dark ▁Material s ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁set ▁afterwards . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁P ull man ▁announced ▁that ▁The ▁Book ▁of ▁D ust ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁' comp an ion ' ▁tr il ogy . P rior ▁to ▁publication ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁announced ▁that ▁The ▁Book ▁of ▁D ust ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁published ▁by ▁Random ▁House ▁Children ’ s ▁Books ▁and ▁David ▁F ick ling ▁Books ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁and ▁by ▁Random ▁House ▁Children ' s ▁Books ▁in ▁the ▁US . ▁La ▁Belle ▁Sau v age ▁was ▁ultimately ▁released ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁by ▁David ▁F ick ling ▁Books ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁and ▁by ▁Alfred ▁A . ▁Kn opf ▁in ▁the ▁US . ▁▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁The ▁novel ▁received ▁positive ▁reviews . ▁Marina ▁Warner ▁writing ▁in ▁The ▁Guardian ▁described ▁it ▁as ▁" worth ▁the ▁wait ", ▁calling ▁it ▁" old - f ashion ed ▁and ▁com f y ". ▁The ▁Independent ▁said ▁that ▁" La ▁Belle ▁Sau v age   has ▁the ▁feel ▁of ▁an ▁extended ▁pre face ; ▁thr illing ly ▁entertain ing ▁and ▁beautiful ly ▁written , ▁but ▁ultimately ▁something ▁of ▁an ▁introduction ▁to ▁the ▁story ▁proper ▁we ▁know ▁follows ▁there after ". ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post ▁was ▁extremely ▁positive , ▁stating ▁that ▁" to o ▁few ▁things ▁in