Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman

Warned by the faces around him, the Captain stood up and half turned unsteadily, his face a dull red, his eyes glittering, and spread his hands; but the bartender raised his stick, and was about to bring it down when Lee moved.
He sprang between the two men, seized the Captain's wrists, and said, "Now, Mr. Bartender, you don't need to hit a man when he's drunk; there's a better way to deal with this kind of thing. Come on, Captain, there's fresh air outside. This place is bad for complexion."
"What the hell is this to do with you?" the bartender shouted.(11)

For fans of the His Dark Materials trilogy, Philip Pullman brings Once Upon a Time in the North. Lee Scoresby, the Texan balloonist, and his rabbit daemon essentially crash land in the mining town of Novy Odense. He immediately finds himself entangled in an upcoming election, where the main issue up for debate is what to do with the armored bears. A shady character from Lee's past contributes to a shoot out over some disputed property. With Iorek Byrnison supporting his efforts, will Lee get out alive?

AMY