Product Description

In a landmark epic of fantasy and storytelling, Philip Pullman invites readers into a world as convincing and thoroughly realized as Narnia, Earthsea, or Redwall. Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the compass of the title. All around her children are disappearing—victims of so-called "Gobblers"—and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6842 in eBooks
• Published on: 2001-11-13
• Released on: 2001-11-13
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

Amazon.com Review
Some books improve with age--the age of the reader, that is. Such is certainly the case with Philip Pullman's heroic, at times heart-wrenching novel, The Golden Compass, a story ostensibly for children but one perhaps even better appreciated by adults. The protagonist of this complex fantasy is young Lyra Belacqua, a precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Oxford University. But it quickly becomes clear that Lyra's Oxford is not precisely like our own--nor is her world. For one thing, people there each have a personal daemon, the manifestation of their souls in animal form. For another, hers is a universe in which science, theology, and magic are closely allied:

As for what experimental theology was, Lyra had no more idea than the urchins. She had formed the notion that it was concerned with magic, with the movements of the stars and planets, with tiny particles of matter, but that was guesswork, really. Probably the stars had daemons just as humans did, and experimental theology involved talking to them.

Not that Lyra spends much time worrying about it; what she likes best is "clambering over the College roofs with Roger the kitchen boy who was her particular friend, to spit plum stones on the heads of passing Scholars or to hoot like owls outside a window where a tutorial was going on, or racing through the narrow streets, or stealing apples from the market, or waging war." But Lyra's carefree existence changes forever when she and her daemon, Pantalaimon, first prevent an assassination attempt against her uncle, the powerful Lord Asriel, and then overhear a secret discussion about a mysterious entity known as Dust. Soon she and Pan are swept up in a dangerous game involving disappearing children, a beautiful woman with a golden monkey daemon, a trip to the far north, and a set of allies ranging from "gyptians" to witches to an armor-clad polar bear.

In The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman has written a masterpiece that transcends genre. It is a children's book that will appeal to adults, a fantasy novel that will charm even the most hardened realist. Best of all, the author doesn't speak down to his audience, nor does he pull his punches; there is genuine terror in this book, and heartbreak, betrayal, and loss. There is also love, loyalty, and an abiding morality that infuses the story but never overwhelms it. This is one of those rare novels that one wishes would never end. Fortunately, its sequel, The Subtle Knife, will help put off that inevitability for a while longer. --Alix Wilber

From Publishers Weekly
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy now appears in sophisticated trade paperback editions, each title embossed within a runic emblem of antiqued gold. The backdrop of The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials, Book I sports a midnight blue map of the cosmos with the zodiacal ram at its center. The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass carry similarly intriguing cover art, and all three titles offer details not seen in the originals: in Compass and Knife, for example, Pullman's stamp-size b&w art introduces each chapter; Spyglass chapters open with literary quotes from Blake, the Bible, Dickinson and more.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up?A novel set in London and in the Arctic regions of a world that is somewhat like our own. Lyra, apparently an orphan, lives among the scholars at Jordan College, Oxford. She becomes aware of a nefarious plot to steal children and transport them to the far north. As Lyra is drawn deeper and deeper into this mystery, she finds that the children are being made to suffer terribly. What she does not?and must not?know is that she is the keystone in an ancient prophecy. Her destiny is to save her world and to move on into a parallel universe. She dives headlong into harrowing adventures, totally unaware of her importance. She also discovers the identity of her parents, who are major players in the unfolding drama. In Lyra's world, every human has a daemon, an animal that is sort of an extension of one's soul. This fact is central to the story as the church, the academic world, and the government seek to understand the significance of the phenomenon. Also important, but never fully explained, is a substance called Dust. This is a captivating fantasy, filled with excitement, suspense, and unusual characters. The armored bears are wonderful and more interesting than most of the humans. There is some fine descriptive writing, filled with the kind of details that encourage suspension of disbelief. The story line moves along at a rapid clip, but flags when it delves into philosophical matters. The ending is less than satisfying, but serves as a lead-in to part two of the series. Fantasy lovers will be clamoring for the next installment.?Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Customer Reviews

Golden Compass-an ultimate classic
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman is the first book in the trilogy: His Dark Materials. The story is remarkably told in a parallel universe that is similar to ours, but of course, this being a work of fantasy fiction, Pullman included magic and other fantastical beings. The story has many main characters but the most important character is a stubborn and courageous young girl from Great Britain, Lyra. The whole story is about a golden compass, Lyra and her daemon Pan, and their magnificent journey through this parallel universe, carrying out a task that is not immediately defined but they know it will save their world and make history. The story is a delectably retold history of our world in a more fascinating and magical setting. From beginning to end, the storyline is filled with suspense and unpredictable events.
I believe that the book was very well written, and the plot was gripping. Philip Pullman managed to put all of his imagination and creativity into this book, without having the wording too verbose or hard to interpret. His writing style was very detailed, descriptive, and yet simple so that not only young adults like myself could read it, but also that adults would still enjoy his brilliant work of literature.
The Golden Compass also holds many ingenious and significant metaphors, such as the daemon, an animal that is part of your soul, but really stands for your true character or conscious being able to converse with its human form. Along with metaphors it has a very strong religious(especially Christian) and moral take on things. Philip Pullman delectably writes a simple fantasy fiction children's story, but with remarkable hidden messages that readers of all ages would enjoy to interpret and read. No doubt this trilogy will soon be up there with other great fantastical classics of literature.

Northern Lights / Golden Compass = Wonderful!
Seriously I have no idea what all the fuss was about (the book being anti christian and all) but what I can say is that it's a brilliant dark fantasy book which combines our world with another and brings out a wonderful story.
The Golden Compass is a compelling and wonderful story of fantasy and adventure. I was still wondering about Lyra and her friends long after it ended.

Adventure in the far, far north
Being a resident of Alaska, I loved this book. Plus, the fast-paced action creates a story that you can't put down because you really, really want to know what's next. Read this book if you love fantasy, if you're looking forward to the film and want to read the book first, or if you've heard the controversy but want to learn the facts straight from the source. In addition, the book contains a few gorgeous descriptions of life in the far, far North. I give it a 9 out of 10.