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Original Essays | October 17, 2009

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My Catholic friend tilted her teacup like a fortune-teller. "You know," she said, "I think people who don't have God in their lives are like people... Continue »
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The Golden Compass

by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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.

Review:

"As always, Pullman is a master at combining impeccable characterizations and seamless plotting, maintaining a crackling pace to create scene upon scene of almost unbearable tension.  This glittering gem will leave readers of all ages eagerly awaiting the next installment of Lyra's adventures."--(starred review), Publishers Weekly

From the Hardcover edition.

Synopsis:

Now available in true digest format comes Pullman's bestselling fantasy of Lyra Belacqua and her daemon familiar, Pantalaimon. When her uncle returns from the North with tales of mystery and danger, his visit sets off a chain of events that draws Lyra into the heart of a terrible struggle.

Synopsis:

In a world as convincing as Narnia, Earthsea, and Redwall, a half-wild, half-civilized girl named Lyra Belacqua lives a carefree life among the scholars of Jordan College until her life is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors.

About the Author

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England and was brought up in Rhodesia, Australia, London and Wales. Philip graduated from Oxford University in 1973 with a degree in English, and has taught middle school at Westminter College. He is the author of many highly-acclaimed books for young readers, from contemporary fiction to Victorian thrillers, and has written plays and picture books for readers of all ages. Philip's current book, The Golden Compass , has been hailed as "a rich combination of high fantasy, high drama, and intense emotion" by author Lloyd Alexander, and "extraordinary storytelling at it's very best" by the Detroit Free-Press .

Philip currently lives in Oxford with his wife, Judith, and children.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Kathy Fraser, March 9, 2008 (view all comments by Kathy Fraser)
"Never judge a book by its movie." Our whole family devoured this trilogy, thrilled to find a series of unexpected caliber after the end of the Harry Potter books. Pullman weaves mythology, science and real emotion into a serious page-turner. Occassional violence and some deep themes are treated with the same descriptive detail throughout. You will want all three books in hand before starting the first!
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(9 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
mel_poehlman, December 21, 2007 (view all comments by mel_poehlman)
I really enjoyed this book. I did not find it to be particularly anti-Christian or anti-religion, as the hype would lead you to believe. It's a fast-paced, engaging story that both younger and older readers will enjoy. I can't wait to start book two.
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(10 of 21 readers found this comment helpful)
Cathy from Olympia, Washington, November 5, 2007 (view all comments by Cathy from Olympia, Washington)
I had been meaning to read this book for years. So when I saw previews for the upcoming movie Golden Compass, I finally did it. I would have read straight through, but alas, work and meals and such prevented this. But I REALLY enjoyed Golden Compass, and read the next two in the trilogy-- The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. Of the three, my personal favorite is The Subtle Knife, but I definitely recommend reading the series in order, beginning with the Golden Compass. The whole trilogy is excellent and has won several awards. I believe it it considered a YA novel, but adults will certainly enjoy this, and I believe my 9-year old will enjoy it as well. That said, I would NOT recommend this book to my daughter's friend-- there are some scary and intense moments in the series!
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(16 of 28 readers found this comment helpful)
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780440418320
Author:
Pullman, Philip
Publisher:
Yearling Books
Location:
New York
Subject:
Action & Adventure
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy
Subject:
Fantasy
Subject:
Fantasy fiction
Subject:
Arctic regions
Subject:
Kidnapping
Subject:
Missing persons
Subject:
Action & Adventure - General
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Edition Description:
Paperback
Series:
His Dark Materials (Paperback)
Series Volume:
01
Publication Date:
May 2001
Binding:
Paperback
Language:
English
Pages:
416
Dimensions:
7.73x5.25x.97 in. .64 lbs.
Age Level:
12-17

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