The Golden Compass Graphic Novel, Volume 2

By Philip Pullman

Book Overview

HIS DARK MATERIALS IS SOON TO BE AN HBO ORIGINAL SERIES STARRING DAFNE KEEN, RUTH WILSON, JAMES McAVOY, AND LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA

The eagerly awaited second volume in the graphic novel adaptation of Philip Pullman's international bestseller The Golden Compass.

This second volume of the graphic novel finds Lyra in the far North. With the help of Gyptian fighters, newfound witch allies, and the armored bear Iorek Byrnison, she means to rescue the children held captive by the notorious Gobblers.

The stunning full-color art offers both new and returning readers a chance to experience the story of Lyra, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary role to play in the fates of multiple worlds, in an entirely unique way.

Published in 50 countries with over 22 million copies sold, The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass are renowned for their engrossing storytelling and epic scope. These modern classics are must-reads for every book lover.

Praise for The Golden Compass Graphic Novel, vol. 2:

"Dreamy watercolors organized into neatly ordered panels lend themselves well to the fantastical setting, creating a sense of sweeping cinematic scope. Pullman's original magnum opus is heady and dense, and it may prove challenging for some; this adaptation, with its visual accessibility, can help those struggling with the novel's complexity achieve an understanding without watering down the intricacies."--Kirkus Reviews

Praise for The Golden Compass Graphic Novel, vol. 1:

"The story's signature fantasies--the d mons, the armored mercenary polar bears, and the alethiometer--are realized with compelling force (and, in the case of the d mons, humor). This] retelling will bring Pullman's work new fans and give previous readers new pleasure." --Publishers Weekly, Starred

"Whether this is a reader's first experience with the tale or they are already familiar with the story, they should be delighted by this rendition." --School Library Journal

"The small and detailed but very clear panels are full of expressive faces, discernible action, and moody shadowing. Readers familiar with Pullman's novel will appreciate this artistic adaptation, as will readers who simply prefer graphic novels to prose." --Booklist

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553535137
• ISBN13: 9780553535136
• Release Date: September 2016
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.8" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

This is the first book in the Dark Materials story.

It is not worth reviewing or reading the reviews of “The Golden Compass” (British title “The Northern Lights”) until one has finished the complete story of “Dark Materials” by Philip Pullman. As with any genre, the author is trying to express a concept or make a point. By using the genre, whether it is Western sci-fi or historical peace, the author envelops the concept in a palatable story. Sometimes the envelope completely masks the purpose of the story; at other times the purpose is so blatant that one doesn't even know why anything was being enveloped. This is one of those rare stories that polarizes readers from one extreme to the other. We recognize other phenomena in this story. In many stories, the reader's rule looks at the antagonists as the protagonist and, occasionally, can sympathize but never recognizes themselves as the protagonist. In Philip Pullman's “Dark Materials,” it seems that everybody recognizes themselves with an “if the shoe fits attitude, whether it is them or not. Now, Dark Materials, book one “The Golden Compass.” Lyra, who ran wild around Jordan College at Oxford, is now hiding in a closet in the Retiring Room. There she sees that the Master is about to poison her uncle, Lord Asriel. Now Lyra must figure out who the good guys are from the bad if there are good and bad guys. In the process, she finds and fulfills her destiny without fully realizing what that destiny is. The people and creatures around her know more of her destiny than she does. Soon she must leave Jordon College and is given a beautiful golden instrument with pictures and arms that resemble a compass. What she is supposed to do with it is not clear at first.