His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (Book 1)

By Philip Pullman

Book Overview

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "MARVELOUS."--The New Yorker - An Entertainment Weekly All-Time Greatest Novel - A Newsweek Top 100 Book of All Time - Winner of the Carnegie Medal - The Inspiration for the HBO Original Series His Dark Materials

DON'T MISS THE EPIC FINALE TO LYRA'S STORY: THE ROSE FIELD, AVAILABLE NOW

Discover the modern fantasy classic that kicked off the epic trilogies His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust--a world where humans have animal familiars and parallel universes are within reach.

"Pullman is quite possibly a genius."--Newsweek

A war is brewing in Lyra's world between those who would keep people in ignorance and those willing to fight for freedom. Lyra is thrust into the middle of the conflict when her uncle Asriel comes to Oxford, fomenting rebellion, and when her best friend, Roger, suddenly disappears.

Lyra learns that Roger was kidnapped by a shadowy organization that is rumored to experiment on children. To find him, she will travel to the cold, far North, where armored bears and witch clans rule--and where Asriel is attempting to build a bridge to a parallel world.

What Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other--and that her actions will have consequences not just in her world, but in all the worlds beyond.

Look for the modern fantasy classics of HIS DARK MATERIALS:
The Golden Compass - The Subtle Knife - The Amber Spyglass

And Lyra's adventures continue in THE BOOK OF DUST:
La Belle Sauvage - The Secret Commonwealth - The Rose Field

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440418321
• ISBN13: 9780440418320
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Yearling Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 7.7"
• 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.

Such a great read in so many ways.

Such a great read in so many ways. Seen the movie, now I'm on book 2 the Subtle Knife. Might be even better book, might be disturbing for some bcz of more science fiction altered realities and religious questioning.

I love this story. Great Book I read it while recovering from surgery. Received in like - new condit

Great story for pre-teens and older. Wonderful series.

Nothern lights- a book for stary-eyed readers

I read Northern lights, because my aunty who is a school librarian told me how good the book was. She certainly was not wrong. This book offers drama, action, love, hate and a gripping storyline. The book is all about Lyra, a 12-year-old girl who goes on an amazing adventure up in the north to rescue her friend Rodger and her uncle Lord Asriel. I think this book has a brilliant story line, because as the book goes on new adventures unfold for Lyra that keeps any reader with an imagination involved in this delightful fantasy book. Throughout the book you join Lyra through her adventures to save the world from original sin. I thought that the clever twist in the book really makes it interesting and an enjoyable race against time to see whether the world shall be destroyed or saved. You will have to read the book to find out, because I am not going to tell you! Phillip Pullman is a very clever and talented writer and deserves much appreciation from his readers that have discovered a whole new universe inside a little book.I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good fantasy read and something to stimulate your imagination.

A Book to Cherish

Philip Pullman's Northern Lights, first book of His Dark Materials trilogy, is an absolutely astounding book. It is centred around a girl called Lyra with a distinct personality. Readers will immediatly be drawn to her spicy attitude to life. She is made to leave her normal life with curiosity of the fact she will travel with Mrs Coulter, who seems to Lyra like an interesting person, despite her odd thoughts about `Gobblers' and the mysterious disappearances going on.It is revealed Lyra has special powers.You will be pulled face-first into Lyra's world. There are many mysteries that you will want to ponder too. If you like fantasy or adventure books, and that appeals to most people, read this book because it will thrill you the whole way through.

Magical story

This is a magical book, a truly inspirational piece of writing from Philip Pullman. It focuses on the life of a young girl named Lyra and her daemon. Lyra leaves the places she knows well and sets out on a journey, not knowing the true purpose of her trip until she is completely caught up in it. The story takes the reader completely into Lyra's world and lets you enjoy the twists of the plot, observing the life of the life of the young heroine as she grows along the way. AND...guess what...there's a sequel!