Rating: 
Summary: Mystical Magical Lyra
Review: I've just recently come into knowing Philip Pullman's books. Based on a recommendation from a friend, I dived into "The Golden Compass" with some trepidations. Not a big fantasy reader (other than the classic Narnia books and of course, Potter), I worried about my interest level and ability to become involved in the book. No worries here, after the first hundred pages, the book completely draws you in and never lets you go until the very last page.Spinning the tale of Lyra, an orphan of sorts, being raised by the bretheren of a school. Lyra is fierce, brave, stubborn, resourceful, and yet, full of weaknesses, making her a remarkable heroine. You immediately join her side as she fights to learn her identity, her place in her world. Quickly, she is adept at figuring out complex situations, even before the reader, making her brilliant and real. Two favorite parts of the book involve each person's "soul", imagined as a daemon, or an animal. So much character knowledge revolves around these daemons that I grew to learn of each character's daemon to help illuminate that said character. And the illusive "alethiometer", a truth telling instrument that Lyra learns to "read" is a literary work of wonder, and something I'll be thinking about for some time. It is around her the Pullman weaves his incredible story of magic, auroras, Gobblers, religion, and the all important daemon. Pullman's abiliity to intertwine religion, magic, and science is simply masterful. Throwing in adventure, intrigue, and suspenseful elements, the story is both challenging, and compelling. While technically "a kid's book", every adult interested in this book will find something to hold on to, to cheer for, to dread. I agree with some reviewers who find the first parts of the book a little difficult to hang on to. In fact, I almost gave it up. But trust me, hang on and read for your life. You'll soon get caught up, and everything will make sense! This is a multilayered, masterful start to the "His Dark Materials" trilogy. I simply cannot wait until I start the sequel, "The Subtle Knife".
Rating:
Summary: The Golden Compass -- A Brilliant Start To An Awesome Series
Review: I must say that after I finished this book, I was shocked for several days and it was all I could think about for a long time. YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK. If you've read some of the reviews and you're still not sure if you should buy The Golden Compass, let me tell you a little bit about the protagonist, Lyra Belacqua. I love Lyra's character because she is determined to fulfill her destiny and find out who she is. Her loving devotion to her daemon proves her greatness as not only a friend and companion, but also as a person. She never forgets her allies, and is loving toward everyone who is willing to help her. Lyra is a very strong person, because she has to deal with heartbreaking betrayal throughout the book. Lyra makes up for her losses and betrayals, though, with the devoted friends she makes along her epic journey. This book truly made me laugh and cry as the chapters grew more intense, and I would recommend The Golden Compass to any reader, young or old.
Rating:
Summary: Joint Review of His Dark Materials
Review: The point of departure for this truly creative fantasy/parallel worlds trilogy is an inversion of Milton's Paradise Lost. In the latter, Milton presented a poetic account and justification of the divine plan for the Universe. In Pullman's books, the Miltonic version is a distorted view of real events. In the Universe created by Pullman, a powerful angelic force, the Authority, claimed power over the previously created Universe and has been abusing this power for millennia to keep humanity (and other sentient species) in a form of bondage. This bondage ramifies throughout an virtually infinite number of parallel worlds. This trilogy describes a revolt against the Authority and its overthrow. The principle characters are 2 children, one from our world and one from a closely related parallel world with mixed features of the 20th century and Victorian Europe. The initial plot strand concerns efforts to understand a mysterious component of the Universe called Dust or Dark Energy. The following complicated plot is essentially a coming of age story as the two children encounter many exotic features of their and related worlds. The plot incorporates elements of Paradise Lost and the Garden of Eden myth.
The quality of writing in these books is superb. A host of interesting characters and high quality prose. Pullman's imagination is remarkable. He has essentially developed a whole new mythology incorporating elements of modern science, religious allegory, and modern history. Perhaps the only flaw is that he may have packed too much into the final and concluding book of the trilogy, which is an interesting compound of Armageddon, Ragnorak, and the Garden of Eden story.
These books have produced some controversy as some feel that they are anti-religious, even specifically anti-Christian. Pullman has denied this interpretation and suggested that the books are an allegorical attack on all forms of dogmatism and authoritarianism. This disclaimer seems disingenuous. One thing that Pullman very clearly attacks is the idea that there is a separate soul distinct from the body. An important and at times poetically presented component of these books is the idea that humans are an intrinsic, not separate component, of the natural world. Pullman actually presents a pantheistic view of the world with consciousness an immanent and emergent part of the natural world and humans (and other sentients) as particular extensions of this aspect of the natural world. He also allegorically criticizes human attempts to overwhelmingly control the natural world. Whatever he states, these views are a trenchant criticism of any world view resting on the idea of separate and eternal souls.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: If I had to pick just one word to describe the entire book, here it is: awesome. The moment that I was first introduced to the precocious Lyra and her worryfull daemon (a physical manifestation of your soul), Pantalaimon, I fell in love with them both. The plot and emotion in this novel are so inticately woven together. I never wanted this incredible story to end. This was truly one of the greatest books I have ever read. This book catches your eye the moment you open it up as Lyra and her daemon sneak into and important conference where they is obviously not allowed. There, she overhears the conversation that will ultimately send her into an adventure that spirals through different worlds, all in an attempt to prevent the collapse of all universes. Through all this, Lyra remains true to herself and her friends. One of the main reasons this novel and its sequels are so touching is that in the face of a corrupted system, Lyra retains her childlike innocence. Always there is fear and danger surrounding her. She loses so much throughout the novels, and still she goes on. I recommend this great book to anybody, whether you're ten years old or ninety years old. This may appear to some to be a children's book, but believe me, this is a book for both the young and old at heart.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! What a book!
Review: What can I say to express how wonderful this book is? It's beyond perfect. Usually, I ignore fantasy books, but this one is an obvious exception. I've read it literally dozens of times (my book is starting to fall apart). This is one of those few books where you begin to see the characters as real, feeling people. Pullman is a master of characterization. He puts together a great plot with all the suspense and surprises needed to keep you on the edge of your seat until the end (which, I might say, is one of the best conclusions I've read in any genre). His writing is filled with exquisite detail and beauty. Somehow he makes it easy to accept a world so totally different from ours. I could rave for pages and pages on this great book, but I think it'll be sufficient to say that this is head and shoulders above any other work in its genre, and a lot of work from other genres, as well. If you don't enjoy it, I feel sorry for you because you're missing out, big time!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Pullman creates a believable world in his first few chapters and I enjoyed reading that part of the book. I felt that he had a jumble of good ideas and tried to throw them all in at once. In the end I was confused and while I didn't want to give up in the central character and her bear I ended up finishing the book dissatisfied. Perhaps others will like it more; perhaps I read it too quick.
Rating: 
Summary: A Lyrical Fantasy
Review: This is the first of three books by the author. This first effort describes the journey of an 11 year old girl, Lyra Belacqua. Although the story is somewhat typical, in that it is a journey of adventure and self-discovery, I have to give the author great credit for having a unique perspective and highly creative imagination. This book is well worth the read because it is so well written. It is not another epic fantasy knock-off of J.R.R. Tolkien. I sense that the author has not created anything new, but has eclipsed his peers by the sheer lyricism and quality in the storytelling. The purpose of this review is not to rehash the story. I could simply put you on notice that there are gypsies, armored bears, witches and the like. However, the much greater thing here is quality. This is why I will read the second book and why you should read the first.
Rating:
Summary: The Golden Compass
Review: This is a very good beginning to a triliogy of books about an adventure. The story starts with Lyra, a 11 year old girl who does not have a care in the world. She spends her days climbing and exploring with her best friend Roger.
All this is to change when she secretly overhears a prestentation made by her uncle about Dust, a mysterious substance.
After this her best friend Roger has gone missing, and is thought to of been kidnapped by Gobblers, a group that kidnaps people to perform experiments on them in the north.
Before Lyra can set off the find her friend she meets Mrs. Coulter. Mrs. Coulter takes Lyra in and they both go on an adventure to the north, but for different reasons.
What happens next I can not tell you, so you better read the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure stories, adult or child.
Rating:
Summary: The Golden Compass
Review: This is a very good beginning to a triliogy of books. It is a story about a girl named Lyra and her adventures. In the beginning of the story she leads a carefree life that includes exploring and watching over kids at the college. Her life begins to change after her "uncle" comes to the college to give a presentation but is nearly killed. Lyra overhears the presentation about Dust which is a very mysterious substance. After the whole incidence with her uncle, Lyra's best friend Roger disappears. He is believed to of been kidnapped by Gobblers, which are a group of people that kidnap people to perform experiments on them in the artic. Lyra then goes on an adventure to save Roger. On the way she finds out many things about her family and whats really going on in the world. I would recommend this story to any person who is looking for a good adventure story.
Rating:
Summary: The golden compass
Review: When I began this book I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy it, the fantasy genre is one of which I can easily be bored by. Philip Pullman however has writen this book with just the right balance of realism and fantasy so you are kept interested by the witches, armoured bears, and other magical beings but problems can't be solved by the swish of a wand.
Lyra (the main character in the book) is a typical 11 year old girl, so true to life it feels as if you could actually meet her. She gets caught up with an organization taking children up north and doing research with them. Little does Lyra know but she is the key to the destiny of her planet and numerous others. Early on in her travels she recieves a magical golden compass that can answer questions but only lyra can read it. Lyra has a grand adventure leading her to the north full of danger, excitement, courages acts, and brilliant plans. After things are finally coming together their is one more surprise in store for her, one to big for me to give away in this review. This book is definitely a must read for fantasy lovers and even those who aren't that into fantasy would find it a good read. This book is great for teens and many adults would probably enjoy it also.
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