Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT
Review: This is a great book. It is about a young girl named Lyra who has to leave a place called Jordan College. Every human has a creature called a daemon which I guess is like a guardian angel. The daemons are usually the opposite sex of who they are guarding. Lyra has to meet with many peoples, such as a people called the gyptians and people called the Gobblers. It is one of the best fantasy boooks I have ever read. Philip Pullman is an articulate writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Marvelous dark fantasy
Review: Philip Pullman's novel "The Golden Compass" is a fine read. The prose is nearly flawless, the pace never falters, the characters are memorable and disturbing, and the world Pullman creates is wild, dangerous, romantic, fascinating.It is a world that seems very much like our own, at least at first. The (apparently) orphaned young heroine, Lyra, is raised in Oxford University by the dons, in a London that seems to resemble our own. Except that Lyra has a familiar, a 'daemon' as the book calls him, Pantalaimon, a sort of extracorporeal manifestation of her soul, who can assume many shapes, and talk to her, after a fashion. In fact, every human has a daemon. Lyra's world is vaguely English Victorian in character, and is ruled by a benign Roman Catholic theocracy. There are airships, zeppelins, balloons and the like, but no airplanes. There are no electric lights, but something called 'anbaric' lights, which seem similar. There are intimations of atomic power. There are witches, far away in the North, and armored bears, and the Northern Lights, the aurora borealis, which when observed closely, reveals a city in the sky... The plot is basically a quest, evolving and changing as Lyra undertakes it, which is not completed by the end of the novel, and continues in the next two books in this trilogy, "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass". The writing is first-rate. Pullman, himself an Oxford graduate, obviously loves the conventions of the Victorian novel, and the conventions of Western literature in general. For example, in describing a fight between two "panserbjorne", or armored bears, we get this Homeric simile: "Like a wave that has been building its strength over a thousand miles of ocean, and which makes little stir in the deep water, but which when it reaches the shallows rears itself up into the sky, terrifying the shore dwellers, before crashing down on the land with irresistible power -- so Iorek Byrnison rose up against Iofur..." The characters, like their world, are well-developed, complex, and memorable. Many otherwise entertaining writers cannot create convincing characters to save their lives. Pullman, though, can and does: Lyra, his protagonist, the 'barbarian' child, an accomplished liar and tall-tale teller, but innocent of the snares and dangers of the wider world; Lord Asrial, her 'uncle', arrogant, brave, visionary, ruthless; Lady Coulter, brilliant, beautiful, and dangerous; Iorek Byrnison, the armored bear whose armor is his soul, who is a better father to Lyra than her own father. This book is marketed as 'young adult' fiction. It's considerably darker than the Harry Potter books, and probably isn't appropriate for readers under age 10 or so. For example, we are told early on of an adulterous affair that ends in a murder, and the description of the outcome of the bear fight mentioned above borders on grand guinol. I gather that in the later books Pullman challenges the basis of Christian faith, which will not please people looking for another Narnia. I loved this book, however, and I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm baffled that people enjoy this series
Review: It's surprising that readers compare this series to Harry Potter. I reached the end out of sheer determination to ignore the horrendous, blunt writing style of Philip Pullman, his ridiculous characters, and contrived story. Before you buy this, open the book and read a page ... that is all I need to say. It doesn't get any better -- every page is terrible.
Rating:
Summary: Thick novel with a thin plot...
Review: Pullman has written himself the very poor novel indeed. I don't know who sat down and told the man he could write because I found this novel to be extremely poor written. Though I am by no means a heavily religious christian, even I have to sit down and cringe at his blantant anti-church sentaments and poor writing. This story takes place in an alternate universe to our own where all people are accompanied by Daemons. Beneveloent spirits who can be mostly described as familiars, however Pullman attempts to turn his rather poorly written book into something clever by not explaining what a Daemon is. Instead of making the reader brillantly figure it out a certain element like in Robin Hobbs assain series novels, it all together left me confused and annoyed. His characters are extremely one dimensional and unsympathetic. One found themselves dispsiing Lyra at every turn rather than growing to care about her more. This book is a thick novel with a thin plot indeed.
Rating:
Summary: a bit of my lukens paper i had to write on the goldencompass
Review: Themes
The primary theme of the book revolves around original sin. Because Dust is drawn to children at the moment they begin to develop an inherent sense of good and evil, when innocence, as it were, changes to experience, it is believed that Dust is proof of original sin. If children could be shielded from Dust, they might grow up in a state of sinless grace. There are two possible ways of accomplishing this. The first is to break the link between children and their daemons before the daemons can settle. This is the method favored by that arm of the Magesterium known as the Oblation Board. The second is to travel physically into the alternate universes from which Dust emanates and eliminate it there, at the source, thus ridding the world, all the worlds, in all the universes, of original sin and everything that goes along with it: misery, destruction, death. The Magesterium views this method as profoundly heretical and dangerous to its own continued existence, for in a world without sin, what need would there be of that divine forgiveness that the Church alone can dispense?
The theme is explicit Mrs. Coulter explains to Lyra the Church's views on Dust while Lyra is imprisoned in Bolvangar. "Darling, these are big difficult ideas, Dust and so on. It is not something for a child to worry about. But the doctors do it for the children's own good, my love. Dust is something wrong, something evil and wicked. Grownups and their daemons are infected with dust so deeply that it's to late for them. They can't be helped...But a quick operation on children means they're safe from it. Dust just won't stick to them ever again. They're safe and happy and."
The main theme is perhaps too sophisticated for the average young adult reader. The reader would need at least a religion 101 and an introductory philosophy coarse to really understand the main theme. However, the secondary themes are easily understood since they involve growing up.
The secondary theme involves maturation. The innocent child and the experienced adult are illustrated by their daemons. The adult daemons settle, often taking the dominant personality trait of their master, while the children want to continue to change. This is an explicit theme. Lyra said. "I want Pantalaimon to able to change forever. So does he." What Lyra is really saying is she doesn't want to grow up.
The primary and secondary themes are intertwined. The Church views childhood as a window of opportunity for the Church to eliminate original sin. It just becomes too strong once you become an adult
Rating:
Summary: An exciting,plot-twisting book
Review: Let's face it:this book is great!Phillip Pullman weaves a spectacular story about the brave heroine,Lyra,and her constant companion,Pan,living in a world alot like ours,but still very different,a world filled with some strange people and things,where people have their own personal companions,their deamons.A world who's very exsistence is threatened. This is really an adventure,save-the-world kind of book,but you don't have to worry much about gory things;Pullman really doesn't get into the gushing blood-lots-of-guts stuff,save for 1 scene.It's kind of cheesy if you look back on some stuff-like Lyra befriending an armored bear;what's up with that?But alot of things are really good material-Lyra's unconcious betryal of a friend;the secret of Lyra's birth.This is the book for you Harry Potter fans-Pullman writes with the same subtle plots,and his writing is just as absorbing,and also as inventive.With the many plot-twists,Pullman leaves you guessing 'til the end.A word of advice:Read slowly through the scienc-y parts;they're kinda confusing,but vital parts of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect In Every Way!
Review: The Golden Compass is one of the best books I have ever read. Philip Pullman has created a world that seems real, that draws you in with it's mysterious, adventurous, entertaining characters and situations. The Golden Compass stands with The Wizard of Oz, The Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, and The Chronicles of Narnia as some of the best fantasy of the 20th century. I would recommend it to anyone- you will NOT be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad for a fantasy novel
Review: I was given this book to read along with The Subtle Knife by a friend of mine who read the Golden Compass aloud with friends as something to pass the time during a college field trip. I was looking for something with a good story and easy to read to pass the time between Potter books and Tolkein. I'm not usually a fantasy reader, but this year seems to be a bit of a return to the genre for me. I very much enjoyed this first novel in the trilogy, and was glued to the page to follow the adventures of Lyra and see what each twist and turn would bring next. Philip Pullman keeps your interest through almost all of the book. He tackles some big ideas related to religion and alternate dimensions in this novel in a way that is non-threatening and quite intriguing. Many of the scenarios and characters could easily be handled poorly by lesser writers, such as bands of gypsies ("gyptians" in the book), animal "daemons" that are attached to each human (like a soul and conscience on the outside), armored bear clans, and witches (I honestly had a hard time accepting the witches). The only reason I give the book 4 stars is that there are a couple of weak moments of dialogue and a couple of questionable plot developments. My copy of the book advertises the Terry Brooks introduction, but I have yet to find it. It must be an older copy. By the way, I immediately read through the second book, The Subtle Knife, and could barely stand it, but felt I owed it to myself to see the plot through.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely amazing
Review: Of all the books that I have read, this makes it into my top ten favourite along with other books by Philip Pullman. This book is so amazing and takes so many twists and turns and Lyra is one of the most developed and interesting characters I have ever read about. In my opinion, Philip Pullman is one of the greatest authors and writes wonderful books. This book is amazing and anyone who reads this will keep your eyes glued to this book, you won't put it down. I recommend this book for anyone. I can't say enough that this book is a fantastic work of literature.
Rating:
Summary: Soo Stunned I can hardly speak.
Review: I read this book and I loved it so much I am almost speachless. Let me tell you that you better have some cash after you read the first cause you are going to want to run out and buy the Subtle Knife book #2 IMMIDIATLY. Though I did dislike how the ending was all religious but thats only a small part Read this book it's definatly worth it!
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