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Summary: A classic to be
Review: ‘The Golden Compass’ is a book with many different worlds and views. With twists, turns, and adventures here and there, this book is page after page, going on and on, on a long and suspending ride, and when it stops, you wish you could keep going. However, they do stretch some parts in the book and that makes me a little irritated. I find it would be vague for children under the age of 11. It would be a perfect for a young teen though.
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Summary: Just the begining of a wonderfully gripping fantasy!
Review: Pullman writes about fantastic worlds with mysterious connections. His main characters are pre teens that seem brilliantly imaginary yet utterly believable. The journey through this book, the first of three, is spell binding and complicated enought to keep me, an adult, captivated as well as my eleven year old son. It is a blend science fiction, fantasy and mystery that we have found unique in all our readings.
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Summary: The Golden Compass is a the BEST BOOK EVER
Review: Exceeding even the famous Harry Potter, the Golden Compass and its sequels join together to make an astounding Trilogy! The creativity and thought put into this makes it more of a six star than a five star. Kids of a younger age may have difficulty reading this but it is a great book for older children and adults! When you finish the book you want to re-read it and then go out and get the next book. Lyra Belacqua and the other characters make a strong impression on the reader and Iorek Byrnison is awesome! This book should be on every shelf!
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Summary: The Golden Compass is a Golden Book!!
Review: From the very beginning Philip Pullman pulls you right into the story. Though this book can be confusing for younger readers it is a great one for older children. How he thinks of all this is unimaginable, it seems that so much time and effort and creativity went into it! A must read book and should be on every child's shelf!
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Summary: Who needs a yellowbrick road when you have a golden compass?
Review: When I first read this book, I was truly amazed at the challenging stance that Pullman assumes. His prose is so elegant in telling the story of Lyra Belacqua, who is such a talented liar that she is renamed Lyra Silvertongue. In Lyra's world-- an alternate dimension of the world as we know it-- people's souls manifest themselves as animals called daemons, the Church rules over the State, Gypsies are called Gyptians, electric lights are anbaric lights, amber is electrum.... Pullman's world is complete to the very last detail; its differences and similarities are subtly hinted at at first, then developed more fully as the novel progresses. This novel is worthy of being the first of the His Dark Materials trilogy, which is revolutionary in its themes and plot. A must-read series, to say the least.
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Summary: On The Edge Of Your Seat
Review: This book is kind of scary and you won't be able to put it down. Lyra ventures into new worlds when she tries to escape from the evil and save the good. With help from her daemon, she makes new friends and competes with life-threatening obstacles. Read the book to find out what happens to Lyra! --MSJ
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Summary: An addictive series
Review: Don't start this book unless you intend to run out and buy the other two. A story written between three books that is gripping and full of interesting plot twists. A happy ending is not guaranteed, and I love that in a novel. Talking polar bears, humans with the animalistic side of them visible, witches and other sorts of great fun await you. Just don't forget to bring your Kleenex to the last one.
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Summary: Something wicked this way comes...
Review: At first, I was rather resistant. I'd been told that if I liked the Harry Potter series, I would like this even more. It took me several weeks to get through the first 150 pages ... usually not a good sign. But then, something clicked and I devoured the last half of the novel in a matter of a couple sittings. The darkness pulls you in. You read and you can't quite figure out what's going on but you know that something nasty is definitely afoot, you're just not sure what. What in heck are the daemons and why does everyone have one? What is Dust? What's the deal with Mrs. Coulter and that creepy golden monkey of hers? Doesn't the name Lord Asriel have slightly Satanic connotations? And - gasp - what about those rumors of "severed children"... not to mention the talking bears. The world of Philip Pullman's novel is a strange one ... or is it several worlds all in one? By novel's end, you will have some answers but many more questions. You will want to pick up a copy of the trilogy's second book "The Subtle Knife". You will like Lyra Bellacqua, the novel's child heroine, a lot more than you did when you were first introduced to her. You will want to know more about the Elementary Particles and will wish to brush up on your book of Genesis. Will you like this book better than Harry Potter? Possibly. Harry Potter has a more immediate, accessible appeal. "The Golden Compass" builds more slowly. Both however are masterfully creative, the Pullman just requires more work. I have heard Books Two and Three in this trilogy are much easier to get into. I'm interested to see what comes next.
Rating:
Summary: A Mosaic of Excellence
Review: The Golden Compass was an excellent book for both adults and children. It is like an advanced Harry Potter. The intricate plot, constantly thickening, kept me on the edge of my seat at all times--except for the beginning, which I thought was rather slow. The only major weakness in the story was lack of explaination. For example, the idea of daemons was hard to grasp when first introduced to it. Though as I got towards the middle of the story, I got a clear image of what daemons were. Other than that, this book is superb to ever degree. Travel with Lyra throuh each page and have fun!
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece.
Review: I have, very occasionally, read books as good as this. The last time was probably in the sixties, when I discovered THE LORD OF THE RINGS. This book is in that class. I started a library copy on Friday, finished it on Saturday, and bought my own hardcover on Monday. I only wish I could do a review that would be half as good as this novel. Just go read it. Do it now.
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