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Summary: Don't Pick it up unless you're ready to read all three!
Review: The Golden Compass, which takes place in a parallel universe from ours, where the Church is powerful, where there are flying witches and talking polarbears, is the first of the trilogy.As soon as I began to read it, I was unable to put it down. The story is "dark"er than the Harry Potter series, and the writing is more complex and mature - even though the protagonist is a girl, and the book is generally categorized as being aimed at a "young adult" or "teen" audience. The complexity of the characters, as well as the mythical/mysterious details of the world in which the story takes place is what makes the story so appealing. Throughout the story, many of the characters are not simply "good" or "bad", and the reader must come to terms with the fact that there are various values, morals, and beliefs according to which people behave. What is the value of a good deed done with dishonorable intent? Or a "bad" deed done out of love, or of loyalty and honor? Lyra, the protagonist, adventures through the world trying to rescue her friend. In fact, she is following a greater destiny, and there are greater forces at work, even beyond her comprehension. The reader will quickly and most certainly be wrapped up in Lyra's quest, as deeply as she is, and will not be able to stop reading until you reach the conclusion - three books later. It's worth it, too.
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Summary: What a Treat!! Pretend it's for your children, then ENJOY!
Review: My favorite section in a Barnes & Noble, or Borders is the "Staff Recommends" section, that little corner where real people tell you about good books. On "Marie's" recommendation in Fairfax Virginia, I picked up THE GOLDEN COMPASS. I got home before I realized it was intended for Young Adults. No matter, I'm 47, by page 10 I was hooked. The Golden Compass is wonderfully written and gripping. Philip Pullman does a 'fantastic' job wrapping an engaging story around a concept I had not seen in 20 years of reading fantasy. Gifted children will love this story, but I think it's too complex for new readers. I say, 'gifted children' because I find they love the challenge of a youngster forced in to greatness by no choice of their own. Such is the fate of Lyra, who to avenge the kidnapping of friends and acquaintances in her psuedo-real Oxford University neighborhood, enters a quest of epic proportions to save them. Along the way she enlists the aid of fantasy characters so real, you will laugh and cry along with her. There are armored polar bears who talk, witches who fly on boughs of pine, a "compass" to help her find her way, and a long-lost relative yearning to be found. Highly recommended for all whimsical, young-thinking readers.
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Summary: This Book Bowled Me Over
Review: Reading highly acclaimed children's books is a hobby of mine - taking me back to the good ol' days before social consciousness dawned on me and I was happy sitting around for hours with my nose stuck in one book or another. I read about the highly anticipated Amber Spyglass some months ago so I though that I'd start at the beginning, and am I ever glad that I did. Pullman is incredibly inventive, and does an amazing job of pulling the reader into the many worlds of the trilogy. I highly encourage both younger readers (but not too young; some of the subject matter is quite heavy) and older readers alike to journey to the land of daemons. I wouldn't recommend the book to folks who aren't openminded or are easily offended by religious commentary. A wonderful Christmas gift for those who have already devoured all of the Harry Potters and might have whet their appetite for something a little bit more serious, for seasoned fantasy fans (if you liked C.S. Lewis and Lloyd Alexander growing up, you're in for a treat) and novices alike.
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Summary: Simmering hatred distracts from plot
Review: Mr. Pullman sadly mars his richly-textured work of fantasy by a barely-masked antagonism towards what one must suppose is Roman Catholicism. The climax of his book is disrupted by an extended diatribe against the Church, which I found gratuitous and frankly, bad writing. It was just as contrived as having to endure a monologue by the hero of the book on why you should accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, mid-climax. My experience was perhaps analogous to a Jewish reader deep in a book suddenly running into a Nazi diatribe against my heritage. As a Catholic, I was pretty irritated. It is also irritating that a book that mocks my religion has been granted so much literary praise and honors, but heck, I'm used to that by now, living in this society. From what I understand, Mr. Pullman's obsession with attacking Catholics only intensifies in the sequels. He'd be better off writing a short pamphlet on "The Whore of Babylon and Her Many Snares" and getting it out of his system. So much genuine talent wasted on a literary tantrum. It's very sad.
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Summary: ABSOLOUTE MOST WONDERFUL BOOK ON EARTH
Review: THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I am 15 years old, and this is my second time reading this book. This is just so exciting, I would reccomend this book to all ages, especially older people, because its so descriptive and its just my favorite book. Lyra, the main character is so COOL. I ALSO HAVE READ THE SECOND BOOK, THE SUBTLE KNIFE. It is equally fantastic. I just got the last book, THE AMBER SPYGLASS, and plan to read that book very carefully just so I can absorb every last detail. THese three books are the best books in the world, read them. READ THEM, IM TELLING YOU!!
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Summary: A great read for young adults.
Review: This book is intelligent, well written and organized, and has loveable characters. It may be a bit too much for anyone under 10, but from 10 to 14, this is great reading. True, it is rather dark and dreary, but it's about time. I always considered an ability to enjoy sadness a sign of genius. One can't live in the happy fairy tales forever. This is a great read for fans of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, and fans of this series should check Martin out as well. The two are different yet alike, difficult to explain but easy to appreciate. The final judgment? Intelligence and imagination collide to create the most original allegorical fantasy since Narnia.
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Summary: The Golden Compass
Review: I think this book is a great read. Pullman really takes the time to show relationships forming. It's not just like. . .BOOM. . .these people are friends. You see the relationships strengthening and weakening. You get to know the characters so you begin to feel their pain and their joy. The last few pages of the book were awesome. I was almost in tears at the ending.
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Summary: Boring...
Review: Yet another linear, mediocre fantasy book. Add it to the others of its kind from David Eddings and the like. Definitely not in the same league as Tolkien, C.S.Lewis or a few others. The plot is like a Sydney Sheldon novel for "kids". The Church is the evil empire (!) in a paralell universe, and also, as we find out in later books, in our world. The plot moves only in one direction, and you can identify each of the author's afterthoughts as he tries to make it coherent. Is he really trying to sell us his subversive view of christianity as the equivalent of evil and ignorance ? If so, he fails miserably in my view. The characters are blatantly one-dimensional, you close the book and forget their names, and will not feel endeared to any of them. They are not lovable, they are just there, like the zombies and specters in his books, devoid of any life of their own. My strong recommendation: rather than reading this stuff pick your old copy of The Lord of the Rings and read it again...
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Summary: Innocence begins the journey
Review: A child begins a journey without the usual parental guides. Trusting strangers until they betray her, Lyra embarks on an adventure that will lead at least to other worlds and certainly to self awareness and maturity. Surprising numbers of betrayals and tragedies make this a very different child's fantasy. I'm hooked.
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Summary: Wonderfully complex and exciting
Review: I have read this book probably over 100 times over the course of about four years. Waiting in agony till the next book was published. After finishing the trilogy I have found new intrests of things that I did not know actually exist. Dark Matter or Dust for example is a very new and cutting edge topic of science. If you Love complex masterpieces this trilogy is the best for you. It was a little confusing in the begining for some of my friends, but if you continue to read on you will enjoy it thoroughly. This trilogy and this book inparticuar will raise alot of very interesting questions and will bring you the fun of unfolding and aging and mysterious plot of danger, betrayal, trust, and an untold love that defines what true love should really be like.
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