Rating: 
Summary: For very young children
Review: This is not a story for anyone with a bit of maturity. I suppose it's good for children but it's not even adecuate for teenagers. The character development is too poor(there isn't really one for most characters)and the story does not unfold in any logical way; that is to say there are a lot of contradictions (take for example all that bussines with bears than can't be tricket or the fact that, if you really think about it, what Lyra should be reading on the aletheometer is never what she reads. If she would have used it properly she could know the outcome of every meeting she has).To make it short: it lacks the complexity and devolopment that is needed to entretain adults or adults-to-be.
Rating: 
Summary: Great fantasy, great potential - ruined by bigotry.
Review: Let me get one thing straight: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it twice, and that's a great compliment, because most books don't interest me enough. The world Mr. Pullman creates is multifaceted, fascinating and stangely lovely, a mixture of medievalism and the age of invention. The characters are endearing, and the plot is gripping. And "The Golden Compass" succeeds where the majority of fantasies fail in creating a convincing and endlessly intriguing stage for his characters to play on. That's what satisfies the ardent fantasy fan: a believable fantasy world. Oh,yes, and then there's the distasteful strain of venemous hatred of the Catholic Church, running through the whole thing. That sort of bothered me the first time I read it, but I shrugged it off, because the rest of the book was so rich, so enticing. Then I read it again, and the Ku Klux Klan-ish stuff was there again, like a mustache on the Mona Lisa. The Church is an Evil Empire. The Church is in league with the child experimentors. The Church holds a grip on science, on technology, on all free thought. This strain of ignorant, comic-book style bigotry is more than unpleasant; it is insulting. So that is why I can say in good conscience that I despise you, Phillip Pullman, as much as I would a skinhead or a klansman. I especially despise you for the fact that you have used your immense talent to express such hate-filled, simpleminded tripe and have marred an otherwise magnificent work. So, what happened? You got beat up by some priest when you were a kid? Did you have hypocritical parents who forced you to go to Mass and forbade you from reading Darwin and Galileo? Well, I still think that you should know better. Because the Catholic Church is not an evil empire, and the vast majority of the clergy are not mind-controlling hypocrites. I happen to know because I have several friends who have entered the clergy. Most priests and nuns are hard-working, selfless individuals who give up marriage, material possessions and even personal freedom in order to help out the poor, the destitute, and others who no one else helps out. And then they get spat on by people like you, who feel insulted by the fact that they hold you to some higher standard. Mother Teresa? Agent of the evil empire. In conclusion, I would rate this book with two stars. Without the bigotry, it would definitely have gotten five.
Rating: 
Summary: The Most Strange and Wonderful Book I Have Ever Read
Review: This book really makes you think about your beliefs. The whole world that Pullman creates is so complex and beliveable that I can imagine being there. I love Lyra's character becaus she is just what she wants to be, she shows her true self in how she acts, she isn't just what others think she should be. The imagery that Pullman uses is fantastic. I am 14 and although they say this book is better for adults, I truely think that any teen would love this book. It's great!
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Story
Review: What a fabulous story! I was turned on to Philip Pullman by the Harry Potter community (not surprisingly); here's another set of, ostensibly, children's books that appeal to readers of all ages. I'd go so far as to say these books are fairly advanced even for "young adults." Then again, maybe I'm a young adult. :) The characters, the plot, the brilliant and sometimes scary concepts are fabulous. I don't know of anyone, adult or child, who can read about "intercision" without getting chills. Lyra is a fabulous heroine, and the supporting cast of heroes and villians are fully real. I was instantly hooked.
Rating:
Summary: Not a good choice for Christian children
Review: I decided to read this book before giving it to my granddaughter. It was enjoyable, but for some reason the author has decided to portray the church, and in particular the Catholic church, as the power behind the villains. The Pope, priests, the magisterium, are all evil. Adults can deal with this, realizing the book is fantasy, but it may adversely affect impressionable children.
Rating: 
Summary: WONDERFUL ADVENTURE FOR ALL AGES
Review: I purchased this book as a gift for a pre-teen. I decided to read a few pages to get a taste of the story. Before I knew it, I was sucked right into Lyra's big adventure. Pullman is an extraordinarily gifted writer who also happens to be a master story teller. I liked this book so much, I ran out and bought the sequel (The Subtle Knife) as soon as I finished.
Rating:
Summary: An all-around excellent work
Review: The His Dark Materials trilogy is brilliant. I have read a Harry Potter book now, and I still hold that The Golden Compass is much, much better. There are SO many levels to it, so it's fantastic for young and old. This series explores the fundamental issues of life and existence in an open-minded way, and Pullman does a fantastic job of pulling this trick off. I hope one day to even be half as good a writer as he is.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book In a Great series
Review: This is a great book. I bet you that you will like it too. It tells a story about a girl who goes on an adventure trying to find dust and what it is. Many people are afraid of it. The church thought it was bad too. Lyra is on a mission to find out exactly what it is and if it is good or bad. She is sometimes by herself and sometimes with other people. She figures out who her real mom and dad are. Her mom is Mrs. Coulter and her dad is Lord Asreil.
Rating:
Summary: The Golden Compass -- A Brilliant Start To An Awesome Series
Review: I must say this book shocked me 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 read it, 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 amazing 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: Excitement
Review: There is not a moment in this book that does not propel the story forward, or explain a previous puzzle, or create a new mystery that needs to be solved. Some books hit a point where nothing is happening and it's a chore to read it, but you can never stop reading Northern Lights (or 'The Golden Compass'). You are constantly wondering what will happen next and the tangled web of sin and evil and mystery that is wrapped up in an amazing plot is sometimes so overwhelming you have to stop and think for a moment. The main character, Lyra, is only twelve, so reading it you can relate to her young, innocent, sometimes confuzed view to life. But there are also characters of unimaginable ages, Serefina Pekkala, for instance, a witch. Seeing the world through their eyes also helps us to understand the incredably complex plot. This plot pulls you in very well, thanks to the amazing talents of Phillip Pullman. I have had to oppertunity to meet Mr. Pullman and i found that every part of his story comes from somewhere inside himself, whether it be something he himself has experienced, or something he's always dreamed of doing. This makes the story even more enjoyable to read. The end is spectacular, grand and overwhelming. Such a huge task for such a small person, and only the company of her deamon to help her continue on her search. What will happen next?
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