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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!
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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.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad
Review: I just finished this book a few minutes ago, so it's fresh in mind. I liked it, but am surprised at the ebullient reception it has apparently garnered. There are so many ideas here that a hundred more pages seem in order. The ending seemed rushed, as though the author was just glad to end it. Cool: The armored bears. Iorek Byrnison was just a real gem of a character, as placid and stolid as the arctic wastes of his home. Check out the last paragraph of chapter 10. Uncool: Lyra totally pulls the wool over the bear king, a character who throughout the book is described as clever and capable. The explanation that "a bear who wants to be a human can be easily fooled" is a little thin. I could go on with pros and cons, but the bottom line is: All in all, a good read.
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Summary: This book is better than any book now or ever written
Review: This book is better than Harry Potter or any other book, and is complicated, but really the most simple thing. It shows the tight grip of a church, and the cruel intentions of a mother, while dealing with dust, dark materials, or whatever you would like to call them. People aren't sure exactly what it is, but the church is sure of one thing--to destroy it. This book is the best book I ever read and will always be. I challenge you to read it, and see how friendship is on of the most important things.
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Summary: My 6th graders thought it was better than Harry Potter!
Review: I teach an advanced group of 6th grade readers and we had just completed an intense unit on Anne Frank's Diary, so I decided for our next reading unit to read something fun along the lines of the Harry Potter series (all my students had already read all the HP stories). I discovered Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy on Amazon and decided to give the first book, The Golden Compass, a try. I felt if the kids just "liked" GC, I'd be happy. Well, they LOVED Golden Compass! They agreed as a group that it was the best story they had ever read and begged me to expand the unit to include the other two DARK MATERIALS books. I didn't but not because I didn't think the sequels were worthy. I intentionally wanted (and hoped) GC to be a springboard for more outside, recreational reading and it was just that. 90% of the group has read the final two books since we completed GC in March. GC is now a permanent part of the 6th grade curriculum. We're into Shakespeare now....
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Summary: The Down Sides of This Book
Review: As everyone says that this book is wonderful, a work of art or more, I say that this book was alright. It was, I must say, better than Harry Potter and very well written. I happened to have bought this on a whim, dragged it along with me on a ... and found it so hard to read, I gave up on it half way through the plane ride and then during the bus ride. Point being, even in my room I couldn't sit down and read through what I was .... It was alright and unless you are an avid reader and very loyal to either the series or reading something until it is done, steer away from this one.
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Summary: Does the truth matter?
Review: This book is about a magical world with many dangers. Its full of strange people weird creatures and full of adventure. If you like adventure this books for you!!
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Summary: This was a great fantasy for all ages.
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It had a exciting plot line and lots of action. I also liked The Golden Compass because Philip Pullman showed Lyra's (the main character), Pan's (Lyra's daemon) and Iorek's (another main character) personalities. This pulled me into the book because I felt just what Lyra felt. The daemons added an interesting factor to the book. I thought that how they were a human's best friend who followed the human around was a thoughtful concept on Philip Pullman's part. They added a little bit of self conscience to the person. The daemons were also characters who were pleasant but know-it-alls. The one thing I did not like about the book was the ending. I thought it was unnecessary. Philip Pullman could have chose another ending which would have the same effect on Lyra and her journey. Overall I thought this book was a wonderful fantasy.
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Summary: Adventure Into A World Unlike One I Have Ever Know About:
Review: I consider myself to be an avid reader. If I would rate the Golden Compass among all of the books that I have ever read, it would most definitely score highly. It would be among the top twenty. From my point of view, this book is good for long car rides, for it is lengthy and as soon as you get into it, you won't be able to put it down. The book is one that is filled with adventure, excitement, and most importantly, suspense. It also takes place in a wold like ours, only different in a few crucial ways. Philip Pullman, the author of the Golden Compass, has an excellent way of describing scenes, the plot, and the characters. His ability is wonderful, he describes something and I can picture it instantly. The book has a good and steady plot throughout the beginning, but it DRASTICALLY picks up towards the end. I can't wait to pick up the sequel! The Golden Compass will leave you hanging so as you want to read on. Lyra, the main character, turns out to be surprisingly lovable. You will grow up and mature along with her. All in all, the Golden Compass is certainly a book to read if you are looking for something far out and fantasy like. I highly recommend it.
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