Rating: 
Summary: An adventure that leaves you waiting for more...
Review: I bought "The Golden Compass" while waiting in the San Francisco Airport during a 9 hour layover. I love reading children's books and the cover looked interesting. However, I was unable to keep my eyes open and fell asleep until the announcer kindly woke me up to tell me I had to get on my plane. Somehow the book ended up in the trunk of my car and remained there for about 2 years. One cold night when I was stuck waiting to pick someone up, I went rummaging around in there and found it. So I started reading. I didn't stop reading until the next morning (well, despite the half hour when I hurriedly dropped my friend off and flew back to my house to keep reading). I scoured the local bookstores for the two sequels the next day.
The Golden Compass begins a trilogy that takes you through the mind and spirit of one brave and amazing little girl. It explores spirituality, theology, "magic" (if you can call it that), and just the trauma and joy of growing up. It's a beautiful beginning. Overall, it is a story about growing up, about finding out what innocence really is, and about finding yourself.
You will, however, need to buy all three books at one time. You'll be left with more questions than answers after this one. And, I'd have to say, this is a book for mature children. I'm not saying a kid couldn't handle this, I'm saying it has to be a mature individual, one able to understand abstract concepts and ideas. And one who is open to new ideas and ways of looking at things. This trilogy could really scare some kids. It reminded me a lot of when I read The Last Battle
by C. S. Lewis. I was in 5th grade. Didn't quite scare me, I'd have to say, but shook me, deeply. This book has the same quality.
It's a fantastic adventure and any young person could identify themselves with Lyra or the other main characters. A definate read for the mature young adult.
Rating:
Summary: A trip through a fantastic world!
Review: I have to admit The Golden Compass took me by surprise. When I saw it in the children's section, and having read the Harry Potter books, I was expecting something, well, different. This is NOT Harry Potter - not by a long shot. This is not a sugar-coated kid's book. People die in this one, folks, good people, some of them kids. The adults portrayed in this book in many cases cannot be trusted. This book is full of blood & gore, & the ending is ambiguous. Good doesn't necessarily triumph over evil, and everyone doesn't live happily ever after. Consequently, I don't really think I'd recommend it for younger readers.As an adult, though, I truly enjoyed the complexity of this novel. It's by far more imaginative than anything I've read in a long time. More than just a roller-coaster ride of fantasy, Pullman excels in the development of his characters. It's very rare to find a book where the heroine is a child, & for the author to maintain an authentic "voice" for that character. If the book interests adults (as does this one), you can almost guarantee the ten-year-old at the heart of the story will appear much older than her supposed years. Not so with Lyra in The Golden Compass. Pullman successfully portrays her as a kid - with all the over-confidence, naiveté, and innocence one might encounter in a real 10-year-old. The authenticity makes The Golden Compass an excellent read.
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: And now for something different
Review: If you're tired of the fantasy novels that don't seem to be able to leave Tolken behind, then brace yourself. This book is the start of something wonderfully different in the fantasy genre. This epic story has it all, magic, evil, goodness, innocence, and action. I was astounded at the intricate plot, wonderful imagery, and completely unique style. Hold on as you race through this one, because once you start you won't be able to put it down until you've read all three.
Rating:
Summary: Will Goodness and Truth Triumph over Evil and Deception?
Review: Lyra Belacqua's idyllic existence at Jordan College, where she is being raised by the Scholars, is thrown into chaos when the Gobblers kidnap her best friend, Roger, the kitchen boy. Rumor has it that the missing children are being taken north to Bolvangar and subjected to hideous experiments. Lyra and her irrepressible daemon, Pantamalion, vow to rescue Roger and the other children with the help of an eclectic group of mercenaries. Fraught with mystical references to a mysterious substance called "dust", and allusions to an alternate universe, Philip Pullman has woven a tale of terror, triumph, and a young girl's quest for the truth about her past. I was slowly drawn into this book one page at a time, until I became thoroughly captured by its unusual setting, uncommon characters, and unexpected plot twists. An excellent read!
Rating:
Summary: The Golden Compass
Review: Lyra lives among the scholars at Jordan collage. She is always looking for adventures. But her greatest adventure starts when she listens to a secret conversation between some scholars and, her uncle, Lord Asriel about Dust, a microscopic particle with amazing power and only exists in the north. Soon after that children start to disappear all over the country. Once Lyra's friend Roger disappears she sets off to find him. To do so she enlists the help of gyptians, armored bears, and witches so she can get north. But will it be enough to free the missing kids.
Soon after starting this book I was completely immersed in this world and could not stop reading. The story is so well put together that this world becomes real and me a part of it.
As the plot thickens Lyra is moving towards her destiny and me with her. Every landscape and character is perfectly woven in to the story. This world equals its self to the greatness of the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a must read for anyone. This book will be a classic forever.
Rating: 
Summary: Dark and Manipulative
Review: Mr. Pullman, while gifted as a writer, seems to see himself as a prophet of atheism. Do I have a problem with this? No! Mr. Pullman can preach whatever he believes. Do I have a problem with this trilogy? Yes, and emphatically so. These books are NOT PRO-athiest. They are ANTI-Christian/Judaism/Muslim. They don't attack the idea of God, they attack these faiths specific views of God; a very important distinction.
These books were written for children--and written in such a way as to try to guide children into agreeing with Pullmans beliefs. He does not come out and say what he thinks until the end of the trilogy, by which point the children have come to identify with his characters. Mr. Pullman is taking the only audience he can find that are impressionable enough to do damage to, and trying to influence their thinking. He compares himself to CS Lewis--an anti-CS lewis if you will--this is fine (if incorrect, as Lewis is promoting a belief, not attacking one). However, the subtle nature of his work and the fact that his books are not advertised as anti-Christian is where the problem comes in. If he wants to write to influence people, he is welcome to do so (and even should do so if he has strong beliefs), however, he shouldn't try to sneak his ideas past the guiding influence of parents. Mr. Pullman is an ethical coward--one who will not try to sell his ideals to completely rational beings, for fear of rejection and low sales.
To conclude, Mr. Pullman should either write books without his moral slant, or declare their moral slant early (on the cover!)so that parents can more easily understand what the book is about and what the author is trying to convince their children of.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever written...
Review: Ok, so one day I was at the book store looking through the fantasy section. I just happened to see The Golden Compass. It looked interesting, so I bought it and brought it home. I began reading it at about 6pm. I had finished it the next day at about 7 pm. I never left the couch. It is by far one of the best books I have ever read. Philip Pullman is a very gifted author with a very complex imagination. I recommend this book for anyone. Lyra has lived in Jordan College her whole life, unsupervised, free to tear around the streets whenever she wanted. But one day, she sneaks into the Retiring Room and her entire life changes. Before she knows what is happening, her best friend Roger is kidnapped and she is living with Mrs. Coulter, a nice woman who promises to take her north. From there, Lyra is hurtled into a race against time to save hundreds of children from an unspeakable fate. Included in this book are armored bears, demon flies, and a bunch of other cool stuff. READ IT!
Rating:
Summary: A change from the norm....
Review: Philip Pullman writes a story that can be read by children and enjoyed as great adventure. It can also be read by adults and be enjoyed for its underlying themes on man and his existence, and theology and the church. These books (there are two others in the series) are classified as fantasy, but they are not the normal wizards, dragons, elves, magic type of fantasy. They're more regular works of fiction with a few fantastical elements to them.
The story revolves around the central character Lyra and her daemon Pan. Her life gets turned upside-down when children start disappearing and her best friend is one of them. She has also learned of a substance called 'Dust' and something in her wants to find out more. The adventure proceeds from there. Along the way, she meets very original and fascinating characters...including gypsies, bears, and witches.
I recommend this book to children and adults alike. Both will enjoy the book, with adults taking away a deeper understanding of the author's writing.
Rating:
Summary: Trandcendent. Beautiful piece of literature.
Review: Right, where to begin? First off, sorry to all those fundamentalist Christian parents and kids who were so outraged by the anti-religion themes in this book that they couldn't enjoy this terrific story,its magnificent plot, and its well-drawn characters. Luckily, if you weren't outraged by the anti-religiosity there's a 99.9999 percent chance that you will devour this book as furiously as a starving man stuffs himself at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Other common review "summer-uppers":
"I really liked this book, but I thought it was a bit too long. ****"
" This book was enjoyable, I liked most plot elements, but hated that whole 'Dust 'n Daemons' idea. ***"
" Excellent plot, but, poorly done execution. **"
"Do not let your children read this! It will make them evil! I wish I could give it -1,000,000,000 stars! *"
I am proud to subscribe to the "Awesome! I want to read this again and again!*****" point of view. But people are entitled to their own opinions, and who am I to judge their choices? Anyway, the review goes marching on.
Lyra lives at an alternate reality of Oxford, where there is no difference between Church and State and the Profesors and students at the College are commonly reffered as "Masters" and "Scholars". As well as those differences, every single person there has a "Daemon", which is a living represantation of it's master's soul.
Lyra enjoys playing with Roger, a kitchen boy, and generally causing havoc around Jordan College. There are tales going aroun Oxford, of a mysterious band of people known as Gobblers, who spirit away children. One day they come to Oxford and abduct Roger. Now Lyra, along with her Daemon Pantalaimon and a golden compass called an Aletheometer. Along the journey she meets witches, armored bears, and learns some unsettling facts about the mysterious matter known as Dust.
Inthe same league as Tolkien, Phillip Pullman takes on an immensely complicated plot and manages to make an astounding book.
Final grade- "A+"
Adieu!
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