Golden Compass, the (Lib)(CD) (His Dark Materials)

As she hurtles toward danger in the far North, young Lyra never suspects the shocking truth… Philip Pullman’s award-winning The Golden Compass is a masterwork of storytelling and suspense, critically acclaimed and hailed as a modern fantasy classic. And now, found archival documents, written by Philip Pullman and hand lettered and illustrated by Ian Beck, are included in this keepsake package for the first time ever.. The arrival of Lyra’s fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, to Jordan College draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle–a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, witch clans and armored bears

DaveL said Original story, fascinating world, endearing character. The Golden Compass, like any book that has entered the popular consciousness through a movie, tends to be overhyped and perhaps oversimplified. But this first book of the trilogy tells a much more complex story.On the one hand, it's an introduction to an endearing twelve-year-old urchin, Lyra Belacqua, whose been raised by Oxford scholars in a familiar but parallel world. Her patron, Lord Asriel, flits in and out of her life, when not searchi. Lyra rules I liked this book even more the second time around. Being able to take thing slow because I know what is going to happen makes it possible to catch the nuance that I missed the first time around. I loved the witches and wished there were more about them.Pullman seems to love his characters and lovingly describes them and what happens to them. That is why I find it puzzling to read of the actions of Lord Azriel and Mrs Coulter. No explanation . What a great start!! Ahhhhhhh!!!!! I had skimmed this when I was a kid looking for something to fill the emptiness that was finishing the latest Harry Potter and I didn't like it. All these years later I listened to it and it is the bomb!!!!!! Love it!!!!!!! The movie didn't do it justice! Highly recommend!!!! In Audio too!

Some books improve with age--the age of the reader, that is. It is a children's book that will appeal to adults, a fantasy novel that will charm even the most hardened realist. Soon she and Pan are swept up in a dangerous game involving disappearing children, a beautiful woman with a golden monkey daemon, a trip to the far north, and a set of allies ranging from "gyptians" to witches to an armor-clad polar bear. The protagonist of this complex fantasy is young Lyra Belacqua, a precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Oxford University. But it quickly beco