I’m on the fence between 3 and 4 stars for Golden Compass. My best friend recommended it, so I guess my expectations were very high. The first half or more was SO SLOW I considered DNFing. It got better, and my hope is that perhaps the subsequent two books will move more quickly since the premise has already been fully set.

When this series began, I attended Christian school, so I would have been strongly discouraged from reading it even if it had held any intrigue for me. I understand why the Church would ban this series, because of how organized religion is portrayed. The metaphors are thinly veiled (when veiled at all), and the incorporation of existing entities is blurred with the fiction of the alternate universe in which the story takes place.

Ignoring that, though, the story itself (once it gets moving, finally) is solid and full of action and intrigue. Pullman is creative. I want to live in a world in which everyone has an animal sidekick with her at all times, please. Judged on its own as a fantasy story without any other implications, it’s quite good.

I found it far too dark to consider reading with my kids. (I did try initially, but they fell asleep before I finished a chapter… a few nights in a row.) That was a bit disappointing, since I really thought this series was made for kids/YA. Definitely more YA and not at all kids, IMO. ( )

His Dark Materials is a richly imagined fantasy trilogy with complex world building, vivid characters and a fast paced and riveting plot. The first book in the series, Northern Lights (also known as The Golden Compass) introduces eleven year old Lyra Belacqua - niece of the famed scholar, Lord Asriel - and her daemon (a spirit animal), Pantalaimon.

A ward of Oxford college, Lyra runs wild as the scholars there try to entertain, tame and teach her. Pantalaimon tries to rein her in but little can stop Lyra when she's made up her mind. Content with her life Lyra gives no thought to the world outside her little bubble - until her best friend Roger, is kidnapped by the Gobblers and Lyra sets out on a quest to rescue him.

I loved Lyra the first time I read this and every time since. Lyra is bold, brash and carefree, prone to lying and capable of incredible loyalty and devotion. I loved her determination to save Roger - even if she's not entirely sure how to go about it.

There were elements of a classic fantasy quest story but then Pullman runs away, making the world building bigger and bolder and creating something unique. The mystery of Dust, the alethiometer (a golden compass-like item that can tell the truth) and daemons kept me hooked, dying to find out more and fill in the blanks. I loved the armoured bears, the witches and the gyptians. And Pantalaimon was the best. I undoubtedly identified with him more as he played the conscience to Lyra's craziness. But you can't have one without the other and they were brilliant.

The conclusion was satisfying (although completely heartbreaking ) while paving a path for the rest of the series to build upon.

A well deserved classic of the fantasy genre. 5 stars. ( )

This series is incredible and it is a crying shame that the religious right shut down the movie series productions. ( )

I don't understand the fuss. The writing style is slow and convoluted, jumps around, and I gave up after a few chapters. ( )

The acting for the audiobook was amazing! It had a full cast, and the narration (parts without dialogue) was done by the author himself. The book was just as good as it was the first time I read it. ( )