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The Golden Compass, Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition (His Dark Materials, Book 1)
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Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9780375838309
Edition: 10 Dlx Anv
ISBN: 0375838309
Label: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 432
Publication Date: October 24, 2006
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reading Level: Young Adult
Release Date: October 24, 2006
Studio: Knopf Books for Young Readers
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Editorial Review:
Some books improve with age--the age of the reader, that is. Such is certainly the case with Philip Pullman's heroic, at times heart-wrenching novel, The Golden Compass, a story ostensibly for children but one perhaps even better appreciated by adults. The protagonist of this complex fantasy is young Lyra Belacqua, a precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Oxford University. But it quickly becomes clear that Lyra's Oxford is not precisely like our own--nor is her world. For one thing, people there each have a personal daemon, the manifestation of their souls in animal form. For another, hers is a universe in which science, theology, and magic are closely allied: As for what experimental theology was, Lyra had no more idea than the urchins. She had formed the notion that it was concerned with magic, with the movements of the stars and planets, with tiny particles of matter, but that was guesswork, really. Probably the stars had daemons just as humans did, and experimental theology involved talking to them. Not that Lyra spends much time worrying about it; what she likes best is "clambering over the College roofs with Roger the kitchen boy who was her particular friend, to spit plum stones on the heads of passing Scholars or to hoot like owls outside a window where a tutorial was going on, or racing through the narrow streets, or stealing apples from the market, or waging war." But Lyra's carefree existence changes forever when she and her daemon, Pantalaimon, first prevent an assassination attempt against her uncle, the powerful Lord Asriel, and then overhear a secret discussion about a mysterious entity known as Dust. 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.
In The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman has written a masterpiece that transcends genre. It is a children's book that will appeal to adults, a fantasy novel that will charm even the most hardened realist. Best of all, the author doesn't speak down to his audience, nor does he pull his punches; there is genuine terror in this book, and heartbreak, betrayal, and loss. There is also love, loyalty, and an abiding morality that infuses the story but never overwhelms it. This is one of those rare novels that one wishes would never end. Fortunately, its sequel, The Subtle Knife, will help put off that inevitability for a while longer. --Alix Wilber
Published in 40 countries, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy--The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass--has graced the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Book Sense, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. In 1996, The Golden Compass changed the face of fantasy publishing, and 2006 marks its 10 Year Anniversary--and an opportunity to celebrate with a deluxe hardcover. Pullman created new material just for this edition (archival documents, scientific notes and "found" letters of Lord Asriel) which has been illustrated and handlettered by renowned British artist Ian Beck and will be included in the back matter. The deluxe edition also features Pullman's own chapter opening spot art. A quality collectible--with the enticement of never-before-seen new material--for Pullman fans.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A little stiff, but otherwise imaginative
One thing is for sure: Pullman certainly has a gift for imagination, and that is what makes this book as wonderful as it is: mindblowing imagination that still manages to connect itself with real-world philosophy.
My heart pounds every time I read this. I'm simply stunned at the creative plot this has and the wild myriad of settings. It's chilling and beautiful all at once.
Rating: - The best in the trilogy, but that's not saying much.
This book was pretty good, with some fairly imaginative parts to it, but I wouldn't consider it a classic by any means. Unfortunately, the other two books in the trilogy are not good at all. I would recommend either reading just this book, or not reading any of them. They only get worse from here.
Rating:  - Brilliantly written
What a very powerful boo,. Very well written. I was not prepared for the cruelty toward children nor for some of the graphic fights, but it was a brilliant book nonetheless.
Rating:  - Well Written Fiction to Expose the Truth
Philip Pullman has done an excellent job of using a compelling and exciting story to expose the dark truth about an organization that continues murdering and torturing people to this day. Anyone who thinks the hidious actions of the Catholic Church happened only in the middle ages needs to look a little harder. In Central and South America millions of women are held in bondage by the mind control perpetrated by the church, telling them that birth control is a sin, resulting in untold numbers of ... Read More
Rating: - An Amazingly Crafted Fantasy for Children and Adults Alike
My interest in the His Dark Materials series stemmed from watching the movie adaptation of the first book, The Golden Compass. And while I was biased because I saw the movie before reading the book, the book turned out to be far better than the movie ever was.
Pullman creates a fantasy world that instantly engages the reader, and keeps them wondering, What will happen (and what CAN happen) in a world like this? The story follows a young girl as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime ... Read More
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