Philip Pullman and Wtw Repertory - The Golden Compass: Oxford

Pros: Strong heroine in an imaginative role--great first part of a trilogy

Cons: Some extreme and scary situations--more for older kids than pups

The Bottom Line: A new fantasy series for me to add to my favorites: Narnia, Harry Potter, The Book of Three, Lord of the Rings, Oz...

Review: I don't think of myself as a fantasy novel reading kinda guy. Never did the Dungeons and Dragons, or the Sword of Shannara series, or any of the others that would traditionally pigeonhole me in that category of nerddom distinct from my usual niche as a...

Pros: Intensely imagined, mostly beautifully written, thrilling story of the double self, Lyra and Pantalaimon.

Cons: Some of the plot, while perhaps plausible to children, is unconvincing to adults.

The Bottom Line: A unique, thrilling, exalting novel.

Review: A pivotal point in the development of consciousness was the recognition of the concept of self-reference. The discovery was celebrated by the Greeks in the word play of paradox: 'I am a Cretan. All Cretans are liars' is the paradigmatic form that has ...

Pros: Characters and places you'll never forget. Excitement, intrigue, mystery, metaphysics, and beautiful writing.

Cons: Dahl's Matilda would complain: "There's not a whole lot of humor here."

The Bottom Line: The Golden Compass more than holds its own against any of the classics of children's literature. But beware: This book may be hazardous to your belief systems!

Review: If you think that high metaphysical fantasy reached a never-topable pinnacle with The Lord of the Rings, or if you believe that Alice is the most memorable child of children's literature, you've quite obviously never read Philip Pullman's...

Pros: A young female hero in a classic fantasy tale.

Cons: The book is too short; some scenes are too intense for younger readers.

The Bottom Line: The strongest of the trilogy; an amazing reading experience.

Review: Trust me for a moment.

Please beg, borrow, or purchase a copy of The Golden Compass. It's out in paperback, list price ten dollars; I got my copy for seven dollars through a reseller..

When you get hands on it, please don't read it...

Pros: Intelligent, innovative, wonderfully told, intriguing characters.

Cons: A little slow to start, rather dark in places.

The Bottom Line: This is the kind of book which transcends generations; the quality of the writing and the story makes this stand out clearly in its genre.

Review: # This book is known as either Northern Lights or The Golden Compass, depending on region - my UK edition was the former # I'm a bit late getting to this one, it seems ~ although I could hardly have been unaware of the hype built up the His ...

Pros: Interesting world, good story, great characters, flawless writing

Cons: None

The Bottom Line: The best book for children (and everyone who likes to read books for kiddies) I've read since Harry Potter.

Review: Like I’ve mentioned in my Artemis Fowl review, I was curious if I could find a new, modern book for children which I’d like as much as I liked Harry Potter books. Well, I’ve found it, and it’s called Golden Compass....

Pros: A fantastic journey

Cons: May not be suitable for young children

The Bottom Line: Action, adventure, battles, in a world not so removed from own own. Grrl power rules with Lyra leading the way!

Review: Note: There appears to be two separate listings for this book. I suppose the other cover is from the paperback version. I’m placing my review with this one, as the cover is the same as the one I read.

I hadn’t read a work of fiction in a few...

Pros: Wonderful imagination & creativity

Cons: It's a trilogy...now I have to find the other two!

Review: "The Golden Compass" is the first book I have ever read by Philip Pullman. I was intrigued after reading an epinion by jrk about it. Now I’m hooked and ready to find the second book of this trilogy so that I can accompany our hero, Lyra...

Pros: Beautifully complex and richly imagined

Cons: Violent, anti-religious (if you're easily offended, steer clear)

The Bottom Line: A worthy addition to the likes of Lewis, Tolkien, and Rowling, Lyra's journey is ultimately captivating, as is the science behind Pullman's world

Review: I first became interested in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy after seeing the film based on it. I found the screenplay to be disjointed and lacking, so I decided to read the original novel in order to have a better idea of important missing ...

Pros: Mysterious storyline and enriching characters.

Cons: Nothing really at all

The Bottom Line: This one of the few books that keep you entertained and pull you deep into the storyline.

Review: My sister, who almost never has the same book interest as me, gave The Golden Compass to me and for once she picked an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m a really huge fan of science fiction and fantasy stories and she isn’t in the...