The Golden Compass, Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition (His Dark Materials, Book 1) | 
|  | | | Title: | The Golden Compass, Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition (His Dark Materials, Book 1) | | Author: | Philip Pullman | | Publisher: | Knopf Books for Young Readers | | Type: | Book / Hardcover | | Publication Date: | 24 October, 2006 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0375838309 / 9780375838309 | | List Price: | $22.95 | | You Save: | $7.34 | | Amazon Price: | $15.61 | |
 This book is also available, brand-new, from 3rd-party marketplace sellers at Amazon.com, from $10.99. |
The HTML code below can be pasted onto your web-site, your MySpace page, or blog - or any number of similar places - to create a link to this page: If, instead of a text link, you'd like to create a link to this page which will display the book cover, if it's available, then the code below will do exactly that:
Check for the same book at these other US book sites:
• [ Abebooks ] • [ Alibris ] • [ Barnes & Noble ] • [ Half.com ] • [ Powells ] … or check UK bookstores
| Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
Product Description
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.
Amazon.com
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 dæmon, the manifestation of their soul 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 dæmons 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 dæmon, 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 dæmon, 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
| Other Items You May Enjoy:
Browse Books From These Related Subjects:
• All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Children's Books ›› Literature ›› Action & Adventure • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Children's Books ›› Literature ›› Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror ›› Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Children's Books ›› Literature ›› General • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Children's Books ›› Authors & Illustrators, A-Z ›› ( P ) ›› Pullman, Philip ›› General • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Children's Books ›› Authors & Illustrators, A-Z ›› ( P ) ›› Pullman, Philip ›› Hardcover • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Children's Books ›› Series ›› Science Fiction ›› His Dark Materials • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Science Fiction & Fantasy ›› Authors, A-Z ›› ( P ) ›› Pullman, Philip • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Teens ›› Literature & Fiction ›› Adventure & Thrillers • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Teens ›› Science Fiction & Fantasy ›› Fantasy • All Subjects ›› Subjects ›› Teens ›› Science Fiction & Fantasy ›› Science Fiction • All Subjects ›› Refinements ›› Binding (binding) ›› Hardcover • All Subjects ›› Refinements ›› Format (feature_browse-bin) ›› Printed Books
Customer Reviews:
• Parallel World With Armored Polar Bears? 23 August, 2008
As an anti-religious theme book about an alternate reality world
it has to be compared to C.S. Lewis's Narnia tales/ series.
In that case the characterizations of the children come up short
and the talking animals (Bears) may be better?
The coming of age of an illegitimate child in a world that has theology
in place of science and is ruled by a church committee,
is both awkward and adventurous. A strange woman she has never met takes an interest in her: her uncle deserts her for his scientific and exploration of a new fundamental particle called "Dust"
that is attracted to adult humans on this world.
All the people on this world have daemon familiar spirits like witches.
Most of the book centers around the kidnapping of children of the poor
by the Gobblers and the finding of the church/ government sponsored experimental station where they are being processed.
The rescue operation of which Lyra is a part consists mainly of
aquatic gypsies called gyptians.
The"Golden Compass" is an instrument like a watch that is called an alethiometer that can be used to ask and answer questions.
The book has Lyra finding out about herself in bits and pieces
in a journey of self-realization. She meets death and great hardship along the way. The great disappointment is that this novel just sets up the adventures of the sequel in the series?
C.S. Lewis always made his novels as nearly complete as he could
and still have them part of a continuing series?
In alternate worlds where magic takes the place of natural law
( of which there are quite a number) this book doesn't really stand out as being much more than ordinary.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A126KX6FVI4T66
• Poor Writing 15 August, 2008
Given the rating, I assume that most people are going to think that it's due to me having some vendetta against Pullman's views. From the outset, I'd like to say that Pullman's depiction of the perversive aspect(s) of religeon was actually one of the book's strengths. However, it is a strength that is overshadowed by numerous shortcomings.
Speaking broardly, the novel's main drawback is that it's simply impossible to feel engaged with the world or the people in it. It becomes clear to the reader that the world depicted is not ours, that like many parallel universes in fiction, it has similarities and differences, the two often going hand in hand. However, we never get a full sense of the world, only glimpses at it. The nature of the world is portrayed throughout the story.
Now this could arguably be a strength, that Pullman doesn't go off on a tangent of world building, focussing instead on the story. While reading the novel however, it felt like a weakness. There were many oportunities to further flesh out the world and it felt like Pullman missed them every time. We recieve some info, but only in bits and pieces. Surely it wouldn't be too hard to expand on them a bit?
The characters are another matter. The issues with them aren't as succinct as the world they inhabit, but they still feel like shadows of what they could be. Lyra is one such example and to be honest, I think that the fact that the story is written through her POV as opposed to a more omniescent style contributes to the world building problem. An eleven-year old can only understand so much, and by the end of the novel, she's changed little. She's still some little girl who's barely developed emotionally. Granted, it's a trilogy, but surely SOME progress could have been made?
The rest of the characters also have the problem of conforming to stereotypes. Iorek the strong, Asriel the mystic, Coulter the evil witch-lady, etc. There's at times something more deeper to them, such as Asriel's true colors coming through and his discussion as to the nature of man, but it's really just a spark in a pool of shallow character development. And obeying the laws of nature, that fire is extinguished by the volume of water.
Northern Lights indeed has strengths, as mentioned above. But there's so much overshadowing them that the novel is near unreadable and it's easy to miss them. And since books are primarily about writing, an aspect which fails so spectacularly in this case, I have no choice but to give it one star.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A19AXEW77VV540
• Good Plot - Thematic Writing 14 August, 2008
Creative plot - good points for the story which is quite interesting.
Points off for thematic writing - Pullman constantly goes into irrelevant and elaborate descriptions of the surroundings which come across as thesaurus exercises. Typically the details he describe are never of any impact on the plot. In book one this didn't bother me, but over time I found it extremely thematic with these excessive descriptions.
Other points off for the stupid - only suitable word - writing that Pullman applies to "less educated" individuals. The flawed syntax and spelling is only annoying. It really takes away from the story - no value is added by this half-baked cockney English.
Total score should be three but the plot is so creative that it gets four stars.
BTW, pox on the publisher for changing the title - I am painfully aware that many of my fellow Americans are less than enlightened but books are supposed to lift us up, not perpetuate issues.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A3TFO3RLBMHXO6
• An Amazingly Crafted Fantasy For Children And Adults Alike 28 August, 2008
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 through a world full of unique creatures, intricate subplots, and enough mystery to keep the reader wanting more. Some might think that this book is just an extended child's fairy tale, but I disagree. The Golden Compass (along with The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) delivers enough fantasy to entertain a child and enough philosophical food for thought to entertain an adult, making it an enticing story worthy of both audiences, large and small. While this book can stand on its own (without books 2 and 3), I highly suggest reading the entire trilogy - it's worth it.
One other item I would like to mention is the story's discussion of Dust, the Authority and religion. While the series does create a very strong distate for religion, this distate stems only so far as the religion defined in the book (the Magisterium). I'm sure many will argue that the His Dark Materials series insults and rebels against Christianity and other modern religions, but they are wrong. This book is a fictional fantasy tale that emphasizes a corrupt religious group solely for the purpose of the main character's difficult quest. Pullman has no intentions of turning readers against religion with his stories. The Golden Compass (along with the other His Dark Materials books) is nothing more than a unique fairy tale crafted up by the amazing and talented mind of Philp Pullman. Any reader who believes the books to be "blasphemous" is merely too insecure with their own religious beliefs to enjoy a good fairy tale.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A20OCI82KQ3QX1
• Much Better Than The Movie. 24 July, 2008
More depth and better storyline than the movie. This books reads quickly and a good way to expand your vocabulary. It has an imaginative story that's hard to second guess. You'll want to order the second volume early so you can continue the epic.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A97540WHBFTF8
|
