Release Date: July 1995
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Series: His Dark Materials, Book 1
Rated: MG 12+
Format: Paperback (my edition is a bind up of the His Dark Materials series)
Source: Bought
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website
Lyra Belacqua is content to run wild among the scholars of Jodan College, with her daemon familiar always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle—a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, witch clans and armored bears. And as she hurtles toward danger in the cold far North, Lyra never suspects the shocking truth: she alone is destined to win, or to lose, this more-than-mortal battle.
It's been FOREVER since I'd read The Golden Compass, and reading it for the second time just made me love it even more! When I was invited to join the blog tour I jumped at the opportunity because this was the perfect excuse to dive into a childhood favourite. I've never actually read the whole His Dark Materials series–I've only read The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife–and hopefully this gives me a chance to finally do so.
This whole world is just gorgeous. I love the different kinds of people it features, and the landscapes are beautiful and terrifying. I've always wanted a dæmon after reading this series, because these life companions that are part of the characters was such a unique quality to an epic fantasy adventure. The politics involved, the role of the church and the various religious undertones, the mystery behind what 'Dust' is...this is seriously a book like none other.
Lyra is such a brave heroine, and even though she makes mistakes along the way, she's such a wonderful character to follow into this strange and dangerous world. Pan is such a cute companion, and I enjoyed his loyalty to Lyra and his constant desire and fierceness when it comes to protecting her. In the large ensemble of characters, we meet many creatures and beings, such as the various bears, the witches, an aeronaut, the gyptians, and several more. I loved the constant questioning of morals as the lines between who is 'good' and who is 'bad' constantly blurs, all the way to the end.
I feel like a child again! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. The Golden Compass is a brilliant start to a classic series, one that has contributed to the foundations of fantasy, inspiring works that we come across today. Even though the film was met with criticism, I still remember loving it, and after reading this one, not only am I definitely going to continue with the series, but I'm longing to see it come to life on screen. If you haven't picked up this series yet, you're in for a treat.
If you like this, try...
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis ● Goodreads
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PHILIP PULLMAN is one of the most acclaimed writers working today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), which has been named one of the top 100 novels of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly. He has also won many distinguished prizes, including the Carnegie Medal for The Golden Compass (and the reader-voted "Carnegie of Carnegies" for the best children's book of the past seventy years); the Whitbread (now Costa) Award for The Amber Spyglass; a Booker Prize long-list nomination (The Amber Spyglass); Parents' Choice Gold Awards (The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass); and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, in honor of his body of work. In 2004, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
It has recently been announced that The Book of Dust, the much anticipated new book from Mr. Pullman, also set in the world of His Dark Materials, will be published as a major work in three parts, with the first part to arrive in October 2017.
Philip Pullman is the author of many other much-lauded novels. Other volumes related to His Dark Materials: Lyra’s Oxford, Once Upon a Time in the North, and The Collectors. For younger readers: I Was a Rat!; Count Karlstein; Two Crafty Criminals; Spring-Heeled Jack, and The Scarecrow and His Servant. For older readers: the Sally Lockhart quartet: The Ruby in the Smoke, The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well, and The Tin Princess; The White Mercedes; and The Broken Bridge.
Philip Pullman lives in Oxford, England. To learn more, please visit philip-pullman.com and hisdarkmaterials.com. Or follow him on Twitter at @PhilipPullman.
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Continuing in the world of His Dark Materials...
LA BELLE SAUVAGE
THE BOOK OF DUST, BOOK 1
Fall 2017 ● Goodreads
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Thank you so much to Elena at Random House Children's Books for having me on the blog tour!
Ahh lucky you! I've never read this series but I know it's a classic. Glad you love it the second time around.
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