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Book Summary and Reviews of The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials) by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials) by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials)

by Philip Pullman

  • Published:
  • Apr 1996, 416 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Philip Pullman takes readers to a world where humans have animal familiars and where parallel universes are within reach.

Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal--including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world.

Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want.

But what Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other...

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"This glittering gem will leave readers of all ages eagerly awaiting the next installment of Lyra's adventures." —Publishers Weekly

"Fantasy lovers will be clamoring for the next installment." —School Library Journal

"A totally involving, intricately plotted fantasy that will leave readers clamoring for the sequels." —Booklist

This information about The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials) was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Philip Pullman Author Biography

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich on October 19, 1946 to Audrey and Alfred Pullman. The early part of his childhood was spent traveling from base to base as his father, and later stepfather, were part of the Royal Air Force (RAF). At age seven, following the death of his father, Philip and his younger brother Francis moved back to Britain to live with their grandfather in Norfolk, an Anglican clergyman. Their mother moved to London to find work.

When Pullman was eight, a stepfather - another RAF pilot - entered the Pullman family and once again the family moved from base to base. For a time, they settled in Australia. In Australia, he first discovered the wonders of comic books, a force that would later influence both his writing and illustrating of future stories. The family moved ...

... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Philip Pullman's Website

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