His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (Book 1)

His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (Book 1) by Philip Pullman, published by Random House Children’s Books on April 16, 1996, is a notable entry in the fantasy genre. This edition spans 416 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows Lyra, a young girl on a quest to the cold North, where she confronts witch clans, armored bears, and the mysterious Gobblers who have kidnapped her friend Roger. As she navigates this perilous journey, Lyra discovers the complexities of loyalty and betrayal tied to her uncle Asriel’s ambitions to bridge parallel worlds.
Readers will find a richly woven tale that combines elements of action, adventure, and social themes, all set against a backdrop of magic and fantasy. The story explores Lyra’s character as she evolves from a cunning child into a fierce champion, facing moral dilemmas that challenge her understanding of right and wrong. This first installment in the His Dark Materials series sets the stage for further exploration in subsequent books, inviting readers into a world where human-animal bonds and the quest for knowledge intertwine.
Official synopsis Publisher
The modern fantasy classic that Entertainment Weekly named an “All-Time Greatest Novel” and Newsweek hailed as a “Top 100 Book of All Time.” 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…
A masterwork of storytelling and suspense, Philip Pullman’s award-winning The Golden Compass is the first in the His Dark Materials series, which continues with The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
Winner of the Guardian Prize for Children’s Fiction
Published in 40 Countries
“Arguably the best juvenile fantasy novel of the past twenty years.” —The Washington Post
“Very grand indeed.” —The New York Times
“Pullman is quite possibly a genius.” —Newsweek
Don’t miss Philip Pullman’s epic new trilogy set in the world of His Dark Materials!
** THE BOOK OF DUST **
La Belle Sauvage
The Secret Commonwealth
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