The Golden Compass

His Dark Materials, Book 1

By: Philip Pullman

Narrated by: Philip Pullman, Joanna Wyatt, Rupert Degas, Alison Dowling, Douglas Blackwell, Jill Shilling, Stephen Thorne, Sean Barrett, Garrick Hagon, John O'Connor, Susan Sheridan, Full Cast

Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

His Dark Materials is now an HBO original series starring Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, James Mcavoy, and Lin-Manuel Miranda!

Featuring an exclusive bonus interview between the author, Philip Pullman, and His Dark Materials star Ruth Wilson.

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 listeners 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 number one New York Times best seller

Winner of the Guardian Prize for Children's Fiction

Published in 40 countries

"Arguably the best juvenile fantasy novel of the past 20 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

Listen to the rest of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series.

©1995 Philip Pullman (P)1999 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Superb.... Wonder-filled." (Washington Post Book World)

"Very grand indeed.... Scene after scene of power and beauty." (The New York Times)

"A rousing, page-turning adventure that promises to please fantasy readers of all ages." (Library Journal)

Be aware.

Read/listen to this before giving it to you children.

I read all the reviews before deciding to write this. I felt that parents should be aware of what is in these books but feared the relious ferver could be misleading. There are many angry reviews about God but that may not be the only problem. The books are not that long. Listen to them first and decide about your own child.

I have enjoyed them and intend to listen to them again. They are thought provoking on a physics level. I think sci-fi lovers will love these books.

AMAZING

DONT see the movie. read or listen to this book. my all time favorite, read it three times, listened once, and I'm 22

An Amazing Trilogy For the Young and Not So Young

This is an amazing story. It kept my son and I on the edge of our seats. The characters are very easy to relate to and the story flows flawlessly. It is one of those stories that you can just re read over and over and get more out of it each time. READ THIS TRILOGY!!

Don't kid yourself -- you will enjoy this series

What did you love best about The Golden Compass?

I started with the prequel - The Story of Dust - and was captivated by Pullman's writing and his knowledge of myth. I downloaded the Golden Compass reluctantly, as I thought of the movie. I was so delightfully not disappointed by this book! Pullman's writing is compelling, and feels so universal in its scope. This series will recall Tolkein's scope, and surpasses it. It echoes with myth, history, Spenser's Faerie Queene, Milton's Paradise Lost, yet it is unbounded by time or place.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Golden Compass?

Other than "Lincoln in the Bardo," this is the first full cast performance I have downloaded. I thought it would be distracting, but it was a seamless presentation -- the performances were incredible. But, to point out the most memorable moments, I would have to say -- for me -- it was Pullman's ability to make the mundane poignant. The book is extremely exciting and not predictable -- so the surprises come in basic descriptions which evoke incredible and startling beauty.

Have you listened to any of Philip Pullman and full cast ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I read "Dust," so this was my first Pullman listen and I was not disappointed.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both -- I laughed out loud and teared up. Pullman's ability to write from a child's point of view is uncanny and does not treat the child dismissively, but peels away the layers to reveal the adult within.

Magical

This book is wonderful. It is fantasy, another world and told with a full cast of characters. I can't wait to begin book 2 in the trilogy

Maybe a kid's book - then I'm a kid!

I'm captivated by this book. The details, the characters, the plot all just grabbed me and flowed along to the end. The fact that this is performed - not just read - also makes it stand out from the run-of-the-mill audiobook. Each of the actors is believable, and makes a significant contribution to making the book come to life. I will certainly be reading the entire series.

Not for children

Wonderful read! I couldn't put it down, am now on book three in as many weeks, but it is not for children. I have to agree, the author is trying to make a point about his beliefs, which is fine, just not for children. I called my son immediately and explained to him that his 10 year old should not be allowed to read the books, but if you go on Pullman's website he says, clearly, he did not write the books for children. I personally found them enthralling. Such imagination! Can't wait to finish the last one so to see how it all turns out. I hope the movie isn't ruined by Hollywood. A couple of the scenes I have seen so far in the previews are not in the book.

Pullman is a great storyteller

A thoroughly enjoyable experience, this story is populated with a cast of marvelous characters and this audio version has a great cast of readers.
I recommend it to everyone from 8 to 80.

Simply stated...the book is definitely better than the movie.

Full cast breathes new life

I have loved this series of books since the first time I read them...however, listening to the audiobook has brought a new luminesence to the text and breathes new life into the story. Absolutely amazing!

Better than Harry Potter ( for this 32 year old)

I loved the golden compass. The story is deep enough for adults and action-y enough for kids. The voice acting is superb and the main characters Lyra, and her daemon, Pantilymon are easy to fall in love with. This book transports you into a fantastic parallel universe. If you like the Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, or Madeline L'Engle, I strongly recommend the entire trilogy to you.