THE GOLDEN COMPASS by Philip Pullman

I read The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman a few years ago but wanted to review it now because the movie just came out. The film does a great job visualizing the settings and characters, and the casting is excellent, but like most film adaptations it lacks the depth and backstory which make reading a novel such a rich experience. I would strongly recommend not seeing the film until you've read this book, which is arguably one of the most rewarding works of speculative fiction ever written.

This book is the first in a trilogy known as His Dark Materials, and the sheer originality of the worlds Pullman has created is only matched by the ambition of the story itself, which attempts to answer almost every metaphysical question ever asked. The story is a nonstop adventure that can be enjoyed by young readers and adults alike, but the underlying themes keep you thinking long and hard after you've finished the book. What is the nature of the soul, do we really have free will, what is the role of organized religion in an enlightened world, and what happens when you die? This trilogy is just as ambitious as The Lord Of The Rings or The Chronicles Of Narnia, though it brings a decidedly unique and non-conformist perspective to its narrative that is intoxicating.

Rest assured that despite the literary heft of the subject matter, this novel and the subsequent installments in the trilogy are a delight to read, fast-paced and filled with characters as memorable as they are magical.