Picked this up from the Book Thing of Baltimore, Inc. a few weeks back.

I read another copy of this book and had this to say:
Well, I finally got around to this book; I wanted to be sure to read it before the movie came out.

I absolutely loved it! Lyra is a fantastic, sympathetic & strong character, and how could you not love Iorek and Pan? More importantly, it's an incredible world that Pullman creates. I was expecting a complete fantasy and, instead, got a mix of our world and the fantastical that kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering every second what was what and what was coming next! An incredible adventure with mystery and action but a nice, moderate pace which allows you to really take in the beauty of it all.

This book is definitely my favorite in the series, though I thought the whole series was magical :-)

Releasing this at a BCinDC meetup.

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This briefly passed through my hands during yesterday's BCinDC meetup at Ballston Common Mall in Arlington, Virginia. I read another copy a few years ago and this is what I had to say then:

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A far more detailed and extensive alternate universe than I've seen in a while. I can't decide what time period it's supposed to take place in, as there are guns and telephones and arrows and zeppelins. Perhaps it's a sort of steampunk. Anyway, every person has a daemon, which is in the form of an animal, and is more or less their soul. Scholars have discovered a new elementary particle, referred to as "Dust," and it is causing quite a stir. When Lyra's best friend Roger is kidnapped by the mysterious Gobblers, she and her daemon must journey north to rescue him. Lyra is a charming, if brash, little girl and the characters she meets are marvelous. I really enjoyed this one, and am a little sad I can't rush off to read the next in the series, as the ending leads right into it.

I came into this expecting something somewhat controversial but didn't really find anything. I can almost see the bristling of the Catholic Church over this - except at the very beginning of the book there is mention of Pope John Calvin, implying that the Church of this book doesn't particularly resemble the real one. But oh well, some people get quite bored unless they have something to be offended by.

The original title of this book was Northern Lights, which is far more fitting, as the item to which I assume the title is referring is not a compass at all. Publishers are funny things.
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This book this not come home with me, but thank you for letting me share in its journey!

I went to add this book to my 'current reading list' only to find out I never journaled it. I believe I picked this up at a BC in DC meeting. It's been sitting on my shelf for two years and I decided to pick it up after hearing good things. I'm about half way through as the polar bear is now wandering the artic wilderness.

Update when I finish. And I'll get to add to my list another BC book finished. :)

Have I really been reading this book this long? This has been one of my two main 'Metro' commuting books this summer, with a few other interruptions for vacation and work travel.

Overall, a great piece. I wasn't sure what to expect. At times I found this book to be too mature for a children's book but not quite adult enough either.

The main character, Lyra, is an orphaned student left in the hands of elderly professors at a major English university. In this alternative world, 'magic', 'religion' and 'Christianity' all live together in a twisted and intertwined world. Each person has a daemon or a small magical creature attached to them that can read their thoughts, act out their emotions yet have small minds of their own. And there's something mysterious happening to all the children - the ones belonging to poor families are disappearing to the gobblers.

Lyra sets out on a journey to find her friends, her family and her future. She's a spunky young girl with a mission. I particularly liked that the main character was female, especially given how rare that is in fantasy books. She's not without fault but manages to wiggle her way out of some close calls.

I did find some parts of this book slow going, especially in the beginning when there seemed to be more detail then story. In fact, I think this book could have been 50 pages shorter if they had reduced some of the redundant descriptions.

It's piqued my interested to continue reading the series although I don't feel desperate to do so. I might string in some faster moving books from Terry Pratchett before picking up the sequel.

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Brought to the BC in DC meetup. No one took it home, so I wild released at the waiting area near the Amtrak gates.