The Golden Compass (1995, published as Northern Lights in the UK) by Philip Pullman is the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy, a groundbreaking work of fantasy that blends theology, quantum physics, and adventure. The story follows Lyra Belacqua, a bold and cunning orphan raised among scholars at Oxford’s Jordan College, in a parallel world where human souls manifest as animal companions called dæmons.
When children begin vanishing across England, including her friend Roger, Lyra embarks on a perilous journey to the Arctic, armed with a truth-telling device called the alethiometer (the “golden compass”). Along the way, she encounters armored bears, witch clans, and the enigmatic Mrs. Coulter, whose glamour hides a sinister agenda tied to the Church’s brutal experiments on children.
Pullman’s novel is a critique of authoritarianism and dogma, wrapped in a thrilling coming-of-age tale. Its climax—a heartbreaking betrayal and a bridge to other worlds—sets the stage for the cosmic battles of The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.
For fans of: Harry Potter’s wonder meets Paradise Lost’s ambition, or The Chronicles of Narnia (which Pullman subverts).
