The Golden Compass is Book 1 in the His Dark Materials trilogy. This holiday season it will be released as a major motion picture. Now’s your chance to read Lyra’s story before you see the movie!

Lyra Belacqua runs freely at Jordan College in Oxford, England with her daemon, Pantalaimon. (A daemon is connected to a person much like a soul. As Lyra’s story progresses the reader learns that children’s daemons may change their animal shape but when one matures his or her daemon settles on one animal shape.) When Lyra’s powerful uncle, Lord Asriel, visits the college, Lyra learns of the dust. Dust that is feared by some and others find intriguing. Lyra is pulled into a world of Gobblers who steal children, of witch clans, and armored bears. Her journey takes her to the cold far North and to her destiny.

If you enjoy, The Golden Compass, you will want to follow it up with its sequels The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.