Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

The Golden Compass

Ooh, 2016? FBR: new and improved! Now with time travel!

Sorry I did these early this morning, duh!

Melissa wrote: "Ooh, 2016? FBR: new and improved! Now with time travel!"

LOL! I've read this, but I would love to join in the conversation!

Hehe, sorry, couldn't help myself. :)

I love these books, and am sorely tempted to re-read, but already have other plans for August. Maybe I can catch up with the sequels. At the very least I'll have to follow along .

I recently re-read this as well as reading the short stories and really enjoyed them very much. I got a lot more out of a re-read, especially in books #2 and #3.

Hope you guys have fun!

I've started today. This is a re - read for me, as I've read the first book years ago, long before the movie. I don't remember a lot, but there was one scene with Lyra and Pantalaimon that brought tears in my eyes.
Sadly, the movie was realy bad, but that is my opinion.

So far I'm at chapter 3 and I'm wondering (view spoiler)[why is Lyra at Jordan's? She's too young for college and for now there isn't anything mentioned on what happened to her parents. Also, why do they have a daemon? It seems to me that it is a sort of consious? (hide spoiler)]

I think there's also a bit of steampunk in the story or am I wrong?

From what I remember of the story Lyra is there because (view spoiler)[she is basically a ward or fostered there, since her own family is too caught up in research to give attention to raising her. Since Lord Asriel is in a position of some power, he can probably afford to do as he pleases. (hide spoiler)]

I thought of daemons as outward expressions of the spirit or soul. It's your inner self given an outer form. It's why children still finding themselves have daemons can still change shape, and why they must always stay nearby.

And yes, there are definitely aspects of steampunk, combining old world settings with infusions of turn-of-the-century technology like airships.

I've just finished Part 1: Oxford.
Thoughts so far:
(view spoiler)[It's an easy read with some action and some moments that it goes slow. Sometimes a bit annoying that Lyra is just doing what comes in her mind, but she's a child, so that's understandable. I love it that she sticks with what she's planning, like going North. It was a bit obvious that Lord Ariel and Madam Coulter are her parents, but I don't get it why Lyra is so special to Coulter. In fact she hates her pretty much. I'm corious on what Dust is and what the other world means. That's something I've forgot since the first read or seeing the movie. (hide spoiler)]

Melissa wrote: "From what I remember of the story Lyra is there because [spoilers removed]

I thought of daemons as outward expressions of the spirit or soul. It's your inner self given an outer form. It's why chi..."

You' re right about the daemons, but apprently the story about Lyra's parents is different. I do like the world building.

I'm going to start this this weekend I think. I was looking for the thread and couldn't find it. In the UK the book is called Northern Lights. I didn't realise it was called The Golden Compass in the US!

I'm curious about your thoughts. I've just finished as it was a re - read and the tears came now at a different scene in the story.
I didn't know that it has 2 different titles. I've read the Dutch translation.

So I've just started and I like Lyra and her daemon. I'd love to have one of my own!

Me, too! (view spoiler)[According to later in the books, we all do! (hide spoiler)]

Oh, yes, but I don't think I could choose which form he would take when becoming an adult. I would probably go for a dragon or a fox.
What are your thoughts so far?

I have read it already, but I actually preferred my second read. I really liked how Pullman establishes a "fantasy" world, without having to draw it back to our world (i.e. Harry Potter's world hidden from Muggles, Narnia through the wardrobe, etc.). And I love Lyra's character! She is so confident, and her voice is fun to read!

Yes, I liked the second read too. I had the feeling that I could understand a lot more and understand the world more. And it's an alternate world, but more subtile. Except for the daemon, you don't know by the first minute that it's a 'fantasy' world.

Exactly! The term "daemon" confused me the first time, so the story was much clearer on a re-read. And yes, the differences are very subtle. I like how Pullman roots the story in a world so close to ours, such as with Oxford college. It makes you step back and think, "Wait, which world is this?" :)

I remember loving the element of the alethiometer. It was both logical as well as magical. Somehow the intuition required to read it made sense, how there are multiple meanings for a single character.

...*blink*... Huh. I never thought about it before, but that's basically how Japanese kanji work. There is a primary meaning, but also secondary and other levels of meaning depending on the context, and you just have to know which way to interpret or read a character depending on how it's used.

I also like the fact that this book is set in a world that is so similar to our world in some ways and so different in others. It has a really magical, whimsical feel to it yet at the same time it feels so real, if that makes sense.

Julia wrote: "Exactly! The term "daemon" confused me the first time, so the story was much clearer on a re-read. And yes, the differences are very subtle. I like how Pullman roots the story in a world so close t..."

Yes, I love it when it's subtile, but you can't overdo it, because then it gets confusing.

Melissa wrote: "I remember loving the element of the alethiometer. It was both logical as well as magical. Somehow the intuition required to read it made sense, how there are multiple meanings for a single charact..."

That was difficult for me to understand at first. I needed to read the explenation a couple of times to make sense. I think, if you not master it, it's hard to work with such an instrument. I like you referring to 'Kanji': I'm learning Japanese now and you have a point. You have many ways to interprete a word.

Charlie wrote: "I also like the fact that this book is set in a world that is so similar to our world in some ways and so different in others. It has a really magical, whimsical feel to it yet at the same time it ..."

I have the feeling that it's overlapping. You could be searching for daemons in our world ;)

I'm starting to read now. :)

@Eloi: I read it a few years ago, but it would be great to discuss it with you!

Julia wrote: "@Eloi: I read it a few years ago, but it would be great to discuss it with you!"


Sure! But I'm only into Chapter 3, Tony Makarios has just been introduced to the book.

Sounds great! Are you going to watch the t.v. series after you read the books? In the show, just beware they combine a couple characters.

No I'm not. I don't like to watch book-based movies.

@Eloi: How are you enjoying the book?

It's very nice. Just finished the first part.

I finished it.

That's great! What did you think of it? Do you plan on reading the rest of the series?

Yes of courseç! It is a good book :)