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On December 7th, The Golden Compass will make its theatrical debut. If the movie is half as good as the book, then it will be well worth watching. Philip Pullman’s novel was very well crafted, entertaining, and compelling. I really enjoyed The Golden Compass and would recommend for to anyone, about 12 years and older.

Pullman’s novel was very entertaining and I enjoyed it a lot because of its constant action and suspense; its wiry protagonist Lyra its interesting and varied supporting characters including a cowboy, a polar bear, and witches; and its unique setting. The Golden Compass is set in a world very much like own, but not our own. Lyra’s world exists in a parallel dimension to our own and millions of others.

Lyra’s adventure is entertaining and meant for children, yet contains some elements that I would not recommend for younger children. No one adventure can take place without some death, so I wouldn’t worry about that so much, but it’s the challenge to traditional religious beliefs that may be of concern. When I read the reviews for this series on Amazon.com, I noticed that there were many comments that warned parents that Pullman is an atheist and the books take a very negative stance towards religion. This is not all that apparent in the first novel, but it becomes increasingly so in the second and third.

I would be cautious about young readers, but I don’t think it would be a problem for slightly older readers. I doubt that many people would refocus their religious beliefs (even children) based on the content of these novels, but I couldn’t write a review without mentioning it. The movie has a PG-13 rating, so that may be some indication too, but I won’t know for sure until I see it. Overall though, the novel was great fun and a fantastic adventure.