Not since LORD OF THE RINGS has there been an epic of such breathless excitement - for readers of all ages. Lyra Belacqua just may hold the future of the universe in her hands. It all begins when her uncle, Lord Asriel, returns to England with tales of mystery and danger - and the discovery of a place where the veil between the worlds is thin near the North Pole. Soon Lyra is drawn into the struggle of her life against evil scientists, mercenaries, and a magic truth-telling machine. And the fate of the entire cosmos depends on her. THE GOLDEN COMPASS is a work of stunning originality, a masterpiece of fantasy and storytelling.

"Beautifully written, shocking, moving, intellectually funny . . . a great story." (The London Times)