The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass is the first book in Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy. It is set in an alternate universe where people’s souls (called daemons) take animal form, and walk with them on the outside of they’re bodies.
The story is centered on a young girl named Lyra Belacqua and her daemon, Pantalaimon. She was raised at Oxford University, under the watch of her uncle, Lord Asriel, who is a scholar at the university. When he returns from a trip to the Arctic, Lyra overhears his report to the other scholars about something called “Dust” and how he has seen another universe through the Northern Lights, and Lyra is given a mysterious device called an alethiometer, a device that can be read by very few people, but those who can are rewarded with knowing the answer to anything asked of it. From here Lyra begins her journey to the Arctic. Along the way she meets some enemies, like the deceptively charming Mrs. Coulter, and friends, like Iorek Byrnson, the talking armored polar bear.
Though written as a children’s book, the metaphors and symbolism is this book is very deep, and it is in fact deeply critical of the Church as well as authority in general. Those who are easily offended might want to steer clear of this complex book. However; those who agree that the church might abuse its authority, or like to be challenged in their beliefs would find His Dark Materials to be an engaging and compelling read. I’d give it six out of ten stars.
In mob movies, like The Goodfellas and of course the immortal Godfather, you always get to see the mob bosses and their cronies in action. But, have you ever stopped to think about the bosses kids? This humorous book by Gordon Korman explores what it would be like to be the teenage son of a mob boss. Vince Luca is a normal teenage boy, constantly trying to ’score,’ (mostly due to the urgings of his best friend, Alex) playing on the school football team, and attempting to pass his classes. However, most places he goes, his father’s identity affects his life. While playing football, no one on the other team will even touch, for fear of ‘retribution.’ His teachers are afraid to fail him. This doesn’t sound all too bad, but I don’t think anyone would appreciate having a date that was going well interrupted by sudden poundings and screams for help coming out of the trunk of your car.
Well, the time is fi
nally here! Today I got my internet set up, and I’m ready to go. My first review is of one of my favorite books, by one of my favorite authors. The Good Guy opens with Timothy Carrier, a regular guy who prefers to fly under radar in his life, spends his days building walls as a mason, and his nights at his favorite bar, quietly watching other people go about their lives. Until the day a stranger walks into the bar, slips him a plain envelope, and tells him, “Half of it’s there. Ten thousand. The rest when she’s gone.” then leaves Tim at the bar. Upon opening the envelope, Tim finds the money, as well as a picture and address of a woman named Linda Paquette. Soon after another man comes into the bar spots the envelope, and tells Tim, “You’re early.” Thinking quickly, Tim tells the man he no longer requires his services, keeps the picture, and gives the killer the ten thousand as a “no-kill fee.” Immediately after this, Tim goes to the woman’s house in order to warn her. However; this trick doesn’t work for long, and Tim finds himself playing a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to protect this woman against the vicious killer, Krait.
