The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The book follows the journey of a young girl in a parallel universe where people's souls exist outside of their bodies as animal companions, called daemons. When her friend is kidnapped by a mysterious organization, she sets off on a quest to rescue him, armed with a truth-telling device known as the golden compass. Along the way, she encounters a variety of characters, including witches, armored bears, and aeronauts, and uncovers a sinister plot involving the children of her world.
The 599th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 670
This book was first published in 1995
9 Lists
- score: 102 -- The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time - 2020 (Weight: 102)
- score: 96 -- The Greatest Books of All Time - 2022 (Weight: 96)
- score: 90 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime - 2014 (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- Best Books Ever - 2006 (Weight: 90)
- score: 81 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List - 2003 (Weight: 81)
- score: 69 -- The Books You've Always Meant to Read - 2020 (Weight: 69)
- score: 66 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 66)
- score: 54 -- Powell's Essential List: 25 Essential Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books Isn't Enough: Our 25 Honorable Mentions - 2022 (Weight: 54)
- score: 21 -- 50 Essential Fantasy Books - 2018 (Weight: 21)