S&L Book 1: The Golden Compass
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Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 1:52AM
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 1:52AM 
The inaugural book of The Sword and Laser has been chosen, and it's The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. Not only is this a personal favorite of mine, but Tom Merritt and I thought it would be nice to read now considering the movie is coming out in December!The Golden Compass is the first in the trilogy His Dark Materials, but we'll only ask you to read this first book. It may be easier for you to buy all three books at the same time (and you'll probably want to read the others!), but you're in no way required to do this. Most libraries should have it, and there are also new and used versions available on Amazon.
Hopefully we can all acquire the book by next Wednesday, and then we can plan on talking about the first chapter! The next book will be decided by a vote, and it'll probably be a "classic" of some kind. Enjoy!
Reader Comments (53)
I read 'The Northern Lights' ages ago, I really liked it, but I couldn't really get into the next two books :(
Can't wait to see it on the big screen!
Read the trilogy 2 times now might go for a third if i wasnt knee deep in Kurt Vonnegut at this time. But hey i got my sister started on it. Looking forward to the "review".
The reason for the different naming of the first book can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materials though it is wikipedia so beware.
ACk!! spoilers galore in the link in my above post please warn someone!!
Read the whole series. Awesome books!
Kinda takes a twist through the middle.
I just picked up the trilogy today. Oddly enough, up here in Toronto, Canada the book is sold at major retailers (Chapters.ca) in the Youth Fiction (age 9-13) section of the store.
Off to the reading room....but I am hiding the books so my kids (who are all older than 13) don't make fun of me!
Paul
Just picked up my copy tonight from barnes and noble.
We studied this book in my year 7 english class :), it's a good book and should be fun to read it again
the next book should be ender's game. there are plans to turn it into a movie by 2009 last i heard. the date might have been pushed back.
Sounds good. I think I'll read along.
I recommend we read "A Game Of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin.
Got the audiobook and started listening to it. Great choice! None of my friends are into these kinds of books so this site is a great idea! Thanks to all for the suggestions...
I ordered mine today from Amazon, when do the discussions start?? I hope i get it in time!
Good choice on the first book! I've actually read this, but it will be good to read it again in preparation for the movie.
I just picked up my copy and started reading last night. So far I am enjoying it. I picked it up new at wal-mart for 5 bucks and change.
i am now halfway through the first book and so far i think its awsome!
Great looking site and ill be starting to read the book tonight and hopefully be able to comment more on it.
Just went to the Golden Compass website and created my Daemon. Mine is Aspadora, she is an Osprey. Pretty cool. What is your Daemon?
Woot! Just got my book in the mail. Checked the library last week and it was all checked out so if there are others in the Des Moines, Ia area in the book club let me know and I can plan a gathering.
What a great book club with my fave bloggers. Will try to get book(s) soon and get a crackin on the first chapter for next week. Hopefully my eyes will feel better for the speed reading. Air quality has worsened abit in SoCal again. We need rain.
I finally got around to buying the book, I have started to read...
I guess there has to be a procrastinator in the club...
Great choice. I hope we don't have to wait until the movie sequels to find a reason to read the other two books. Oh and by the way even though my twelve year old isn't a member of this book club, he decided to read it too.
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the entire trilogy available at Mobipocket dot com as downloads (you need their reader, either PC or various handheld formats), at less than bookstore prices and GREEN, folks! I have read many, many books this way and it is easier than toting around a book --- also the bood doesn't deteriorate with time and i've also re-read some many times. The Golden Compass is a great book. Very readable. some of the character development is less than could be deisred. It is not Terry Pratchett, with character development coming out of the ears, and spanning whole novels, but then what is? It is also great that there is the simplicity of a chilcrens' book moral tone of no unnecessary stuff that the Dr. Who later works seem to have fallen into. There is so much to be said for making a story interesting without the extra stuff that only shows a knowledge of basic anatomy and some of the less traveled aspects of psychology. Not that it is pretentious (like me!) in this respect, but rather it is a simple and exciting story. I guess all the various plot-lines, geographical locales and variations of cultures and customs is enough of an intellectual feast, that creating the depth of character that would be more satisfying isn't really all that important, to the story at least.
the story is good and it had like so many complicated works like aurora. tern and many hard words. we had to look in the dictionary after every minutes we did it as a class.
i liked the book it was adventures book it was fun too but i did not really get the story and the words it was complicated confusing and who ver made this book needs to make simple words. thht the comment i will give u suckers