THE GOLDEN COMPASS His Dark Materials, Book 1

Ruth Wison's narration of this children's classic gives listeners an alternative to the previous full-cast version. In 11-year-old Lyra's parallel version of Oxford, human souls take the form of lifelong animal companions called daemons. When her friend Roger is taken by child-snatchers known as Gobblers, Lyra's quest to bring him back leads her to a tribe of seafarers, witches, an armored bear, answers about her past, and questions about the mysterious Dust. Wilson captures Lyra's determination, obstinance, attempts to impress other children, and childlike cadences. With the large number of characters, it's impressive to hear a distinct voice for each child, adult, supernatural being, and seeming parade of old men. Wilson also fluidly captures all classes of British accent--to the listener's delight. S.S. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2025]