This is the trilogy that the book (and then movie) 'The Golden Compass' came from. It's a fantasy story set in an alternate universe, at least starts there. The time frame is slippery, in some ways the world is less advanced than ours, in some ways more. In it, the Catholic Church is much more powerful than in ours, almost a throwback to pre-Enlightenment Europe.
The most interesting difference is that everyone in this world has a 'daemon'. This is some kind of manifestation of their soul. It takes the form of an animal and is in direct, constant communication with it's human. Each daemon can take the form of different animals until the human becomes an adult. They are visible to others and tangible. It's hard to read this without wishing for one of your own.
The first book stars Lyra, a young girl who has been left as a charge of Oxford. She become swept up in a plot that involves kidnapping, northern lights and giant armored polar bears. Along the way she meets witches and gypsies and a golden monkey. 'The Golden Compass' was easily the high point of the series and it's a very good adventure/fantasy novel.
Then the trilogy slips. The other two books are ok but not special. The 'church as villain' theme seems very forced and there are many places where characters give forced anti-religion speeches.
The author, Phillip Pullman, was very open about writing these books as a way to create anti-religion skeptics. Unfortunately for the books, these spots make the stories drag. There have been comparisons to C.S. Lewis' Narnia books and in some ways the two series resemble each other. Lewis has a lighter touch and it helps.
In some ways, the whole trilogy feels like a missed opportunity to me. The 'daemon' idea is a great one and it's well developed. There are other elements, such as the Subtle Knife, that are equally great. It's a shame that Message interfered with Art.
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