No, I didnt read the novel before seeing the film, and nothing in this shimmering disaster made me want to read it, either. Made me hate polar bears, and I used to love the darned things, so thats saying something. the film possesses few attributes designed to draw in and hold the interest of neophytes. Buy Golden Compass blu-ray My devotion to Jesus and love for my fellow man have been replaced with profound emptiness and contempt, and I have The Golden Compass to thank for it. Fans of the book may be thrilled to see it come to life but this tentative film demands a tougher minded, more confident sequel. It packs enough fun and fantasy to keep the kid in you entertained and engaged. And we can always hope that the sequel will try to tackle some of the fascinating and more complex ideas from the book. The worst crime of a film like this is that not only is it retarded, it expects its audience to be retarded as well.