THE GOLDEN COMPASS

    intothiswildabyss,thewombofnatureandperhapshergrave,ofneithersea,norshore,norair,norfire,butalltheseintheirpregnantcausesmixedconfusedly,andwhichthusmusteverfight,unlessthealmightymakerthemordainhisdarkmaterialstocreatemoreworlds,intothiswildabyssthewaryfiendstoodonthebrinkofhellandlookedawhile,ponderinghisvoyage...—johnmilton,paradiselost,bookiithegoldencompassformsthefirstpartofastoryinthreevolumes.thefirstvolumeissetinauniverselikeours,butdifferentinmanyways.thesecondvolumeissetpartlyintheuniverseweknow.thethirdvolumewillmovebetweentheuniverses.