A twelve-year orphan Лира Белаква together with деймоном Panteleimon lives in Oxford. Her uncle - mighty lord Азриэл is arrives in a college in an order to organize an expedition on North. Aim of his journey - to find out the origin of enigmatic "dust", that can be seen on the photos taken off in these places. Soon after departure of uncle mysterious "priests" steal friend Лиры, boy-servant. The terrible walk legends that they take away children on distant North. A girl sets out in the searches of the friend, and in this trip secrets are opened her about own family and about a fate that waits her on frosty earth.A book also went out under the names "The Gold compass" and "Arctic lights".