While the 2007 film popularized the title La Boussole d'Or (The Golden Compass) in France, the first volume of the trilogy was originally published in French as in 1995. Translated by Jean Esch, the trilogy—collectively titled À la Croisée des Mondes —became a "classic" of youth literature in France, praised for its philosophical depth and its interpretation of John Milton's Paradise Lost .
The series is famous for its unique world-building elements: a la croisee des mondes la boussole dor france work