Is 'The Golden Compass' a book?

That is really a matter of opinion. In a trilogy, I personally usually feel that the first book is better than the second, and then the third is the best. However, with this series, there I many things I liked more and less about the Subtle Knife. I loved the new characters, such as Will. The books definitely gets more in-depth and confusing to read. Many times I found myself going back a few pages to really understand what was going on. All in all, I liked it better than many sequels I have read, but whether it is really "better" depends on your perspective.