The Golden Compass (formerly Northen Lights)

[Bee Hoon]

It's the first book in His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman. I first read it years and years ago, but picked up a copy since the movie's coming out this year:D It's a compelling read, and definitely better than your average children's book.

 

I'd like to hear from y'all who've read it, and whether you're anticipating the movie as much as I am!

 

I'm not sure about casting Nicole Kidman as Mrs Coulter though... I thought Mrs Coulter was supposed to have dark hair? Ah well:P *shrugs*

 

P.S. Ooh, play the daemon game on the movie's website! Mine was a fox named Callum;)

[Jeff]

I haven't read the book but I'm still looking forward to the movie, it looked pretty good when I saw the preview.

[Alkonium]

I read the books and I'm really looking forward to this, though it's a shame they took out the antireligious stuff.

 

Edit: My daemon is apparently a mouse named Aspasa. I hoped I could do better.

[Pavlos]

Why... why is it called the Golden Compass? I take it that it's referring to the alethiometer, but that's not a compass at all. Bah! Bah I say! Northern Lights is a much better name. But I suppose the American version fits in better with the naming scheme of the other books: the Subtle Knife, and the Amber Spyglass.

 

I'm not too fussed on what I can see of the art direction on this film (that's just not how I visualised Lyra's Oxford) but I enjoyed the books so I'm not going to let a little thing like that stand in the way of me watching it. Hopefully they'll do these terrific books justice.

 

I must've been about 11 when I first read Northern Lights... such a great book.

[Salzella]

I want to know why the hell it's called the Golden Compass.

 

It. Is. Not. A. Compass.

 

I loved these books though, so i hope they do it justice, though i've heard they're already watering down some of more religion-critical aspects of the Magisterium (damn damn damn!). It has potential though. Lots of it.

 

edit - Awesome, my daemon is a snow leopard called Mandara. I feel so impossibly cool 8)

[Bee Hoon]

Darth Moeller, you should read it! It's really good:)

 

Alkonium, yeah, it's a shame, but it probably wouldn't go down too well with the general public if they did. Plus then they might not show it in Malaysia! *cries at the thought*

 

Pavlos, I think I was about that age as well. There was an interval of 3-4 years before I found thge next two books in the library though. Meh. Never mind, I have books 1 and 3 now!

 

Salzella, lol, yeah! Zomg you're like Lord Asriel. Insane genius alert, noooo!

[Serpentine Cougar]

I first read the books about a year ago (though I still haven't read the third one), and I found them to be entertaining and somewhat original, but they aren't one of my favorites. I'll watch the movie once to see all the cool CG daemons, but I'm not expecting to be blown away by coolness (despite the fact that part of it takes place in the frigid northlands....).

 

If the anti-religious stuff is made less prominent in the movie, I'll be glad. It seemed a bit annoying in the books.

 

My daemon is a jackal named Lysanthia. Interesting.

[Hallucination]

I've been recommended it a few times, but I haven't gotten around to reading it.

 

And my daemon is apparently a mouse named Foreana. >_<

[Samuel Dravis]

I saw the trailer for this movie a while back, I was interested in it then and this made me remember it. Never read the books, though. Did the thingy and I has a snow leopard too.

[Web Rider]

haven't read it, don't plan on it. Wanna see it though. Looks good.

 

Apparently I've got a Lion named Aditi. What's funny? They use a picture of a male lion for a female one.

[Commander Obi-Wan]

I might read the book before the movie comes out. But, I'll be definitely seeing the movie. It has Daniel Craig.