http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/

Mine is named Alvin, a fox!

And shall we have a discussion on Golden Compass (Northern Lights)? Who has read the books? Who will go see the film? Who doesn't give a monkey's?

Suidan, a raven.

Remis - a raven

"Responsible (yes),
modest (usually!),
solitary (not really, but on the other hand I don't mind being on my own at all),
inquisitive (nosey, I think they call it),
and shy (mmm, don't think so really)

Arkadian - a tiger. Didn't really think of myself as a tiger, but there you go

Achaean an Ermine....

Charlie

Alcheon ...a whippet!

I'm trying to be positive and think that this relates to my slender physique and not that I look like a scrawny old dog!

BTW how come most of the names are beginning with A ?

Araphon the Ocelot.

Characteristics - spot on

Just finished the 3rd book yesterday. Was a little shocked by the blatant 'let's go kill God' comments, but turned out a lot tamer than I thought, and think that potentially the Catholic protest groups have only read snippets.

Will probably see the movie at some point, but won't rush out and see it in the theatre. I'm curious how they are going to end it...the first book doesn't really end as such, all three books are so closely integrated none of them strike me as stand-alones (even though I know they were written as such), but I'm wondering how Hollywood will change it to meet the expectations of the lowest common denominator.

A jackal called Thaleron.

Never heard of the books until hearing about the film - will probably go & see the film over Christmas.

Sophistra - a wildcat.

Me too.

Mine is Calista, a hare.

I read the books a while ago - haven't decided yet if I'll see the film. I thought the books dealt with complex themes pretty well for the audience they're aimed at - they're a bit more mature than the Harry Potter books, and a bit more subtle than the Narnia chronicles. I may go see the film to see how (or whether) the filmmakers have managed to avoid dumbing down the complexities in order to fit it all in to a couple of hours.

As to all the fuss over Pullman's anti-religionist views, it's no more justifiable than it would be to ban the allegorical works of CS Lewis or that dreadful Disney schmaltz Bridge to Terabithia for the pro-Christian views that they put forward. I think it's quite instructive that the only religious organization that seems to have taken offence at the books has been the Roman Catholic church, which obviously sees itself in the allegory more clearly than it finds comfortable. Conversely, the Archbishop of Canterbury has argued that the books represent an attack on religious dogmatism, rather than on Christianity itself - he even suggested that the books should be used as part of the RE syllabus in Church of England schools. From my comfortable middle-of-the-road Anglican standpoint I thought that was quite an enlightening difference of opinion!

Discussion between Rowan Williams and Philip Pullman is here, for anyone interested...

Arion - A gibbon.