Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials

Regardless of a 'typical' base storyline, it branched out into so many directions with such vivid descriptions, I can't wait to see the visuals of all these things... especially the island tree-wheely creature things (can't remember a lot, but I couldn't quite visualize that part myself very well!)
I always love a 'spin' on traditional religions; it's quite refreshing!

Yes, that was one of the things I liked the most about the third book -- all the fantastical worlds depicted in it, including the wheely-creatures -- just trying to imagine all that was great!  Can't wait to see that in the movies, but 'fraid we're going to have to wait a bit for that, since only the first one is coming out (so far).

Well... I can recall another trilogy I loved anticipating! 
Would much rather they do it that way instead of trying to cram it all into one!

Agreed!  (I never read LOR though, and fell asleep halfway through the first film - lol!  I had jet lag, so a good excuse...)

But I'm so impatient to see those wheelie-creatures!

It is disappointing that so much of the storyline will have to be changed to appease American audiences, but at least it's being made. I am excited about the wheely guys, too. I always wonder how different things look to how I imagine them...

Why would it put you off any more than any of the other fantasy stuff in the books? It's not like Pullman is endorsing religion; he's an atheist, and the books have been described to me as sort of an "anti" Chronicles of Narnia (I haven't read them yet; my husband has and I plan to read them).

I’m put off by the fact that the only religion alluded to is Christianity. It gives me the impression that he is addressing the book to people who equate Christianity with religion, whether they agree with it or not, and since I was raised in a non-Christian religion, it makes me think of Pullman wanting to speak to someone other than me, which breaks my suspension of disbelief. (Sorry, but it is very hard to explain this.)

Yes, that was one of the things I liked the most about the third book -- all the fantastical worlds depicted in it, including the wheely-creatures -- just trying to imagine all that was great!

Do you read other fantasy or science fiction? The idea of multiple universes, with amazing worlds and creatures is very old, and has been around in literature for a long time. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse

Funny, the article links to an article on – His Dark Materials.

I do happen to be very interested in the evolution of consciousness, so I think I may take it a bit too seriously. Similar to people I know who are familiar with military strategy and criticise battle scenes in literature.

ETA - About the whole "child of a great person" thing, I have an issue with the idea in literature that if a "common-born" person does something heroic, their ancestry must not be so "common" after all. I accept it in literature that was written 100+ years ago, not so much in contemporary fiction.

I’m put off by the fact that the only religion alluded to is Christianity. It gives me the impression that he is addressing the book to people who equate Christianity with religion, whether they agree with it or not, and since I was raised in a non-Christian religion, it makes me think of Pullman wanting to speak to someone other than me, which breaks my suspension of disbelief. (Sorry, but it is very hard to explain this.) 

I think I have an idea what you mean, sweetpeach.  It's my understanding that part of what Pullman was getting at (addressing) was a sort of retelling (alternate telling) of Milton's Paradise Lost.  Clearly, that is going to center on Christianity -- Milton being in that tradition.

Do you read other fantasy or science fiction? The idea of multiple universes, with amazing worlds and creatures is very old, and has been around in literature for a long time. 

No, I haven't.  I know it's been done, but it was a fresh thing for me.