The Dark is Rising
by:
Susan Cooper (author)
On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift -- that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. At once, he is plunged into a quest for the six magical Signs that will one...
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On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift -- that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. At once, he is plunged into a quest for the six magical Signs that will one day aid the Old Ones in the final battle between the Dark and the Light. And for the twelve days of Christmas, while the Dark is rising, life for Will is full of wonder, terror, and delight.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780689829833 (0689829833)
Publish date: 1999-10-01
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages no: 320
Edition language: English
Category:
Fantasy,
Young Adult,
Magic,
Childrens,
Adventure,
Science Fiction Fantasy,
Classics,
Juvenile,
Middle Grade,
Mythology,
Arthurian
Series: Dark is Rising -5 (#2)
Back in middle school, when I was discovering fantasy books and reading through my school library, one of the very first series that I found and devoured was Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising sequence. The library initially only had the first two or three books, but over the course of my time there,...
I think that if I were more knowledgeable about the mythology that Cooper is drawing upon for the world she has created, I would have enjoyed this more. I'm familiar with the Greeks, but only just barely acquainted with the more well-known characters from other traditions. I didn't find the characte...
Originally read: 1979My absolute favorite series as a child. One of these days I need to reread it. (ETA: see below.) A bit like Harry Potter, but darker in tone (and of course, Will Stanton predates Harry Potter by decades). A shame that Hollywood's treatment of this classic book was so epically ba...
It didn't grab me quite as much on this reread as all the previous ones, so I might have been inclined to rate it 4 stars. However, considering how much pleasure I've derived from reading this book multiple times over the decades, anything less than 5 stars feels unfair. Especially since it could ha...
Overall I'd say I prefer stories about heroes who become, rather than who are chosen. But if it the author is relying on fate, how better than to use time travelers and incorporate all the myths of the British Isles?The compressed time period of the winter holidays works well. I like that Will has a...
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