The Dark Is Rising Sequence

[Des]

Has anyone read it?

What did you think of it?

If you haven't read it soon it is a very good read,much better than Harry Potter!

 

[Lunatic]

I haven't read it, so what's it about in general? I'm always looking for more books to read(even if I can't afford all of them )

 

[j d worthington]

You can read a brief synopsis here:

http://desicritics.org/2006/05/23/095352.php

I recall this was also a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club, so copies shouldn't be too difficult to find used and inexpensive. Some of the shops on Alibris offer sfbc books in very good condition at ridiculously low prices.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

The Dark is Rising Sequence comes up fairly often on our Young Adult board. Here is one such discussion, and a brief description (about halfway down the page): http://www.chronicles-network.com/forum/5043-young-adult-fiction.html

Edit: That's an excellent review at the end of your link, j. d.

 

[Lunatic]

Interesting. I haven't read a lot of YA in a while, so I might have to add it to my 'list'.

 

[Culhwch]

I read the first book, Over Sea, Under Stone, and didn't mind it, but it was a touch old fashioned for my tastes. Perhaps when I'm in a more whimsical mood I'll go back to it...

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Over Sea, Under Stone is much more juvenile than the others (nor do you have to read it to understand the rest).

 

[Nesacat]

Read them two years ago when I was teaching in a school and the librarian recommended it. The series is a favourite of hers. The first book, as Teresa says, is much more juvenile than the rest of the series and is also very different in tone from the rest of the books.

It's almost as if the first was meant to stand alone and was not intended to be part of a series. I've always wondered if she got the idea to write a series only after the first book had been published.

I enjoyed the next four books much more, especially because of all the myth she wove into the tales. For example, many of the adventures take place during the twelve days of Christmas, or at Halloween. The six signs take their power from the elements of which they are made: wood, bronze, iron, fire, water, and stone. The grail, the golden harp, and Pendragon's crystal sword reminded me of other older epics. I guess they strike a chord because we've heard them before and in our heart we remember.

And then there are the strange creatures from folklore which affected me most of all. Herne the Hunter (he's been an aternal source of fascination), with his stag's horns and his Hell Hounds; the Greenwitch, woven by night of fresh-cut green branches and then cast into the sea at sunrise; the Grey King, with his breath of cold mist on the hillsides.

I liked the books for the wealth of folklore and legend woven into them. They are in a way like Lovecraft's tales and the folklore give all these stories a feeling of being 'true' somehow.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

It's almost as if the first was meant to stand alone and was not intended to be part of a series. I've always wondered if she got the idea to write a series only after the first book had been published.

That's what I've always thought. Here's a link to something I just found about the inspiration(s) for her various books:

http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-cooper-susan.asp

It looks like you're exactly right.

 

[Nesacat]

That's what I've always thought. Here's a link to something I just found about the inspiration(s) for her various books:

http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-cooper-susan.asp

It looks like you're exactly right.

Thanks very much Teresa. The first book really does read as a stand-alone. I wonder if many other authors end up doing the same thing? Maybe it's easier to see things when you actually have one book in your hand.

Am going to have to tell my librarian friend this since the books are used as part of the Eglish Literature class in the school. It would be an interesting point of discussion.

 

[BookStop]

Hey- I think my daughter has this series - hmmm - a wonder she's never recommended them to me. Maybe she's hording them for herself. Well, it's too late now. Thanks to you guys I'm going to give them a try.

 

[The Ace]

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, READ IT AND LOVE IT !!!!!!

 

[jackokent]

I remmber reading these from years ago as a child and they still stick in my mind. Child or adult I think anyone could enjoy them, Susan Cooper is superb.