Susan Cooper
The Dark is Rising
Aladdin Paperback, 2000
ISBN: 0-689-82983-3
Monika says:
Will Stanton is the youngest of a family of nine
children. On his eleventh birthday he is told that he isn't an ordinary human
but the last of the Old Ones, born on earth to prevent the forces of evil from
seizing power. With the help of his mentor Merriman Lyon he must learn to
control his special powers to fight evil for good.
The Dark is Rising is the
second volume in Susan Cooper's series of the same title. Since we only meet
the most important character in this second book, you can read it before Over
Sea, Under Stone, the first volume in the series which in my opinion is not
as good anyway.
Like so often in fantasy literature, the main issue of
this five book series is the fight between good and evil, intertwined with
Celtic myths, Old English folklore and the legend of the Holy Grail. Some
readers may immediately think of Harry Potter when they hear that Will
discovers his special powers on his eleventh birthday, but Cooper wrote her
books back in the seventies. Apparently there isn't any symbolic meaning to
this date, it merely represents the first step of the protagonist towards
adulthood. The Dark is Rising describes the twelve days between
Christmas and Epiphany, the time in the year when the supernatural forces are
most strongly present on earth – the best opportunity for the dark forces to
make another attempt to take over the world.
Even though Cooper's books are marketed as "young
adult", readers of any age who like a well told story should get something
out of them. Though descriptions are rather scarce, the author manages
nevertheless to create a very special atmosphere transporting the reader to the
south of England.
All the
books in the series in reading order:
- Over Sea, Under Stone
- The Dark is Rising
- Greenwitch
- The Grey King
- Silver on the Tree
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Any comments? Write us:
Monika
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