Opening on Midwinter Eve, this immensely powerful and intensely engaging children's fantasy, the second in Susan Cooper's five-volume Dark Is Rising Sequence, is a book I read again and again as a girl. Will Stanton, who turns eleven on Midwinter Day, coming into his own as one of the Old Ones—servants of the Light, in eternal conflict with the forces of the Dark, which are intent on ruling the world—learns more about his role as the Sign Seeker as he travels through time, visiting England in different centuries. The book follows him on his quest to assemble the six signs, which together form one of the Things of Power that the Light will use to eventually defeat the Dark for all time. It is a journey that is intertwined with his large and loving family's celebration of the holiday season, from Midwinter through Christmas, and on to Twelfth Night, and one that will eventually draw in figures and traditions from local folklore, including Herne the Hunter and the Wild Hunt...

Published in 1973, a number of years after the first book in the series, Over Sea, Under Stone, which came out in 1965, The Dark Is Rising switches focus a bit, changing protagonist and setting. Whereas that earlier title concerned the three Drew siblings, and their quest to find King Arthur's chalice, hidden on the headland of a small Cornish village, this entry focuses on Will, the youngest of a large Buckinghamshire family, and expands the overarching narrative considerably, exploring the larger and deeper cosmological struggle only hinted at in the earlier book. The Drew children do not appear here, and are not mentioned, although the chalice they found is referenced, as the first of the Things of Power being assembled in the Light's struggle against the Dark. The bridge between the two is really the character of Merriman, the oldest and one of the wisest of the Old Ones, who guides Will through his education and quest.

Beautifully written and wonderfully conceived, it is not difficult to see why this book won a Newbery Honor in 1974. From the time I first read it, I have loved it, and this latest reread, undertaken as part of a project to read the entire series with friends, has not changed my feelings an iota. I still love the use of folklore and mythology throughout, in both overt and discreet ways (so many of the names have a deeper meaning!), I love the settings, and quest itself. I love the poem, which I memorized and would recite with a friend and fellow admirer of the series, when young. I both love and am haunted by the story of Hawkin, whose fate is one I have always struggled with, from childhood to adulthood, worrying away at the questions of choice, justice, and morality. This is truly a marvelous book, and is one I wholeheartedly recommend to all fantasy readers. I finished this reread with a keen desire to proceed on to the next in the series, Greenwitch. ( )

I remember this book being epic. I got so excited while listening to the audio book that i borrowed the print version from my brother. Except, it's an exciting book when being performed by an older british man, less exciting when read in print. I also kept feeling like i was missing something, like, if i had majored in mythology i would understand why the Great Hunt had to save the day. I think the first half, focused as it is on Will's family was interesting, but when he just goes through the motions of his destiny, i was bored. ( )

This was amazing! I love how Will's character is developed throughout the book, and I enjoyed the folklore elements of the story. It might be a little too challenging for tweens, but I think it's perfect for any who enjoy older (it was published in the 70s but reads more like Narnia) YA/middle grades fantasy. ( )

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 characters to be particularly well drawn or compelling and the conflicts had little real tension. Will seemed to only passively move from one miniquest to the next, and nobody ever seemed to be in any actual danger. The Dark simply had no teeth. But there is a love of language that leavens the dullness of plot and characterization. The world created is beautifully described; it only needed a good story to go with it.I still plan to read the entire series, though. The frustration I felt at the age of eleven with a book I couldn't understand is still with me. I'm determined to read it again in context and finally put those questions to rest. ( )

Did my semi-traditional winter read, for the umpteenth time.

It felt like reading either someone’s convoluted, bad dream or a weird trip.

Independent Reading Level: 3rd-7th grade
Awards: Newbery Medal 1974, Margaret A. Edwards award 2012, Boston globe horn book awards 1973

It's been decades since I read my print copy of The Dark is Rising, sequel to Over Sea, Under Stone, and the second book in The Dark is Rising Sequence. I'd forgotten how powerful and beautiful the words were. Alex Jennings is a very good narrator for this book. I'm so glad to become reacquainted with such an excellent book. ( )

Box a

loved this series as a kid ( )

Newbery Honor Book ( )

Liked Over Sea, Under Stone better.
but still looking forward to reading the rest of the series. ( )

Not my favorite type of genre to read but overall I think it was good. The plot is good, which is more like good versus evil. I think if someone likes magic and darkness- this would be the perfect fit for them . ( )

I re-read this because I just listened to the Backlisted podcast episode that was devoted to it and actually ended up bumping my rating *down* half a star.

What Cooper does beautifully is to sketch a scene -- the view from Will's bedroom window the morning of his birthday, the caroling at the manor, the great room where he first meets with the Lady and Merriman -- all were thrillingly evocative. What is fatally lacking is any depth of character and hence lack of anything to drive the plot (what there is of one) forward. Reading this again was like watching cardboard stick figures moving around on a gorgeously rendered stage. I had no memory of any of it from the first time I read it, and frankly I was so bored that it was an effort to finish it; I just didn't care.

The book that I kept comparing it to in my mind was [A Wrinkle in Time], where each character was vividly drawn and the story so compelling that although I haven't read it since I was a child, 40 years later I can remember details. ( )

The Dark Is Rising Book 2

Good fantasy novel. It's been so long that I read the first one, I could not remember the family in that one. Will, youngest son, turns out to be an Old One that must fight dark powers with others. I'm not sure if I'll read the others or not. Still worthwhile. ( )

A child learns he's a god destined to gather magical objects.

1/4 (Bad).

What is The Dark? I have no idea, but I guess in some vague way it's evil (Or should I say "they're" evil? I don't even know.). Meanwhile The Light seems to have unlimited power, but also never does much of anything but show up at arbitrary moments. And they need to collect "signs" which as far as I can tell they've had all along. Reading this book is like listening to someone tell you about a dream they had - just a series of random, unrelated events, but it all seems really important to them.

(Aug. 2022) ( )

i reread this as an adult and was entranced by how little i remembered, but how very much the feeling of it crept back into me. like sense memory. ( )

As lyrical and wonderful as ever. ( )

These are those books where you wonder if those 5 star reviewers even read the same book as you. This was extremely boring and poorly written. ( )

Pretty decent boy-wizard story but i preferred the previous book [b:Over Sea, Under Stone|11312|Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark Is Rising, #1)|Susan Cooper|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443993959s/11312.jpg|742] which had less magic but more adventure.
This suffers from the usual Chosen One problem, too much predestination which undermines the tension of the story. Also its a bit video-gamey. The plot involves collecting magical items and at one point something happens which i can only describe as Leveling Up, it took all my self restraint not to shout 'Level 2' Achievement Unlocked: Uncompelling!

The other problem i had was that its really dark in tone in the first half, it felt like a kids version of The Omen or something. This dissipates significantly once the character Levels.

I know i sound like i'm trashing it but the writing is generally very good. The protagonist has a big and functional family which was interesting and not something you tend to see much of anymore.

I actually thought i might have to give it 4 stars, as the third quarter was really compelling and uncertain, but things felt more predestined again towards the end.

So not bad at all, really nice writing but not great plot. ( )

This book passed me by in childhood, although the classics cover of it looks very familiar. Anyway I read it with Milly and we both really enjoyed it. It feels like a local and manageable adventure for young Will to become engaged in, but with big themes of light and dark and saving the world. It happens over Christmas and we feel the cold and the snow as well the air of menace coming from the Black Rider. ( )

Susan Cooper writes a wonderful story and The Dark is Rising series is among her best work. I find the characters relatable and engaging but she truly shines in her storytelling which draws you into both the current story and all the back story too. ( )

3.5 to 4 as an adult. I think I would have given it a 5 as a kid. Multi kid home, magic, Christmas, time travel, quest, supernatural horse and hounds, etc. ( )

The second of the Dark Is Rising books introduces us to its main themes, we meet Will Stanton, last of the Old Ones, and the Black Rider, and the Quest for the Signs.

(Main review on Silver in the Tree) ( )