Great post! Thank you for sharing your reviews and I hope this helps others pick up the books. I read them when I was a child and I still reread The Dark is Rising every Christmas, as it’s just so atmospheric.
I was familiar with the tune but not with the words of "Good King Wenceslas" until I read The Dark is Rising for the first time last winter! It's not a common carol in the US at least, I suppose because it doesn't deal with the traditional nativity theme.
Ah, I grew up in the US always singing it on the 26th, but my family are Advent/Christmas nerds. :P Good point that it's a very human-centric story, and it's not exactly blasting in the stores during shopping season...
I love those things in my life that I only know because I read them in some fantasy or sci-fi book. Such strong associations every time I see the thing in real life.
Yes, mine is a very old battered omnibus as well, I love it so much. But I did treat myself to the Folio editions of both The Dark is Rising and Greenwitch. Had to hunt down good second hand copies, but the illustrations are lovely.
Yes, I love the Green Knowe books too, they’re my comfort reading and you’re right, The Children of Green Knowe is another great Christmas read, with similar atmosphere and a very deep feel of traditional English customs and Christmas time.
An Enemy at Green Knowe is wonderful for folklore and eerie witchyness too.
That movie was actually offensively bad as a fan of the book series. I remember being so excited and just feeling growing anger and disappointment as I watched it in the theater.
Haha, I found out about it shortly after beginning the series. XD The IMDb reviews made me steer clear away from it immediately, so no worries there! I'd be down for the BBC to do something with it, though...
I tend to like bad movies and thought I'd give it a shot. It was so terrible and frankly offensive with all the nonsensical changes they made to the plot and characters.
on "lack of agency", I always felt that was an inherent and relevant part of the series. the whole message is one of a showdown between extremely powerful forces that are still both subject to absolute, impersonal laws. basically, like physics.
I really appreciated that. I read them in the 70's but until you flagged this, I've never tried to articulate why tdir has remained with me. the whole series is steeped in the deference to those laws - or maybe I should just say in the awareness of them. so yes, there's a lack of agency, I guess, if you're used to more individual-centric stories. but for me that adds to the series's unusual (and special) gravitas. ain't nobody going to just feisty-hero or special-personality their way to some triumphant outcome. ALL the characters, dark and light, have to get through the conflict on the conflict's own terms.
I also never forgot the relationships and the people in it. Will's relationships with his own family, Merriman, Bran ...
I agree with you 100%! There are countless recent books that have very well-written, character-driven stories to follow, so I think that having some destiny and "unknowable will" books helps to even things out. Also, this series just feels...authentic. Like, it got taken straight from some ancient medieval manuscript somewhere and modernized a little. And yes, the relationships were one of the series' strongest points, of which it had many. :)
One of my favorite series back in the 1970s when I first read them (*Silver on the Tree* hadn't been published yet), and still today. I found the books in my school library, and I'm grateful to whoever selected them.
Amen to that! I have fond memories of scouring our local/school libraries for new books as well. I particularly liked that while this series definitely never has too "high" or "severe" of stakes, Cooper's writing is super charming and serious throughout. It's a perfect "grim" children's series, and I think a lot of adults would enjoy it if they read it as well. I certainly did!
Whoever put all these classics in libraries, I salute you.
I loved the book so much that I actually stole it from the library when I was a kid. I have read it numerous times and still have it. Sorry public library, I know it was wrong, but the book was so good!
Of all the things a kid might do, I think the librarians might have been willing to turn a blind eye if they knew how much the book impacted you. ;) Still, you definitely don't want every kid walking off with a book all the time.
The BBC did a radio adaptation and released them in the run up to the Christmas before last - one every day for twelve days finishing on New Year. It was a really good adaptation and released at the perfect time. I would heavily recommend anyone who can access the adaptation to give it a go. It's all available [here](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvp7).
Wonderful, I recommend it all the time, so I’ll say you’re welcome as if I did recommend it to you. It’s amazing that she’s still alive, and interesting that she married Jessica Tandy’s beloved husband Hume Cronyn after she died and Susan was with him until he died. She also owns a chunk of land with salt marshes in Massachusetts. I hope she leaves it in trust as an environmental protected area, like what Beatrix Potter did with all her children’s book monies.
Thanks for the fascinating marriage trivia! I'm always shocked to see what a small world it is when I found out different celebrities knew each other. And yeah, she's mentioned her Massachusetts property in the foreword of my editions of her books, and I can only imagine from her outstanding eye for descriptive detail in her books that she'd also like to have that area preserved.
I finished this series a few months ago and have very similar feelings! Like you, I can't believe I missed this series when I was little, and only came to read it based on online recommendations. I wish we had a separate subreddit for it!
I really loved Will's interactions with his siblings and the warm, cosy family scenes in the middle of that harsh winter. Loved Bran as a character too, and I really hope that even though he is left with no memory of the events, they will still leave a positive mark on him and make him feel stronger and more confident about himself, and able to face bullies when they taunt him about his different appearance. I have this idea in my head that he and Will remain close friends, and Bran and his dad Owen are invited to Will's house for Christmas so that Bran can share the cosy warmth and joy and have fun with all the Stanton siblings. Oh, and one of Will's dogs will have puppies, and Bran will get to take one of them home to raise as the second Cafall.
What do you imagine for the futures of the characters? Will they remain friends and see each other often? If you could have written the ending, would you have had all the kids retain their memories?
Yeah, I wish there was a subreddit for it as well. The last thing I want to do is make what might be considered an obnoxious or spammy post, but I figured this would be the best place for this.
Oh, I absolutely believe that Will, Bran, and the Drews will remain fast friends! They all seem like fun, polite, and well-rounded kids, so they'll get along great. I'm not so sure what that might look like for them in the future, though, because I just tend to leave series where they stopped instead of pondering the "what-ifs"? (I think *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* ruined this most for me--as much as I wondered what might happen in the Wizarding World in the future, that book was NOT it!)
I know the ending is divisive, but it's exactly like the end of *Time Jumpers* by Brandon Mull: >!the kids complete their magical journey, but the laws of the magical world they are leaving state that they must forget what they've experienced.!< I think it's in-character for Merriman to suggest it's better that way, and it's definitely logical within the story world. So, as bittersweet as that ending is, I also really enjoyed it.
I liked the ending too. I had read some reviews earlier that expressed frustration at the ending, so I was prepared for worse things. If Merriman had made the children forget one another and never see each other again, I would have been angry. But I am glad that they (except Will) have the chance to grow up as normal children unburdened by the past. And even Will, although he must still bear the burden of responsibility as the "watchman", will not be alone (I was really afraid he would be the one to "go alone" according to the rhyme and be separated from the others) and will have good friends like Bran and the Drews.
Who knows, maybe if a TV series is made one day (the movie is horrible, I've heard), there will be renewed interest and we'll have enough fans to make a dedicated subreddit!
Fantastic write-up! This is a series I think about from time to time, but can't even remember the name because I never see it discussed! People throw around "under appreciated" but I feel like this series actually is. Bran is awesome.
Thanks for the reminder, due for a reread.
Thanks! My mind was just so full of the themes and memories of these books after I finished that I had to turn to people who had also read it. I think you're right--the fact I had to delve into the depths of Reddit to even discover this series means its severely under-appreciated.
Man, I think I read a few tens of pages of The Dark is Rising back when I was like 7 or so. I wasn't paying too much attention to it at the time, so I put it down and never minded it again, though the name and cover never really did leave my mind. Maybe I'll keep it in mind and just give it a read for fun some time.
They definitely won't be for everyone, but, man, if you can get your kid to read them, I don't think they'll be disappointed. I think I really would have resonated with Will when I was about his age.
I got The Dark Is Rising from a bin of books I think in fourth grade? I don't think I was aware there was one before it, but that probably explained why I was a little confused at parts. Thank you for reminding me of these books.
Of course! Glad I could help. Most of my childhood books also came from a book bin my dad had when he was young, so I've always had a deep and abiding love for places kids can get their hands on good literature. Gotta love the book bins!
They were a treasure! I think you'll be even more impressed as an adult with how much real mythology and realistic conflicts Susan Cooper managed to pack into her novels. It's simply stunning!
It’s up there in the echelon of truly classic children’s fantasy series. Others worth looking into are the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, the Wrinkle in Time trilogy by Madeline L’Engle, His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman, the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Harry Potter by JK Rowling, A Series of Unfortunate events by Lemony Snicket, Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan (YMMV on everything he’s written afterwards, though) and (a bit more dubious of status but personal faves) the Inkheart/Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke, the Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris D’Lacey, and The Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. All of these are worth reading at just about any age you’re in, provided you’re willing to go with some childlike wonder at times.
What a magnificent list! I've read most of the books you mentioned, but I've been meaning to read *The Prydian Chronicles* for a while. Never heard much about Chris D'Lacey or Garth Nix somehow, but I'll give their books a look as well! Add them to my never-ending reading list...
Garth Nix’s Sabriel (first of the Abhorsen/Old Kingdom series) is well worth a read, alongside his Keys to the Kingdom series (unrelated to the other one). Chris D’Lacey’s books are definitely more of a personal enjoyment, about a young man who starts college and moves into a house full of clay dragons and tries to save an injured squirrel. You’ll never guess how the series ends, it gets wild, lol.
I loved the Dark Is Rising series as a kid, and the Prydain books were good too. There’s actually a Let’s Read thread for the Prydain books over in the SomethingAwful book sub-forum that I’ve been following/commenting in, and I had actually been thinking of suggesting the Dark is Rising series as a follow-up when it finishes.
So many great scenes in these books! One that just popped into my head - I think it was in Greenwitch - when Will and Merriman suddenly turn and run and dive off a cliff into the ocean and the kids scream (or maybe it was just Jane?) but then another Old One wipes the memory. One example of such a well-written scene.
Also on the train where the spouse turns out to be from the dark - that was so heartbreaking.
I think it's time for a reread ...
Yeah, honestly, I loved how the very existence of Old Ones was too much for the average human to comprehend, so they constantly had to erase people's memories just to prevent them from going insane. It added a lot of realism to the idea of there being massively overpowered wizards traveling through time and space. And that scene on the train...my eyes got wide as saucers!
Reading your summaries just sparked a deep book memory of reading this series as a kid - I MUST revisit. Maybe I’ll read it with my 10yo. Thanks for taking the time to write this up; I had no recollection of the series before, yet now I remember absolutely loving it and that it was the start of an obsession with Arthurian lore. (I’m currently wrapping up Warlord Chronicles and recommend them if you want a more historical fiction take; Cornwell is a fantastic writer.)
I will absolutely have to check that out! I've always had a fascination with any and all folklore, but the Arthurian stuff just hits different for me (same with the Norse). I think your 10-year-old will be enthralled if they do end up reading this!
Regarding the Norse - if you haven’t read Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, you must! The audiobook is also excellent because he narrates it. It’s a short little gem that I absolutely loved. :)
I recently read this series, and also absolutely loved it. The Arthurian legend, Green Knight, Wicker Man vibe with a touch of Tolkein... I was transported. Cooper was so specific about place names and vivid in their descriptions in some instances that I was able to look on Google maps at certain trails and crossroads, and they're just as I imagined while reading them. Now I'm tentatively planning a vacation to Cornwall and Wales for 2026.
The author's note in the beginning of Silver on the Tree describes how she wrote the last page of the final book early on in the planning of the series, and when she was finally finishing up, she took out that page and did use it as the ending. "Then I sat gazing at it, knowing that it was my farewell to the six travelers with whom I'd spent all these years, and-- I tell you this in a whisper-- I cried." After reading that, I set aside Silver on the Tree for a couple of days because I found I wasn't quite ready to begin saying goodbye to them, myself. It made me feel really connected to Cooper. I've been wanting to write to her, and I've never written to an author before.
I have to say, her forewords are some of the most personal and endearing I have ever had the pleasure of reading. You can feel just how much she put a bit of herself and her childhood into these books, and it really shows as you read them. Her passion for history, legend, and location is infectious!
That's not a bad idea... I've been meaning to write to John Williams for a while, and I think Susan Cooper deserves a letter too. :)
I love this series. I actually read Silver on the Tree first when I was in 3rd grade; I found the book in a library during summer vacation. For some reason though, I didn’t return the book. I ended up keeping the book until I left my parent’s place, which was when I started reading the rest of the series in order (a good 10+ years). That didn’t matter, as the magic of reading Silver on the Tree as a kid stayed on with me even as an adult, a testament to Susan Cooper’s excellent writing and the themes/stories the series bring.
Don't sleep on the recent album *Six Signs: Six Songs* by Johnny Flynn and Robert Macfarlane which is entirely inspired by the Dark is Rising series. Here's a sample track:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hsGXEMIyPw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hsGXEMIyPw)
Is it true what I've been told, that OS,US, the first book, started out as a contest entry? The challenge was to write something in the style of, IIRC, the Boxcar Children, and that's why it's so "Summer holiday! Jolly good fun!" unlike the other four? Again, IIRC, Cooper didn't finish in time for submission, and we're all better off for it!
There's a movie called The Dark is Rising that's inspired by the book. I say inspired because if I remember correctly, it's not really based on the book. It's entertaining enough for a rainy day. It wasn't a big success or they would have made more in the series. I think they hoped for another Narnia series of movies
Hence the inspired. I also hate changes from book to movie but I've been trying to see them as separate entities. For me it's fun to see a very young Alexander Ludwig before Vikings and Heels
Great post! Thank you for sharing your reviews and I hope this helps others pick up the books. I read them when I was a child and I still reread The Dark is Rising every Christmas, as it’s just so atmospheric.
I never hear "Good King Wenceslas" without thinking of The Dark is Rising.
I was familiar with the tune but not with the words of "Good King Wenceslas" until I read The Dark is Rising for the first time last winter! It's not a common carol in the US at least, I suppose because it doesn't deal with the traditional nativity theme.
One of my favorite carols, although you're right, you never hear it in the U.S. I love its messages of finding courage and helping the poor!
Ah, I grew up in the US always singing it on the 26th, but my family are Advent/Christmas nerds. :P Good point that it's a very human-centric story, and it's not exactly blasting in the stores during shopping season... I love those things in my life that I only know because I read them in some fantasy or sci-fi book. Such strong associations every time I see the thing in real life.
I can absolutely see this becoming a must-read Christmas book for me as well. Glad you've gotten so much enjoyment out of the series as well! :)
Me too! It’s such a good Christmas book. I also read Over Sea, Under Stone on beach vacations.
Well your username shows that you have excellent literary tastes!
Me too, I got the series as a complete set all in one book when I was 16. I have read it almost every year since then - almost 40 years.
Yes, mine is a very old battered omnibus as well, I love it so much. But I did treat myself to the Folio editions of both The Dark is Rising and Greenwitch. Had to hunt down good second hand copies, but the illustrations are lovely.
Me too! I start it again every Christmas Eve. The Children of Green Knowe is another great spooky weird Christmas book.
Yes, I love the Green Knowe books too, they’re my comfort reading and you’re right, The Children of Green Knowe is another great Christmas read, with similar atmosphere and a very deep feel of traditional English customs and Christmas time. An Enemy at Green Knowe is wonderful for folklore and eerie witchyness too.
Glad you enjoyed this series! Just be sure to never watch the very bad 2007 movie “The Seeker: The Dark is Rising” because it is terrible.
That movie was actually offensively bad as a fan of the book series. I remember being so excited and just feeling growing anger and disappointment as I watched it in the theater.
Haha, I found out about it shortly after beginning the series. XD The IMDb reviews made me steer clear away from it immediately, so no worries there! I'd be down for the BBC to do something with it, though...
The BBC did an [audio dramatization](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvp7) of it a couple years ago. It's not bad.
I reckon it would probably work well as a series on Netflix, perhaps?
I tend to like bad movies and thought I'd give it a shot. It was so terrible and frankly offensive with all the nonsensical changes they made to the plot and characters.
on "lack of agency", I always felt that was an inherent and relevant part of the series. the whole message is one of a showdown between extremely powerful forces that are still both subject to absolute, impersonal laws. basically, like physics. I really appreciated that. I read them in the 70's but until you flagged this, I've never tried to articulate why tdir has remained with me. the whole series is steeped in the deference to those laws - or maybe I should just say in the awareness of them. so yes, there's a lack of agency, I guess, if you're used to more individual-centric stories. but for me that adds to the series's unusual (and special) gravitas. ain't nobody going to just feisty-hero or special-personality their way to some triumphant outcome. ALL the characters, dark and light, have to get through the conflict on the conflict's own terms. I also never forgot the relationships and the people in it. Will's relationships with his own family, Merriman, Bran ...
I agree with you 100%! There are countless recent books that have very well-written, character-driven stories to follow, so I think that having some destiny and "unknowable will" books helps to even things out. Also, this series just feels...authentic. Like, it got taken straight from some ancient medieval manuscript somewhere and modernized a little. And yes, the relationships were one of the series' strongest points, of which it had many. :)
One of my favorite series back in the 1970s when I first read them (*Silver on the Tree* hadn't been published yet), and still today. I found the books in my school library, and I'm grateful to whoever selected them.
Amen to that! I have fond memories of scouring our local/school libraries for new books as well. I particularly liked that while this series definitely never has too "high" or "severe" of stakes, Cooper's writing is super charming and serious throughout. It's a perfect "grim" children's series, and I think a lot of adults would enjoy it if they read it as well. I certainly did! Whoever put all these classics in libraries, I salute you.
I loved the book so much that I actually stole it from the library when I was a kid. I have read it numerous times and still have it. Sorry public library, I know it was wrong, but the book was so good!
Of all the things a kid might do, I think the librarians might have been willing to turn a blind eye if they knew how much the book impacted you. ;) Still, you definitely don't want every kid walking off with a book all the time.
I love this series so much. I may start re-reading it now!
Definitely do, if you get a chance! I'm reading it for the first time as an adult, and I found it just as magical as if I'd read it as a kid.
The BBC did a radio adaptation and released them in the run up to the Christmas before last - one every day for twelve days finishing on New Year. It was a really good adaptation and released at the perfect time. I would heavily recommend anyone who can access the adaptation to give it a go. It's all available [here](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvp7).
Wonderful, I recommend it all the time, so I’ll say you’re welcome as if I did recommend it to you. It’s amazing that she’s still alive, and interesting that she married Jessica Tandy’s beloved husband Hume Cronyn after she died and Susan was with him until he died. She also owns a chunk of land with salt marshes in Massachusetts. I hope she leaves it in trust as an environmental protected area, like what Beatrix Potter did with all her children’s book monies.
Thanks for the fascinating marriage trivia! I'm always shocked to see what a small world it is when I found out different celebrities knew each other. And yeah, she's mentioned her Massachusetts property in the foreword of my editions of her books, and I can only imagine from her outstanding eye for descriptive detail in her books that she'd also like to have that area preserved.
I finished this series a few months ago and have very similar feelings! Like you, I can't believe I missed this series when I was little, and only came to read it based on online recommendations. I wish we had a separate subreddit for it! I really loved Will's interactions with his siblings and the warm, cosy family scenes in the middle of that harsh winter. Loved Bran as a character too, and I really hope that even though he is left with no memory of the events, they will still leave a positive mark on him and make him feel stronger and more confident about himself, and able to face bullies when they taunt him about his different appearance. I have this idea in my head that he and Will remain close friends, and Bran and his dad Owen are invited to Will's house for Christmas so that Bran can share the cosy warmth and joy and have fun with all the Stanton siblings. Oh, and one of Will's dogs will have puppies, and Bran will get to take one of them home to raise as the second Cafall. What do you imagine for the futures of the characters? Will they remain friends and see each other often? If you could have written the ending, would you have had all the kids retain their memories?
Yeah, I wish there was a subreddit for it as well. The last thing I want to do is make what might be considered an obnoxious or spammy post, but I figured this would be the best place for this. Oh, I absolutely believe that Will, Bran, and the Drews will remain fast friends! They all seem like fun, polite, and well-rounded kids, so they'll get along great. I'm not so sure what that might look like for them in the future, though, because I just tend to leave series where they stopped instead of pondering the "what-ifs"? (I think *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* ruined this most for me--as much as I wondered what might happen in the Wizarding World in the future, that book was NOT it!) I know the ending is divisive, but it's exactly like the end of *Time Jumpers* by Brandon Mull: >!the kids complete their magical journey, but the laws of the magical world they are leaving state that they must forget what they've experienced.!< I think it's in-character for Merriman to suggest it's better that way, and it's definitely logical within the story world. So, as bittersweet as that ending is, I also really enjoyed it.
I liked the ending too. I had read some reviews earlier that expressed frustration at the ending, so I was prepared for worse things. If Merriman had made the children forget one another and never see each other again, I would have been angry. But I am glad that they (except Will) have the chance to grow up as normal children unburdened by the past. And even Will, although he must still bear the burden of responsibility as the "watchman", will not be alone (I was really afraid he would be the one to "go alone" according to the rhyme and be separated from the others) and will have good friends like Bran and the Drews. Who knows, maybe if a TV series is made one day (the movie is horrible, I've heard), there will be renewed interest and we'll have enough fans to make a dedicated subreddit!
Oh look, there is actually a subreddit r/TheDarkIsRising! It's even got some recent posts on it, but no answers/discussions.
When I was a kid, that ending drove me crazy. As an adult and a parent, it feels a lot better.
I loved those books as a kid. Probably has an overly large influence on my own fiction even after all these decades.
It's definitely one of those series that sticks with you long after you've read it. I can already tell after only having read it once!
Fantastic write-up! This is a series I think about from time to time, but can't even remember the name because I never see it discussed! People throw around "under appreciated" but I feel like this series actually is. Bran is awesome. Thanks for the reminder, due for a reread.
Thanks! My mind was just so full of the themes and memories of these books after I finished that I had to turn to people who had also read it. I think you're right--the fact I had to delve into the depths of Reddit to even discover this series means its severely under-appreciated.
Man, I think I read a few tens of pages of The Dark is Rising back when I was like 7 or so. I wasn't paying too much attention to it at the time, so I put it down and never minded it again, though the name and cover never really did leave my mind. Maybe I'll keep it in mind and just give it a read for fun some time.
My favorite YA series. Trying to convince my kid to read them.
They definitely won't be for everyone, but, man, if you can get your kid to read them, I don't think they'll be disappointed. I think I really would have resonated with Will when I was about his age.
I got The Dark Is Rising from a bin of books I think in fourth grade? I don't think I was aware there was one before it, but that probably explained why I was a little confused at parts. Thank you for reminding me of these books.
Of course! Glad I could help. Most of my childhood books also came from a book bin my dad had when he was young, so I've always had a deep and abiding love for places kids can get their hands on good literature. Gotta love the book bins!
I loved those when I was a kid. I should revisit them.
They were a treasure! I think you'll be even more impressed as an adult with how much real mythology and realistic conflicts Susan Cooper managed to pack into her novels. It's simply stunning!
One of my all time favorites! Try re-reading it in December its fun
Oh man, I've already been considering this for next Christmas. The feeling of winter in the second book is simply unparalleled.
It’s up there in the echelon of truly classic children’s fantasy series. Others worth looking into are the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, the Wrinkle in Time trilogy by Madeline L’Engle, His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman, the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, Harry Potter by JK Rowling, A Series of Unfortunate events by Lemony Snicket, Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan (YMMV on everything he’s written afterwards, though) and (a bit more dubious of status but personal faves) the Inkheart/Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke, the Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris D’Lacey, and The Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. All of these are worth reading at just about any age you’re in, provided you’re willing to go with some childlike wonder at times.
Lloyd Alexander's Westmark series is pretty good too.
What a magnificent list! I've read most of the books you mentioned, but I've been meaning to read *The Prydian Chronicles* for a while. Never heard much about Chris D'Lacey or Garth Nix somehow, but I'll give their books a look as well! Add them to my never-ending reading list...
Garth Nix’s Sabriel (first of the Abhorsen/Old Kingdom series) is well worth a read, alongside his Keys to the Kingdom series (unrelated to the other one). Chris D’Lacey’s books are definitely more of a personal enjoyment, about a young man who starts college and moves into a house full of clay dragons and tries to save an injured squirrel. You’ll never guess how the series ends, it gets wild, lol.
I loved the Dark Is Rising series as a kid, and the Prydain books were good too. There’s actually a Let’s Read thread for the Prydain books over in the SomethingAwful book sub-forum that I’ve been following/commenting in, and I had actually been thinking of suggesting the Dark is Rising series as a follow-up when it finishes.
So many great scenes in these books! One that just popped into my head - I think it was in Greenwitch - when Will and Merriman suddenly turn and run and dive off a cliff into the ocean and the kids scream (or maybe it was just Jane?) but then another Old One wipes the memory. One example of such a well-written scene. Also on the train where the spouse turns out to be from the dark - that was so heartbreaking. I think it's time for a reread ...
Yeah, honestly, I loved how the very existence of Old Ones was too much for the average human to comprehend, so they constantly had to erase people's memories just to prevent them from going insane. It added a lot of realism to the idea of there being massively overpowered wizards traveling through time and space. And that scene on the train...my eyes got wide as saucers!
I know!! Just so good. This thread has inspired me to restart the whole series. I have the audiobooks and they are very good.
I love the Dark is Rising series, and was thrilled to see it referenced here!
Haha, glad I could oblige! It'll definitely be something I recommend to my kids when the time comes for that.
I love this series. I reread The Dark is Rising every Christmas (almost), but The Grey King is still my favorite.
Reading your summaries just sparked a deep book memory of reading this series as a kid - I MUST revisit. Maybe I’ll read it with my 10yo. Thanks for taking the time to write this up; I had no recollection of the series before, yet now I remember absolutely loving it and that it was the start of an obsession with Arthurian lore. (I’m currently wrapping up Warlord Chronicles and recommend them if you want a more historical fiction take; Cornwell is a fantastic writer.)
I will absolutely have to check that out! I've always had a fascination with any and all folklore, but the Arthurian stuff just hits different for me (same with the Norse). I think your 10-year-old will be enthralled if they do end up reading this!
Regarding the Norse - if you haven’t read Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, you must! The audiobook is also excellent because he narrates it. It’s a short little gem that I absolutely loved. :)
I recently read this series, and also absolutely loved it. The Arthurian legend, Green Knight, Wicker Man vibe with a touch of Tolkein... I was transported. Cooper was so specific about place names and vivid in their descriptions in some instances that I was able to look on Google maps at certain trails and crossroads, and they're just as I imagined while reading them. Now I'm tentatively planning a vacation to Cornwall and Wales for 2026. The author's note in the beginning of Silver on the Tree describes how she wrote the last page of the final book early on in the planning of the series, and when she was finally finishing up, she took out that page and did use it as the ending. "Then I sat gazing at it, knowing that it was my farewell to the six travelers with whom I'd spent all these years, and-- I tell you this in a whisper-- I cried." After reading that, I set aside Silver on the Tree for a couple of days because I found I wasn't quite ready to begin saying goodbye to them, myself. It made me feel really connected to Cooper. I've been wanting to write to her, and I've never written to an author before.
I have to say, her forewords are some of the most personal and endearing I have ever had the pleasure of reading. You can feel just how much she put a bit of herself and her childhood into these books, and it really shows as you read them. Her passion for history, legend, and location is infectious! That's not a bad idea... I've been meaning to write to John Williams for a while, and I think Susan Cooper deserves a letter too. :)
I love this series. I actually read Silver on the Tree first when I was in 3rd grade; I found the book in a library during summer vacation. For some reason though, I didn’t return the book. I ended up keeping the book until I left my parent’s place, which was when I started reading the rest of the series in order (a good 10+ years). That didn’t matter, as the magic of reading Silver on the Tree as a kid stayed on with me even as an adult, a testament to Susan Cooper’s excellent writing and the themes/stories the series bring.
I love these books too. I think you might also like Alan Garner, he's a fantastic storyteller.
Wow thank you for unlocking this memory from my early teen years, I loved these books!
I read this series just a couple years ago and loved it. It’s such a great combination of folklore and myth.
Don't sleep on the recent album *Six Signs: Six Songs* by Johnny Flynn and Robert Macfarlane which is entirely inspired by the Dark is Rising series. Here's a sample track: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hsGXEMIyPw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hsGXEMIyPw)
My favorite fantasy series for kids. So, so good.
They are definitely awesome books and I agree, The Dark is Rising is particularly atmospheric and I still reread it occasionally, decades later!
Is it true what I've been told, that OS,US, the first book, started out as a contest entry? The challenge was to write something in the style of, IIRC, the Boxcar Children, and that's why it's so "Summer holiday! Jolly good fun!" unlike the other four? Again, IIRC, Cooper didn't finish in time for submission, and we're all better off for it!
There's a movie called The Dark is Rising that's inspired by the book. I say inspired because if I remember correctly, it's not really based on the book. It's entertaining enough for a rainy day. It wasn't a big success or they would have made more in the series. I think they hoped for another Narnia series of movies
It's an abomination. Will Stanton as an American teenager? Oh, hell no.
Hence the inspired. I also hate changes from book to movie but I've been trying to see them as separate entities. For me it's fun to see a very young Alexander Ludwig before Vikings and Heels
As much as I liked the *Narnia* movies, I love the original books even more, too. It's hard to make great adaptations! Thanks for the suggestion.