The main character, a boy who has just turned eleven, is beginning to aquire some magical talents. A great read for readers of the Harry Potter or Eragon fantasy series which was awarded the 1974 Newbery Honor Award, though the story is still contemporary today.
The Dark Is Rising
(1973, Fiction - Fantasy, Written by Susan Cooper)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Classic fantasy is a bit slow, but enthralling.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Dark Is Rising was written by Tara L. Rivera
Parents need to know that the author's powerful narrative vision will draw young readers into this exciting tale. There is some fantasy violence and a young man turns against his benefactor and follows the forces of the Dark. This is the second book in a five-book series and actually the best one to start with.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about great fantasies. What are your favorite fantasy reads and why? Do they have characteristics in common? Why is the struggle of good vs. evil such a common theme?
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More on The Dark Is Rising
Book Summary
Will Stanton meets his destiny on his 11th birthday. He is the Sign-Seeker, last of the immortal Old Ones, who must find and guard the six great Signs of the Light that will overcome the ancient evil that is overpowering the land. This classic fantasy is a bit slow, but enthralling.
Is It Any Good?
This second book in the series of five invites readers into an intricate fantasy world. Susan Cooper convincingly combines fantasy elements with folklore and mythology. At times, however, the time-traveling sequences are subtle and hard to follow.
The characters in THE DARK IS RISING are more fully developed than those in the first book in the series, and many readers skip the first book entirely. Will struggles with his new identity, and readers see him mature: "Will was instantly a furious Old One, so furious that he did not pause to think what he should do." Both Merriman and Will are relentless in their shared quest, and Hawkin, the tragic Walker, whose Judas-like behavior sentences him to walk the earth for centuries, painfully shows how he is a casualty of the struggle between good and evil.
Publisher’s Details
Publisher: Simon and Schuster BFYR, Publication date: 01/01/1973
Number of pages: 224, Price: $4.99 (paperback)
Read Aloud: 8-9, Read Alone: 9-12
Number of pages: 224, Price: $4.99 (paperback)
Read Aloud: 8-9, Read Alone: 9-12
Our Members Say
See all 16 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
Newbery Honor Award Winner, worthwhile
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I rate this title off for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
Wake up people! It glorifies occultic practices.
This book is filled with alusions to New Age, Wikin, and is an affront (or should be) to Christians.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
Great book, rubbish movie. This one is the best of the series, a must read for young kids who are fans of fantasy and adventure.
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I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
On his eleventh birthday, a young boy discovers that he belongs to an ancient group of powerful beings. He is instructed in magical arts, and gets caught up in the struggle between forces of good and evil. Sound familiar? The pros of this book and series. The Dark is Rising sequence is wonderfully well-written. Some of the younger readers have complained about the story being difficult to understand, but older readers will enjoy the complex and well-planned story. Will is a positive character who loves his family, accepts responsibility, and learns from his mistakes. The cons: the story is infused with British paganism. Though it's interesting to read a fantasy based on the English mytho-historical traditions, the series presents these myths and practices as valid beliefs that just fell out of vogue. Though the series isn't blatantly anti-Christian, occultism is sometimes mentioned positively, and there is a pervasive sense that the ancient beliefs are somehow superior to the Christian faith, and servants of the Dark often hide behind a religious guise.
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I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
confusing and hard to follow
It is a shame that some schools require this book to be read, it is hand down the worst book I've ever read. It is hard to follow confusing and boring, I can't read this book for more than an hour without falling asleep, crying,or sometimes both. Bottom line- Don't read it ever.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 33% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 33% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
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