The Dark Is Rising Sequence (Boxed Set): Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark Is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; Silver on the Tree

I bought the “hardcover” and was surprised when it came as one book with five titles. Not a big issue, but I would have rather had individual books for ease of travel. This set came with “Over Sea, Under Stone.” I would recommend this for strong preteen readers. It is prosy and protracted but deep and rich, all traits I like. For some reason it gave me Narnia vibes.

I guess maybe it's contested, but I'm accustomed to thinking of Over Sea, Under Stone as belonging to this series, but instead just the four later books are included in this collection.

I read this series as a child and I remember having a little difficulty with it at the time. Certainly the books in the series "The Dark Is Rising" are excellent, but they are often prone to long lengthy descriptions that ably bore initially interested children. In this particular case, I suspect I skimmed long sections of this book when I grew bored of its long descriptive passages. The books themselves are complex. It did not surprise me that the author, Susan Cooper studied under J.R.R. Tolkien (of "Lord of the Rings" fame), and I would hasten to add that she, far more than Phillip Pullman, is his current successor. She weaves British and Celtic myth within her stories, beautifully. This book itself is a good one, rare in its kind because the protagonist (your typical pre-adolescent who learns of great powers) has a happy home life and two parent household. I can think of almost no other fantasy series where this is the case. Usually if the child DOES have two parents, one is missing and must be rescued. Not so here. Will has his own adventures and, at the same time, people he cares about who care for him. In this book there is no bully to be defeated or difficulties at school. The Dark and Light characters are well drawn and there is a depth to each and every character that I appreciate. On the whole, I would recommend these books to those kids who are adept readers. Definitely the child who has single-handedly finished a "Lord of the Rings" book will zip through this series with few problems. Harry Potter fans may also wish to graduate to a higher level with this story. Readers may wish to start with the first book in this series, "Over Sea, Under Stone", before moving on to "The Dark Is Rising".

When the Dark is Rising, Six shall turn it back, Three from the circle, Three from the track. Wood, bronze, iron, Water, fire, stone, Five will return and one go alone.I am 32 now, and first read The Dark is Rising when I was 11. I am now buying the set for my 9 year old daughter. I can still remember the poems better than any I learned in class. The writing is so multi-faceted, so defined. Like Will being the seventh son of a seventh son, and Merriman Lyon being Merlin. Although I applaud JK Rowling for the way she has turned kids onto books with Harry Potter, this is far, far better, and was ahead of its time. If Susan Cooper had had the marketing clout that JK Rowling has, this book would be better known and more widely read. In a time when Celtic music and influences are at their height (think River Dance, the Corrs) these books are in their prime. As an adult, read this series before giving to a child. The magic and the writing will never leave you, they are truely classics. Start with The Dark is Rising, and read Over Sea..... as a prequel afterwards. Equally suitable for girls or boys.

_The Dark is Rising_ is one of the best fantasy books written for middle readers. It is the second book of Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising Sequence. (_Over Sea, Under Stone_ is the first book, but the first two books can be read in interchangable order). The story is simple: Will Stanton discovers on his 11th birthday that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortal beings of the light dedicated to the ultimate defeat of the powers of evil. To grow into his full power as an Old One, Will must complete the quest of finding the six signs of the Light, which will push back this particular rising of the Dark.The plot sounds rather generic for a fantasy book, but _The Dark is Rising_ stands out as one of the best. Why? First, the characters. Will's struggle to understand his new power is very real for the reader. He loses his innocence but he gains new friends, particularly his mentor Merriman. Merriman is the teacher we all wish to have--both a friend and a figure of respect. The figure of Hawkin is perhaps the most memorable and tragic. This is not a book that a reader forgets five minutes after completion. This book is also excellent because of the quality of the writing. Cooper has a deliciously evocative writing style that is well up to the task of describing the beauty and the pain of Will's coming-of-age.No lover of fantasy should miss this Newbery Honor book and the rest of this series. The next book in the series is _Greenwitch_, but that should only be read after both _The Dark is Rising_ and _Over Sea, Under Stone_.

I first read The Dark is Rising when I was 11, the same age as the main character. I had already devoured the Chronicles of Narnia and loved the genre. Reading that book was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. It is ten years later, and I have read all five books at least half a dozen times, and The Dark is Rising probably 25 or 30 times. I simply never tire of these amazing novels. They opened a whole world to me, full of Welsh and Cornish legends, magic, and so much more. Before there was Harry Potter, there were these novels. Having read J.K. Rowling's series, which is very nice, I can say with no hesitation that these books are a thousand times better. This series is a must-read for both children and adults. I cannot recommend it enough.

The Dark Is Rising sequence is an absolutely wonderful collection of books! I first read them when I was in about the 5th grade, and loved them then. I checked them out again at the library this year, in my eighth grade year, and fell in love with them all over again. I loved the way that Susan Cooper based the book on Celtic and English legends and stories, and I think that that gave the books a lot of life. After I read these books, I wanted to be an Old One. I seriously did, and after I realized that that probably wasn't going to happen, I decided that I could just keep the Light inside of me and help people out. I know, I know, I sound ridiculous, but some books just affect me in a way, and this sequence did. These are classic good against bad books, with a different twist that makes them unique.