On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift–he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. At once, he is plunged into a quest for the six magical Signs that will one day aid the Old Ones in the final battle between the Dark and the Light. And for the twelve days of Christmas, while the Dark is rising, life for Will is full of wonder, terror, and delight.
“Susan Cooper is one of the few contemporary writers who has the vivid imagination, the narrative powers, and the moral vision that permit her to create the kind of sweeping conflict between good and evil that lies at the heart of all great fantasy. Tolkien had it. So did C. S. Lewis. And Cooper writes in the same tradition.” –Psychology Today
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"It was a little slow but picked up close to the half-way point. The end was satisfying and left me wanting to read the next book. It's more like a 3.5 star rating, but due to the creative twist at the end and the fact that I want to read the next installment I'll be generous with 4 stars."
— Rachelle (4 out of 5 stars)
" I think I read some really rave reviews of this series before I started it? I remember being super pumped to get into it, and it disappointed me a little. The whole 'kids solving important magical mysteries' deal is one of my favorite things to read, and there was a nice Redwall-esque riddle, but I think I wanted a little more out of it. I'm blaming that on my hyped-up mindset. Perhaps I'll get that little more if I read the entire series and consider it as a whole? "
— Megan, 2/11/2014" I think I probably read this book in middle school and loved it. I have cited it in years since as book recs to friends w/ children. Thought I'd rate it here and am pleased to see it is part of a series- I had no idea. Will be giving it a go here in the near future. "
— Christine, 2/9/2014" My review of this and the four other books in The Dark is Rising sequence can be found here. "
— Brandy, 2/8/2014" I loved this series when I was a kid. I remember it being so mysterious and engaging, and I can recall eagerly anticipating each new bit of fantasy and magic spread through the serious. I wish I had not re-read this as an adult, I found it flat and somewhat bland, the characters and plot less engaging. To some extent I think this is a product of the time it was written, my age now (a children's book must always loose some of its remembered luster, I think), but also an appreciation for better and more inventive books in the genre that I hadn't read at the time I first went through this series. "
— Scott, 2/1/2014" Absolutely adored this series as a pre-teen. It absolutely captured my imagination like nothing else ever had. (I think these were the first "fantasy" books I ever read.) To this day, I am mezmerized by any sort of coming-of-age, coming-into-one's-power tale. (Harry Potter, anyone!?!) I tried re-reading the first book again at nearly 40 and, alas, I couldn't recapture the magic.... "
— Cynthisa, 1/31/2014" This is the book that got me into reading! "
— Jo, 1/28/2014" Spell-binding beginning to one of the great series of the 20th (and now 21st) century. "
— Darby, 1/17/2014" Thought it was OK but I'll read the next book in the series to see where this goes. I'm wondering if this book was just busy setting up the stage for the series. "
— Liza, 1/15/2014" Slightly predictable, but a well-written, engaging opener to the series. "
— Joshua, 1/13/2014" Absolutely adored this as a child "
— Ziggy, 12/21/2013" My reading of this series is long overdue. I flew through this first book. The characters are endearing and interesting, the plot was compelling, and I love that Cooper uses the Arthur story, but still creates something entirely new. My new favorite series. "
— Abby, 12/16/2013" A great classic fantasy hearkening back to Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe style of epic story. Good vs. Evil, kids exploring a creepy house on holiday, a mysterious uncle, and a pair of glamorous and sneaky villains keep the story moving with high levels of suspense and danger. "
— Ms.Given, 11/28/2013" I liked this story very much! It is set in roughly present time, but spins a tale of good against evil as the time of King Arthur. "
— Judith, 11/9/2013" This was a fun book. Good mystery, fantasy, adventure. "
— Merry, 10/10/2013" i didn't really learn anything from this book, but it is very interesting and you would want to read more and more everyday.. "
— Jemiah, 10/5/2013" This book was really hard to get into in the beginning, but it turned out to be a good adventure story for kids. "
— Jaci, 8/28/2012" Old school adventure romp with a slight magical/fantasy edge. Really enjoyable though the climax is a little flat. "
— Mark, 7/24/2012" Three children on vacation in Cornwall find an ancient manuscript which sends them on a dangerous quest that entraps them in the eternal battle between the forces of the Light and the Dark. "
— Carissa, 7/21/2012" These series of books are just wonderful. This should be your son or daughter's first great adventure stories. Susan Cooper is an incredible writer. "
— Celeste, 5/19/2012" I remember reading these books as a kid and loving them. They are proving to be just as intriguing and mysterious as I remember. "
— Aubrey, 5/17/2012" Top-notch. I first read it when I was a child, and it is one of those books that has not diminished in quality over time. I hope to write as well as this some day. "
— Ros, 4/16/2012" Lost interest, couldn't finish the book - I think this is the first time this has ever happened to me! "
— Cindy, 1/24/2012" still sweet and enchanting.hasn't dated too badly. "
— Justine, 1/23/2012" Huh. Bought this on a total whim; would've liked it better if I were in a better mood when reading it, and about fifteen years younger. No fault of the book's though. "
— Jay, 7/8/2011" Another YA fantasy classic I reread on a regular basis. Susan Cooper's books are dark, lyrical, unforgettable. "
— Chris, 4/29/2011" I remember loving this series as a kid — dark, haunting, exciting. "
— Gabriel, 4/23/2011" One of my first favorite fantasy books. "
— Steven, 3/24/2011" These are children's books, but still some of the <strong>best</strong> I have ever read. "
— Michael, 3/20/2011" Classic. Should be better known. "
— Farmgirl, 3/16/2011" I like this series, both for mysef and for students. It has the classic dilemma of good vs evil and ties in legends of King Arthur, and the Green Witch in an adventure that catches the reader's attention quickly. "
— Janice, 2/20/2011" A very good series. Loved it. "
— Johanna, 2/9/2011" A must for every fantasy library! "
— Melissa, 1/26/2011" I remember loving these as a child, and found them to be much darker than I had remembered upon reading them as an adult. Epic battle between good and evil. "
— Hilary, 1/26/2011" It draws on the King Arthur/Holy Grail thing. Pretty interesting "
— Qing, 1/14/2011" Just as good as when I first read it. I hope some kids who saw the craptacular movie will check out the books and find out what they missed. "
— Travis, 1/6/2011" An AMAZING series! A must read! "
— Kusanar, 1/4/2011" LOVED. Her descriptions are wonderful, I loved the settings & characters. Fast-paced yet she gives you time through the descriptions to actually develop an idea of where you are to really be able to experience things as the characters do. "
— ara133photography, 12/29/2010Susan Cooper is the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. Her classic five-book fantasy sequence The Dark Is Rising won the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor and has sold millions of copies worldwide. She is also the author of Victory, a Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth book and a Washington Post Top Ten for Children novel; King of Shadows, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor book; The Boggart; Seaward; and many other acclaimed novels for young readers. She lives in Massachusetts.
Alex Jennings is an award-winning narrator and actor of stage and screen. He has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He is also known for his role as Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, in the Netflix series The Crown, along with his roles in The Queen, Lady in the Van, and The Wings of the Dove. He is a three-time Olivier Award winner and has been nominated for a BAFTA.