Book Review - The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Synopsis: On the Midwinter Day that is his 11th birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift - that 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 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.

First Line: "Too many!" James shouted, and slammed the door behind him."

Random Quote: "There was a click, and below the rose, at the level of her waist, a square dark hole in the paneling appeared. Will did not see the panel slide away; the hole was simply, suddenly, there."

Review: This is the second book in the series and won the Newberry Award. Most of my strongest memories of the series are buried in this book, in particular an out of time Twelfth Night sequence that represents a Christmas season I've always wished I had.

Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire - Image by bestfor / richard via Flickr

The Drew children aren't in this book. Instead, we are introduced to Will Stanton, an Old One who has come into his own on his 11th birthday. Will is wonderfully well-written, somehow managing to combine that funny intelligence of all 11 year olds with the wisdom of someone who is ageless. There is snow (lots of snow), a dark rider, a mysterious tramp, and six signs to be found in a limited amount of time.

I love this book and especially love the beautiful pictures it put into my head. There is a wonderful and very real family here and a diverse and believable community. There is the Light and there is the Dark. There is adventure and choices and merrymaking and sorrow. This is what good books are all about.