The first book combines elements of the Famous Five with the Quest for the Holy Grail. There is nothing about this book that makes it feel old fashioned, or less relevant to a reader today.

It could be taking place in 1965 when it was written, perhaps or in 2013 as I write this except for the notable absence of mobile phones and computers.

Events separated by centuries can take place as one, but when the story is taking place in the present, there is little in the book to date the story. The stories take place both in and out of time moving between what we see as the real world and a magical world of the Old Ones, whom I take to be the Sidhe although this is never specifically stated. The first book in this sequence Over Sea, Under Stone was written in 1965, but the tales are timeless. The Dark is Rising Sequence consists of five books in total which have been compiled into one larger edition. I'll admit that as child, this can book can completely draw into other worlds in a manner not possible for an adult, but this is still an excellent read, whatever age you may be. This book is intended as a child's book, and it is brilliant as book for children, but it is also well-loved by many adults, whether as a cherished memory of their own childhood or as a book discovered as an adult. As an adult, I finally bought the entire sequence for myself. I loved the book so much it topped my Christmas list for years, but sadly Santa never delivered. Summary: A timeless story interweaving Arthurian legend and fantasy with a modern-day adventure story in epic battle between good and evil.Īs a child, I read The Grey King, book 4 in Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising Sequence.

Susan cooper the dark is rising