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The Dark is Rising
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Author:  Constable Jaynin Mimetes [ August 27th, 2010, 8:43 am ]
Post subject:  The Dark is Rising
The Dark is Rising Sequence (weird word) by Susan Cooper. I've read Over Sea, Under Stone and liked it, I read the Dark is Rising and didn't like it, I read Greenwitch and decided the whole series is plain weird. What do the rest of you think?
Author:  Manda Kondrael [ August 27th, 2010, 12:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I've only read The Dark is Rising. Actually, I just finished it this morning. :) I thought it was weird. Jumping through time and all that. At one point they denied God's age. :P The author put Merriman and the other Old Ones on level with God. Very bad.

So, yeah, I agree with you, Janin. Plain weird. Out of curiosity, have you watched the movie? (That's why my sister picked up a copy of the book from a thrift shop, it was cheap and she was curious. I, of course, got to it first. Book and film can only be connected by very general plot, the Rider's use of crows, and the antagonist and protagonist's names. :P)
Author:  Constable Jaynin Mimetes [ August 27th, 2010, 1:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
No, I haven't seen the movie. Someone else mentioned it to me though, I remember because I thought it was weird I should find out about the movie at the same time I started reading the books... :roll:
So was the movie good?

Jumping through time is cool, but the way they did it was not. I didn't get the sense of any real plot, or goal. More of a "young kid comes into fabulous powers and learns how to use them". The first one was good in that no one knew about all these mysterious powers, they had a goal, they had enemies, and they overcame the enemies to reach the goal. The third one isn't as good because by that time the readers know about the powers and we keep having to jump back and forth and it's all weird and seemingly pointless.

So, for the record, Over Sea, Under Sky was actually pretty good, although not as good as I was hoping it would be. 'tis the rest of the series that I'm dubious about. :D
Author:  Varon [ August 27th, 2010, 1:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Personally, I think it's an amazing series. Especially after you get past the first two books and everything begins pulling togethor. The series, if you hadn't noticed, is told from the point of view of two groups. The siblings are one group, while Will and Bran are the other. Merriman is the wise old mentor for both.
Author:  Manda Kondrael [ August 27th, 2010, 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Janin of Yen wrote:
No, I haven't seen the movie. Someone else mentioned it to me though, I remember because I thought it was weird I should find out about the movie at the same time I started reading the books... :roll:
So was the movie good?


LOL. It's weird that I got my hands on the book days after watching the movie. :) I never thought I'd find it, let alone buy it. :)
Rewriting this for the third time in an attempt at stemming my ranting :roll:
The movie was good. As a movie. I mean, it was a bit creepy and confusing at points, and they had this thing about slo-mo... particularly with the Rider's horse, who seemed incapable of moving in one smooth, solid movement--it had to be in little jerks of full speed and slow motion. Now, as an adaption, it was horrible. I'm not trying to ruin it for you, but it was horrible. The first thing is that none of the signs were found in the same way. Will is three years older. There is a lot less time travel. Tom is a twin, not a elder brother that died young. The Rider gets into Will's house as a doctor, not a old friend, but that scene had no point, as he didn't capture Mary--she didn't exist. The signs all looked different, and the sixth was Will himself. Gwen was Will's little sister, not older. Will let the Rider into the Hall at the end, not at the start. (IMO, this actually worked better) The Walker doesn't exist, the danger to Will's family more, but it's not dwelled on, so it doesn't seem like too much more. The Old Ones have no special names, though that is at least understandable. However, they are not very powerful; though once they do state that they are, no powers of theirs are ever shown--one of them, George, is actually killed. (Though he comes back.) Actually, I think they are all killed at the end, because Will is very nearly defeated till he realizes he's the sixth sign. Another thing different from the book.

Okay, I wasn't able to stop my rant completely. But now, if you want more focus than the book, the movie does probably have it. :)
Author:  Melody Kondrael [ August 27th, 2010, 6:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I personally liked the book.

The author apparently has some kind of semi-Christian background from what I can tell. Her theology is definitely suspect - probably some kind of Universalist - but it didn't ruin the book, thankfully. The greatest theological oversight was in not defining why the Light is stronger than the Dark - as Christians we know the answer to that, but this books leaves that question sadly unanswered. (Another annoyance is a scene in a church that rather than defining a church as "Light" territory, defines it as 'safe, neutral' territory.)

There is definite strong C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien influence, particularly Lewis in the outside-time descriptions (there is a chapter in Mere Christianity that is about his theories about what it is like to be outside Time) and the something, something with a strange name that I can't remember... (that aching, longing feeling that Will has, particularly when a certain strain of music is played) he also called it "northerness".

And, as a side note, I loved the character of Merriman. He's going to be added to my list of 'favorite fantasy mentor characters'. Very three-dimensional.

I did get lost in the jumping around in time, particularly concerning Hawkins/the Walker...

The book was better in some ways than the movie. In some ways, the movie was better. It's not an overly well written film. Their Checkov's (sp?) guns were not done very well, and Will is a very inactive MC; doesn't use his powers very often at all, and must be forced to do anything up until the end. But that being said, there were things in the book that relied on the narrator, which really worked better in the film. And, some of the additions and mini-plotlines and tensions between the siblings worked very well.

I am disappointed in the film, though, that it did not capture the beauty in this book, making it more of an action/adventure film with tons of flashing lights, fast cuts, and some really creepy birds. ;)
Author:  Varon [ August 27th, 2010, 8:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I liked the whole series, especially Silver on the Tree.
Author:  Svensteel Mimetes [ August 28th, 2010, 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I've never seen it. How is it?
Author:  Varon [ August 30th, 2010, 1:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I've never seen the movie though.
Author:  Reueldreamseer [ August 31st, 2010, 2:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
The movie, as a rendition of the books, was absolutely awful. They did just about everything wrong. The books, on the other hand, were mostly brilliant. There were a few odd points here and there that I didn't like (sorry for the lack of specificity, it's been a while since I read the books), but for the most part they are well-written and interesting stories. Although I agree with most of you, they're certainly as strange as they come. :D
Author:  Xyno Xyaxis [ August 31st, 2010, 3:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I couldn't watch the whole movie because we rented it from the library and someone had put a deep gash (and I'm not exaggerating) in the DVD. But for the part I saw, I would agree that it was awful.

As for the book, I can't give a very good opinion. I read it and hated it, but that was years ago. (Probably 3rd grade) Greenwitch was pretty good, but after reading The Boggart (another book by the same author but not in the same series), I realized that Susan Cooper writes each book in a different style of writing.
Author:  Varon [ August 31st, 2010, 3:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Yeah, she does.
Author:  Melody Kondrael [ August 31st, 2010, 4:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Oh, the movie wasn't brilliant or very true to the book by any means. ;) It's pretty creepy too. But it's not badly done, and if you can borrow it from the library, it's got some interesting scenes that are not in the book (subplots with Will's family that I enjoyed because his siblings have no arcs in the book).

Just be prepared for another 'American kid in Britain gets into another world - kinda' type of story. ;)
Author:  Varon [ March 9th, 2013, 12:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Last here was almost three years ago. Very surprising, but perhaps not, since the movie is generally described as so awful and the series was written in the 70s. SO, the fandom has mostly went to slumber beneath the Welsh hills.

Anyways, I'm hunting the books down in used book stores right now as I prepare my library of books and movies for when I move out and am making sure to have the necessities when I leave. Plus, I have been all nostalgic lately, rereading my old favorites as I can't say I really want to grow up and wish I could ungrow up.

I have two of the books purchased already, The Grey King and Silver on the Tree. I tried to find the rest at Barnes & Noble, but it seemed the books are getting re-released this year, since the rest were all available for pre-order. (Likely with horrid covers, I'm afraid.) I also have the first one requested on CD.

So, as I go back through the series, I think I might even write reviews, which I don't usually do.
Author:  Blayne B. Trent [ March 9th, 2013, 5:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Well, I liked the books, although they were rather dark. But I prefer Bogart.
Author:  Idril Aravis Mimetes [ March 9th, 2013, 5:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I do agree that they are a bit "weird," but I enjoyed them. All except for Greenwitch which I think was the darkest of all the books in that series. (For me, that is.)
Author:  Varon [ March 9th, 2013, 11:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
That's kind of odd then. I never found them that dark, or even more weird than other stuff I read.
Author:  Manda Kondrael [ March 13th, 2013, 8:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
I seriously didn't like the books two and a half years ago? :shock: I love them now. o.o I hereby take back all I said about the books. XD They're weird but I like them. I've read the entire series now, and own The Grey King as well as The Dark is Rising. :D I think The Grey King is my favorite of the books, though I really like The Dark is Rising and Greenwitch... Silver on the Tree I didn't like 'cause it was the end of the series. I hate endings. ;)
Author:  Varon [ March 14th, 2013, 11:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
It's shocking how our opinions can change over two years.

Grey King is probably my favorite too, possibly because it's the book that introduced me to the series.

Silver on the Tree was amazing, but yes, endings are bad. :P

I'm going back through them the audiobooks right now, starting with Over Sea, Under Stone.
Author:  Saya [ July 25th, 2013, 4:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Gah! I adore these books! I read them for the first time when I was 9 years old and they were my favorite books for a long time. I think because they incorporate a lot of ancient English folklore, which I've always loved. Also, these books were my first introduction to the lore of the Wild Hunt which takes a prominent position in my current novel. :)
Author:  Varon [ August 9th, 2013, 3:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The Dark is Rising
Just finished Greenwitch in audiobook form. It was good, and a lot like reading it for the first time since I didn't remember anything about it.
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