Three siblings embark on an epic quest for a mythic grail in this first installment of Susan Cooper’s epic and award-winning The Dark Is Rising Sequence, now with a brand-new look!
All through time, the two great forces of Light and Dark have battled for control of the world. Now, after centuries of balance, the Dark is summoning its terrifying forces to rise once more…and three children find themselves caught in the conflict.
The Drew siblings—Simon, Jane, and Barney—are on a family holiday in Cornwall when they discover an ancient map in the attic of the house they are sharing with their Great Uncle Merry. They know immediately that the map is special but have no way of knowing how much. For the map leads to a a vital weapon for the Light’s fight against evil. In taking on the quest to find the grail, the Drews will have to race against the sinister human beings who serve the dreadful power of the dark—an adventure that puts their own lives in grave peril.
I read this series as a child, of course, but it's been years. When I saw they were all being republished, I was interested to see how well they'd stand up to my memories. As it turned out, the series kept me company through an unexpected hospitalisation!
These new volumes come complete with introduction from Susan, where she makes plain what was clear to any reader; this first volume was never intended, really, to start off a series. This is a Blyton-esque adventure romp with only a hint, at the very end, that there may be something bigger going on; as far as we know for the bulk of this book, the kids are just looking for a valuable old relic.
I didn't remember much of this book, if I'm honest. From what I've seen online, it's the least read of the series - much like another fantasy series, Chronicles of Narnia, its' second book is the most famous and the one that kicks everything else off. But this is a great adventure read, with mystery, exciting, clever riddle solving and amazing descriptions. Susan's descriptions of locations are a highlight of the whole series; it's clear she loves Cornwall and Wales very much, and the Buckinghamshire home of our later protaganist Will doesn't come off too badly either.
This volume works brilliantly as both a standalone and as an introduction to later stories - although given some of what we learn later, Merry's interest in this little family rings a little creepy! A fantastic read and a great start of one of the best fantasy series. Just...don't go near the movie, mmkay?
Over Sea, Under Stone publishes on the 14th November, 2023. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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