B+

The Dark Is Rising is the second book (chronologically) in Susan Cooper’s five part series of the same name. The series is geared towards children, but can still be entertaining and meaningful for adults. I found The Dark Is Rising to be an enjoyable fantasy story in likeness in style to C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia.

The Dark Is Rising follows eleven year old Will Stanton, the seventh son of a seventh son, as he discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones and, as a member of the Light, learns from and works with Merriman Lyon to combat the forces of the Dark. Will’s part in the battle is as the Seeker, to find the sacred signs of the Light, coveted greatly by the Dark, and unite them.

Cooper began to develop the concept of the eternal conflict of the Light versus the Dark, fought by the immortal Old Ones with 1965′s Over Sea, Under Stone. The concept was left very vague, only hinted at, but, then in Dark, it was completely blown open. I found it very interesting to see how Cooper took a simple idea and expanded upon it so greatly.

One thing I really liked was Cooper’s tendency to incorporate local lore and legend into her stories, that being seen in each of the first two novels. I felt that level of detail helped to enrich the plot by adding a degree of intimacy and localization. I also felt that protagonist, Will Stanton, was a very genuine and likable character. Overall, the second novel of the series was superior to the first and was an entertaining read even for adults.