By Susan Cooper

In the shadow of a king, he will wake.

In the aftermath of a dreadful illness, Will travels to Wales to recover his strength, and his memory. For Will once held a secret, an ancient verse, taken from him in the height of his fever. Bit by bit the words come back to him, until a chance encounter brings it all rushing back. Will is an Old One, and it is his quest to wake an ancient power, before the Grey King can seal it away.

For the first time in the series, Will sets out on an uncertain path. He’s forced to find his way without the guidance of his master, Merriman, relying instead on the support of friends and family, who for the most part remain ignorant of his otherworldly role. The harsh demands of the Light, referenced in earlier books, are strikingly realized in this tragically personal story. Description and character remain strengths of the series, but plot joins them, as mundane and magical conflicts blend, as equals, into a rich tableau, with twists and uncertainties sorely lacking in prior volumes. This may be the strongest volume in the Dark is Rising series. It’s certainly my favorite.

+Strong Characters
+Strong Ideas
+Strong Description
+Strong Plot
*A blend of young and mature

4/5

Next Time…
Silver on the Tree-DiR 05
2017/01/19