The Dark Is Rising Sequence
The Dark Is Rising Sequence is a series of five contemporary fantasy novels for older children and young adults that were written by the British author Susan Cooper and published from 1965 to 1977. The first book in the series, Over Sea, Under Stone, was originally conceived as a stand-alone novel, and the sequence gets its name from the second novel in the series, The Dark Is Rising. The Dark Is Rising Sequence is used as an overarching title in several omnibus, boxed-set, and coordinated editions; but the title of The Dark Is Rising is also used for the whole series.
The books depict a struggle between forces of good and evil called "The Light" and "The Dark", and draw upon Arthurian legends, Celtic mythology, Norse mythology and English folklore. The books were also influenced by Cooper's reading of Robert Graves' study of mythology, The White Goddess. Both magical and ordinary children are prominent throughout the series. It was inaugurated in 1965 with the U.K. publication by Jonathan Cape of Over Sea, Under Stone. The sequels were published 1973 to 1977, almost simultaneously in the U.K. and the U.S. Volume four, The Grey King, won both the Newbery Medal, recognizing the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children", and the inaugural Tir na n-Og Award for English-language books with Welsh background. The concluding Silver on the Tree also won the annual Tir na n-Og Award.
The novel The Dark Is Rising features Will Stanton, age 11, who learns on that birthday that he is one of an ancient magical people called "Old Ones", and is destined to wield the powers of The Light in the ancient struggle with The Dark. In the U.S. it was a Newbery Honor Book. Its [|2007 film adaptation], titled The Seeker in America and The Dark Is Rising in Britain, made significant plot and character divergences from the book.
Characters
Simon, Jane, and Barnabas Drew: The main characters of the first novel, the Drew family, are human children who have known Merriman Lyon as their "Great Uncle Merry" for years. While on a holiday in Cornwall, they get caught up in the battle between the Light and the Dark and join the search for the Things of Power. In the first novel, Over Sea, Under Stone, they search for the legendary Grail of King Arthur. They also appear in the third book, Greenwitch, and the last book in the series, Silver on the Tree. In the poem featured prominently throughout The Dark Is Rising, they are the ones referred to as "three from the track". Their surname is linked with Will Stanton's in British paleohistory; see Stanton Drew stone circles.- Simon Drew: Simon is the eldest of the Drews. In Over Sea, Under Stone, Simon and Barney are the two to go into the cave and retrieve the Grail. In Greenwitch, he is jealous of Will because Merriman brought him to Cornwall for "unnecessary" reasons, but eventually warms to him. He loves sailing and anything to do with ships.
- Jane Drew: Jane is the middle Drew. In Greenwitch, Jane is allowed to attend the Greenwitch ceremony, which is traditionally for female locals only, and through her compassion develops a special bond with the entity which constitutes the magical aspect of the Greenwitch. She subsequently receives from the entity the case containing the coded manuscript for deciphering the runes on the Grail. She also develops a special bond with the Lady of the Light in Silver on the Tree.
- Barnabas Drew: Barney is the youngest of the Drews. He loves Arthurian legends and, although he is quite wary of his talent at first, paints. In Greenwitch, Barney sketches a picture of the bay, which is later stolen by an agent of the Dark, but Merriman recovers it and presents it to Tethys as a gift.
Will Stanton: The main character of the second novel, and a major character in the remaining novels of the series, he is the seventh son of a seventh son, in a large, close human family. His eleventh birthday marks the beginning of his magical awakening and rise to power as the last of the Old Ones. The Dark Is Rising tells how he came to power, met Merriman Lyon, and accumulated the six "signs" to help fight the Dark. Will is the last of the Old Ones; no others will be born after him. In Greenwitch, he is invited to come to Cornwall by Merriman in order to help recover the Grail and cypher that reveals how to read the runes on the Grail. He later gives Jane a bracelet of gold engraved with the words "power from the Greenwitch", which she throws into the sea as an offering to the Greenwitch in appreciation for its help. In The Grey King, Will goes to Wales to recover from sickness, where he meets Bran and awakens the Sleepers. In Silver on the Tree, Will travels with Bran to the Lost Land to recover the crystal sword Eirias, and helps to vanquish the Dark. Will is the only Old One to remain on Earth afterward, and the only one of the Light's allies who remembers the struggle against the Dark; in this, he is referred to as "the watchman", staying behind to keep watch for any attempt by the Dark to return.
Cooper named Will after William Shakespeare.
Merriman Lyon: The first Old One, Lyon shares a special bond with Will Stanton, last of the line. A friend of the Drew family for over a generation, he helps and protects Barney, Jane, and Simon as they quest for the Grail. They occasionally refer to him as "Great Uncle Merry" or "Gumerry". Throughout the series, Merriman is portrayed in numerous historical periods, but particularly as King Arthur's chief adviser, the mythical Merlin; in Silver on the Tree, Arthur calls him "Mer Lion", old English for "my lion".
The Lady: The Lady is the most powerful of the Light, an Old One of seemingly greater strength than Merriman. Gentle, wise and enigmatic, she is a pivotal figure throughout the series, appearing usually at important moments to turn the tide in the Light's favour. She is an especial friend and mentor to Will and Jane. At one point in The Dark Is Rising, Will Stanton makes a critical mistake during a battle with the Dark and is saved by the Lady. Merriman tells Will that the Lady on her own is the only one of the Light able to overcome the full power of the Dark, although at a great cost. The sacrifice by the Lady is a critical point in the Story because she is a key element of the battle. At a later high ceremony of Old Ones, the Lady is missing and Merriman tells Will that her depleted power prevents her arrival, and she is beyond their magic to rescue but will return. She represents the Lady of the Lake, or the Lady of Avalon, King Arthur's sister, as they both embark on Arthur's boat Pridwen in Silver on the Tree. The Lady, like King Arthur, is affiliated with The Light and the High Magic. In Silver on the Tree, she initially can only communicate with Jane Drew, the one girl among the Six, telling Jane they share a special bond in being female, and calls her "Jane, Jana, Juno", referring to Jana or Juno, the queen of the gods.
The Black Rider: One of the great Lords of the Dark, comparable to Merriman in power and influence. The Rider is the major nemesis of Will during his many trials. He patronises John Wayland Smith's establishment, where he meets Will for the first time and attempts to bring him over to the Dark. He is given one name by the humans in the story: Mitothin.
The White Rider: Another servant and Lord of the Dark, introduced in Silver on the Tree. The White Rider is almost equal in power to the Black Rider, and despite being feminine in her true form, often affects a masculine guise while attacking agents of the Light. She is revealed as disguising herself as Blodwen Rowlands, an "aunt" figure to Bran Davies. She acts kind and caring, to keep an eye on Bran while developing emotional bonds, while controlling events around Cader Idris, which means "chair of Arthur", and the Sleepers. Will Stanton hypothesized that the monochromatic 'colour' of the White Rider's robes, like those of the Black Rider, reflected the extremism of their evil—either darkened by their ignorance, or blinded by the brightness of their ideas.
The Walker: A human who betrayed the Light and was cursed to carry the Sign of Bronze, one of six Things of Power that repel the Dark, through the centuries until the last Old One claimed it from him. The Walker was once Hawkin, a liege man and foster son of Merriman during the 13th century. His betrayal of the Light stemmed largely from Merriman's acceptance of Hawkin's willingness to sacrifice his life to protect the Book of Gramarye, the secrets of which the human Hawkin can neither possess nor partake of. In The Dark Is Rising, his appearance in Will Stanton's town precipitates Will's "awakening" and rise to power. He presents Will with his second sign.
The Sleepers: Ancient knights who served during the time of King Arthur. In The Grey King, they are awakened from a mystic slumber by the Harp of the Light, to ride against the Dark during the final battle in Silver on the Tree.
Pendragon: This is a reference to two characters. First, it is the figurative title referring to status as a leader, of several traditional Kings of the Britons, notably Arthur. It is also his son in this series, Bran Davies, who is predestined to wield the Crystal Sword of Light that is vital to the final conflict with the Dark. Bran Davies is brought forward in time by Merriman at the request of his mother, Guinevere, who feared that Arthur would reject Bran as a true son because of Guinevere's affair with Lancelot. Bran is an albino, meaning he has very pale skin and white hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes, but his eyes are an unusual tawny colour. Will meets him in Wales during The Grey King, where they wake the Sleepers using the Harp. In Silver on the Tree, Bran and Will travel to the Lost Land and recover the sword Eirias.
The rooks: The majority of these birds are servants of the Dark and attract their forces wherever they are seen.
Farmer Dawson: An Old One who lives near Will Stanton and presents him with his first Sign.
John Wayland Smith: Another Old One who lives near Will Stanton; he is also a skilled smith. Though he is affiliated with the Light, he aids all who pass in his smithy. It is suggested that he might be Wayland the Smith of Germanic mythology.