92 pages • 3 hours read
Susan CooperThe Dark Is Rising
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1973A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Further Reading & Resources
Further Reading: Literature
Additional middle grade and young adult fantasy emphasizing folklore and mythology of Great Britain:
The Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper (1965-1977)
This five-book series (consisting of Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark Is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; and Silver on the Tree) traces the finding of the four great objects of power that will allow the Light to finally expel the Dark from this plane of reality.
- Over Sea, Under Stone on SuperSummary
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (1964)
The five books of the series are set in the fictional fantasy land of Prydain, which is built around the earliest folklore of Wales. The whole story is a bildungsroman (a novel about the growth and education of a young person). The protagonist, Taran, learns that his destiny and identity are not something he is born into; they must be both earned and created for himself.
- The Book of Three on SuperSummary
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962)
L’Engle’s series of fantasy stories features Meg Murry, her brother (Charles Wallace), and Meg’s friend Calvin O'Keefe. In the first book, Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin go in search of Meg’s father, who disappeared while studying a Tesseract—a four-dimensional fold in space. The story blends science and fantasy to create a magical world.
- A Wrinkle in Time on SuperSummary
Puck of Pook’s Hill by Rudyard Kipling (1906), which includes the story “Weland’s Sword”
The fairy Puck relates this collection of stories and poems about English myth, history, and folktales two children living in Sussex, near Kipling’s own home. It was followed in 1910 by a second collection: Rewards and Fairies. The stories are a blend of English history and fantasy, magic, and myth.
Further Reading: Adult Fiction Based on Arthurian Legend
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1982)
Bradley re-envisions the Arthurian legend as a historical fantasy focusing on the goddess-based druidic religion thought to dominate England before the imposition of Christianity. She began writing at a time when feminist thinkers were reviving the idea of pre-Christian matriarchal belief systems.
- The Mists of Avalon on SuperSummary
The Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart (1970-1979)
This four-volume narrative tells the story of the sorcerer Merlin as he shepherds Arthur Pendragon to the throne of England.
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen R. Lawhead (1987-1999)
This six-book fantasy series is told primarily from the perspective of Merlin, tracing Merlin’s birth and the rise of Arthur to become the King of Summer.
Further Reading: Christmas Stories
Old Christmas from the Sketch Book of Washington Irving by Washington Irving (1876)
Washington Irving based this collection of nonfiction essays on observations he made during his travels in Europe. He was particularly taken by the holiday traditions of England, which were strongly influenced by the writing of Charles Dickens. Irving is credited with importing many of those holiday traditions to America.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1874)
One of the world’s best-known Christmas stories uses supernatural figures to remind the protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge, of his better self before he became enamored of money over people. This story and a handful of other Christmas stories written by Dickens had a pronounced influence on Christmas celebrations in England.
- A Christmas Carol on SuperSummary
All the Bells on Earth by James Blaylock (1997)
This is a supernatural holiday tale of redemption and forgiveness featuring a bartered soul, a golem, and a demonic Bluebird of Happiness.
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (1996)
Hogswatch is the Discworld’s version of Christmas. Someone has done away with the Hogfather, the ancient god of Midwinter, and Death must keep the spirit of Hogswatch alive while his granddaughter Susan tracks down and restores the Hogfather.
Krampus by Brom (2012)
The story follows the escape of Krampus from captivity and his attempt to reclaim his rightful holiday. Krampus is thought to be a pagan Germanic midwinter spirit, possibly associated with Odin or (at least in this story) Baldur. Krampus was gradually forgotten but has seen a 21st-century resurgence in popularity, possibly as a reaction to the increasing commercialization of Christmas.
Other Resources: Adaptations
The Seeker–The Dark Is Rising (2007)
This is the first film adaptation of any of Susan Cooper’s works. It contains significant divergences from the book, some of which Cooper objected to so strenuously that she insisted they be removed. Fans of the books did not give the film a positive reception.
The Dark is Rising (2022)
Simon McBurney and Robert Macfarlane created this 12-episode podcast for BBC World Service.
Related Titles
By Susan Cooper
