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jillianne322's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
avesmaria's review against another edition
3.0
Some aspects of this book were so stirring and atmospheric, and some… felt so unfinished or anticlimactic. Conflicts were summarily dissolved without feats, explanations, or suspense by random third parties. True peril or any real description or explanation of either the good or evil powers felt nonexistent. I’d say I was expecting too much from a kid’s book, but I’ve read plenty that don’t have this issue. I’m interested in the world, but probably won’t read any of the other books in this series.
daja57's review against another edition
3.0
This book is the sequel to Over Sea, Under Stone ... but it is almost entirely different. There is only one shared character: Merriman Lyon. The setting has moved from Cornwall in summer to the Thames Valley in the grip of a fierce winter; the tone had changed from bright to very dark.
Will Stanton is the seventh son of a seventh son; on his eleventh birthday he discovers that he is one of the Old Ones, a group defending the Light against the Dark. He has to collect a set of signs; once they are assembled together the Dark will be defeated, although only for a time. The whole plot conforms very closely to that of the 'hero's journey' with a delightful status quo ante in the real world followed by a call, helpers on the journey, tests along the way and a final climactic challenge.
At he start I was very much enamoured. There was a real sense of menace, there were some beautifully poetic moments, written to be chanted aloud, and there were some beautiful descriptions (which continued throughout). But almost as soon as the magic started, I became, ironically, disenchanted.
Okay, it's a children's book. But there was no questioning, no resistance. Will was eleven. There was no sense that he was at all resistant when he was told he was special, with magical powers, by a rather strange old man. There was no questioning of the idea that the old ways are good: Will lives in a very cosy country world of carol-singing and church-going, with a Lady of the Manor and her butler, and distinctly feudal ideas. When Merriman exploits and betrays another human being he regrets the consequences but this doesn't raise questions about whether the Old Ones are good or bad.
And I had my usual problems when magic is involved. It's a cop out. There can be no real danger when you can perform tricks. Will is repeatedly protected from harm by the signs, by Merriman, and by other Old Ones. It all seemed too easy.
So it was a wonderful start but as it went on it became more stereotyped and predictable. Probably I was expecting too much. It's a children's book.
Will Stanton is the seventh son of a seventh son; on his eleventh birthday he discovers that he is one of the Old Ones, a group defending the Light against the Dark. He has to collect a set of signs; once they are assembled together the Dark will be defeated, although only for a time. The whole plot conforms very closely to that of the 'hero's journey' with a delightful status quo ante in the real world followed by a call, helpers on the journey, tests along the way and a final climactic challenge.
At he start I was very much enamoured. There was a real sense of menace, there were some beautifully poetic moments, written to be chanted aloud, and there were some beautiful descriptions (which continued throughout). But almost as soon as the magic started, I became, ironically, disenchanted.
Okay, it's a children's book. But there was no questioning, no resistance. Will was eleven. There was no sense that he was at all resistant when he was told he was special, with magical powers, by a rather strange old man. There was no questioning of the idea that the old ways are good: Will lives in a very cosy country world of carol-singing and church-going, with a Lady of the Manor and her butler, and distinctly feudal ideas. When Merriman exploits and betrays another human being he regrets the consequences but this doesn't raise questions about whether the Old Ones are good or bad.
And I had my usual problems when magic is involved. It's a cop out. There can be no real danger when you can perform tricks. Will is repeatedly protected from harm by the signs, by Merriman, and by other Old Ones. It all seemed too easy.
So it was a wonderful start but as it went on it became more stereotyped and predictable. Probably I was expecting too much. It's a children's book.
trin's review against another edition
2.0
Reread. I saw the trailer for the upcoming movie—and more importantly, I saw Darcy's furious reaction to the trailer for the upcoming movie, and I realized that I didn't remember these books well enough to be properly furious myself. I read the first two in the series, in the wrong order, when I was much younger, but didn't recall being particularly engaged by them, which was why I never continued. I figured that, rereading them as an adult, I'd see the error of my ways.
Sadly, I didn't. I still don't find these books very engaging. [b:Over Sea Under Stone|11312|Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark Is Rising, Book 1)|Susan Cooper|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166468889s/11312.jpg|742] is, as even Darcy admits, only so-so: the setting is great (the rambling old Cornish house, the standing stones perched on their cliffs, the sea-cave), and at least one of the siblings (Barney) is spunky and entertaining, yet the treasure hunt-plot is oddly slow, and the conclusion completely unsatisfying in my mind. (They give the grail to a museum and get 100 quid? Barney has his "Dude! Merlin!" revelation? Yawn.) I thought The Dark Is Rising would be better, but it didn't do much for me, either. There's a lot of portentous stuff, but I felt that every scrape Will gets into he gets out of either through the intervention of an adult or thanks to a deus ex machina. Meanwhile, the Dark Rider and the Dark in general seemed oddly unthreatening to me, while being an agent of the Light did not seem particularly exciting or pleasurable. I never wished I was there: with, say, the [b:Narnia|100915|The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, Book 2)|C.S. Lewis|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171472410s/100915.jpg|4790821] books, I wanted SO BADLY to go through a wardrobe or a painting of my own, even if it was dangerous; but being an Old One mostly seems dull and chanty to me, to the point that if the position were offered on craigslist, I think I might pass. What is wrong with me?
Because I really do feel, having this reaction, that there must be something wrong with me and not the books: so many people—and people whose opinions I trust—love them. Oh well. I suppose I didn't like [b:The Lord of the Rings|34|The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Part 1)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1156043001s/34.jpg|3204327], either.
Sadly, I didn't. I still don't find these books very engaging. [b:Over Sea Under Stone|11312|Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark Is Rising, Book 1)|Susan Cooper|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166468889s/11312.jpg|742] is, as even Darcy admits, only so-so: the setting is great (the rambling old Cornish house, the standing stones perched on their cliffs, the sea-cave), and at least one of the siblings (Barney) is spunky and entertaining, yet the treasure hunt-plot is oddly slow, and the conclusion completely unsatisfying in my mind. (They give the grail to a museum and get 100 quid? Barney has his "Dude! Merlin!" revelation? Yawn.) I thought The Dark Is Rising would be better, but it didn't do much for me, either. There's a lot of portentous stuff, but I felt that every scrape Will gets into he gets out of either through the intervention of an adult or thanks to a deus ex machina. Meanwhile, the Dark Rider and the Dark in general seemed oddly unthreatening to me, while being an agent of the Light did not seem particularly exciting or pleasurable. I never wished I was there: with, say, the [b:Narnia|100915|The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, Book 2)|C.S. Lewis|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171472410s/100915.jpg|4790821] books, I wanted SO BADLY to go through a wardrobe or a painting of my own, even if it was dangerous; but being an Old One mostly seems dull and chanty to me, to the point that if the position were offered on craigslist, I think I might pass. What is wrong with me?
Because I really do feel, having this reaction, that there must be something wrong with me and not the books: so many people—and people whose opinions I trust—love them. Oh well. I suppose I didn't like [b:The Lord of the Rings|34|The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Part 1)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1156043001s/34.jpg|3204327], either.
kivt's review against another edition
2.0
Nowhere near as good or as scary as I remember it. Adventuring Celtic myth boy isn't really my cup of tea anymore. Will is also very passive and unrelatable as a protagonist.
green_amaryllis's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jrgryphon's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
virginiamoffatt's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favourite fantasy books celebrating it's 50th anniversary in 2023. Always love reading along with others at Christmas. I'm a sucker for 7th child of 7th child stories and this one is a corker. It has a great protagonist in Will Stanton as he comes into his powers as an Old One against the scheming of the Dark, facing danger, tough moral choices and grappling with the struggle between being both an 11 year old boy and the servant of a higher power. Fabulous landscapes, great characters it has everything, and “The Walker is abroad,” he said again. “And this night will be bad, and tomorrow will be beyond imagining.” gets me every single time.
undergroundalto's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jackfrostskid's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I read this book on time with the actual events within, which is a fun way to read, but overall, I don’t really vibe with this book.