Home
/
Fiction
/
The Dark is Rising
The Dark is Rising
Jan 16, 2026 5:43 AM

Author:Susan Cooper

The Dark is Rising

It's Christmas-time in the Stanton family house presents, carol singing, good cheer. But for eleven-year-old Will Stanton, something sinister has begun.

On Midwinter Day, Will wakes up to a different world: silent, covered in snow and ancient forest, a world of another time. A world where evil lurks.

Because Will is not the ordinary boy he always thought he was. He is the last of the Old Ones and the power to vanquish the evil magic of the Dark lies within him.

Includes exclusive material: In the Backstory you can read an interview with the author and discover the ancient beliefs that inspired the story.

Reviews

A writer of great integrity and skill, whose influence and importance in the field of children's fantasy will be felt for a long time

—— Philip Pullman

I wish I had written these!

—— Diana Wynne Jones

Cooper has been writing richly imaginative works of fantasy for nearly four decades. Her books are critically acclaimed and she has a loyal and devoted following among readers

—— booktrusted.co.uk

The Dark Is Rising sequence of novels by Susan Cooper must be one of the most imaginative and sustained achievements in contemporary children's literature

—— Books for Children

This is the real meat. The last zombie novel you'll ever need.

—— Warren Ellis, author of Gun Machine and Twisted Little Vein

Peter Stenson has done the near impossible in delivering a savage fire-storm of a page-turner while also enabling a hard and earnest look at addiction and love. I tore through Fiend with the crazed fervor of an addict, but like all great stories these characters lingered in my thoughts long after I turned the last beautiful and brutal page.

—— Alan Heathcock, author of Volt

With a pared down snappy writing style, Fiend opens an exciting new chapter for modern horror.

—— Big Issue in the North

There is something witty or striking on almost every page

—— Mail on Sunday

Martin Amis's new novel shows a regathering of his artistic energies

—— Guardian

The buzzing sense of fresh, limitless erotic licence is captured brilliantly...he is beginning to write with Old Master assurance on the important subjects... If Amis keeps writing like this about death, he can still prove everyone wrong

—— The Times

The recent death of Iain Banks left a gaping hole in contemporary literature, but nowhere was the loss felt more than in his native Scotland. Banks took ordinary situations and rendered them extraordinary; a talent that fellow Scot Sue Peebles, whose first novel won both the Scottish and Saltire book awards, shares in spades… The "sacred geometry" of ageing and the timeless measuring out of love are what sustain this subtle, beautiful book.

—— Catherine Taylor , Guardian

Deeply humane tale of memory, loss and the struggle to understand a family’s past… It’s a novel of generous warmth

—— Ben Felsenburg , Metro Herald

A beautiful, brilliant novel destined to cement Sue's place as one of the leading lights of the Scottish literary scene

—— Waterstones

Peebles' keen eye for social observation adds a comic touch to the narrative, expertly showing how black humour is used in bleak times.

—— Rowena McIntosh , The Skinny

Peebles writes poetic prose, capturing Aggie's imaginative character and her need to find meaning in the puzzle of circumstances she finds herself in. The insight into dementia and its impact upon a family is poignant, with Aggie desperate to recapture the history of a beloved Gran who is disappearing in front of her eyes. The novel strongly evokes the Scottish countryside, its link to the past and the secrets it keeps. The story may be a slow burner, but keep going because its gentle pace builds up to a satisfying conclusion

—— Penny Batchelor , We Love This Book
Comments
Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdbook.com All Rights Reserved