The Grey King (The Dark is Rising, #4)
by Susan Cooper

5 out of 5 stars

Will is recovering from a serious illness, and is sent for a holiday with his aunt in Wales. There he meets Bran, a mysterious albino boy with a dog who can see the Dark wind of the Grey King. Will is on a quest to find the golden harp and use its music to awaken the Sleepers to fight against the Dark. With the help of Bran and his dog, Will stands up against the menace of the Grey King and searches for the harp, but at a terrible cost.

I love rereading this series! This fourth book is the first time that Will is on his own against the Dark. Merriman has always been there to guide him and assist in their adventures, but this time Will has to rely on his own knowledge as an Old One. Thus he comes to team up with Bran, who is ignorant of his own secret heritage, since his adopted father has kept it hidden from everyone.

Bran is such a complex character! He goes through extreme character development as he learns more about the Old Ones and the powers of the Light and the Dark. He faces terrible grief and fear, but when he finally learns of his true heritage, he has been through the crucible and he is ready to accept his destiny.

The writing is so powerful and immersive. I love that with just a few words, the author plunges the reader into the middle of the scene, and you FEEL what the characters are feeling.

I love how the story incorporates Arthurian legend into the adventure, and we get a whole new perspective on ancient times and the age-old fight between good and evil.

I love all the magic and ancient wonder in this book as Will and Bran discover inscrutable High Powers beyond the influence of the Light or the Dark. But there are mysteries that are left unexplained, and I wish the author would have written more to delve into those deeper enigmas. There is a scene at the end where the Light and the Dark are grappling, and they use their powers to influence the lake, bringing forward swans, fish, and cormorants to fight for them. But it’s never really explained what the animals are actually doing in the struggle between Light and Dark. It seems like they are just symbols of unseen power. I’ve never really understand exactly what was happening in that scene. I wish the author would explain things a little more clearly, but I also love the mystical mystery of it.

This book has been screened for mild profanity and violence on the Screen It First website. https://screenitfirst.com/book/the-grey-king-the-dark-is-rising-4-1333223