The Grey King: Book 4 of The Dark Is Rising Sequence

"The Grey King" is the fourth volume in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising Sequence, and in the opinion of many, the best of that series. (The fact that it won the Newbery Medal doesn't hurt the claim.)In this book, Will Stanton is on his own, recovering from a severe illness that has suppressed the knowledge of his powers and duties as an Old One. Sent to a relative's farm in Wales to recuperate, it is not long, however, before he is set upon the path of another quest - and meets a strange, white-haired, white-skinned local boy named Bran.Will and Bran and face the might of The Grey King - one of the most powerful Lords in service to the Dark - whose hold over the Welsh countryside is both powerful and terrifying. They must find the mythical Golden Harp and use it to wake The Sleepers - soldiers in service to the Light who have lain in slumber for centuries, waiting to be called to do final battle against the Dark.As is true with each successive book in the Sequence, author Susan Cooper seems increasingly comfortable and confident in her writing, and in "The Grey King," she gives us a many-layered story filled with the fantastic, but also shot-through with elements of loneliness and sadness. Will's growth as a character is central to the plot, and the role of Bran and his deeply tragic origin make this volume a high point in one of the most deservedly-beloved story arcs in young adult fiction.

I adore this book and this series! It's been one of my favorites since I was in grade school. The story itself is rooted in old legends from Wales, and the whole series seems to take in old legends from England, Cornwall, Wales, etc. to make a cohesive story. The series is for youth, much like the Harry Potter books, but equally enjoyable for adults. I love this book in particular because I have always liked linguistics, and this book gives some basic introduction into Welsh. I've read this book at least 10 times and listened to the audio version at least 5. The narrator helps bring the book to life.

I love this series probably more than any other I've read. It could be because my fifth grade teacher read part of this series to us and it was what got me truly interested in reading. This particular book is gorgeous. The imagery and romance of Wales! I remember after reading this I wanted to learn the language and go visit! :). This one is mainly about Will and Bran, though you see a few of the other characters a bit. Later everyone returns to this same setting for the final battle. It's a wonderful story about a budding friendship, growing up and of course battling the Dark.

I've posted this review, in basically this form, for all five of the "Dark is Rising" CD audiobook sets, because there aren't many other reviews of the CD sets. I have all five sets and have been uniformly pleased with the audio quality.I'll skip any summary of this book or of the series; dozens of reviewers have done that quite well. I assume that you are familiar with these books, probably have read this volume, (likely more than once), but now wish to have the book available as an audio CD. Perhaps a long car trip is in the offing? Good for you.I am happy to report that, at least for me, this audio version gets high marks across the board.First, I can hear it and understand it. No mushy sound recording. No odd imbalance in volume that requires you to keep turning the volume up and then down. All of the spoken words are crisp and clear.Second, there are no sound effects or such folderol.Third, there is a single reader. This is not a play for voices and is not read by a number of different character actors.Fourth, Richard Mitchley is an effective reader. There are a lot of Welsh characters in this book and Mitchley gets that across without being so authentic in his accents that he becomes hard to understand. His approach is flavorful but not overly dramatic. Much like Alex Jennings, who read the other four books, he is not coy or arch, and does not ham up any of the big scenes. He succeeds in establishing a distinct and recognizable identity for each character.Finally, the reading is very respectful. By that I mean the book is not read as though it were just some silly children's book. It is treated as the triumphant work that it is and this adds greatly to its weight and impact.Please note that like all of the CD books this reading is unabridged. There are 5 compact discs. Runtime is a bit over five and a half hours.Enjoy.

I read that pages were missing in the print version-they are also not in the kindle version. Annoying since they cannot be returned and the cost was full freight to a paper copy.

I was a little disappointed with the ending. Maybe the author intends on writing another book to follow up. Also, the main character “Will Stanton” is inconsistent, slow at times and doesn’t seem to grow with experience.

A Newbery medal winner.An excellent adventure story.

Loved the book. I have read it ,and The Dark is Rising Sequence, many times as an adult. I am puzzled that it is not better known. I bought it to read with my grandson. He loves the excitement, mystery and magic.

I must confess that when reading these as a child I didn't get past this book in the series, and only managed half of this. As an adult re-reading it, I think that may have been because I got scared. This book is similar in style to the Dark is Rising, however it has a darker tone and the level of peril increases this, making it absolutely brilliant! The imagery of the welsh landscapes makes we want to visit. I would thoroughly recommend this for ages 12-15, especially with the lovely new matching cover designs!(Photos taken after reading and include full set purchased separately)

This is a good novel, well written that keeps you wanting more. The story is easy to follow and on the whole, the book is easy to read. It says it is suitable for 12 years + which I would say is about right (although I am a bit older...by about 30 years!). There is a bit of "darkness" involved and given that it takes place in our own British surroundings, some younger children might find it a bit disturbing. I bought this book in my search for a story I read at the age of about 10-12, that I wanted to share with my son; I am not sure this is the one, but I have enjoyed reading it nonetheless. I hope you find this useful.

I like this series and this continuing storyline, but found that having to get out of this particular ebook to go online to translate some of the words broke the story immersion

I read this book in south Wales an cader idris could be seen from our house . I recommend reading it , IT'S AMAZING READ IT.

As always, Susan Cooper has you on the edge of your seat. Written for children but enjoyed by adults as well