Just watched the film again - my children put it on - and I found myself frustrated again by the changes. I might get shot down for saying this but I found it catered far too much for the American market ( and probably patronisingly as I think Americans can cope with an all British cast like in Harry Potter!), especially for a series of books that revel in British history and scenery.

I remember having a feeling of dissatisfaction - "so that's it?" feeling - at the end of the last book. I might not be able to say why but I would have liked it to end differently.

I haven't seen the movie but I tend to agree with a number of posts in that the first of Cooper's quintet is a little Enid Blytonish. However, from then on its a Romper-Stomper ride, but with some exquisite descriptive language and an amazing sense of place to boot. The story's not bad either. Definitely one of my literary role models. Along with Garner, Mayne and Westall, she's one of those UK writers born before the war (WWII), who seem to have a grasp of the language that's fast disappearing and who seem to have written some pretty amazing stuff. I believe she was educated at Oxford and I'd heard she was taught by Tolkien but never had it verified. Too lazy to Google it.

Anna wrote: "Has anyone seen the movie of Dark is Rising? Terrible, but I'd love to talk about it..."

I loved the books when I was younger, so took my daughter to seem - but was very disappointed as so much seemed to be changed! And Ian Mcshane was not right for Merriman!!!

I saw it before I read the book. I definitely liked the book better.

Has anyone seen the movie of Dark is Rising? Terrible, but I'd love to talk about it...

Robert wrote: "Taking a slightly different slant on the matter, the only genre I'm interested in is labelled "good books."
Taken as a whole, I feel that this series belongs in that genre. In my view, they vary ..."

I agree. Most adults will ignore anything they think is children's literature but might touch YA fiction. A lot of older and classic children's stories have complex vocabulary, sentence structures and ideas - often raiding myths and legends. Sometimes that's actually too much for children these days!

These were mindmelting, stunningly beautiful books when I read them. Not sure how old I was. Eleven? The poetry moved me in a way that words have not done since.

I liked the characters from Over Sea Under Stone more than Bran and the gang, so that aspect of the later books was disappointing. Overall, there were no bad books in the series.

Yes, Rosemary Sutcliff transcends any genre! ha ha She is one of my absolute favorite authors-- she was amazingly gifted. I am glad they have been reissuing some of her books.

Veronica - you picked out my two favourites from the five!

Hi there. I've been lurking here for a little while -- I love to read books based on Arthur's story and have done since my early teens, though I'm not nearly as well versed as the contributors here!

I'd just like to agree with Robert: the Narnia books will always be spcial to me because I started reading them when I was about eight, and then read and re-read them to my younger sisters for several years afterwards.

I didn't read the Cooper books until this year (I'm well over young adult age, by several decades!), and while I quite enjoyed them, I'm sure they didn't have as much impact as they would have done if I'd read them at the "right" age.

I did find the last book a bit of a letdown; there was never any doubt about the final outcome, and the challenges didn't seem that challenging. I liked the spookier ones that featured Will better -- The Dark is Rising and The Grey King.

By far my favourite "YA" author (I don't like gentre pigeonholing either) is Rosemary Sutcliff, who wrote wonderfully about Arthur too!

Taking a slightly different slant on the matter, the only genre I'm interested in is labelled "good books."
Taken as a whole, I feel that this series belongs in that genre. In my view, they vary in quality from okay to excellent, with none being bad.

Nikki and I have discussed this elsewhere, but the series, I think does offer slightly more to Welsh folk, or people who know Wales well. I also believe that many people who read a lot from childhood have favourite books that they hold in affection not only because of their literary merits but also because of strong personal associations unique to each individual. In my case, the Dark Is Rising sequence and the Earthsea books fall into this category.

Yes, I think our society can be too sophisticated in making categories sometimes. I guess it helps the bookseller know where to put stuff. I have read some knockout fiction for "young people" lately. I think I listed some Arthurian titles in that category here.

I have a whole category in my GR bookshelf called Transcends the Genre, simply to say I don't believe some books should be categorized -- they are just too good! Sadly, I think some people won't pick up a book if it has a certain label. And I have seen people criticize a "mystery" if it isn't heavy crime fiction. Labels are confusing I guess.

Anyway, from my view, transcending the genre is a compliment.

Nikki wrote: "I guess that's a matter of opinion; I think they do. I read them for the first time when I was about fifteen or sixteen, and although I found the first book quite "kiddy", the rest of the series go..."

hey i am agreeing with you :) the books definitely got more complex as they went along.

make no mistake... i really enjoyed the books and really like YA! :)

I guess that's a matter of opinion; I think they do. I read them for the first time when I was about fifteen or sixteen, and although I found the first book quite "kiddy", the rest of the series got more mature. My mum read it just last year, and she found that there are parts that she didn't think children would understand very well, e.g. Owen's relationship with Bran. I think I give kids a bit more credit than she does, but there are definitely more complex feelings and discussions going on for the more aware reader.

I'm not sure why the books would need to "transcend" the YA genre anyway -- YA can be good just as it is.

Nikki wrote: "They're probably my favourite books of all the books I've read so far in my life. They are intended to be children's books, so it's not surprising they seemed a little "YA" to you, Katelyn."

i just mean that there are plenty of great YA books that transcend the genre... maybe i am not making sense. oh well. thanks for commenting!

They're probably my favourite books of all the books I've read so far in my life. They are intended to be children's books, so it's not surprising they seemed a little "YA" to you, Katelyn.

I voted for these in the poll as an excuse to read them again....

I thought they were very much a product of their time. Compared to more recent YA stuff they are fairly slow moving. Read DIR at school (long ago) and read the lot more recently.

well i just saw that they are in the poll so maybe you will have an opnion on them shortly if you dont already :)

I just finished these books. While parts of them seemed a little YA to me, I loved how she tied so many parts of Welsh mythology and Arthurian legend into the books. Also, her rhyming prophecies were so well written. Please share you thoughts on them!!