Wow. I reread of dark is rising and it did not stand the test of time. I loved this book as a ten year old but not so much as a forty year old. All I see now is a well written prose with a hollow, sometimes surrealistic plot. #thedarkisrising #bookreview

I feel like a fool for not recognising Johnny Flynn as the singer of the theme song for the BBC "The Dark Is Rising" audio play. 🤦🏼 I recognised the voice; it was on the tip of my brain the whole time but I couldn't quite figure it out.

It's a decent adaptation btw. I struggle with the British-schoolboy-doing-theatre style of acting. 🙊 But Will Stanton is by no means an easy role since you gotta be able to channel 11 yo and Old One at the same time, so the kid did a good job. #TheDarkIsRising

I am I think now up to date once more with #TheDarkIsReading and liking the book more than when I started. The protagonist has more agency now and there is more to it than just him undergoing a series of strange encounters. It's still a bit "the Dark is Rising and you must defeat it by completing a series of arbitrary tasks", but the book is more about atmosphere than plot, and Susan Cooper's evocation of atmosphere is masterful.
#TheDarkIsRising

A suitably chilling ending to #Bbcradio4's fantastic adaption of #TheDarkIsRising: the dark is certainly rising in this country right now. And who's going to turn it back this time?
#ToryEvil

Ending the year with the final episode of the BBC’s #TheDarkIsRising adaptation, and crikey. Proper hair on the back of the neck stuff. What a wonderful thing that was.

@johnhowesauthor It's on the bookshelf right next to me, it's currently being broadcast as an adaptation by the BBC, and if you haven't read it you've missed out.

Read the #TheDarkIsRising sequence, all 5 books.

Don't bother with that movie. (-:

Episode 12, the final episode of #TheDarkIsRising, tells about the joining of the signs and Will's return home - as a hero belonging to two worlds now.

The joining of the signs is symbolised by the various voices of the Old Ones weaving themselves into the prophetic poem, united yet distinct in character like the signs. We also get a glimpse of the Hunting of the Wren (skipped in episode 8), which heightens the gathering at the smithy.

Once again the background music became a bit too heavy for me (too 1980s?) just as the Stantons walk home.

But I loved the very radio-y end, beyond the final sentence of the novel: radio announcements (starting with @exitthelemming) suggesting a journey through time, with the Dark rising over and over again in human minds and actions, in the shape of violence and pollution, culminating in the climate catastrophe threatening our world. Encouraging us to act against it, and against the Dark inside us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4m00

Episode 12, the final episode of #TheDarkIsRising, tells about the joining of the signs and Will's return home - as a hero belonging to two worlds now.

The joining of the signs is symbolised by the various voices of the Old Ones weaving themselves into the prophetic poem, united yet distinct in character like the signs. We also get a glimpse of the Hunting of the Wren (skipped in episode 8) which heightens the gathering at the smithy.

Once again the background music became a bit too heavy for me (too 1980s?) just as the Stantons walk home.

But I loved the very radio-y end, beyond the final sentence of the novel: radio announcements (starting with @exitthelemming) suggesting a journey through time, with the Dark rising over and over again in human minds and actions, in the shape of violence and pollution, culminating in the climate catastrophe threatening our world. Encouraging us to act against it, and against the Dark inside us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4m00

Episode 12, the final episode of #TheDarkIsRising, tells about the joining of the signs and Will's return home - as a hero belonging to two worlds now.

The joining of the signs is symbolised by the various voices of the Old Ones, weaving themselves into the prophetic poem, united yet distinct in character like the signs. We also get a glimpse of the Hunting of the Wren (skipped in episode 8) which heightens the gathering at the smithy.

Once again the background music became a bit too heavy for me (too 1980s?) just as the Stantons walk home.

But I loved the very radio-y end, beyond the final sentence of the novel: radio announcements (starting with @exitthelemming) suggesting a journey through time, with the Dark rising over and over again in human minds and actions, in the shape of violence and pollution, culminating in the climate catastrophe threatening our world. Encouraging us to act against it, and against the Dark inside us.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4m00

I've been listening to this again and I don't like it, it's too creepy, I'm scared and confused, this is like the book, I want to get to the happy ending please. #TheDarkIsRising #TDIR

Enjoying Johnny Flynn's soundtrack to the BBC World Service's "The Dark is Rising". Listen to that melody building. Beautiful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El6qoWGi1YU

#TheDarkIsRising #TheDark #JohnnyFlynn

In episode 11 of #TheDarkIsRising there are no painful, far-reaching choices for our protagonist to make anymore nor looming temptations to resist. Just things to remember: Despite the impressive scene of the Wild Hunt, Will is merely drifting along, following orders, witnessing events and words unfurl and unfold.

More than anything, the first half of this episode indulges in the atmosphere of the scene and the prophetic verses that foreshadow so many adventures yet to come. Miles Yekinni fills these lines with mysterious power, promise and wonder as he speaks them. (But I wish they had evoked the landscape around Windsor in a little more detail …)

The character who still has the freedom to make a decision - the lost, broken, suffering, beautiful soul at the heart of this scene - is Hawkin, finally understanding, finding peace, compassion and love again, returning home - redeemed at last on his deathbed, a rather Christian idea.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4lzz

Really enjoying the new #TheDarkIsRising audio adaptation, and the theme is really getting stuck in my head! ❄️

Okay, so that was probably one of the most stupid things I’ve done this year: went out for a walk in the dark with the dog. Decided to go to the unlit woods. And I decided to listen to #TheDarkIsRising while I did that.

I’m never going to sleep again.

Episode 10 of #TheDarkIsRising is no longer confined to a besieged interior space like the village church or the manor, but moves out into the Thames Valley of Buckinghamshire, additionally opened up by the rain that transforms the snowy landscape into a floodplain. (As I was listening, my mind kept jumping to flashing echoes of Philip Pullman’s “La Belle Sauvauge” with its dizzying sequence of flood scenes that leads the children along the floods of the swollen river through a supernatural island world).

The attack of the Dark becomes more focused, since the Black Rider and Hawkin target Will personally by kidnapping his sister Mary. One of the most visually stunning episodes, which requires a lot of description to capture the wonder of the dead king in his burial ship and the beauty of the Sign of Water. While I liked the music, it became a bit too much for my taste as the ship glided into the river.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4lzy?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Episode 10 of #TheDarkIsRising is no longer confined to a besieged interior space like the village church or the manor, but moves out into the Thames Valley of Buckinghamshire, additionally opened up by the rain that transforms the snowy landscape into a floodplain. (As I was listening, my mind kept jumping to flashing echoes of Philipp Pullman’s “La Belle Sauvauge” with its dizzying sequence of flood scenes that leads the children along the floods of the swollen river through a supernatural island world).

The attack of the Dark becomes more focused, since the Black Rider and Hawkin target Will personally by kidnapping his sister Mary. One of the most visually stunning episodes, which requires a lot of description to capture the wonder of the dead king in his burial ship and the beauty of the Sign of Water. While I liked the music, it became a bit too much for my taste as the ship glided into the river.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4lzy?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Episode 10 of #TheDarkIsRising is no longer confined to a besieged interior space like the village church or the manor, but moves out into the Thames Valley of Buckinghamshire, additionally opened up by the rain that transforms the snowy landscape into a floodplain. (As I was listening, my mind kept jumping to flashing echoes of Philipp Pullman’s “La Belle Sauvauge” with its dizzying sequence of flood scenes that leads the children along the floods of the swollen river through a supernatural island world).

The attack of the Dark becomes more focused, since the Black Rider and Hawkin target Will personally by kidnapping his sister Mary. One of the most visually stunning episodes, which requires a lot of description to capture the wonder of the dead king in his burial ship and the stunning beauty of the Sign of Water. Music a bit too much for my taste as the ship glides into the river.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4lzy?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Episode 10 of #TheDarkIsRising is no longer confined to a besieged interior space like the village church or the manor, but moves out into the landscape of the Thames Valley of Buckinghamshire, additionally opened up by the rain that transforms the snowy landscape into a floodplain. (As I was listening, my mind kept jumping to flashing echoes of Philipp Pullman’s “La Belle Sauvauge” with its dizzying sequence of flood scenes that leads the children along the floods of the swollen river through a supernatural island world).

The attack of the Dark becomes more focused, since the Black Rider and Hawkin target Will personally by kidnapping his sister Mary. One of the most visually stunning episodes, which requires a lot of description to capture the wonder of the dead king in his burial ship and the stunning beauty of the Sign of Water. Music a bit too much for my taste as the ship glides into the river.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4lzy?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Between His Dark Materials and The Dark Is Rising, the Beeb is serving up such excellent spooky Christmas fare. Having so much fun. #TheDarkIsRising #HisDarkMaterials

Episode 9 of #TheDarkIsRising tells of the Dark attacking the entire village community, gathered at the Manor to seek protection from the cold. An acoustic challenge: How do you make cold audible?

The episode also tells of the Dark rising specifically inside one single man: Hawkin, declining Merriman's appeal to return to the light.

Very complex spatial layering (headphones on!): left - right, foreground - background, dampening, reverberation. Will and the narrator at the Center, from the left the Dark trying to enter; from the right, the villagers, with Hawkin triumphantly summoning the Dark, in sharp contrast to the sweet melodies from Paul playing the old flute: "Greensleaves", "Silent Night", … Then, as the Old Ones gather to form a circle, they and Will at the front, spread from left to right, as everything else fades. The Great Hall of the Light blissfully clear in sound, compared to the manor.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4lzx?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile