Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark is Rising Sequence) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Susan Cooper (Author), David Wiesner (Illustrator) "Where is he?..." (more)
Key Phrases: telescope case, front quay, swimming gala, Great-Uncle Merry, Kemare Head, Miss Withers (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Gr 5-7-The charming beginning to Susan Cooper's series of five books, which comprise The Dark Is Rising, belie a series of sinister adventures. The Drew children Simon, Jane, and Barney find an old map in a hidden room while summering at the Grey House in Cornwall. Along with their Great-Uncle Merry, they become embroiled in a web of intrigue that surrounds an Arthurian legend. True to the original story (Harcourt, 1965), this audio version adds a dynamic vocal element from narrator, Alex Jennings. In the beginning the story seems a bit slow and tedious as the plot and setting are given their due, and the voices may be difficult to distinguish. After the first side of tape 1, they become more well defined. Jennings gives each child a distinct voice, yet keeps each connected to one another. Barney has the youthful vulnerability of the youngest sibling, Jane, the sensible and soft-spoken middle child, and Simon speaks with the assurance and bravado of the "older" brother. The rising tension created between the fight of good and evil gives strength and vitality to each character's voice. Listeners understand Mr. Hasting's loathing and fear of Great-Uncle Merry when hearing the deep tone and resonance of every utterance. Jennings' ability is outstanding as he slips in and out of the numerous voices with the rapid dialogue as it approaches the climax. His training and experience as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre give this story a vitality. This is an outstanding reading of a classic tale that all young listeners and adults will thoroughly enjoy.

Tina Hudak, St. Bernard's School, Riverdale, MD

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
Psychology Today "Susan Cooper is one of the few contemporary writers who has the vivid imagination, the narrative powers, and the moral vision that permit her to create the kind of sweeping conflict between good and evil that lies at the heart of all great fantasy. Tolkien had it. So did C.S. Lewis. And Cooper writes in the same tradition." -- Review --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689840357
• ISBN-13: 978-0689840357
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #915,795 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #26 in	Books > Children's Books > Series > Fantasy & Adventure > The Dark Is Rising
  #29 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( W ) > Wiesner, David
  #51 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( C ) > Cooper, Susan

• This is item 1 in The Dark Is Rising Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing novel, December 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Over Sea, Under Stone (Mass Market Paperback)

Simon, Jane and Barney expected nothing more than a pleasant holiday when they arrived in Cornwall with their parents and their enigmatic Great-Uncle Merry. But then they find the map in the attic . . . All of a sudden, everybody seems very interested in them. The strange Mr and Miss Withers, their manservant Bill, the dark-looking Mr Hastings. And above all of this, why is their Great-Uncle protecting them? What "danger" are they in? They are willing to try to help Great-Uncle Merry find the grail - but are they willing to sacrifice themselves . . .?

This book is a wonderful introduction to a thrilling series. People are often quite hard on the book - especially if they've also read the second in the series, The Dark is Rising. But what people have to understand is that they are two completely different stories. This book is not essentially about the battle between the Light and the Dark, it is just about three children who must get the Grail. We must assume that Susan Cooper had no idea this was going to develop into a sequence, and therefore saw no need to add the elements of Magic which are seen in later books. This book whisks me away to Cornwall, and I found myself sharing the feelings of Simon, Jane and Barney all the way through. Ms. Cooper, you have done yourself proud with this series.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling start to the series, January 22, 2006

By	Amanda Richards "Modest to the extreme" (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Over Sea, Under Stone (Mass Market Paperback)

By one of those strange coincidences, I read this book shortly after the new "Ulysses Moore - The Door to Time", and a comparison of the two will reveal many similarities. This story was copyrighted by Susan Cooper in 1965, and tells the tale of three children who discover an old map in the house where they are vacationing.

Three children (two boys and a girl) begin exploring an old house on the coast of England, and find a hidden door behind a wardrobe. Later they come across an ancient map, and find themselves in a great and dangerous adventure solving the cryptic clues on the way to locating the hidden treasure. This plot summary can be used for either book.

"Over Sea, Under Stone" however, is a much more entertaining read, as the treasure is a grail from the legend of King Arthur, and there are forces of Light and Dark battling for possession. The children face many physical challenges on their quest, and soon discover that some of their acquaintances cannot be trusted.

With their Great-Uncle Merry as their confidante and guardian angel, the three siblings experience the adventure of a lifetime, one I strongly recommend for ages 9-12, and the young at heart.


Amanda Richards, January 22, 2006

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The journey begins, November 16, 2004

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Over Sea, Under Stone (Mass Market Paperback)

"Over Sea Under Stone" is perhaps the weakest of the classic "Dark is Rising" series, though in itself it's quite a good book. In this, Susan Cooper kicks off her epic fantasy sequence with doses of Celtic legend, a good vs. evil battle, and a hunt for a mysterious, magical treasure.

Simon, Jane and Barney Drew have arrived at their great-uncle Merriman's seaside house for a vacation -- and rapidly become quite bored with the seaside village. But when exploring the attic, they unearth a very, very old map that is somehow connected with the legendary King Arthur. As anyone else would do, the kids begin the search to find a golden grail that is somewhere nearby.

But they soon find that they are not the only ones who want the map. A seemingly genial pair of vacationers are being slightly too inquisitive, and someone breaks into Merriman's house in search of the map. And Merriman reveals the origins of the map -- and an ages-old conflict between good and evil that hinges on who finds the grail first.

Taken alone, "Over Sea Under Stone" is a solid, even excellent fantasy story. But it's a little out of sync with the rest of the series. However it sets excellent groundwork, has an intriguing storyline and a good mix of folklore and Arthuriana, and offers us one of the most mysterious and likable "magic mentors," Merriman Lyon. It starts off with every kid's fantasy -- treasure maps and ancient kings -- and rapidly blossoms into something much more.

One of the most noticeable differences between this and Cooper's later books is the writing; the writing in her later books becomes much more verbose and descriptive and magical. Here it's quite stark and plain, without a great deal of detail or mystical mind-blowing. "Over Sea" is mostly very prosaic and very rooted in our world, and many important concepts in the series aren't even touched on.

The Drew kids are the sort of siblings that pop up in old E. Nesbit books -- plucky, chirpy and on vacation. There isn't a lot of difference between their individual personalities, although they are quite likable. Their "uncle" Merriman is pleasant, humorous, but at the same time Cooper implies that still waters run deep. The malevolent Mr. and Miss Withers are initially very jovial and kindly, but you can sense something rotten underneath.

The first of the "Dark is Rising" books is somewhat out of sync with the novels that follow, but taken alone it's still an excellent, well-written fantasy adventure.