The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper

#1 Over sea, Under Stone (1965)
#2 The Dark is Rising (1973)
#3 Greenwitch (1974)
#4 The Grey King (1975)
#5 Silver on the Tree (1977)

An award-winning series, The Dark is Rising begins with Over Sea, Under Stone, the story of children Simon, Jane and Barnabas Drew, on vacationing Cornwall village. They are on vacation with their Great-Uncle Merry, actually a friend of the family, Merriman Lyon. The children discover a treasure map and begin on a dangerous journey to find a hidden grail. Along the way, the encounter evil enemies, but are helped by their Great-Uncle Merry, who is revealed to have great wisdom. The quest for the grail is just the beginning in the series of books about a battle in England between the Dark and the Light.

It must be noted that in Over Sea, Under Stone, magical elements are not obvious, though they are hinted to. Supernatural elements only begin to truly reveal themselves in the second book of the series. However, this lack of magic makes the first book more real and readers can better identify with the story and characters. Through her stories, the author teaches themes of good and evil that can be applied to everyday life. The intense battles truly begin in the second book, though there is still suspense and action in the first. The author uses the common metaphor of Dark vs. Light but writes in a fresh and intelligent voice that makes the series enjoyable for all ages.

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