Rating: 
Summary: "It's a Race Now. A Race Against the Rising..."
Review: "Silver on the Tree" is the fifth and final book in "The Dark is Rising" series, and if you have never picked up the previous installments, then don't start here - you won't have a clue what's going on. If however, you have read "Over Sea, Under Stone," "The Dark is Rising," "Greenwitch" and "The Grey King," then here is the big finale you've been waiting for. Finally, all our main characters are reunited for the first and last time - Merriman Lyon, Will Stanton, Bran Davis, the Drew children, the Rowlands and the rest of the Old Ones who have come together for the final battle against the malevolent powers of the Dark.
They have gathered in Wales, following the last lines of the Light's prophecy; "when the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back", in order to find the last talisman of the Light. Whilst Will (the youngest of the Old Ones: guardians of humanity) and Bran (the son of King Arthur who was transported forward in time by his mother) travel across the Lost Land in search of the crystal sword, Merriman and Simon, Jane and Barney Drew face their own challenges when the powers of the Dark catapult them into different time periods. Soon it is a race to the finish line and the Midsummer Tree, but with a traitor in their midst and the forces of the Dark towering around them, it's hardly going to be easy to finally defeat the Dark.
Cooper again introduces several historical and legendary figures from England's past, including Owain Glyndwr, Herne the Hunter, Gwion/Talisan and of course King Arthur himself, and she invokes the landscapes and countrysides beautifully. By the end of the series, we are met with the inevitable sadness of farewells and life-changing decisions that place "The Dark is Rising" amongst the best of children's fantasy literature - this is not simply a hackneyed battle between opposing forces; it involves real betrayal, real heartbreak and real pain - where the climatic moment is not a sword-fight, but a decision that must be made by a human being that has just lost everything he's loved. Our characters have only half-won the battle: for as she points out in the beginning of the novel when a young Pakistani boy is targeted for bullying, the real enemy lies within humankind.
There are a few things that I'm not quite sure on, but before I start pointing them out I have to say that Susan Cooper is an extremely sensitive and subtle writer - if you don't read carefully you can miss half of what she has to say. As I have only read "Silver on the Tree" twice, (once when I was quite young, and once when I was in a hurry), I'm quite certain that I fall into this category. Her themes are deep, her writing is articulate, and she doesn't make it easy for insensitive readers. If you want to get the most out of these books, then you have to work for it.
In saying that, some things came across as rather puzzling. The sequence and timing of events are rather patchy, and often things happen that don't seem to make much sense (although keep in mind, I may be misinterpreting them - I'm sure Cooper knows more about writing than I do). The book is divided into four parts, and although the first provides a promising beginning, and the last an exciting conclusion, the two middle parts are problematic. The situation with the Drews, in which they are transported back into time seems a little unnecessary - they do not seem to learn or gain anything of value that justifies their presence there. Meanwhile, as Bran and Will traverse the Lost Land, they come up against several obstacles that are disposed of rather easily - such as the terrifying spectre of a moving horse skeleton: the boys are saved when the petals of a may tree falls upon it. Huh?
Furthermore, the powers of the Dark just didn't seem that scary this time around. Previously, they were one of Cooper's strongest inventions, whether they appeared as amiable siblings, sullen, half-crazed painters, sweet-faced farm-girls, haggard tramps, a malevolent mountain-presence or the terrifying visage of a Black-cloaked Rider. But here, rather than appearing as a truly foreboding threat, the bad-guys do little but tail our heroes, mock them, and generally come across as annoying. Cooper drives home the point that the Dark can do the good guys no physical harm so many times that we loose all fear for their safety. I had no doubts that they'd make it through with no causalities - but the emotional scarring that they'd been exposed to is also negated when all but one of the main characters loose the memory of their adventures.
As mentioned, Cooper's work is immensely subtle and there is too much to be discovered for me to give it all away. I'll just reveal just one: read the descriptions of the Old Ones in the ships carefully at the story's end - she does not give names but "a tall burly figure in a smith's apron, a small man in a green coat and an imperious grey-haired lady, leaning on a stick," are all characters that we've seen before. So read carefully and frequently if you want to get the most out of this particular book, as well of the rest of the installments in this award-winning, immensely rewarding series.
Rating: 
Summary: silver on the tree
Review: "silver on the tree was one of the best books in the series with an epic tale of light verse the dark. in the book Will, Bran, and the others of the six have to try to vanquish the dark for the last and only time. first they must get the cristal soward and then beat the dark to the midsumar's tree to vanquish the dark once and for all. but in their path lie many riddles and obsticals. will they make it to the tre and vanquish the dark once and for all... you will have to read it to find out.
Rating:
Summary: A fabulous ending to a magnificent sequence.
Review: A couple months ago my very dear friend said "You have to read these books by Susan Cooper" Since she usually likes the same books I do, I checked out the first one. I was hooked! Just a few days ago I finally finished the last book, Silver On the Tree. Fantastic. Really, if any adult doesn't read this because they think it's a kid's book, think again. I know many kids my age (13) who wouldn't get the subtle hints that go throughout the series. Susan Cooper is such an excellent writer. She can make totally realistic, everyday, family scenes, and then turn around and write about journeys through fantastic fantasy worlds. She is also really good about writing descriptive scenes that let you picture something so exactly. I can't decide whether this ties with The Grey King as the best book in the sequence, or if Grey King is a bit better. The ending wraps things up just right. Except, I don't think the Drews & Bran should have had to forget. That's was probably the only complaint I can think of.
Rating:
Summary: A fabulous ending to a magnificent sequence.
Review: A couple months ago my very dear friend said "You have to read these books by Susan Cooper" Since she usually likes the same books I do, I checked out the first one. I was hooked! Just a few days ago I finally finished the last book, Silver On the Tree. Fantastic. Really, if any adult doesn't read this because they think it's a kid's book, think again. I know many kids my age (13) who wouldn't get the subtle hints that go throughout the series. Susan Cooper is such an excellent writer. She can make totally realistic, everyday, family scenes, and then turn around and write about journeys through fantastic fantasy worlds. She is also really good about writing descriptive scenes that let you picture something so exactly. I can't decide whether this ties with The Grey King as the best book in the sequence, or if Grey King is a bit better. The ending wraps things up just right. Except, I don't think the Drews & Bran should have had to forget. That's was probably the only complaint I can think of.
Rating:
Summary: Silver on the Tree was really good, but I expected more
Review: Everything in the Dark is Rising Series was really great, eapecially The Dark is Rising. Everything up to The Grey King built up tremendously. When I finally read Silver on the Tree I was somewhat disappointed. I was really happy the the major characters got together, but they weren't together long enough. I expected all five of the kids to do the journey together, and I also thought that the Drews didn't get to participate enough in the story, and Merriman was bearly in it! But I was really disappointed at the ending. I really didn't see the point of what all of them went through if only they were going to forget it in the end! It would have meant MORE to them and the story if they would have been able to remember. But all in all, the book was good. And I thank Susan Cooper for bringing us this excellent series.
Rating:
Summary: A satisfying conclusion to an incredible series
Review: For the first time, all the major characters in the series are brought together here; they interact as normal children despite the destiny bringing them together. Almost all the loose ends are tied (except Will's future, only briefly mentioned). Despite existing prophecies, there is no lack of suspense even at the climactic battle. The series as a whole has engaging characters and a cosmic significance on a par with the Narnia books, or those of Madeleine L'Engle. I know those are overused comparisons, but honestly, this series is so brilliant, that they really do apply here. These books are probably more accessible to a modern reader than Narnia -- less 'jolly old chap' sort of dialogue. Any adult who omits reading these because they are 'children's books' is letting stereotypes keep him or her from some of the best fantasy there is.
Rating:
Summary: Rich ending to a rich series
Review: I could sum it up in one word: WOW. But since one-word reviews are not allowed for an amazon.com review, I'll elaborate. The whole series is the best one I've ever read about that on-going struggle between light and dark, good and evil forces. All of the young main characters from the other books get together in this one, and it is interesting enough to see how all these children, whom you know well, get along together. They each have a different part in the vanquishing of the Dark. In it, Bran also has more to discover about himself and the value of friends, which he gives everthing--everything!--up for. You'd have a hard time to decide who was more important, next to Merriman, of course, in the book, Will or Bran. Until the end, which is so fitting yet sad and tragic, because of the nature of the servants of the Light's existence. This book is true to the world of the other books, with funny times, serious ones, adventure, sacrifice, friendship, and power. This book is more rich in sensory details than the others, and has less sit-around-and-think scenes. The very end is bitter-sweet, you'll have to read it to see what I mean. If you're a careful reader, you'll see things hinted at from the other books happening in this one (for example, I believe it was in Over Sea Under Stone that had Merriman reading from the grail or the parchment something like "when the Light is no more than a dream"--forgive me for not remembering it exactly-- and in the book Merriman gets a faraway look in his eyes and repeats the line, but it is seemingly forgotten after that. But it has real meaning in Silver on the Tree, but I can't explain...you'll have to read it for yourself). Cooper has many crafty foreshadowings like that which are fun to find. The novels, while extremely original, are deeply rooted into the Arthurian legend, sort of a modern-day continuation of it. Like there is a cave in Cornwall like the one in "Over Sea..." that is called Merlin's cave. Little, generally overlooked real-life allusions make it fun and realistic, while the actual plot is deep beyond explaining, so i won't try. Just read them and see!
Rating:
Summary: Rich ending to a rich series
Review: I could sum it up in one word: WOW. But since one-word reviews are not allowed for an amazon.com review, I'll elaborate. The whole series is the best one I've ever read about that on-going struggle between light and dark, good and evil forces. All of the young main characters from the other books get together in this one, and it is interesting enough to see how all these children, whom you know well, get along together. They each have a different part in the vanquishing of the Dark. In it, Bran also has more to discover about himself and the value of friends, which he gives everthing--everything!--up for. You'd have a hard time to decide who was more important, next to Merriman, of course, in the book, Will or Bran. Until the end, which is so fitting yet sad and tragic, because of the nature of the servants of the Light's existence. This book is true to the world of the other books, with funny times, serious ones, adventure, sacrifice, friendship, and power. This book is more rich in sensory details than the others, and has less sit-around-and-think scenes. The very end is bitter-sweet, you'll have to read it to see what I mean. If you're a careful reader, you'll see things hinted at from the other books happening in this one (for example, I believe it was in Over Sea Under Stone that had Merriman reading from the grail or the parchment something like "when the Light is no more than a dream"--forgive me for not remembering it exactly-- and in the book Merriman gets a faraway look in his eyes and repeats the line, but it is seemingly forgotten after that. But it has real meaning in Silver on the Tree, but I can't explain...you'll have to read it for yourself). Cooper has many crafty foreshadowings like that which are fun to find. The novels, while extremely original, are deeply rooted into the Arthurian legend, sort of a modern-day continuation of it. Like there is a cave in Cornwall like the one in "Over Sea..." that is called Merlin's cave. Little, generally overlooked real-life allusions make it fun and realistic, while the actual plot is deep beyond explaining, so i won't try. Just read them and see!
Rating:
Summary: Always remebered
Review: I did read the five books of this series when I was twelve myself. I loved them! This lies ten years ago now - and I still remember it. I think, that says it all. :)
Rating:
Summary: The best!
Review: I read Dark is Rising first, before discovering that it wasn't the first inthe series, but I loved the series immediately anyway. I loved this book and thought it was a perfect end to a perfect story. I cried at the end, but that just made it even better. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy story.
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