The Dark Is Rising

Goodness … I’m re-listening to the World Service broadcasts on my phone, with EarPods. But it’s all so much less magnificent, aurally, than it was coming from my radio, on earphones. I’m getting almost none of the terrifying cacophony I heard the first time.

Still, it’s good to hear the whole thing at once.

I agree with the comments above: excellent production and sound effects but largely poor casting. The boy playing Will was consistently wooden and not believable. Merriman was too young and lacking gravitas, and all of Will’s siblings sounded too old. Harriet Walter and Toby Jones were excellent though. I’m still waiting for a really good TV adaptation!

Yes, I agree, 6/10. I'm glad I listened to it, and I think on stage it would have been somewhat easier to overlook the dodgy casting. I hope they will do some of the other books, altho opt to use young adults to play the children (and old adults to play the likes of Merriman!)

It's one of my favourite book series (there's a great thread on here from a few days ago about other books/series you might enjoy if you like this sequence), but I almost didn't listen as I also found the actor playing Will very stagey and some of the lines they made him say clunky and anachronistic for the time the story was set.

I know they evidently went for an actor who was the same chronological age as Will in the story, but the point is that Will is VERY old for his actual age...so although I enjoyed the sound effects and the atmosphere I also wasn't a huge fan of much of the casting. As well as that, the binaural element irritated me immensely the first time we tried to listen to it as a family unit. So yes, 6/10 seems fair.

I enjoyed it, but I did find the actor playing Will quite annoying.
A solid 6/10 for me, great effects and atmosphere but the casting generally could have been a lot better.

I listened to the last episode this morning. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Like others have said, the sound effects were amazing. Really well done.

DS listened to the first episode with me and then said he'd rather wait until all the episodes were available, so I may be listening to it all again soon.

just listened to final episode, really good

No, they're both Old Ones, but different people.

Miss Greythorne and the Lady are both being played by Harriet Walter. I thought Miss Greythorne was the Lady, but now I'm not so sure?

I'm listening at WS pace and loving it, I haven't read it for about 40 years (sadly no longer have a copy) but I was surprised that I remember so much! Listening through AirPods and the effects are excellent.

I didn't even know there was WS and R4 pace as I'm listening to it on the BBC Sounds app on my phone. I can see a 'World Service' logo though! Just listened to episode 9. It's a really great production but the casting is letting it down. I think it would be amazing to see on the stage.

I am doing World Service pace, partly because I think R4 is slightly abridged from the 12 WS episodes.

Surely I can’t be the only person on MN listening at R4 pace?

Once again, the sound world for Ep 3 is incredibly satisfying - turned up loud, via headphones. So much crashing and roaring and terrifying little trills. Loving it.

Enjoyed Ep2. Was on a more human scale.

Definitely appreciating the instrumentation / sound world - probably the best part of it for me.

Listening now - with headphones.

My god - the soundscape is just magnificent. Can’t quite concentrate on individual voices yet (though I loved the Jamaican voice early on) but I know this is how I’d have wanted the book to sound when I was reading it years ago.

Absolutely perfect with a large glass of wine and some Christmas cake - particularly as a storm of sleet has just covered everything outside in white.

My DD brought the abridged version home from school last year. It made her weep as well! 😁

It’s one of my favourite books bookworm14 and he is such an interesting character, although I do judge him for falling in love with the utterly wet Lucie. I have the Ladybird edition and would love to read it with my DC but I know I’d be a blubbering wreck by the end

Love your username, Sydney. “It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done.” <sniff>

Weirdly I always picture Merriman as looking like John Laurie who played Private Fraser in Dad’s Army 😬 Possibly without the “We’re all doomed!” Scottish accent…

I’ve only listened to the first two episodes so far but am finding it okay. I’m not sure how well you’d understand what was happening if you didn’t already know the story though, it seems targeted towards existing fans of the series rather than a new audience.

I was wondering if I'd missed an OBVIOUS MERRIMAN....

Sadly not.

Yes - he and Dumbledore are both ruthless when they have to be in pursuit of the Greater Good.

Is Christopher Lee still alive?

Actually, yeah, Christopher Lee would also have been awesome, and would have given Merriman that hard and slightly sinister edge that he has too. There is a coldness at the heart of the Light...

Christopher Lee would also have been perfect for Merriman.