Any idea what book this is?

[zepar]

Sorry, I don't remember much as it was a long time ago when I read it.

I think it starts with a young boy waking up in the snow and not remembering how he got there. He has a crippled leg and uses a walking stick or something that has a star pattern on the bottom.

Then I believe he meets up with an old lady and there's something to do with a crow or a raven that follows him around.

Hopefully thats enough, if not i'll try and remember some more. I'm pretty sure it's a series, as I read the first one and then couldn't find the next one.

Anyone?

[onions]

"The Dark is Rising Series" by Susan Cooper

Collection of five stories. They are "Over Sea, Under Stone", "The Dark is Rising", "Greenwitch", "The Grey king" and "Silver on the Tree".

The one you mean is the second one.

It's powerful atmospheric and mythical stuff, but I just didn't like the characters! Bought it anyway, because it was one of my best childhood reads.

The things with "star patterns" are actually six disks with cross patterns, made of different materials. Will uses them as belt buckles.


And I'm sure you remember the accompanying poem:
When the Dark comes Rising,
six shall turn it back,
Three from the circle,
three from the track;
wood, bronze, iron;
water, fire, stone;
six shall return,
and one walk alone
(Can't remember the rest)

For an interesting overview see
http://usitweb.shef.ac.uk/~emp94ms/darkser2.html
There's an interview with Cooper too.

Have a fun read!

onions

[Crysania]

Onions, sorry but you're wrong. I SWEAR it is not The Dark Is Rising. I have memorized those series, have them on my bookshelf and have since I was 12 and you have not described it. There are no star patterns or walking sticks in the beginning of DIR -- the maine symbol is always a circle quartered by a cross. The Welsh Cross. And Will Stanton meets the Lady a little later in the book along with Merriman Lyon. A Raven/Crow - a spy of the dark - does appear, but not so early. And the snow hasn't even fallen yet I believe in the first scene. The books also take place in contemporary time in Buckinghamshire, England.

I thought the characters were brilliant and it's certainly one of the best series of mythical fantasy ever written.

Sorry, Zepar, I can't help you. But I KNOW it's not Dark Is Rising or any of the books in that series.

[onions]

Hmm, Chrysania,

"I have memorized those series, have them on my bookshelf and have since I was 12 and you have not described it."

I may not have described what zepar meant, but I certainly have described the Dark is Rising. I mean, I have it in front of me right now and am thumbing through the snow scene (page 31).
Obviously, there may be quite a number of stories about that involve winter scenes, old ladies, crows, and strangely patterned objects...

or...
"uses a walking stick or something that has a star pattern on the bottom"
hmm... a skiing pole? :-)

Anyway, if there's any further clues I'd be interested!

onions

[zepar]

Yep, it's definitely not The Dark is Rising, but thanks anyway.

It must be like 15 or so years since I read this book.

I think the boy is told his parents have been killed by the soldiers roaming around burning villages and killing anyone who gets in their way. I mentioned the star pattern as I think it's important. It's also possible that the boy has a birthmark on him somewhere with the same pattern (could be a false memory though).

One thing I do remember is he finds an old sword in the attic of a house, and later on it turns out to be very important. Of the enemy I don't remember much at all, except that there is a circle of power or a council or something, which is where they are headed.

Well, there's not much more I can tell you, so if that doesn't do it I guess I'll never know.

[Crysania]

There is no strangely patterened stick and Will is not limping in the first scene! I don't know what Dark Is Rising you're reading. Sorry! Page 31 is not the opening scene - which is what he says the book he's talking about starts with. Again, there's no stick! And he doesn't see the Lady till he's introduced as an Old One.



Sorry Zepar!!!

What about... uh, Riftwar? Wasn't the lead kid lame or something? It opens with him... oh, but he didn't go see a lady I don't think... sorry...

[Asraloth]

is it "Master of the Grove" by Victor Kelleher?

i remember reading it in high school and what you describe sounds pretty similar.

[zepar]

Thats the one alright.

Ahhh an Aussie author, no wonder no one knew it!

Thanks Mate, I've been trying to think what that book was for years. I origonally thought it was a David Eddings book, but after reading all of his books I realised I was wrong.

[onions]

@chrysania

aaaargh! I wasn't talking about a stick and I wasn't talking about stars!!!! Read my post, will ya? The clues seemed to fit to TDIR with an allowance for false memory. For instance, I know I have in the past thought something was the opening scene, when it was only the second scene.
Anyway, no matter. I just don't like being misunderstood.


ANYWAY, I'm glad Asraloth solved the mystery. Is the book really that good?

onions

[Crysania]

Originally posted by onions
@chrysania

aaaargh! I wasn't talking about a stick and I wasn't talking about stars!!!! Read my post, will ya? The clues seemed to fit to TDIR with an allowance for false memory.

How could I misunderstand you? You SAID to him that he was talking about DiR. Did you not tell him that? Not sure how that can be misunderstood.

My point is that you told Zepar and I quote, ""The Dark is Rising Series" by Susan Cooper

Collection of five stories. They are "Over Sea, Under Stone", "The Dark is Rising", "Greenwitch", "The Grey king" and "Silver on the Tree".

The one you mean is the second one. "

And you also tell him, in your first post, that the star parttern things are actually the circles quartered by a cross -- how on earth are those similar?

I guess we disagree that one can get Dark is Rising from his clues. Yes, there is a lady, a crow, a boy, and snow. But given his OTHER clues there's no way it's DiR. You admit to false memory, well, I don't have that problem where this series is concerned.

God, I'm not attacking you. And I didn't misunderstand you either. I've always been very good about reading posts meticulously. You were trying to help someone out to the best of your knowledge and that's the important thing.

And that's my opinion.

[Asraloth]

it was a young adult fantasy book i think. i'm not so sure it was part of a series though.

i don't remember much of the story, other than the boy meeting an old woman, and i think the raven talked and was his father reincarnated or something. i also remember the boy as being followed by some archer dude.

i was fairly captivated by it, because i think it was my first fantasy novel, i can't really judge how good it is now because it was years ago. might re-read it and see if it's any good.

and zepar, what is with your comment about nobody knowing it because it was australian?
there's plenty of australian fantasy authors, most of them quality and many people on this board are australian.

[zepar]

Sorry, didn't mean to upset you or anything. Merely pointing out that 160 odd people have looked at this thread and your the only one who knew the answer! And I didn't realise there were that many Aussie fantasy authors out there! I stand corrected.

I think it was the first Fantasy book I read as well. Hopefully I can find it somewhere, as i'd like to read it again.

Thanks for helping guys.