# When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854 "2005-12-16T02:55:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rainwalker78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rainwalker78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainwalker78)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/21 "2005-12-16T17:51:19Z")
> [@critter42](#): > > I have been thinking about picking up my most favorite series as a kid, but I’m wondering if it will hold up as well of the rest did - L’engle’s Wrinkle in Time series… I bet it does. I re-read some of them in college and liked them still. > [@critter42](#): > > Aaaahhhh! I just did a Google search and found out there was a made-for-TV version of it last year, and **I missed it!** Did anyone see it and was it any good? I think I have it on my netflix list. If I remember, i will let you know how it is. I think I saw it at blockbuster a while back. My vote is for the D.I.R over Prydain. I liked them both, but D.I.R. was better, and I think would translate better to moviescreen. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/22 "2005-12-16T18:18:13Z")
> [@critter42](#): > > When the release of the Narnia movie was getting close, I discovered that my wife had never read the Narnia books. I got her a set, and while I was in the kid’s section found a box set of the D.I.R. sequence! I just finished reading all of them (Narnia and D.I.R. books), and I still loved the series as much as I did when I was a kid. So, in the last year I have picked up and re-read 3 of my 4 favorite series of books from my childhood - D.I.R, Prydain, and Narnia. > > I have been thinking about picking up my most favorite series as a kid, but I’m wondering if it will hold up as well of the rest did - L’engle’s Wrinkle in Time series… > > Aaaahhhh! I just did a Google search and found out there was a made-for-TV version of it last year, and **I missed it!** Did anyone see it and was it any good? Wrinkle in time holds up well, She has a little of that Heinlein magic that are books age well. I re-read them within the last 2 years. The TV movie was good but not great. My duaghter enjoyed it, way better than the awful EarthSea TV-Movie. She also had the Dolphin book made for TV also. I think it was called Ring of Endless Light. It was well done. Strange I would just substitute the Hobbit & LotR for Narnia and have the same favorite Books from Childhood. Jim ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/23 "2005-12-16T20:05:54Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Strange I would just substitute the Hobbit & LotR for Narnia and have the same favorite Books from Childhood. > > Jim I probably would have also, but I didn’t get hooked on those until well into high school. I was counting those books I read while in early to middle grade school. I remember picking up “A Wind in the Door” because it’s cover was one of the most striking I have ever seen, even to this day - [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n3/n16546.jpg](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n3/n16546.jpg). I went to go check it out and the librarian ascertained that I had not read Wrinkle in Time and had me get that one as well, so I wouldn’t be completely confused :). ---
**Author:** ![tiltypig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@tiltypig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiltypig)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/24 "2005-12-16T20:11:49Z")
In theory, I’d love to see the [Chrestomanci](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-1608789-1171836?url=index%3Dblended&field-keywords=chrestomanci) series made into movies–but in practice, I’m sure it would get butchered like Howl’s Movine Castle. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/25 "2005-12-16T20:16:35Z")
I remember reading _The Last Unicorn_ years ago, and thoroughly enjoying the characters and the sense that the book evoked. I think it’d make a great movie (not the crappy animated one from a few decades ago). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/26 "2005-12-16T20:21:08Z")
> [@critter42](#): > > I probably would have also, but I didn’t get hooked on those until well into high school. I was counting those books I read while in early to middle grade school. > > I remember picking up “A Wind in the Door” because it’s cover was one of the most striking I have ever seen, even to this day - [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n3/n16546.jpg](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n3/n16546.jpg). I went to go check it out and the librarian ascertained that I had not read Wrinkle in Time and had me get that one as well, so I wouldn’t be completely confused :). I found Heinlein, Christopher, Alexander and Cooper first, but I found Tolkien & Lewis in 6th grade. Just ahead of the Hobbit TV special sponsored by Xerox. I found L’engle later that year. Between 4-7th grade I read everything available by those authors. I suspect that 7th graders shouldn’t read Stranger in a Strange Land. Narnia never engaged me the way the others did. I think it is because I read the Hobbit first and by comparisons they were kind of similar and yet Narnia wasn’t nearly as good. The Oz books never really caught me up either. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lathe_of_Heaven)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/27 "2005-12-16T21:19:55Z")
The Last Unicorn live-action movie is deeply troubled. Peter S. Beagle no longer supports it (he doesn’t like the latest scripts, and is really opposed to a white horse with a CGI horn, which is what the producers want to do), and is actively trying to buy back the rights. The latest (and official) information is [at his agent’s site, here.](http://conlanpress.com/) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/28 "2005-12-16T21:21:19Z")
> [@Lathe of Heaven](#): > > The Last Unicorn live-action movie is deeply troubled. Peter S. Beagle no longer supports it (he doesn’t like the latest scripts, and is really opposed to a white horse with a CGI horn, which is what the producers want to do), and is actively trying to buy back the rights. > The latest (and official) information is [at his agent’s site, here.](http://conlanpress.com/) That is really bad news. I was looking forward to this one and hoping it would be good. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/29 "2005-12-16T22:08:24Z")
The series I’d really love to see filmed is Tad Williams’ _Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn_. Simon fighting the dragon at the end of _The Dragonbone Chair_ would be particularly awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/30 "2005-12-16T22:50:25Z")
I’ve also wondered if we would see The Dark is Rising sequence on the big screen. Since the book is set in the 1960s (IIRC), I wonder if it will be updated for the present day or kept in that time period. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/31 "2005-12-16T23:01:38Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > [Last Unicorn is in production with Christopher Lee as the King again](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314301/). > > Jim I know, but it keeps being put off and I’ve seen nothing _new_ about it in over a couple years. > [@critter42](#): > > I have been thinking about picking up my most favorite series as a kid, but I’m wondering if it will hold up as well of the rest did - L’engle’s Wrinkle in Time series… It does. I have a copy of A Swiftly Tilting Planet kicking around somewhere, but I really need to pick up the others. > [@John Mace](#): > > I remember reading _The Last Unicorn_ years ago, and thoroughly enjoying the characters and the sense that the book evoked. I think it’d make a great movie (not the crappy animated one from a few decades ago). I enjoy the animated one. It’s not great but I thought it captured the book pretty well. > [@Lathe of Heaven](#): > > The Last Unicorn live-action movie is deeply troubled. Peter S. Beagle no longer supports it (he doesn’t like the latest scripts, and is really opposed to a white horse with a CGI horn, which is what the producers want to do), and is actively trying to buy back the rights. > The latest (and official) information is [at his agent’s site, here.](http://conlanpress.com/) I can’t seem to find where the info is on there? Could you point me in the right direction? I did find the thing about the audio book and a free signed copy of Two Hearts if you buy it _wavers on getting the credit card out to get both_ ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/32 "2005-12-16T23:08:17Z")
I’d like to see Barbara Hambly’s _Dragonsbane_ made into a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Lathe\_of\_Heaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lathe_of_Heaven)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/33 "2005-12-16T23:28:57Z")
> [@Flutterby](#): > > I can’t seem to find where the info is on there? Could you point me in the right direction? I did find the thing about the audio book and a free signed copy of Two Hearts if you buy it _wavers on getting the credit card out to get both_ Go for it! It’ll rule! After scouring [conlanpress.com](http://conlanpress.com), I’m stymied as well. I must confess that I got the information not from the website but from Mr. Cochran himself, whom I buttonholed at GenCon. I realize that a random netizen’s LiveJournal doesn’t have the same cachet as a business’ official site; but, if you want, I posted all the Peter Beagle news I got at GenCon [here](http://www.livejournal.com/community/peterbeaglefans/2703.html). (Mods- OK to link to a LiveJournal? If not, yank. Thanks.) Or you could e-mail the guy (address on site); he’s pretty good about responding. This concludes your Last Unicorn hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/34 "2005-12-16T23:34:25Z")
The “Spellsinger” series would be great! Who wouldnt watch a hippy lute player and a talking otter?? ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/35 "2005-12-16T23:40:35Z")
> [@Lathe of Heaven](#): > > Go for it! It’ll rule! And they have The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Nietzsche which I’ve been looking for for awhile now. But it’s in American dollars. Oh man. Maybe I’ll wait till the new year and see how my finances look. I’ll just keep hoping for the movie, but thanks for directing me to an LJ group. I don’t know why I didn’t think to look for one about him before. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/36 "2005-12-16T23:46:08Z")
I’m currently reading _Over Sea, Under Stone_, the first _Dark is Rising_ book, which I picked out because so many Dopers have recommended it, and I’m afraid that it just seems like standard 1960s children’s fantasy to me. Very much like Alan Garner or Peter Dickinson. Good, but I don’t really see what all the fuss is about. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/37 "2005-12-17T01:15:09Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > I’m currently reading _Over Sea, Under Stone_, the first _Dark is Rising_ book. I thought Dark is Rising was the first book, so maybe that’s where I went wrong…I started it last year but didn’t finish it. Is the first book about the same boy and his dozens of siblings? ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/38 "2005-12-17T01:55:50Z")
No, the first book is about Simon, Jane and Barney (Will meets them in _Greenwitch_). I didn’t really like the first one. _Dark is Rising_ introduces Will, and is much better. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/39 "2005-12-17T02:21:19Z")
As much as I adore The Dark is Rising, I don’t know that it would do well as a movie. Unless we focused on the Drews, perhaps? Movies about kids usually are about growth and learning and such that kids can really empathize with the characters. Will isn’t really that much of a sympathetic character - he already _knows_ everything. Face it, if you knew Will, you’d probably find him pretty creepy. If we saw things more from Jane’s perspective, though, that would be pretty cool. Um, except then we’re limited to _Greenwitch_ and _Silver on the Tree_, and the last doesn’t make sense without all the backstory… Okay, I don’t know. I like **Miller** ’s idea about _Memory, Sorrow, & Thorn_, though. A brilliant series which turns one of the most consistant fantasy themes inside out. Perhaps a little too similar to LotR, though. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854/40 "2005-12-17T02:33:00Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > I’m currently reading _Over Sea, Under Stone_, the first _Dark is Rising_ book, which I picked out because so many Dopers have recommended it, and I’m afraid that it just seems like standard 1960s children’s fantasy to me. Very much like Alan Garner or Peter Dickinson. Good, but I don’t really see what all the fuss is about. For me, Alan Garner is way above Cooper. Cooper’s books just left me bored. Will is a terrible character for me, not dynamic at all. Garner’s characters aren’t incredible, but his writing is stellar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-dark-comes-rising-six-shall-turn-it-back/335854.md?page=3)