I always assumed the narrator was in a fugue state.

It certainly reads that way to me. But that just raises the question, what does that say about him? There's no indication, in the section with Tink, of the sort of emotion that led to murder in Sarasquel's(sp?) case. So....this is a guy who kills three people because one of them dumped him years ago and then just goes on with his life?

I didn't realize necrophilia was political to begin with.

In a case like this, it's objectification of the completely literal sort: A human being is transformed into an inanimate object, which is then used for sexual pleasure.

Ugh Ugh Ugh. That is really foul. Foul enough that I regret ever recommending the story to anyone, and I think it's been permanently tainted for me.

I'm not sure I understand this reaction to the title. I know not everyone likes puns but... there are multiple mysteries, in multiple senses.

Either he's in a fugue state, or this literally means nothing to him, and he's lived ten years since with no indication it's something he thinks about.

I will read it again when I'm back at home because it's been a long time, but my recollection is that the angel removed those memories from him. It's a plot point, not a "hey, murdering women is no biggie, right?" message.

I'm not sure I understand this reaction to the title. I know not everyone likes puns but...

Oh, I wasn't talking about the title, the wordplay is just fine. I was reacting to P-C confirming that what happened in the story was what I thought it was.

my recollection is that the angel removed those memories from him.

Oh, I missed that reading. I think you're right, too. And if Raguel had gone back to Tink's apartment and miracled the three of them back to life, I'd say, "Okay, someone made a terrible mistake, but it was erased by extreme good fortune." But at the end of the story, there are three dead people, all female, and the murderer hasn't been caught for ten years, and again, the killing is cast in a clearly sexual light.

It's a plot point, not a "hey, murdering women is no biggie, right?" message.

It can't be both?

EFclarity

I like The Dark Is Rising a lot, but I can't particularly disagree with your review, P-C. Except that I like Will and don't find him that boring. There's no doubt that he doesn't seek, though; the signs do indeed fall into his lap, and it's annoying, but also I think necessary for his character at this point; he really doesn't know what he's doing, and is basically still an untrained boy. I think one problem with the series is that The Dark Is Rising plays up the importance of the signs so much, and we later learn they are actually a fairly small piece of the Important Things puzzle. The other books explore the other pieces (and Will is not the protagonist of all, or even most, of them, though he appears in several), and some do it better than others.

The later books definitely have somewhat better narrative flow, but I don't guarantee you'll like them if you disliked that one. The Grey King is the best book in the series, and brings some cool Arthurian stuff in, but the whole series is a bit vague about lots of things. And I think The Dark is Rising has some of the best atmosphere and general "whoa" factor in the series, so if you didn't feel that you may not like the rest. But they're not particularly long or hard to read, so at least make it through Greenwitch and The Grey King before you give up. I also like Over Sea, Under Stone and wonder where it falls in the suggested reading order - I actually read it first when I did it, as I'm a "read it in the order things happen" kind of person.

Kindle question (I think I know the answer but want to be sure): if I delete a purchased book off my Kindle, but not from my Kindle library on Amazon, then I still own the book and can re-download it, right? But deleting it from my Kindle library on Amazon means I have to re-buy it if I want it again?

if I delete a purchased book off my Kindle, but not from my Kindle library on Amazon, then I still own the book and can re-download it, right?

Yes.

I don't know if there IS a way to delete a book from your Kindle library on Amazon itself.

I think I've done it at the Manage your Kindle page.

I don't know if there IS a way to delete a book from your Kindle library on Amazon itself.

You can delete docs you send to your kindle, but I am not sure a purchased book you can remove from your acct.

I think one problem with the series is that The Dark Is Rising plays up the importance of the signs so much, and we later learn they are actually a fairly small piece of the Important Things puzzle.

Right?? I got to the end and it was like, oh, so that treasure lack-of-hunt was just part of a larger Treasure Hunt, and, hey, we already found the Grail! More magical objects or whatever!

The other books explore the other pieces (and Will is not the protagonist of all, or even most, of them, though he appears in several), and some do it better than others.

That's good to hear. Honestly, I strongly considered just stopping, but then I saw that the Drew kids are back in the next book, and those kids get shit done. I'm looking forward to seeing them on a more magical adventure.

The Grey King is the best book in the series, and brings some cool Arthurian stuff in, but the whole series is a bit vague about lots of things.

And that's the only book read by a different reader, weirdly enough. I guess I don't mind vagueness, but everything in the The Dark Is Rising seemed to be vague and made up as it went along to suit whatever was going on at the time.

And I think The Dark is Rising has some of the best atmosphere and general "whoa" factor in the series, so if you didn't feel that you may not like the rest.

It's entirely possible. With this book, I couldn't get into it so much that I wasn't paying as much attention to the audiobook, which contributed to my not getting into it as much, and it was a vicious circle. So maybe if I try to pay more attention and get into it, it will grab me more.

But they're not particularly long or hard to read, so at least make it through Greenwitch and The Grey King before you give up.

Yeah, it looks like both the next two books together are as long as this one was. The last book is longer, and I will likely make my way through it because I realized where my LJ friend whose name is silveronthetree got her name.

I also like Over Sea, Under Stone and wonder where it falls in the suggested reading order - I actually read it first when I did it, as I'm a "read it in the order things happen" kind of person.

I read it first and found it kind of boring, but not bad. There's a good case to be made for reading it second, though.

Yeah, if you didn't like The Dark is Rising, I'm not sure I'd suggest reading the rest of them. Unless you want a foundation for the great Will/Bran fanfic out there.