The Grey King

By: Susan Cooper

Narrated by: Richard Mitchley

Will is the last-born of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to saving the world from the forces of evil. And now it is Will's task to wake--with the golden harp--the six who must be roused from their long slumber in the Welsh hills to prepare for the last battle between the Dark and the Light.©2007 Susan Cooper; (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group.

This series starts out good but gets weird

What made the experience of listening to The Grey King the most enjoyable?

The discussion of Wales and Mitchley's excellent handling of the language and accent.

What did you like best about this story?

see above

Any additional comments?

At first I was hesitant to try a new narrator, as Alex Jennings handles the others in the series with aplomb, but after hearing Mitchley's Welsh I don't think Jennings could have done it proper justice. Both are good narrators but Mitchley was the best choice for this particular novel. An enjoyable listen, if a weird book.

Excellent but for the dog

Trigger warning: one of the dogs dies. It’s tragic, unnecessary (within the story world), gut-wrenching, but it’s quick. Instant. There’s no suffering.

Another amazing installment in this series, this is an incredible book, and if Cooper would rewrite it without killing the dog, it would probably be one of my favorite books of all time. It’s got everything. However I will add that from a story perspective while I don’t know if the dog’s death was essential, it does meaningfully develop the villain and his relationship to the heroes, and it makes the ending more satisfying. She also deals with the resulting grief in a way that’s realistic, resonant, and identifiable without ever succumbing to sentimentality or hallmarky feelings. She handled it perfectly.

Can’t wait to see how the bigger story is resolved in the final book.

Brilliantly read.

Fantastic

I love the Dark is Rising series and this book in particular. Ive read them all multiple times. I’ve listened to this one, The Dark is Rising, and Greenwich, and the reader of this one, Richard Mitchley, is far and away the best. Really a tremendous performance that enhances the words and story. I hope to encounter him again!!!

This story good

I like grey king because I need to do book in a bag project on this book. I like it a lot everyone should read

Great to listen to

It was lovely to hear all those Welsh words I've always wondered what they sounded like. Beautifully read.