The Grey KingThe Grey King
Score Classic
What it's about
With the final battle between the Light and the Dark approaching, Will Stanton goes to the Welsh hills on a quest for a magical golden harp that can wake the Sleepers, six noble riders who have slept for centuries.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best young-adult books. It's a high point of Susan Cooper's classic fantasy sequence.
You'll love it if you liked
A Wizard of Earthsea
The Hobbit
SabrielGood to know
It's the fourth book of The Dark Is Rising sequence; start with Over Sea, Under Stone or The Dark Is Rising.
By the numbers
- Readers74 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics41 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller13 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #157 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #358 of the 924 classics we rank
- #1086 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic
If you like this, read next
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Magician
This Present Darkness
The Pilgrim's Progress
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy GentlemanExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Grey King worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best young-adult books. It ranks #1,086 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Grey King about?
With the final battle between the Light and the Dark approaching, Will Stanton goes to the Welsh hills on a quest for a magical golden harp that can wake the Sleepers, six noble riders who have slept for centuries.
How long does it take to read The Grey King?
About 5 hours (198 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Grey King?
If you liked it, try A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien or Sabriel by Garth Nix.