The Dark Bright Water
core novel 1978 The Book of Wirrun
Record
| First published | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.04 (72 ratings, collected 2026-09-05) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780091361808 |
| Internal chronology | 2 |
Synopsis
The Dark Bright Water (1978) is the second novel in Patricia Wrightson's The Book of Wirrun trilogy, set in present-day Australia. Wirrun, now regarded as a hero after the events of the previous book, works as a pub cleaner and is reluctant to take up another heroic role. His quiet life is disturbed when Yunggamurra, a restless and alluring river-spirit, begins singing and haunting him, drawing him back into the world of primordial spirits troubling the land. Together with his friend Ularra and an Aboriginal emissary, Wirrun journeys toward the center of Australia to confront the disturbances Yunggamurra's presence has stirred up. The challenge proves to be more than a matter of magic alone, as Wirrun's own restlessness echoes the turmoil unsettling the land, and he must find a way to address the spirit's unrest and restore balance.
Where it sits
- Universe: The Book of Wirrun
- Series: The Book of Wirrun core; position 2 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Patricia Wrightson
Awards (verified)
- World Fantasy Award (Best Novel), 1980: nominated
Notes
- From the series record (The Book of Wirrun): Completed mythic-fantasy trilogy (1977-1981) following the Aboriginal hero Wirrun of the Wind as he confronts spirits and beings drawn from Australian Aboriginal oral tradition (including the ice-spirits called the Ninya). Landmark work in drawing directly on Aboriginal mythology for children's high fantasy; the opening volume won Australia's Children's Book of the Year Award for Older Readers.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series The Book of Wirrun: position 2 of 3: previous The Ice Is Coming (1977) · next Behind the Wind (1981)
Sources
← The Book of Wirrun dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.