OT: The Dark Tower

[Turd Ferguson]

I was just wondering if anyone hear reads the series. I just finished Wolves of the Calla and am pretty pumped about Song of Susannah and the finale The Dark Tower. I just found the series this summer and couldn't get enough of it. I'd have to say The Wastelands is the best book in the series so far. Anyway just wanted to know if anybody else was a Tower junkie.

[Groundhog]

I tried to read the first book some time ago, but just couldn't get in to it for whatever reason. I'll have to give it another shot, as I generally hear nothing but praise for these books.

[VPI97]

I've been into the books for years. I re-read the first four this past summer in preparation for Wolves, but as it turns out, I haven't had the time to go and get it, much less read it. :(

[HornedFrog Purple]

Just get through The Gunslinger (1st book) and you'll be fine. I don't think it's as well written as the rest. He really gets into character development starting with book 2. The Gunslinger is more of a preface and it was one of King's earliest writings I think.

[SackAttack]

HFP - I actually had to start with The Drawing of the Three (book 2) in order to get into the series at all. Like Groundhog, I tried to get into The Gunslinger originally, but simply found it too dry for my tastes, and not nearly as compelling as some of the other King works I've enjoyed.

So I put it down, moved on, found TDotT in a used bookstore without realizing it was a Dark Tower novel, and bought it. I REALLY enjoyed it, and it's still my favorite of the four I've read so far. After reading it, I went back to The Gunslinger, and then read The Waste Lands and Wizard and Glass in a three day span. I bought Wolves of Calla last week, but I've been letting my Dad read it first. He's been a Dark Tower nut for years; I figure he's done his time waitin' for the 5th book, he can read it first. ;-)

[Draft Dodger]

I have the Gunslinger here at work with me. I've had it there for about 3 weeks...and still haven't gotten going on it. Maybe tonight's the night...

[AnalBumCover]

I had read the first two, years back. Then a friend of mine mentioned the series last year. I've been wanting to re-read them, but I couldn't find my books. Thinking my bro might have sold them at our last garage sale.

[HornedFrog Purple]

HFP - I actually had to start with The Drawing of the Three (book 2) in order to get into the series at all. Like Groundhog, I tried to get into The Gunslinger originally, but simply found it too dry for my tastes, and not nearly as compelling as some of the other King works I've enjoyed.

So I put it down, moved on, found TDotT in a used bookstore without realizing it was a Dark Tower novel, and bought it. I REALLY enjoyed it, and it's still my favorite of the four I've read so far. After reading it, I went back to The Gunslinger, and then read The Waste Lands and Wizard and Glass in a three day span. I bought Wolves of Calla last week, but I've been letting my Dad read it first. He's been a Dark Tower nut for years; I figure he's done his time waitin' for the 5th book, he can read it first. ;-)

Now that you say that, you actually could do that (read Drawing of the Three first). You really wouldn't get lost. Without digging it out I believe Drawing of the Three gives a summary of what happened in The Gunslinger at the beginning of the book and how Roland ends up where he starts this one. That's a good idea.

I believe that one of his short stories collections also has a Dark Tower story in it but I never did read it and can't remember which one it is. I have Wolves also which I should be able to tear into next week (hopefully).

[Turd Ferguson]

I think reading the Drawing of the Three first could be the way to go. It does give a lot of background on the first book and the only thing you miss out on is the palaver at the end. Also you may want to try the new revised version of The Gunslinger.

HFP I think you may be thinking of The Little Sisters of Eluria...

I think what I like best about this series is that King has aligned all of his works with The Tower series. Some have tiny references, but anyone who has read The Stand, Eyes of the Dragon, Insomnia, Salem's Lot, Hearts in Atlantis, etc. will see a lot of similarities.

[VPI97]

Re: Insomnia - I remember the reference (the kid with his drawing), but never quite understood the implication as to what the kid had to do w/ the Dark Tower...

[SackAttack]

I think several of the references are meant more as mystery than anything else, although I read something from King where he said that he thinks the Dark Tower is going to be the thread that ultimately knots up all of his other series, so it's possible that we'll get some insight into those references.

The sense I got from Eyes of the Dragon, though, was sort of a Desperation/Regulators kind of thing. It was the folks from Dark Tower, but in a different sort of setting.

[Glengoyne]

When I read the gunslinger I got to a tough part towards the end. At that point I decided to read the Author's notes or somesuch, possibly the afterward or the foreward. He described the process he went through writing the book. How he wrote a chapter or two, put it down, and then wrote such and such a book. Then he returned and wrote two more chapters before putting it down to write another book or three. I started to notice that I liked the book less and less as I went on. To the point that I hated the latter chapters. I think that was when I started to relate "the Gunslinger" to the rest of King's career. In my opinion he started going downhill somewhere around "It", and rapidly so. I don't think I have read another King novel since I finished the gunslinger. It is a shame really(well probably only a shame for me) because I loved the first handful of chapters.

[SackAttack]

I think some of that is what you come to expect from the author, or, at least, what you prefer of his works. I've really enjoyed his latter works - Hearts in Atlantis, Bag of Bones, From a Buick 8, etc - but part of that is because, with the exception of Bag of Bones, most of those had more of a story feel than a 'Tales from the Crypt' feel. The stuff where he goes for, as he puts it, "the gross-out" is stuff I still can't read with any kind of enjoyment. When he goes into storyteller mode, however, it's another matter.

[Turd Ferguson]

Re: Insomnia - I remember the reference (the kid with his drawing), but never quite understood the implication as to what the kid had to do w/ the Dark Tower...


The kid is Patrick Danville, it might be Insomnia or one of the Tower books that had the prophecy but it went like this: when he turns 18 he is going to save two men... One of which must go to the tower.

[SackAttack]

It was Insomnia that had that prophecy, as I recall. That was part of the whole "We need you to save this kid from that wacko" thing towards the end.

I don't recall seeing him in the Dark Tower series, though, which makes me wonder who the two men were that he saved (I haven't read Wolves of Calla yet; it's sitting on the table next to me).

[Cringer]

I just finished Wolves, great book....The fact that these books, The Dark Tower series along with his other works that have a connection to the Tower, are about to come to an end, is both very exciting, and a bit of a downer too....but in the end, i better know ALL about Flagg/Walter/Merlin the frickin Magician, who ever he may be. I'm sure we all have our thoughts.

[SackAttack]

Yeah, I definitely wanna know what the hell the significance of the R.F. initials is.

[Turd Ferguson]

Sack...

We have yet to see Patrick Danville in the books as far as I can remember. My guess is he saves Roland and Jake... I think Jake is the most important member of the ka-tet and must make it to the tower.

[SackAttack]

Turd,

That could be. I wonder, though, if Roland's ka is even for him to make it to the Dark Tower in the first place. Moses was kept out of the Promised Land because of sin, if you've read Exodus. Roland's certainly got some guilt complexes, with the whole 'Everybody who's ever helped me in this quest winds up dead' thing going on.

If there's a higher power involved in this tale, is it possible that it might wind up being, say, Jake and Eddie who reach the Tower? I need to go back and read the palaver at the end of "The Gunslinger" and see if there was any mention made of the link between Roland and the Tower. I remember "Death, but not for you," but I can't remember if there was a similar mention for the Tower or not.

[Turd Ferguson]

I've thought about the possibility of Roland dying when he finally makes it to the Tower. I could tell you some reasons why I think that might be true, but I don't want to spoil Wolves for you.

As for "The Gunslinger" the man in black says "Life, but not for you," along with what you quoted, so it could be possible that he dies. It could very well end up being Jake and Eddie making it to the Tower.

[SackAttack]

Turd - give me a day or two, and then drop me a PM. I should have Wolves read by then.

[Chief Rum]

Well, whatdya know?

Even as we speak, I am reading Wizard and Glass. I picked up the Gunslinger last spring and have been moving through the first four books at a decent pace to enjoy them all.

My brother (who was into the series before I was) has Wolves of Calla, and I figure I will be borrowing that from him at some point in the near future. W&G has been good so far (as I expected).

CR

[JeeberD]

Wow, I don't get on-line for 24 hours and I miss a DT discussion. Amazing!

I absolutly love this series. I agree with a number of folks here who said that The Gunslinger is the most difficult book to get through. It just seems very dry in my estimation...

My favorite book so far is Wizard and Glass. Seeing Roland as a youngster was great, plus getting to really know Cuthbert and Alain was fantastic.

I finished WotC just before Christmas, and I enjoyed the book. The only problem I had with the book is the very ending. I feel weird about.... SPOILER ALERT!
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I feel weird about King writing himself into the book. I'm not quite sure what direction he's going to go with that, but I certainly hope it isn't something along the lines of "And the whole adventure was just in the author's head." It just has me a little worried. Of course, I am totally stoked and ready for Song of Susannah and The Dark Tower. I'm so glad that we're not having to wait five, seven, ten years for the next book like we have in the past...

[Turd Ferguson]

Jeeber,

I agree. I read some fan sites and some seem to think exactly what you did. I hope this is not the case and we're not treated to an ending in which they find the tower, get to the top and see King sitting there on a typewriter. I've been thinking that maybe the Dark Tower is King's mind and that it is beginning to break apart (ie destruction of the beams) as he ages. Just a thought.

[SackAttack]

And it's small children, primarily, who are Breaking the Beam.

...

He evidently hasn't handled being a parent and/or grandparent very well?

[HornedFrog Purple]

hmmm how can I make this spoiler free for someone who hasn't read through Wizard and Glass....

My prediction is Roland will be faced with another decision much like he did in a previous book and he will choose the opposite of what he did the first time and the Tower will be opened.

I also believe it involves Jake as it did the first time.

[JeeberD]

The animated Gunslinger (http://www.insanewriters.com/josh/dt/dt1.html?session=vwWjADIUOSZdnj0HikeYTMIqqO)

:)