Dark Tower Series discussion

[Lathum]

The Dark Tower: Gunslinger - Movie News from Stephen King's 7 Book Epic

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

No! I think what primer is saying by "it's over" is that once you start reading "Drawing of the Three," any ability to stop reading the series "is over." You're a junkie. You're addicted. The series has sunk its claws into you and you wont stop reading until you've finished all seven books.

I know that post is 5+ years old, but what he said. My recommended order of reading, once I got past the hump, has been 2-1-3-4-5-6-7. Drawing of the Three is a better jumping off point from a literature standpoint, but The Gunslinger is how he introduced the story.

Also...I'd be quite okay with Bardem as Roland.

[jeff061]

Also...I'd be quite okay with Bardem as Roland.

This. I am only familiar with his work from No Country, but he was fantastic.

[Chief Rum]

I had no idea they had finally decided to try to put these into movies. So movies AND a six hour TV special? Interesting... I wonder how that works.

I think Bardem is a good choice. In my mind, Roland always had black hair and a "Spanish style" ancestry, to go along with the ice cold blue eyes. Bardem will have to wear contacts, but he certainly has the acting chops. He can pull this off.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I had no idea they had finally decided to try to put these into movies. So movies AND a six hour TV special? Interesting... I wonder how that works.

I think Bardem is a good choice. In my mind, Roland always had black hair and a "Spanish style" ancestry, to go along with the ice cold blue eyes. Bardem will have to wear contacts, but he certainly has the acting chops. He can pull this off.

Well, the idea is that the TV specials (plural, note) will intersperse the movies.

So there will be three movies, but they'll have specials in between each movie to fill in the gaps for a total of (probably) 20+ hours of film. I don't know if they'll finish it off with a miniseries as well but that seems unlikely. Maybe they'll go miniseries to build up for the first movie, then movie, series, movie, series, movie.

That might get us closer to 26 hours.

Should be good times either way.

[SackAttack]

Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.

Apparently there will be a game involved, too. Commenter on Kotaku sez that a BioWare employee has mentioned that they're working on a Dark Tower game.

[Lathum]

So long Stephen King — ‘Dark Tower’ movies canceled – Frankly My Dear – Orlando Sentinel

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Lathum

So long Stephen King — ‘Dark Tower’ movies canceled – Frankly My Dear – Orlando Sentinel

I think this is for the best.

[SnowMan]

Agreed, I love the DT series, but I'm not too upset about this.

[Mantle2600]

Well I started reading these about a month and a half ago and just finished today. Wow, it was a hell of a journey.

I don't have a problem with the ending, had a feeling it would end in some fashion like it did, but what i'm not clear on is if time only travels one way in that world and ours, then how is it possible that Roland has to keep restarting his journey over and over? Is the Tower or Gan or whatever it is that is causing it unaffected to such rules and constraints as time? Or am I just missing something.

[Senator]

I started reading this series because I think when King is on, he is great. Heard different attitudes about this series, so started reading it, and lasted about 3/4ths of the book before I gave up. I never give up on books, but I was not interested and knew there were several books to go after this one, so I just stopped, and read a new book on Custer and Little Bighorn.

[jeff061]

Book 1 really isn't terribly representative of the series and has kind of an odd flow to it(if I remember correctly). Wizard and Glass was just genius, type of book I'll remember reading for the 1st time until the day I die.

Wasn't a big fan of Wolves of the Calla, but other than that everything else is well worth sticking past the first book, especially with how short it is.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Mantle2600

Well I started reading these about a month and a half ago and just finished today. Wow, it was a hell of a journey.

I don't have a problem with the ending, had a feeling it would end in some fashion like it did, but what i'm not clear on is if time only travels one way in that world and ours, then how is it possible that Roland has to keep restarting his journey over and over? Is the Tower or Gan or whatever it is that is causing it unaffected to such rules and constraints as time? Or am I just missing something.

I loved how Roland's story ended. Everything from when he got into the Tower until the end was perfect. It really fit the themes of the book and the character of Roland himself perfectly. I really enjoyed it.

It was everything leading up to that point that I didn't like. The whole spider-baby thing was stupid. The man in black just getting offed with no real effect. The King in Red getting erased by some character brought in at the very end of the series?

[Autumn]

I agree about the Wizard and the Glass. It's in a way completely disjointed from the series, but that story from his childhood with the witch and his beloved, that was really both stirring and truly horrifying. I still think about that.

And the end of the series, yes, I hate when authors introduce something brand new towards the end like that. I like to feel like the author has been building me up to something grand all these years, and that sort of thing dashes that feeling. The very end was very good though.

It turned out to be a very rambling, idiosyncratic series, I think showing the fact that it was written over the course of his entire career. I'm sure if he sat down and plowed through the whole thing in one go it would be much together, and a very different story.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Autumn

I agree about the Wizard and the Glass. It's in a way completely disjointed from the series, but that story from his childhood with the witch and his beloved, that was really both stirring and truly horrifying. I still think about that.

And the end of the series, yes, I hate when authors introduce something brand new towards the end like that. I like to feel like the author has been building me up to something grand all these years, and that sort of thing dashes that feeling. The very end was very good though.

It turned out to be a very rambling, idiosyncratic series, I think showing the fact that it was written over the course of his entire career. I'm sure if he sat down and plowed through the whole thing in one go it would be much together, and a very different story.

I think the length of time it took really changed things. King was a totally different author and person when he wrote the last half of the series. Obviously his near death experience when he got hit by that van really affected him.

I liked the series. I'm glad I read it. I read the first four at least twice. Somethings worked wonderfully, some didn't. Wizard and the Glass was fantastic. I also really loved "Drawing Of The Three." Roland remains one of my favorite literary characters of all time.

[flounder]

So apparently there's a new Dark Tower book out that takes place just after Wizard and Glass. Much like that book, it's Roland telling a story from his past. I will probably pick it up at some point, but I can't say I'm going to rush out and get it.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by flounder

So apparently there's a new Dark Tower book out that takes place just after Wizard and Glass. Much like that book, it's Roland telling a story from his past. I will probably pick it up at some point, but I can't say I'm going to rush out and get it.

I picked it up because a) my other 7 books are in hardcover and I didn't wanna spoil that waiting for paperback and b) it was $18'ish at Barnes and Noble. Not bad for instant gratification.

But I think I'll wait to read it until I re-read the series again, and read it in its 'natural' place between W&G and Wolves.

[CrimsonFox]

at first I thought this was about the Burton/Depp Trainwreck...

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Lathum

So long Stephen King — ‘Dark Tower’ movies canceled – Frankly My Dear – Orlando Sentinel

http://movies.ign.com/articles/122/1220616p1.html

Or are they? Apparently they're still looking at the movies/miniseries combo, with the miniseries stuff to air on HBO. That's probably the best place for the miniseries in terms of potential production values, really. I wouldn't have trusted it on one of the big four OTA networks.

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

The Dark Tower Is Back - IGN

Or are they? Apparently they're still looking at the movies/miniseries combo, with the miniseries stuff to air on HBO. That's probably the best place for the miniseries in terms of potential production values, really. I wouldn't have trusted it on one of the big four OTA networks.

Don't know if this is still alive or not, but HBO handled an epic series pretty well recently with Game of Thrones, no? I could get behind this.

I'm amazed by how much love Wizard & Glass got on this thread. I waited for so long for that book, and was very disappointed. The Wizard of Oz bit was badly done and out of place, and King just felt "off" to me.

Count me with the guy that said he gave up on The Gunslinger on his first pass. I was maybe 15. I went back to it a few years later, still couldn't get into the first one, but I pretty much skimmed it and moved on to Drawing of the Three. Whoa. For my money, that one was the best of the lot. It was riveting, had outstanding development of interesting characters, pushed the vision forward, and laid the groundwork for all the mysteries to come.

2nd for me was Wolves of the Calla, may it dooya fine. Cool character development here as well, and the setting was, for me, was as real as it gets. The characteristic language here was vintage King - believable and it "comes trippingly off the tongue." In certain situations, I've been known to drop a "kennit/ya ken," a "do ya," or a "thankee-sai." Technically, that last one is Mid-World generally, but you get the point. My home town changed a ton in the last few years, and just a couple weeks ago I found myself thinking of the town as it exists in my memory as "TOWNNAME-that-was."

I engage my Lit Nerd friends and family on this all the time: King churns out a lot of text, and a decent chunk of it is pretty bad. But at his best, King is engaging, innovative, and as good as many authors who have entire graduate courses dedicated to their work. His use of italics to track unspoken - and even subconscious - thoughts, the rhythms and shadows that lurk behind the thoughts we actually express.

It's almost impossible to get now (a testament to some SERIOUS clout) but did anyone read Rage? It's from the original Bachmann Books with Roadwork (pffft), The Running Man (don't judge it by the cheesy movie), and The Long Walk (good stuff). Anyway, Rage could be a case study in a textbook of abnormal adolescent psychology. If you've ever wondered what it was like living in the heads' of those kids from Columbine (or pick your favorite school shooting), this is a pretty good bet.

[Autumn]

Rage is great, yes. And I liked Wizard and Glass despite that it went kind of off the rails. I think simply because the story of his girlfriend was just incredibly moving, it made up for all the rest.

[Jas_lov]

Books 2 and 3 were the best for me, then 4. I liked the back story in Wizard and Glass. Didn't like 5 as much. Thought it took too long to get to the end battle but it was still better than 6 which I thought was the worst of the series. Has anyone read book 8?

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Wanderer

Don't know if this is still alive or not, but HBO handled an epic series pretty well recently with Game of Thrones, no? I could get behind this.

That's actually what was top of mind for me when I said HBO would be the best place for The Dark Tower, but they've had some other pretty great series over the years also.

Count me with the guy that said he gave up on The Gunslinger on his first pass. I was maybe 15. I went back to it a few years later, still couldn't get into the first one, but I pretty much skimmed it and moved on to Drawing of the Three. Whoa. For my money, that one was the best of the lot. It was riveting, had outstanding development of interesting characters, pushed the vision forward, and laid the groundwork for all the mysteries to come.

My ears are burning! Whenever I've recommended this series to anybody, I've said read it 2-1-3-4-5-6-7. That'll probably have to get amended some with the new book, but I've always maintained 2 should come first. The characters are much easier to follow if 2 comes before 1.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Has anyone read book 8?

You mean the novella, "Wind Through the Keyhole"? I read it and enjoyed it...it was nice to reconnect with characters I had assumed would never provide me new adventures. It wasn't an amazing story, but it was worth the few bucks I paid for it...

[The Jackal]

Bumping this thread to let people know that I'm running a Dark Tower themed werewolf game. Just finished the series myself a few weeks ago and loved it.

WW CLXIV - The Dark Tower

[Groundhog]

My mum tried to get me to read the first Dark Tower novel about 15 or more years ago. I finally started it a few months ago, and finished the final book last night - just started on the 'new' book today.

Looking back at them all, I think my favourite book of the series is a tie between The Drawing of the Three & The Wizard and the Glass - both were excellent for very different reasons. Wizard and the Glass is probably the best 'fantasy' story I've ever read, while Drawing of the Three read much more like a typical Stephen King story, in his prime.

I did really enjoy the final book though, and I loved the ending. Really, really loved it. The only book I didn't love though was Song for Susannah, which seemed more like King getting some of side-story stuff out of the way before the final book. It had its moments though.

One thing always poked at the back of my mind the whole series, and that was the whole thing about ka and Roland (and the others, to a lesser extent) always knew the right thing to do in the right situation - whether it's preparing for a fight, or which way to turn on their walks. Also the whole murkiness of the time between the stories of young Roland and his appearance in the first book. I put it down to the fact that there was no clear direction in the story in the first book - he hadn't thought that far ahead then. But he picked an ending that made everything make sense to me.

I get the impression after the ending that 'ka' was probably memories of having gone through the exact same situation countless times - sometimes making the right decision, sometimes making the wrong one - then knowing what to do next time - a voice in the back of his head.

I don't think he was just given the horn either when sent back at then end, I think he went through everything again, only for it to seem like he stepped straight back to the start of book 1, his memories of everything before then faded away.

Oh, and the movie is slotted for 2017 now. I hope they do a good job with it and we see sequels.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

My mum tried to get me to read the first Dark Tower novel about 15 or more years ago. I finally started it a few months ago, and finished the final book last night - just started on the 'new' book today.

As I've said before, the first book really lacks the needed context to be the 'first' book. I strongly recommend reading the series beginning with The Drawing of the Three and then doubling back. It's a better hook.

Looking back at them all, I think my favourite book of the series is a tie between The Drawing of the Three & The Wizard and the Glass - both were excellent for very different reasons. Wizard and the Glass is probably the best 'fantasy' story I've ever read, while Drawing of the Three read much more like a typical Stephen King story, in his prime.

Wizard & Glass is where shit started getting weird, but I loved the literary references.

I get the impression after the ending that 'ka' was probably memories of having gone through the exact same situation countless times - sometimes making the right decision, sometimes making the wrong one - then knowing what to do next time - a voice in the back of his head.

It starts somewhere, though. I think it's a little of both. I think 'ka' is analogous to fate, in that things happen as they're supposed to, and that's 'ka,' but you could also draw the inference that Roland and the ka-tet are making their own fate with each trip up the Tower. Kinda Buddhist that way, in that they get reborn and get things a little righter and a little righter and...maybe eventually Roland gets what he's really after?

I don't think he was just given the horn either when sent back at then end, I think he went through everything again, only for it to seem like he stepped straight back to the start of book 1, his memories of everything before then faded away.

I could see an argument for either.

Spoiler

He may have been given the horn as a sign of approval that he was closer to repairing the Tower, or the 'ka' whispering in the back of his mind might have suggested that he needed to take better care of the horn, that losing it was one of the things that prevented him from repairing the damage.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

As I've said before, the first book really lacks the needed context to be the 'first' book. I strongly recommend reading the series beginning with The Drawing of the Three and then doubling back. It's a better hook.

Yep, I don't disagree. I read the revised version which probably flows better, but it read exactly like King described it in the foreword - a story written by a young author who wanted to write a Lord of the Rings-styled fantasy novel in a Western setting, but with no real strong idea of where to go with it.

It starts somewhere, though. I think it's a little of both. I think 'ka' is analogous to fate, in that things happen as they're supposed to, and that's 'ka,' but you could also draw the inference that Roland and the ka-tet are making their own fate with each trip up the Tower. Kinda Buddhist that way, in that they get reborn and get things a little righter and a little righter and...maybe eventually Roland gets what he's really after?

I think that's a good analogy. 'Ka' is obviously derived from the word 'karma', so it makes a lot of sense - keep turning on the wheel and making yourself a little more perfect each time around, before achieving nirvana, which for Roland would be the top level of the tower.

I could see an argument for either.

Spoiler

He may have been given the horn as a sign of approval that he was closer to repairing the Tower, or the 'ka' whispering in the back of his mind might have suggested that he needed to take better care of the horn, that losing it was one of the things that prevented him from repairing the damage.

Spoiler

Yeah, I could see that too.

One thing I wonder about is the damage to the beams - does it 'reset' as well, or does it continue to tick down, making each of Roland's 'turn of the wheel' more critical than the last? Given how close they were to losing the 2nd last beam (and that they lost one during the books), I think it must reset each time, because once it's at 1 beam it'd be game over real quick.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Spoiler

Yeah, I could see that too.

One thing I wonder about is the damage to the beams - does it 'reset' as well, or does it continue to tick down, making each of Roland's 'turn of the wheel' more critical than the last? Given how close they were to losing the 2nd last beam (and that they lost one during the books), I think it must reset each time, because once it's at 1 beam it'd be game over real quick.

Spoiler

He's obviously not repairing all the damage with each trip, or there wouldn't be multiple trips. But I do think each time he reaches the Tower, the damage is mitigated some. It may be that getting there with two beams remaining in the cycle we read represents an improvement over the trip before, which in turn represented improvement over the trip before THAT, and so forth. The other thing to consider is whether the forces arrayed against Roland are cognizant of the world "reset" and thus adapt their attacks, kinda like Skynet in the Terminator mythos. Perhaps the attacks on King, trying to take him out, were borne of desperation because they can see how close Roland is?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba Will Face Off in the Long-AwaitedÂ*Dark Tower Movie

I absolutely LOVE the casting. Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey should bot be great.

It sounds like they aren't really going to adapt the book entirely. I don't really know about that. I guess we'll have to wait and see what they plan on doing with the series.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba Will Face Off in the Long-AwaitedÂ*Dark Tower Movie

I absolutely LOVE the casting. Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey should bot be great.

It sounds like they aren't really going to adapt the book entirely. I don't really know about that. I guess we'll have to wait and see what they plan on doing with the series.

One movie for the entire series? Better than nothing I guess but any fan of the books is going to walk away disappointed with that!

[BishopMVP]

I still haven't read the series, so I'll let you guys decide if it'll be enough to capture the whole series, but it at least looks like a cool movie.

[HomerSimpson98]

Just started Song Of Susannah and the series is absolutely amazing.

While the trailer looks cool, I am disappointed that there are already things I see that dont jive at all with the books. I dont see how one movie can come close to capturing these long ass books.

[jeff061]

I can't even begin to imagine how they could do a remotely faithful adaption. LOTR is a simple trick in comparison.

I'm pretty much treating it as a stand alone movie and will try not to judge it based on the books.

[Shkspr]

Well, the rumor is...

Spoiler

The movie actually takes place seperately from the books. The cinematic presentation is a new cycle where elements of the story may play out differently or not at all.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Shkspr

Well, the rumor is...

Spoiler

The movie actually takes place seperately from the books. The cinematic presentation is a new cycle where elements of the story may play out differently or not at all.

Spoiler

Yeah, and if so, that's a great way to handle the film adaptation IMO, and leaves plenty of room for sequels if it's a hit.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by jeff061

I'm pretty much treating it as a stand alone movie and will try not to judge it based on the books.

Yeah, so much of the hate online I've seen from lovers of the book... I mean, did you really want a faithful adaptation of that first book? Pretty much everyone I've shown it to who has no idea that it's based on a book has thought the trailer looks excellent... I tend to agree.

[SackAttack]

the first book should have been the second, and the second should have been the first.

It sounds like the movie has more in common with the second book than the first, anyway.