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Stephen King: The Dark Tower Series

Strange. I enjoyed The Gunslinger. After Wizard And Glass it may be my favorite. I do wish he finished this series years ago. He seems to be going so far downhill. Same problem with this series as with most of his later books. Really weak endings. Especially Cell. That one will bother me forever. I was so excited for that book. I wish he wrote a zombie story in the early days.
 
Recently found The Gunslinger for $1 at a half price books clearance rack, so I picked it up.

I started reading it, and it's actually a lot more enjoyable than I remember. It's a slow start, and there's a lot of puzzling stuff in it you just don't quite seem to get, mostly because you're not really sure of what's really going on in his environment to understand all the background stuff he thinks about.

Overall, though, it got me hooked. I had to go back and find the others. I picked up The Wastelands for $1, Wizard in the Glass for $1 (hardbound sized paperback), and ended up buying Drawing of the Three, and the 5th book (name escapes me at the moment) at regular price (half the cover price) just so I could get into the series (can't jump around, that would annoy me).

I'm halfway through the Wastelands right now, and it's definitely an interesting read. It's a weird compilation of past, future, present, and possibly alien landscapes.

Some things I found predictable, others were way out there.

Local Borders Outlet store had book 7 on sale in hardback for $7. If I pick that up, I'm just missing book 6, afaik.

Mathius
 
Just finished the series.


POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

cent said:
I enoyed the whole series. Part of my fasination with the Dark Tower Series is how he incorporated some of his other charaters into it . I spent a lot of time going back and reading some of the other books that tied into the series. I think I may re-read the series some time soon.
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Is it worth reading his other books just to find Dark Tower references? I read Eyes of the Dragon first, so when he first started talking about
Flagg
, it got me excited. Then there was the references to Salem's Lot and It that really had me wanting to look into those, but now I find myself wanting to read every one of his books that references it, but is it worth it? I mean I was never really a huge non-fantasy fan, so I'm not sure I want to wade through all King's books just to find some obscure point.

lonelydick said:
My only dissapointment was the crimson king, the picture I painting came nothing close to King's discription in the final book, and the 'Harry Potter' references sucked a bit.
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I found the Potter references amusing. Especially listening to the gunslingers try to figure out what it means. When they first mentioned
"snitches"
I didn't even get the connection until it was actually mentioned.

All the "villian deaths" disappointed me. The Crimson King was really cool, particularly after I saw the artwork. I guess his death wasn't as bad,
for the simple fact that it gave the Artist a purpose, and it was kind've cool that he was just a disembodied set of eyes after that.

Mordred's whole character was pretty disappointing. In the end, what purpose did it serve? To kill Oi? We knew that would happen at that point. It was pretty predictable after Eddie and Jake died. I just didn't see much point in him. He was so evil from the word "go" and then just ended up going mad from infection and got killed pretty easily.

Flagg's death disappointed me most of all. Here's a guy that's been wreaking havoc through several of King's books, and he gets eaten by a toddler? Lame.


ifpiper said:
Man, I agree. The ending was such a downer!
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The ending was in no way a downer. He could have written the "final ending" but then you would have missed the whole point of what was going on. The ending was no only completely unpredictable, but it really left you asking a lot of relevant questions,
i.e. is Roland in hell?

Also, what changed in this "life" that made him keep the horn this final time? I mean his life loops from the desert and that piece took place before that. Makes little sense from a logical standpoint.

Mathius
 
While you don't need to read any other SK books in order to enjoy the Dark Tower series (in fact I started to read SK all the time after I first read The Drawing of the Three). There however is a connection between the Dark Tower series and much of his writings.

The Gunslinger
-Bag of Bones
-The Stand
-The Eyes of the Dragon

The Drawing of the Three
-The Eyes of the Dragon
-The Shining
-The Stand

The Waste Lands
-Rose Madder
-The Stand
-Cell
-It
-Insomnia

Wizard and Glass
-The Mist
-The Stand
-The Eyes of the Dragon

Wolves of the Calla
-'Salem's Lot
-Black House
-The Talisman
-The Stand
-Low Men in Yellow Coats (Hearts in Atlantis)

Song of Susannah
-The Eyes of the Dragon
-Black House
-The Talisman
-The Little Sisters of Eluria (Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales)
-Desperation
-The Regulators
-Low Men in Yellow Coats (Hearts in Atlantis)
-From a Buick 8
-It
-Insomnia
-The Shining

The Dark Tower
-Insomnia
-'Salem's Lot
-Everything's Eventual (Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales)
-Low Men in Yellow Coats (Hearts in Atlantis)
-From a Buick 8
-It
 
The Dude said:
While you don't need to read any other SK books in order to enjoy the Dark Tower series (in fact I started to read SK all the time after I first read The Drawing of the Three). There however is a connection between the Dark Tower series and much of his writings.

The Gunslinger
-Bag of Bones
-The Stand
-The Eyes of the Dragon

The Drawing of the Three
-The Eyes of the Dragon
-The Shining
-The Stand

The Waste Lands
-Rose Madder
-The Stand
-Cell
-It
-Insomnia

Wizard and Glass
-The Mist
-The Stand
-The Eyes of the Dragon

Wolves of the Calla
-'Salem's Lot
-Black House
-The Talisman
-The Stand
-Low Men in Yellow Coats (Hearts in Atlantis)

Song of Susannah
-The Eyes of the Dragon
-Black House
-The Talisman
-The Little Sisters of Eluria (Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales)
-Desperation
-The Regulators
-Low Men in Yellow Coats (Hearts in Atlantis)
-From a Buick 8
-It
-Insomnia
-The Shining

The Dark Tower
-Insomnia
-'Salem's Lot
-Everything's Eventual (Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales)
-Low Men in Yellow Coats (Hearts in Atlantis)
-From a Buick 8
-It
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's pretty much the same list as Wikipedia, however, I just read From a Buick 8 about a week ago, and let me tell you, there are no connections to the Dark Tower that aren't a complete reach.

There's a Dr. Maturin, there's a guy named Dearborn, and there's speculation that the Buick might be a transporter for the low men to Roland's world.
But all of that could just be speculation by some overzealous fans. I read the book without even picking up on any of that stuff until I saw it in a web page.

Eye of the Dragon is completely the opposite.
Flagg is the main villian in the book and its the same guy in The Dark Tower. Randall Flagg.
You don't have to invent things to see the connection there. That's the sortof stuff that's worth reading.

From a Buick 8 was an ok read, but it wasn't worth it to a Dark Tower fan.

Mathius
 
Not sure if it was mentioned in this thread, but there are two versions of The Gunslinger. The revised version is expanded throughout the novel.

Personally, I thought The Gunslinger was a great start to the series, but it was clear that King didn't have a vision of the story from the beginning. I also thought the ending was rather weak, but at least you can read the whole series now and not have to wait for the next installment.
 
Actually From a Buick 8 isalso listed in the Dark Tower VII as having a connection to the Gunslinger series and since the author considers there to be a connection perhaps you missed the link. So what if the list is the same as from the Wikipedia it just means the Wikipedia in this case is accurate?
 
The Dude said:
Actually From a Buick 8 isalso listed in the Dark Tower VII as having a connection to the Gunslinger series and since the author considers there to be a connection perhaps you missed the link. So what if the list is the same as from the Wikipedia it just means the Wikipedia in this case is accurate?
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I saw the links, I mentioned them above, but they're not significant enough for me to care. I also realize that King at some point considers there to be a connection, but it's entirely possible that he came to that consideration AFTER all the fans brought it up. I mean we're talking about some really really obscure stuff.

And I pointed out that you have the same list as wiki, because I was sortof hoping that someone here would be a bit more specific about which books REALLY had a connection and which books just have a little blurb about it.

If you've read the books, you know there is a huge difference between the connection in Eyes of the Dragon and the connections in From a Buick 8.

Mathius
 
I would say the Gunslinger is the worst book in the series, but it gets really good at book 2. P.s the ending of the dark tower is kind of depressing haha
 
The series had been recommended to me so many times, but I put it off. Then I read Hearts in Atlantis and really enjoyed the first part, and was especially intrigued by the 'low men'.

When I found out how this was connected to the Dark Tower series, I borrowed a copy of the old version of The Gunslinger from my sister. I still really love the opening lines of that book! The next two were also really enjoyable. I'm up to Wizard and Glass but can't seem to get into this one at all, been on my floor gathering dust for a while. Worth giving another go?
 
Murphy said:
The series had been recommended to me so many times, but I put it off. Then I read Hearts in Atlantis and really enjoyed the first part, and was especially intrigued by the 'low men'.

When I found out how this was connected to the Dark Tower series, I borrowed a copy of the old version of The Gunslinger from my sister. I still really love the opening lines of that book! The next two were also really enjoyable. I'm up to Wizard and Glass but can't seem to get into this one at all, been on my floor gathering dust for a while. Worth giving another go?
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<shrug> for the most part that one simply establishes a background for Roland. Seems unnecessary at the time, but later on there are a lot of instances that become significant.

I liked the Dark Tower, but the more I read of King's other books, the more I'm convinced they're all basically the same.

Small town suffers from some weird horror. Pretty general I guess, but all his books definitely have the same feel, and very close plots.

I read Cujo and Pet Semetary when I was in high school. I read Eyes of the Dragon sometime after high school. Recently read the Dark Tower, plus From a Buick 8, It, and Salem's lot, and I had to stop there.

I just can't take much more Stephen King. The guy needs to try something new.

Reminds me of that Family Guy scene where Stephen King's sitting there with his agent, and there's a lamp on the desk and King is like...

"I'm writing a novel about a.... <looks at the lamp>... scary lamp monster! HOOOH!"

And the agent/editor goes, "You're not even trying anymore, are you? <sigh> When can I have it?"

Mathius
 
I stopped at the third book because they become too hard to find at libraries or used book stores.

I enjoyed them all quite a bit though the third one especially.
 
Just started the Gunslinger and enjoying it. I dont think I will read the whole series back to back though. I think my enthusiasm would fade if I did that.
 
gallagher672003 said:
Just started the Gunslinger and enjoying it. I dont think I will read the whole series back to back though. I think my enthusiasm would fade if I did that.
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Please tell me that it gets better. Its only a short book but it doesnt make me want to continue much. By the end it became a chore to read.

It began so promisingly too.
 
gallagher672003 said:
Please tell me that it gets better. Its only a short book but it doesnt make me want to continue much. By the end it became a chore to read.

It began so promisingly too.
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The gunslinger's way hard to get through. Took me two tries. The rest of the series gets better. This is from a guy who isn't really a King fan, either.

Mathius
 
gallagher672003 said:
Just started the Gunslinger and enjoying it. I dont think I will read the whole series back to back though. I think my enthusiasm would fade if I did that.
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Which version did you buy? The original or the new revised one that he rewrote back in '04? (Was it '04? Whatever, it was within the past five years).
 
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