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The Dark Tower #6
Susannah
Mit Band VI des Zyklus um den Dunklen Turm nähert sich Stephen King dem großen Finale. Als ein Balken des Turms einstürzt und in Mittwelt ein Erdbeben auslöst, müssen Roland und Eddie erkennen, dass ihnen die Zeit wegläuft. In ihrer Verzweiflung beschließen sie, ihren Schöpfer aufzusuchen, während Susannah in New York Rolands Sohn zur Welt bringt. Der Kreis beginnt sich zu schließen.
494 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2004
4007 people are currently reading
69570 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,301 books891k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,986 reviews
December 17, 2021
(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: Nothing remarkable, but nothing terrible. Just a light aperitif to cleanse the palate and set the stage for the final tome.
Notes: Nothing remarkable, but nothing terrible. Just a light aperitif to cleanse the palate and set the stage for the final tome.
December 19, 2025
OH. MY. WORD. I cannot even, right now. The last few sentences of this literally took my breath away!!!
I cannot believe I am using this many exclamation points, but seriously, have you read this?!?!
I am so in love with this series. I just want to stare at the gorgeous covers all day and ponder the meaning of it all; its true to the guts meaning.
It's bloody EPIC.
As a continuation of the overall series, this was pure perfection. As a reader, you know the end draws nigh. The pace of the story is like a quickening heartbeat racing towards the ultimate conclusion.
I am so happy that I picked this up and continued on my journey to the Tower. The connections in this one...
Sai King truly is a master of our world, or any world, for that matter. I doff my cap.
Exceptionally intricate, compelling and extraordinarily told. Nothing short of genius.
A must read for any Constant Reader.
You know who you are...
Earlier:
Announcement:
I am putting this back on the shelf for the moment.
Please know, it has nothing to do with the book.
I repeat, it has NOTHING to do with the book!
It is a great book and I love my journey to the Tower, I am just a little overwhelmed with other things right now. I feel like I am not giving this the attention it deserves so I will come back to it when I can.
Actual letter from me to this book:
Dear Dark Tower Series,
It's not you, it's me.
No, seriously. I love you. I am low-key obsessed with you, I just don't have the time to dedicate to this relationship right now.
I will keep you in my heart until we meet again.
Truly Yours,
Meg
Memo from Dark Tower Series to Meg:
I cannot believe I am using this many exclamation points, but seriously, have you read this?!?!
I am so in love with this series. I just want to stare at the gorgeous covers all day and ponder the meaning of it all; its true to the guts meaning.
It's bloody EPIC.
As a continuation of the overall series, this was pure perfection. As a reader, you know the end draws nigh. The pace of the story is like a quickening heartbeat racing towards the ultimate conclusion.
I am so happy that I picked this up and continued on my journey to the Tower. The connections in this one...
Sai King truly is a master of our world, or any world, for that matter. I doff my cap.
Exceptionally intricate, compelling and extraordinarily told. Nothing short of genius.
A must read for any Constant Reader.
You know who you are...
Earlier:
Announcement:
I am putting this back on the shelf for the moment.
Please know, it has nothing to do with the book.
I repeat, it has NOTHING to do with the book!
It is a great book and I love my journey to the Tower, I am just a little overwhelmed with other things right now. I feel like I am not giving this the attention it deserves so I will come back to it when I can.
Actual letter from me to this book:
Dear Dark Tower Series,
It's not you, it's me.
No, seriously. I love you. I am low-key obsessed with you, I just don't have the time to dedicate to this relationship right now.
I will keep you in my heart until we meet again.
Truly Yours,
Meg
Memo from Dark Tower Series to Meg:
June 14, 2020
After enjoying some short, not really peaceful, time together, the ka-tet has to be separated to accelerate the plot.
Close to everything is related to the other novels, so we have:
Susannah Mia is internally torn apart and a bit indecisive about the best . Just take all the average fantasy races, aliens, real animals, and mix it all up together to any result you may wish and one can imagine what storylines could be constructed that way. The characters, mentality, goals, of the different parties are as manifold and could be used for innuendos, humor, or just adding an extra layer of complexity to the already existing, biological, mental, dimensional,…uniqueness.
I´ve already mentioned this in the review of book 5, but I can´t overemphasize it enough: I´ve hardly ever seen an author integrating her/himself as a major plot point in a series, but King does it in a funny and self-critical way. I imagine it difficult to caricature oneself for the sake of a good story and it might be close to impossible to not lose the suspension of disbelief, something King amazingly never seems to have to worry about. It´s also a great allegory and metaphor for the power of imagination and fantasy, a love letter to the magic ability of literature to make real what seem translucent.
I´ve wasted much time thinking and philosophizing about what these dead trees are doing with my brain, realizing I´ve been away for years, asking myself, while remembering that we know exactly nothing about brain science, quantum physics, just everything, if I have been here or somewhere else. And if I´ve reached the unique trance state of becoming once with the story, did I live my boring meatsack life, or were I somewhere else and did this place really exist at that moment in a place we still can´t understand. But back to good old violence and gore.
All comes together at the end again, someone dies (you won´t expect who, believe me), and we are sadly coming closer to the end of something unique, as other authors may write as good as King, but nobody included so much of himself in her/his work. Writers may be better at worldbuilding, more dynamic, and very especially at avoiding info dumping and unnecessary lengths, but hardly someone wants or dares to share intimate details about her/himself with the world as King does. He loves reading, all of his kids are bookaholics and/or authors, and I can´t imagine how beautiful and ecstatic is must be to both read and write, especially as King describes it as leaving reality, letting the characters tell the story without much planning, turning on the music, and lifting of.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
Close to everything is related to the other novels, so we have:
Susannah Mia is internally torn apart and a bit indecisive about the best . Just take all the average fantasy races, aliens, real animals, and mix it all up together to any result you may wish and one can imagine what storylines could be constructed that way. The characters, mentality, goals, of the different parties are as manifold and could be used for innuendos, humor, or just adding an extra layer of complexity to the already existing, biological, mental, dimensional,…uniqueness.
I´ve already mentioned this in the review of book 5, but I can´t overemphasize it enough: I´ve hardly ever seen an author integrating her/himself as a major plot point in a series, but King does it in a funny and self-critical way. I imagine it difficult to caricature oneself for the sake of a good story and it might be close to impossible to not lose the suspension of disbelief, something King amazingly never seems to have to worry about. It´s also a great allegory and metaphor for the power of imagination and fantasy, a love letter to the magic ability of literature to make real what seem translucent.
I´ve wasted much time thinking and philosophizing about what these dead trees are doing with my brain, realizing I´ve been away for years, asking myself, while remembering that we know exactly nothing about brain science, quantum physics, just everything, if I have been here or somewhere else. And if I´ve reached the unique trance state of becoming once with the story, did I live my boring meatsack life, or were I somewhere else and did this place really exist at that moment in a place we still can´t understand. But back to good old violence and gore.
All comes together at the end again, someone dies (you won´t expect who, believe me), and we are sadly coming closer to the end of something unique, as other authors may write as good as King, but nobody included so much of himself in her/his work. Writers may be better at worldbuilding, more dynamic, and very especially at avoiding info dumping and unnecessary lengths, but hardly someone wants or dares to share intimate details about her/himself with the world as King does. He loves reading, all of his kids are bookaholics and/or authors, and I can´t imagine how beautiful and ecstatic is must be to both read and write, especially as King describes it as leaving reality, letting the characters tell the story without much planning, turning on the music, and lifting of.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
August 19, 2017
I'm going to sit down and write reviews on the whole Dark Tower series after I finish, but I just have to say these books are becoming more and more tiresome. It just seems as if King has lost the vision of Roland the Gunslinger, so he - in order to have something to write about - constantly tinkers with the lore, changes history around, blames things on this multi-timestream concept, or spends whole novels describing an event merely to snap his fingers and change everything the next book so as to move his new plot line along. And the worst part of it all is that I've begun The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower and it appears to be in the same vein as the last two novels and not the great novels from earlier in the series.
To me, The Gunslinger, The Waste Lands and Wizard and Glass were epic works, because King seamlessly combined fantasy, post-apocalyptic, horror, and - dare I say it - western themes to create something fresh and grand. Reading one of those novels was like trying out a new dessert for the first time and savoring this delicious taste you had discovered.
On the other hand, The Drawing of the Three, Wolves of the Calla, and Song of Susannah read like contemporary, horror type novels, played out mainly in modern America rather than the addictive lands of Mid-World. It is just ho-hum fiction, nothing to set it apart from other books of that sort besides the title Dark Tower part whatever.
And if the gradual unraveling of a once great story wasn't progressing fast enough, Stephen King decides to do something that is just unthinkable to me: write himself into the story as a god-creator, almost a Rose Part Deux.
How could he have ever thought that was a good idea?
I honestly don't know, because it did nothing to actually make sense of the growing mess that is the Dark Tower series. Perhaps it will help shape the ending, but if so, I have just went todash and have witnessed the train wreck which will be the end of the Dark Tower series.
These are just my initial thoughts on Song of Susannah and the Dark Tower series as I begin reading the last book. No matter how annoyed I feel at this moment, I've made a commitment to finish the Dark Tower, so I will push forward, even though I cringe to think how bad the ending is going to be.
To me, The Gunslinger, The Waste Lands and Wizard and Glass were epic works, because King seamlessly combined fantasy, post-apocalyptic, horror, and - dare I say it - western themes to create something fresh and grand. Reading one of those novels was like trying out a new dessert for the first time and savoring this delicious taste you had discovered.
On the other hand, The Drawing of the Three, Wolves of the Calla, and Song of Susannah read like contemporary, horror type novels, played out mainly in modern America rather than the addictive lands of Mid-World. It is just ho-hum fiction, nothing to set it apart from other books of that sort besides the title Dark Tower part whatever.
And if the gradual unraveling of a once great story wasn't progressing fast enough, Stephen King decides to do something that is just unthinkable to me: write himself into the story as a god-creator, almost a Rose Part Deux.
How could he have ever thought that was a good idea?
I honestly don't know, because it did nothing to actually make sense of the growing mess that is the Dark Tower series. Perhaps it will help shape the ending, but if so, I have just went todash and have witnessed the train wreck which will be the end of the Dark Tower series.
These are just my initial thoughts on Song of Susannah and the Dark Tower series as I begin reading the last book. No matter how annoyed I feel at this moment, I've made a commitment to finish the Dark Tower, so I will push forward, even though I cringe to think how bad the ending is going to be.
January 10, 2021
“Their situation was becoming ever harder to deny: they were characters in someone's story.”
Stephen King, Song of Susannah
The Wolves of Calla have fallen, but so has the Ka-tet! Susannah is off with Mia,'the chap' AND Black Thirteen. Oy, Jake and Pere have gone one way and Roland and Eddie the other. With the fates of the vacant lot and The Rose therein, 'the chap', Black Thirteen, Calvin Tower and the journey to The Dark Tower itself all up for grabs, in different wheres and whens, the Kat-et have to fight, research and intuit to stay alive and progress, without the full support of each other! It's back, the trek to the Tower ratchets up a gear or two!
In a wilful and almost beautiful but demented writing binge, King provides 400+ gripping pages to cover just a a couple of days but several wheres and whens. There's some seriously good meta going on in this volume culminating with what I personally feel is one of the best chapters in the series, the last chapter of this book. The whole book has suddenly reminded everyone that time is short and to accompany that for the first time in the series there are no breathing spaces or scene setter, it's just go go go, and it works. At a point where my total admiration and love for the series was reigning, this brought it on track. I original handed this a 6 out of 12 in 2006, but now I have fuller context, this book is now an easy 9 out of 12!
Long days and pleasant nights.
Stephen King, Song of Susannah
The Wolves of Calla have fallen, but so has the Ka-tet! Susannah is off with Mia,'the chap' AND Black Thirteen. Oy, Jake and Pere have gone one way and Roland and Eddie the other. With the fates of the vacant lot and The Rose therein, 'the chap', Black Thirteen, Calvin Tower and the journey to The Dark Tower itself all up for grabs, in different wheres and whens, the Kat-et have to fight, research and intuit to stay alive and progress, without the full support of each other! It's back, the trek to the Tower ratchets up a gear or two!
In a wilful and almost beautiful but demented writing binge, King provides 400+ gripping pages to cover just a a couple of days but several wheres and whens. There's some seriously good meta going on in this volume culminating with what I personally feel is one of the best chapters in the series, the last chapter of this book. The whole book has suddenly reminded everyone that time is short and to accompany that for the first time in the series there are no breathing spaces or scene setter, it's just go go go, and it works. At a point where my total admiration and love for the series was reigning, this brought it on track. I original handed this a 6 out of 12 in 2006, but now I have fuller context, this book is now an easy 9 out of 12!
Long days and pleasant nights.
April 30, 2008
The story wasn't bad, some of the new characters were interesting, but I cannot give it a higher rating because of the author himself.
Stephen King has indulged in the ULTIMATE form of ego stroking in this volume and it pissed me off. The plot could've been structured some other way to avoid what he's doing right now - you *can* adjust plot, much as it sometimes hurts to do so - and the fact that he went ahead and wrote what he wrote is annoying and... well, gross. It's gross.
I had hoped, by the time I finished the book, that I could understand why he did it, that maybe I'd see that the story really *had* to be written that way. At the end of this book, I didn't see that and was still irked. And disappointed.
Only one more book to go, and I'm doubting he'll redeem himself in my eyes...
Stephen King has indulged in the ULTIMATE form of ego stroking in this volume and it pissed me off. The plot could've been structured some other way to avoid what he's doing right now - you *can* adjust plot, much as it sometimes hurts to do so - and the fact that he went ahead and wrote what he wrote is annoying and... well, gross. It's gross.
I had hoped, by the time I finished the book, that I could understand why he did it, that maybe I'd see that the story really *had* to be written that way. At the end of this book, I didn't see that and was still irked. And disappointed.
Only one more book to go, and I'm doubting he'll redeem himself in my eyes...
April 8, 2016
“Would’ee speak a word of prayer first, Roland? To whatever God thee holds?”
“I hold to no God,” Roland said. “I hold to the Tower and won’t pray to that.”
Damn, I love that line. It so perfectly sums up Roland, his quest to find the Tower, what it’s cost him, and how he knows he isn’t done paying yet.
For years, it seemed like Dark Tower had been walking in aimless circles during the long breaks between the third, fourth and fifth books. We knew that King had finished the final three volumes after losing a game of chicken with a minivan, and he’d gotten the story back up and striding briskly in the right direction with Wolves of the Calla including ending that one on a pretty wicked cliffhanger.
Still the pace of this one took me by surprise. It’s like King suddenly pulled out a whip and started cracking it over the heads of the DT fans while screaming, “Run, you bastards! You gotta run if you want to find out what happens! BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!”
And he didn’t even let us stretch properly first. That’s how you end up with a pulled hamstring.
Susannah’s demon pregnancy led to her being taken over by the personality of Mia, and she fled Mid-World to New York in 1999 via the Doorway Cave. As Susannah wrestles Mia for control of her own body and learns more about the Crimson King, Roland and Eddie plan to follow and save her while Jake and Callahan also come to our world to protect the rose growing in a vacant lot which is actually a critical incarnation of the Tower. But when things go off the rails, all of the gunslingers will have to scramble to try and save not only Susannah, but their own lives.
This is essentially a set-up book that preps the way for the conclusion in the last one, and it doesn’t resolve a helluva lot on it’s own. Still, I like it for its breakneck pace and the sense of urgency that King worked into this one. The breaking of a beam in Mid-World before the action moves to New York was a great reminder of the stakes here. The lines of force holding reality together are being subverted by the Crimson King’s breakers, and the so-called beamquake when one snaps is a stark warning to Roland and company that they are quickly running out of time.
Unfortunately, while the Susannah pregnancy story makes for a pretty good hook to drive the urgency of the story, it ends up being kind of unsatisfying overall once you know how the whole series ends. Plus, the conflict between Susannah and Mia reminded me a lot of a very similar plot that King had done in Dreamcatcher shortly before this book was released so it didn’t seem all that fresh.
Overall, there’s a feel of desperation in this one that takes us nicely into the final volume, and the cliffhangers here had me on the edge of my seat the first time I read this.
There’s one controversial piece to this part of the DT story.
“I hold to no God,” Roland said. “I hold to the Tower and won’t pray to that.”
Damn, I love that line. It so perfectly sums up Roland, his quest to find the Tower, what it’s cost him, and how he knows he isn’t done paying yet.
For years, it seemed like Dark Tower had been walking in aimless circles during the long breaks between the third, fourth and fifth books. We knew that King had finished the final three volumes after losing a game of chicken with a minivan, and he’d gotten the story back up and striding briskly in the right direction with Wolves of the Calla including ending that one on a pretty wicked cliffhanger.
Still the pace of this one took me by surprise. It’s like King suddenly pulled out a whip and started cracking it over the heads of the DT fans while screaming, “Run, you bastards! You gotta run if you want to find out what happens! BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!”
And he didn’t even let us stretch properly first. That’s how you end up with a pulled hamstring.
Susannah’s demon pregnancy led to her being taken over by the personality of Mia, and she fled Mid-World to New York in 1999 via the Doorway Cave. As Susannah wrestles Mia for control of her own body and learns more about the Crimson King, Roland and Eddie plan to follow and save her while Jake and Callahan also come to our world to protect the rose growing in a vacant lot which is actually a critical incarnation of the Tower. But when things go off the rails, all of the gunslingers will have to scramble to try and save not only Susannah, but their own lives.
This is essentially a set-up book that preps the way for the conclusion in the last one, and it doesn’t resolve a helluva lot on it’s own. Still, I like it for its breakneck pace and the sense of urgency that King worked into this one. The breaking of a beam in Mid-World before the action moves to New York was a great reminder of the stakes here. The lines of force holding reality together are being subverted by the Crimson King’s breakers, and the so-called beamquake when one snaps is a stark warning to Roland and company that they are quickly running out of time.
Unfortunately, while the Susannah pregnancy story makes for a pretty good hook to drive the urgency of the story, it ends up being kind of unsatisfying overall once you know how the whole series ends. Plus, the conflict between Susannah and Mia reminded me a lot of a very similar plot that King had done in Dreamcatcher shortly before this book was released so it didn’t seem all that fresh.
Overall, there’s a feel of desperation in this one that takes us nicely into the final volume, and the cliffhangers here had me on the edge of my seat the first time I read this.
There’s one controversial piece to this part of the DT story.
December 5, 2019
“It got so I couldn't tell if you were the hero, the antihero, or no hero at all.”
The sixth book in King’s Dark Tower series, wherein the ka-tet are split up and sent to different “whens” and “wheres” to achieve their goals.
Song of Susannah was one of those instances where a reread proved to be very informative... as what I thought happened in this book did not actually happen in this book... I was getting ahead of myself. And for that reason I understand the complaints that not much really happens in here plot-wise, it does serve as more of a build-up and a bridge to the final book in the series.
There are three separate storylines running simultaneously as the ka-tet is divided, and all feel very fraught and tense in their own ways, but I do miss the interaction between all the characters. Susannah’s strand is probably my least favourite, which is a shame as it should be the most thrilling, but at times it felt bogged down with these hallucinations and the three voices conversing together - it wasn’t always clear what was happening.
Not everyone is a fan of how meta the series gets, but I for one, am a fan of this! Although on this reread I did find some parts a little... cringeworthy? But I understand why King chose to write this into the story, as it makes sense in the grander scheme of his entire body of work, as a lot of it is connected to this series. (If it seems like I’m not making much sense, I am trying to remain spoiler-free for anyone who may come across this review but hasn’t got this far yet) But I know fans’ opinions vary widely on this!
The end of the book is thrilling as everything comes to a head and we are left on an almighty cliffhanger as we proceed into the final book of the series. Song of Susannah is probably my least favourite book in the series, but there is still much to enjoy and appreciate, and I won’t be waiting too long to delve into that final book again!
“As for you, Constant Reader... One more turn of the path, and then we reach the clearing. Come along with me, will ya not?”
4 stars.
The sixth book in King’s Dark Tower series, wherein the ka-tet are split up and sent to different “whens” and “wheres” to achieve their goals.
Song of Susannah was one of those instances where a reread proved to be very informative... as what I thought happened in this book did not actually happen in this book... I was getting ahead of myself. And for that reason I understand the complaints that not much really happens in here plot-wise, it does serve as more of a build-up and a bridge to the final book in the series.
There are three separate storylines running simultaneously as the ka-tet is divided, and all feel very fraught and tense in their own ways, but I do miss the interaction between all the characters. Susannah’s strand is probably my least favourite, which is a shame as it should be the most thrilling, but at times it felt bogged down with these hallucinations and the three voices conversing together - it wasn’t always clear what was happening.
Not everyone is a fan of how meta the series gets, but I for one, am a fan of this! Although on this reread I did find some parts a little... cringeworthy? But I understand why King chose to write this into the story, as it makes sense in the grander scheme of his entire body of work, as a lot of it is connected to this series. (If it seems like I’m not making much sense, I am trying to remain spoiler-free for anyone who may come across this review but hasn’t got this far yet) But I know fans’ opinions vary widely on this!
The end of the book is thrilling as everything comes to a head and we are left on an almighty cliffhanger as we proceed into the final book of the series. Song of Susannah is probably my least favourite book in the series, but there is still much to enjoy and appreciate, and I won’t be waiting too long to delve into that final book again!
“As for you, Constant Reader... One more turn of the path, and then we reach the clearing. Come along with me, will ya not?”
4 stars.
December 7, 2016
Upon coming to, Stephen King registered a mixed expression of fear, anger and puzzlement. Perhaps being bound and gagged had something to do with it. His face was contorted and purple and his hair was standing up with much of it covering his forehead and bulging eyes.
The tall, ungainly gunslinger was standing over him, concerned and apologetic.
“Sorry that I hit ya, Sai. If I take off the duct tape, will ya promise that ya won’t scream?”
King vigorously nodded.
“You was running away and shoutin’ and I didn’t really know what else to do, but bop ya on the head,” the gunslinger explained as he removed the tape.
The first thing out of King’s mouth: “Who the hell are you?”
“It ain’t really who I am that’s important, it’s who you are.”
“Huh?”
“Yer the Gan, the God, the all-creator of everything. Books you wrote about a Dark Tower have kind of bled over into different realities. I’m in one of these realities and I don’t mind tellin’ ya, things are getting mighty tough.”
“Can you get me a beer?”
The gunslinger groaned and limped over to the refrigerator.
“Why the hell are you limping so badly?”
“My nutsack is sore. It caught on the doorway when I got sucked into this here reality.”
King stared at the gunslinger as he removed the cap from the beer and gave King a swig.
“You’re not going to untie me, are you?”
“Look my time is short and I’ll do it right before I leave. I gots a list here in my pocket."
He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and started reading, slowly.
“First, don’t write the Dark Tower books.”
“If I don’t write them, then won’t you disappear?”
“How in tarnation do ya figure that, Mr. Smarypants Gan?”
“Well, if your existence is based on the writing of those books and I don’t write them, then you won’t be around.”
“Well, hell, just…uh…write somethin’ a little different.”
There was a sound of off-key chimes in the distance.
“Pardon Sai, but I have to speed this up a bit. If you got to write them, write some of them shorter. Also, don’t write books about the eyes of a dragon, Tom Gordon, a cell and…”
The chimes were growing louder.
“Also, if you get a visit from two blonde gunslingers, don’t listen to a word they’re sayin’. They can be very persuasive and they’ll put a hurtin’ on ya. Don’t eat no chocolate cake or drink any Kool-ade neither.”
The chimes were now deafening.
“Gotta go, your ganship and thankee.”
The gunslinger limped quickly out the door.
Suddenly, the chimes stopped.
“You big galoot. You forgot to untie me.”
The tall, ungainly gunslinger was standing over him, concerned and apologetic.
“Sorry that I hit ya, Sai. If I take off the duct tape, will ya promise that ya won’t scream?”
King vigorously nodded.
“You was running away and shoutin’ and I didn’t really know what else to do, but bop ya on the head,” the gunslinger explained as he removed the tape.
The first thing out of King’s mouth: “Who the hell are you?”
“It ain’t really who I am that’s important, it’s who you are.”
“Huh?”
“Yer the Gan, the God, the all-creator of everything. Books you wrote about a Dark Tower have kind of bled over into different realities. I’m in one of these realities and I don’t mind tellin’ ya, things are getting mighty tough.”
“Can you get me a beer?”
The gunslinger groaned and limped over to the refrigerator.
“Why the hell are you limping so badly?”
“My nutsack is sore. It caught on the doorway when I got sucked into this here reality.”
King stared at the gunslinger as he removed the cap from the beer and gave King a swig.
“You’re not going to untie me, are you?”
“Look my time is short and I’ll do it right before I leave. I gots a list here in my pocket."
He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and started reading, slowly.
“First, don’t write the Dark Tower books.”
“If I don’t write them, then won’t you disappear?”
“How in tarnation do ya figure that, Mr. Smarypants Gan?”
“Well, if your existence is based on the writing of those books and I don’t write them, then you won’t be around.”
“Well, hell, just…uh…write somethin’ a little different.”
There was a sound of off-key chimes in the distance.
“Pardon Sai, but I have to speed this up a bit. If you got to write them, write some of them shorter. Also, don’t write books about the eyes of a dragon, Tom Gordon, a cell and…”
The chimes were growing louder.
“Also, if you get a visit from two blonde gunslingers, don’t listen to a word they’re sayin’. They can be very persuasive and they’ll put a hurtin’ on ya. Don’t eat no chocolate cake or drink any Kool-ade neither.”
The chimes were now deafening.
“Gotta go, your ganship and thankee.”
The gunslinger limped quickly out the door.
Suddenly, the chimes stopped.
“You big galoot. You forgot to untie me.”
October 17, 2021
Mia, daughter of none, is soon to become mother of one. Her long-anticipated chap, the one with the disconcerting blue eyes (even in utero), is about to be born. The Dixie Pig awaits, filled with the Taheen, humanoids with the heads of animals. They serve the Crimson King. Seems a poor choice for a place to birth a baby, but we are not in charge, we do not get to decide.
Black Thirteen, the much feared crystal ball is temporarily stashed where its cunning glammer can cause no harm. Stored in a wooden box made of ghostwood and covered with a cloth, its slickness and pulsating pull is muffled for the nonce. There is an unfound door to be reckoned with, as well as Walk-Ins and a scrimshaw turtle. Yar, reality can be thin.
'...a place where shadows are cancelled and time holds its breath.'
Song of Susannah, such a lovely cadence to the words, no? I purchased my copy of this hot off the press in 2004. It has a cloth bound cover. The thing I noticed with my third read of it was how thick the pages are. I like this one better every time I read it.
Black Thirteen, the much feared crystal ball is temporarily stashed where its cunning glammer can cause no harm. Stored in a wooden box made of ghostwood and covered with a cloth, its slickness and pulsating pull is muffled for the nonce. There is an unfound door to be reckoned with, as well as Walk-Ins and a scrimshaw turtle. Yar, reality can be thin.
'...a place where shadows are cancelled and time holds its breath.'
Song of Susannah, such a lovely cadence to the words, no? I purchased my copy of this hot off the press in 2004. It has a cloth bound cover. The thing I noticed with my third read of it was how thick the pages are. I like this one better every time I read it.
August 20, 2014
This book was just disgusting in it's narcissism and lack of story advancement. Once again we have a 400 page book where nothing at all really happens for 95% of the book. Also it's a book that is all about Susannah - who I have hated since I first "met" her.
The entire story diverges from the "rules" of the established world that has been created in all the previous books.
I also found there to be some ridiculous plot contrivances like
Most egregious of all and the most supercilious is how Stephen King writes himself into the story as a character. It was beyond what I can accept or tolerate.
The entire book was completely irritating and I'm sick to death of the overuse of the weird way everyone talks. I'm sick of a story about the Dark Tower, never actually progressing towards the Dark Tower. I'm tired of a bunch of filler books which don't advance the story. I have no idea how this series is mentioned sometimes on lists of "the best fantasy fiction".
The entire story diverges from the "rules" of the established world that has been created in all the previous books.
I also found there to be some ridiculous plot contrivances like
Most egregious of all and the most supercilious is how Stephen King writes himself into the story as a character. It was beyond what I can accept or tolerate.
The entire book was completely irritating and I'm sick to death of the overuse of the weird way everyone talks. I'm sick of a story about the Dark Tower, never actually progressing towards the Dark Tower. I'm tired of a bunch of filler books which don't advance the story. I have no idea how this series is mentioned sometimes on lists of "the best fantasy fiction".
October 29, 2020
La verdad es que no tengo tanta fascinación como me gustaría a este autor. Lo considero un gran escritor pero cada vez que leo un libro suyo me amarga la existencia y me deja con muy mal cuerpo.
Me pasó con “It” y poco he decir que “cementerio de animales” lo dejé a mitad por lo mismo. Por ese motivo, cuando leo la saga de "La Torre oscura" voy con pies de plomo al cubo. A pesar de todo... ¿Me gusta la saga en sí ? Sí, bastante. Pero creo que no la estoy cogiendo con las ganas que le tenía hace un par de años.
Al mismo tiempo, pienso que debería leer los otros libros que se encuentran encuadrados en el multiverso de King porque pienso que lo entendería todo mejor. Solo me queda esta última parte, pero no sé cuando la leeré, si dentro de un par de meses, un año...o simplemente me releeré toda la saga junto con el resto de libros para poder comprender todo decentemente.
Me pasó con “It” y poco he decir que “cementerio de animales” lo dejé a mitad por lo mismo. Por ese motivo, cuando leo la saga de "La Torre oscura" voy con pies de plomo al cubo. A pesar de todo... ¿Me gusta la saga en sí ? Sí, bastante. Pero creo que no la estoy cogiendo con las ganas que le tenía hace un par de años.
Al mismo tiempo, pienso que debería leer los otros libros que se encuentran encuadrados en el multiverso de King porque pienso que lo entendería todo mejor. Solo me queda esta última parte, pero no sé cuando la leeré, si dentro de un par de meses, un año...o simplemente me releeré toda la saga junto con el resto de libros para poder comprender todo decentemente.
July 15, 2016
The 2011 re-read:
Susanna/Mia uses Black Thirteen and flees to New York to have her baby. Roland, Eddie, Jake, and Callahan get the Manni to open the Unfound Door and end up in the wrong places. Can Roland and Eddie convince Calvin Tower to sell them the lot where the Rose grows? Can Jake and Callahan find Susannah before she has her baby?
Song of Susannah was my least favorite book in the Dark Tower series the first time through. Susannah has never been my favorite character in the Dark Tower saga and this book is really Susannah-heavy. On the second read, I had to raise it another star. The Susannah/Mia conflict had its moments and did a lot of setting up for the big shebang coming in the seventh and final book. A lot more background information was revealed.
I'd be lying if I said Susannah was the reason I upped this one a star upon re-reading. The other reason is that Jake and Eddie seem like bonafide Gunslingers in this book, even more than they did in Wolves of the Calla. The relationship between Eddie and Roland has developed quite a bit since The Drawing of the Three, as has Roland's character. I still love Long, Tall, and Ugly, even though he'd probably leave me along the Path of the Beam the first morning I bitched about not having coffee.
There is something else that I liked a lot more the second time but it's pretty spoilerific.
While it's not my favorite of the Dark Tower books, it's still good and it lays a lot of the cards down on the table for the final volume, The Dark Tower. See you all along the Path of the Beam.
Susanna/Mia uses Black Thirteen and flees to New York to have her baby. Roland, Eddie, Jake, and Callahan get the Manni to open the Unfound Door and end up in the wrong places. Can Roland and Eddie convince Calvin Tower to sell them the lot where the Rose grows? Can Jake and Callahan find Susannah before she has her baby?
Song of Susannah was my least favorite book in the Dark Tower series the first time through. Susannah has never been my favorite character in the Dark Tower saga and this book is really Susannah-heavy. On the second read, I had to raise it another star. The Susannah/Mia conflict had its moments and did a lot of setting up for the big shebang coming in the seventh and final book. A lot more background information was revealed.
I'd be lying if I said Susannah was the reason I upped this one a star upon re-reading. The other reason is that Jake and Eddie seem like bonafide Gunslingers in this book, even more than they did in Wolves of the Calla. The relationship between Eddie and Roland has developed quite a bit since The Drawing of the Three, as has Roland's character. I still love Long, Tall, and Ugly, even though he'd probably leave me along the Path of the Beam the first morning I bitched about not having coffee.
There is something else that I liked a lot more the second time but it's pretty spoilerific.
While it's not my favorite of the Dark Tower books, it's still good and it lays a lot of the cards down on the table for the final volume, The Dark Tower. See you all along the Path of the Beam.
June 11, 2021
Oh Susannah. Will she ever walk alone? Perhaps. But not at this time. Not in New York, the place she had once called home. Now it's the place she is taken captive. It's not Detta this time. They had their peace, and Detta settled. Now it's Mia's turn, and she is stronger than ol' nasty Detta ever was. To New York then on the run. A world away, yet still along the path of the beam. Mia will birth her chap there. She'll need Susannah, for a spell. After all, she does reside in the same body.
Damn, this was better than I had remembered! During my first journey to the Tower, I would have placed this book last. For the life of me, I could say why I thought that then. Now, its right there with the others. I had remembered it being the book about Susannah. That's only partly true. Although she becomes the main character, Roland and Eddie occupy almost as much page space, and the character development is far more dense than I had recalled. It's not the same for Jake and Callahan. Their part to play is last here, setting the stage for a doozy of a start in the final book to come. Song of Susannah still reads like it is a part of that final book, The Dark Tower, but it doesn't bother me in the least. Nor does the fact that King plays a cameo, breaking that reader’s wall. I'm sure I hadn't expected that the first time. This time, I like it.
PS. Most fun moments for me here? Without a doubt, it’s Detta. Now that Mia has taken over the role of the bad guy, Detta provides the unexpectedly hilarious comic relief. She is still one crass lady, but it sure is more fun when she's pointing that mouth in another direction.
May 26, 2015
7/10
Well played Mr. King, well played. Very clever of you to lower my expectations going into the final book with this less than stellar attempt. Clever indeed. Now I’m not going into the final book with my expectations set at “best series finale ever!” and more hoping for “nicely wraps up the series”.
Whilst not the strongest in the series (possibly the weakest, if you can really call it weak) this was still an exciting read in places. Certain parts of the story actually were really good and made for a very quick read overall. The shootout with Roland and Eddie near the beginning was one of the series highlights in fact and was truly gripping.
The parts I didn’t like all that much were the Mia and Susannah parts which did take up over half of the book, I found it hard to pay attention to these parts and was wishing for a quick return to some real “Gunslinging” but they were necessary for the direction of the series (I can only hope/assume).
It’s hard to not put series spoilers in a review of the 6th book in a series but the following may contain mild ones (be warned!). The elephant in the room is clearly the fact that Stephen King writes himself into this story. This normally grates when an author does that, like Clive Cusslar, the egotistical, self-centred prick that he is. I really disliked it when he wrote himself into “Inca Gold” and I just wanted to throw the book in the fire, the smug git. However, rant over, I actually quite liked what King was doing with this and how he met with certain characters and interacted with them in “real life”. I especially liked the Coda at the end where King was writing in a semi-biographical journal about his desire and need to return to the ka-tet for reasons unknown to himself.
In summary, if you’ve read the first 5 then the chances are you will read this and hopefully not be too disappointed with it. Some may even enjoy it and like what King is doing. I liked it but it definitely was not a series high and more a setup for the finale. I also noticed I’ve not rated any of the books in the series higher than 4* individually but the series as a whole is definitely 5*. A series well worth starting if you’ve not as of yet.
If you like this try: “11/22/63” by Stephen King
Well played Mr. King, well played. Very clever of you to lower my expectations going into the final book with this less than stellar attempt. Clever indeed. Now I’m not going into the final book with my expectations set at “best series finale ever!” and more hoping for “nicely wraps up the series”.
Whilst not the strongest in the series (possibly the weakest, if you can really call it weak) this was still an exciting read in places. Certain parts of the story actually were really good and made for a very quick read overall. The shootout with Roland and Eddie near the beginning was one of the series highlights in fact and was truly gripping.
The parts I didn’t like all that much were the Mia and Susannah parts which did take up over half of the book, I found it hard to pay attention to these parts and was wishing for a quick return to some real “Gunslinging” but they were necessary for the direction of the series (I can only hope/assume).
It’s hard to not put series spoilers in a review of the 6th book in a series but the following may contain mild ones (be warned!). The elephant in the room is clearly the fact that Stephen King writes himself into this story. This normally grates when an author does that, like Clive Cusslar, the egotistical, self-centred prick that he is. I really disliked it when he wrote himself into “Inca Gold” and I just wanted to throw the book in the fire, the smug git. However, rant over, I actually quite liked what King was doing with this and how he met with certain characters and interacted with them in “real life”. I especially liked the Coda at the end where King was writing in a semi-biographical journal about his desire and need to return to the ka-tet for reasons unknown to himself.
In summary, if you’ve read the first 5 then the chances are you will read this and hopefully not be too disappointed with it. Some may even enjoy it and like what King is doing. I liked it but it definitely was not a series high and more a setup for the finale. I also noticed I’ve not rated any of the books in the series higher than 4* individually but the series as a whole is definitely 5*. A series well worth starting if you’ve not as of yet.
If you like this try: “11/22/63” by Stephen King
June 12, 2024
These meta maneuvers are making me manic and malfunction. I might mention they manipulate my methodical mind into melee and mire me in maximal madness. I might need a medic
I’m not sure my brain fully comprehended what I just read. All I know is that I liked this better than Wolves, but less than most of the other entries.
Susannah is my least favorite of the ka-tet, so spending so much time with her here wasn’t something I particularly enjoyed. When we broke to the sections with Roland and Eddie, and Jake and Callahan that’s when this hit on all cylinders to me.
I loved being out of mid-world for a while (I got my fill of it in Wolves), and this series is at its best when the magical realism seeps from its pages and into our own world. I love it when the ka-tet finds themselves in keystone earth, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this is when King’s writing is at his most eloquent. I think he loves taking our world, moving it one notch to the right and watching the weirdness transpire.
Character I Loved & Hated
Loved Roland as always, but definitely saw far too little of him in this book. I’m sure that will change drastically as I enter the final book.
Hated Mia because did we really need yet another personality out of an already muddled melding of characters into one person? Plus, white people… am I right?
Themes
Inner-conflict, self-doubt, fighting for restoration, and the ominousness of impending doom
One Thing I’ll walk away with
A sudden hunger for strawberries dipped in cream and sugar
Unpopular Opinion
I loved the parts with Stephen King in it as a character. I wasn’t distracted by the meta move, nor did I find it arrogant or overly-experimental. I think his magnum opus would be incomplete without his physical presence
I’m not sure my brain fully comprehended what I just read. All I know is that I liked this better than Wolves, but less than most of the other entries.
Susannah is my least favorite of the ka-tet, so spending so much time with her here wasn’t something I particularly enjoyed. When we broke to the sections with Roland and Eddie, and Jake and Callahan that’s when this hit on all cylinders to me.
I loved being out of mid-world for a while (I got my fill of it in Wolves), and this series is at its best when the magical realism seeps from its pages and into our own world. I love it when the ka-tet finds themselves in keystone earth, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this is when King’s writing is at his most eloquent. I think he loves taking our world, moving it one notch to the right and watching the weirdness transpire.
Character I Loved & Hated
Loved Roland as always, but definitely saw far too little of him in this book. I’m sure that will change drastically as I enter the final book.
Hated Mia because did we really need yet another personality out of an already muddled melding of characters into one person? Plus, white people… am I right?
Themes
Inner-conflict, self-doubt, fighting for restoration, and the ominousness of impending doom
One Thing I’ll walk away with
A sudden hunger for strawberries dipped in cream and sugar
Unpopular Opinion
I loved the parts with Stephen King in it as a character. I wasn’t distracted by the meta move, nor did I find it arrogant or overly-experimental. I think his magnum opus would be incomplete without his physical presence
October 1, 2017
And the series continues. It's something special when you read a book that has so much of the author's heart and soul laced into the pages. This series is so much a part of King that he had to make himself a character in it (that scene with King talking to Eddie Dean and Roland was something else.
Like with all books in the series thus far, the journey has been infinitely more important than the destination. His mind truly is an amazing thing, the way he doesnt see himself as a great architect, but a vessel for his imagination--or simply a translator for his fantasies. It's honestly the only way I could see someone constructing a universe (or a multi-verse) the way he has. Could you imagine outlining every detail of this series? How exhausting that would be--not just exhausting, in fact I think that's the wrong word altogether. Daunting. Yeah, that sounds better. If I had to outline a series like this I think I would be too intimidated to start. No wonder it was hidden in a waste box for decades in his basement, I'd be terrified to face this mammoth down too.
Anyway, there really is something about reading a book by a great. There's just some sort of emotional stirring in your gut when you read their work, something that reminds you just what greatness is. I love this series, and I now look on to the last book sad that it's coming to an end. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready to see the Tower and follow Roland inside but I'm sad the journey is coming to a close. The good news is, there are more great books out there to read--but there's only one dark tower.
Like with all books in the series thus far, the journey has been infinitely more important than the destination. His mind truly is an amazing thing, the way he doesnt see himself as a great architect, but a vessel for his imagination--or simply a translator for his fantasies. It's honestly the only way I could see someone constructing a universe (or a multi-verse) the way he has. Could you imagine outlining every detail of this series? How exhausting that would be--not just exhausting, in fact I think that's the wrong word altogether. Daunting. Yeah, that sounds better. If I had to outline a series like this I think I would be too intimidated to start. No wonder it was hidden in a waste box for decades in his basement, I'd be terrified to face this mammoth down too.
Anyway, there really is something about reading a book by a great. There's just some sort of emotional stirring in your gut when you read their work, something that reminds you just what greatness is. I love this series, and I now look on to the last book sad that it's coming to an end. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready to see the Tower and follow Roland inside but I'm sad the journey is coming to a close. The good news is, there are more great books out there to read--but there's only one dark tower.
May 15, 2023
Number six. I have been really getting into reading the series. Really looking forward to reading the conclusion. Song of Susannah brought together the strands of the previous novel. What I liked about it was the appearance of Stephen King and how he mentioned his demons. Addiction is a theme running through the books. Drugs, smoking, killing, religion and greed with the Tower and his lust for books.
The wolves have been vanquished. Mia has taken over Susannah and escaped through the door in the cave with the Crimson King’s eye. Mia tells her story to Susannah and we get a glimpse of the Crimson Kings followers and of course Mia’s chap makes an appearance.
Roland and Eddie find themselves in an ambush. Jake and Callahan find themselves with Oy in a showdown. A lovely appetizer to the main event and final book.
The wolves have been vanquished. Mia has taken over Susannah and escaped through the door in the cave with the Crimson King’s eye. Mia tells her story to Susannah and we get a glimpse of the Crimson Kings followers and of course Mia’s chap makes an appearance.
Roland and Eddie find themselves in an ambush. Jake and Callahan find themselves with Oy in a showdown. A lovely appetizer to the main event and final book.
January 20, 2026
“The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah” by Stephen King is hands down one of the best entries in the entire Dark Tower series, aside from the first, "The Gunslinger." I loved it, and I can finally see why Constant Readers from around the globe consider this such an epic read.
Now, before I dive into my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Suicide
- Drugs
- Cancer
- Racism
- Religion
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, I have been on this reading journey to The Dark Tower since 2024. I’m almost done with it, and it’ll be one of the greatest reading achievements of my life. Before I started, I compiled and researched a list of how to tackle The Dark Tower series for a few months. I asked librarians, my fellow horror book reviewers, and even Constant Readers who have been reading King since the 1970s. Please keep in mind, it’s heavy with pre-reading books to get the most out of this incredible book series, but it’s also completely fine to just read the seven main books.
Here’s my list of enjoying The Dark Tower series to the fullest degree…
The Stand
The Eyes of the Dragon
Insomnia
Hearts in Atlantis
‘Salem’s Lot
The Talisman
Black House
Everything's Eventual (The Little Sisters of Eluria)
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
Charlie the Choo-Choo
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
The intro to “The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah” was fantastic, and picks up after the insane finale to “The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla.” Obviously, this entry is all about Susannah, a magnificent character who is going through a ton in this story. Considering her multiple personalities, demons, and so much more, I was beyond hooked on everything she was a part of.
I was excited to see what Roland, the Gunslinger, and his ka-tet were up to, and my goodness, this novel was such a frantic read. Don’t worry, I would never spoil anything for my fellow Constant Readers, but King blew me away with his brilliant writing of events that take place over a span of just 24 hours. Even the insane fight scene around the 30% mark, which came out of nowhere, was action-packed and wild.
One of the main plot twists that blew my mind was how it blurred fiction and reality by literally including Stephen King in the story. I’ve read hundreds of horror books in my life so far, and I’ve never read anything like this. From all the little King Easter eggs to his overall impact in the story, this was flat-out awesome.
The final 25% of the novel was nothing short of extraordinary. There was so much going on, especially as situations and events unfolded in the race to find Susannah. The ending was surreal, and the overall final plot twists left me wanting more. I legit finished this novel at around 3:00 AM because it was a genuine page-turner. It was so damn good that I was wired because I couldn’t believe how I felt. King, the Wordslinger himself, as always, dropped the mic with how he ended it. Now I want to run to the final novel and finally finish this reading journey once and for all.
I give “The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah” by Stephen King a 5/5 for being an exceptional novel that continues the spectacular story, but sets everything up for what should be one hell of a finale in the final book of the entire series. I enjoyed seeing Susannah as the focal point of this entire novel, the return of previous characters, and, of course, King's inclusion in the story. King pushed the envelope here, and it paid off big time. I have to see how the final novel turns out, but this is shaping up to be the greatest book series I’ve ever read. I can see why many Constant Readers consider this King’s magnum opus, as it is marvelous.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m done palavering, and it’s time to put an end to this reading journey with a final visit to The Dark Tower.
Now, before I dive into my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Suicide
- Drugs
- Cancer
- Racism
- Religion
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, I have been on this reading journey to The Dark Tower since 2024. I’m almost done with it, and it’ll be one of the greatest reading achievements of my life. Before I started, I compiled and researched a list of how to tackle The Dark Tower series for a few months. I asked librarians, my fellow horror book reviewers, and even Constant Readers who have been reading King since the 1970s. Please keep in mind, it’s heavy with pre-reading books to get the most out of this incredible book series, but it’s also completely fine to just read the seven main books.
Here’s my list of enjoying The Dark Tower series to the fullest degree…
The Stand
The Eyes of the Dragon
Insomnia
Hearts in Atlantis
‘Salem’s Lot
The Talisman
Black House
Everything's Eventual (The Little Sisters of Eluria)
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
Charlie the Choo-Choo
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
The intro to “The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah” was fantastic, and picks up after the insane finale to “The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla.” Obviously, this entry is all about Susannah, a magnificent character who is going through a ton in this story. Considering her multiple personalities, demons, and so much more, I was beyond hooked on everything she was a part of.
I was excited to see what Roland, the Gunslinger, and his ka-tet were up to, and my goodness, this novel was such a frantic read. Don’t worry, I would never spoil anything for my fellow Constant Readers, but King blew me away with his brilliant writing of events that take place over a span of just 24 hours. Even the insane fight scene around the 30% mark, which came out of nowhere, was action-packed and wild.
One of the main plot twists that blew my mind was how it blurred fiction and reality by literally including Stephen King in the story. I’ve read hundreds of horror books in my life so far, and I’ve never read anything like this. From all the little King Easter eggs to his overall impact in the story, this was flat-out awesome.
The final 25% of the novel was nothing short of extraordinary. There was so much going on, especially as situations and events unfolded in the race to find Susannah. The ending was surreal, and the overall final plot twists left me wanting more. I legit finished this novel at around 3:00 AM because it was a genuine page-turner. It was so damn good that I was wired because I couldn’t believe how I felt. King, the Wordslinger himself, as always, dropped the mic with how he ended it. Now I want to run to the final novel and finally finish this reading journey once and for all.
I give “The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah” by Stephen King a 5/5 for being an exceptional novel that continues the spectacular story, but sets everything up for what should be one hell of a finale in the final book of the entire series. I enjoyed seeing Susannah as the focal point of this entire novel, the return of previous characters, and, of course, King's inclusion in the story. King pushed the envelope here, and it paid off big time. I have to see how the final novel turns out, but this is shaping up to be the greatest book series I’ve ever read. I can see why many Constant Readers consider this King’s magnum opus, as it is marvelous.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m done palavering, and it’s time to put an end to this reading journey with a final visit to The Dark Tower.
May 15, 2016
Roland was looking fixedly at the already diminishing flickers of lightning in the east, where the land of Thunderclap waited for them, and the Court of the Crimson King, and, at the end of End-World, the Dark Tower itself.
Extraordinary! I almost cannot wait for the ending, no matter how controversial.
Full review to come.
Dark Tower reviews:
#1 The Gunslinger
#2 The Drawing of the Three
#3 The Waste Lands
#4 Wizard and Glass
#5 Wolves of the Calla
#6 Song of Susannah
#7 The Dark Tower
Extraordinary! I almost cannot wait for the ending, no matter how controversial.
Full review to come.
Dark Tower reviews:
#1 The Gunslinger
#2 The Drawing of the Three
#3 The Waste Lands
#4 Wizard and Glass
#5 Wolves of the Calla
#6 Song of Susannah
#7 The Dark Tower
April 11, 2025
The next book on my journey of reading/re-reading (as in this case) all of SK's books is publication order was Song of Susannah, no change in rating, but a definite further appreciation on SK's world.
The sixth book in The Dark Tower series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I know this is thought of as the worst in the series and I think I understand why, I think this book is a bridge to the final instalment of the Dark Tower and it answers quite a few questions and links everything in SK's world together.
The fact Stephen King appears in his own book might seem just big-headed and bizarre but honestly its perfect for this story. He completely breaks the fourth wall and not only brings a new element to the story but a little insight into his mindset whilst writing these books.
“You know," King said, "I'm not much good at telling stories. That sounds like a paradox, but it's not; it's the reason I write them down.”
There is much more character building throughout this book which I loved. This book starts as soon as Wolves of Calla ends and keeps following our characters journey to The Dark Tower. There is still a lot of questions that need answering which is why I think the last instalment is so big! We are left on quite a cliff-hanger once again so it won't but long before I pick up The Dark Tower.
“Cat can have kittens in the oven, girl, but that won’t ever make em muffins.”
Mia and Susannah relationship is the most bizarre thing and I feel like only Stephen King could've created such an enchanting but just as disturbing connection. Stephen King as a fantasy writer is quite a ride and defiantly complex so if your thinking of going for this series you need to keep your wits about you and concentrate. This isn't the easiest series to read so if your not used to King or complex writing and would be weary going into this. If your up for the challenge and the strange twists and turns this books take you won't regret it.
I can't wait to re-read these - my plan is to read all SK's works in order including The Dark Tower to experience this series in a whole new light and I wish I had done this to start with. (future me here saying that the experience of reading SK's books in order is truly one of a kind which I would highly recommend).
“As for you, Constant Reader... One more turn of the path, and then we reach the clearing. Come along with me, will ya not?”
The sixth book in The Dark Tower series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I know this is thought of as the worst in the series and I think I understand why, I think this book is a bridge to the final instalment of the Dark Tower and it answers quite a few questions and links everything in SK's world together.
The fact Stephen King appears in his own book might seem just big-headed and bizarre but honestly its perfect for this story. He completely breaks the fourth wall and not only brings a new element to the story but a little insight into his mindset whilst writing these books.
“You know," King said, "I'm not much good at telling stories. That sounds like a paradox, but it's not; it's the reason I write them down.”
There is much more character building throughout this book which I loved. This book starts as soon as Wolves of Calla ends and keeps following our characters journey to The Dark Tower. There is still a lot of questions that need answering which is why I think the last instalment is so big! We are left on quite a cliff-hanger once again so it won't but long before I pick up The Dark Tower.
“Cat can have kittens in the oven, girl, but that won’t ever make em muffins.”
Mia and Susannah relationship is the most bizarre thing and I feel like only Stephen King could've created such an enchanting but just as disturbing connection. Stephen King as a fantasy writer is quite a ride and defiantly complex so if your thinking of going for this series you need to keep your wits about you and concentrate. This isn't the easiest series to read so if your not used to King or complex writing and would be weary going into this. If your up for the challenge and the strange twists and turns this books take you won't regret it.
I can't wait to re-read these - my plan is to read all SK's works in order including The Dark Tower to experience this series in a whole new light and I wish I had done this to start with. (future me here saying that the experience of reading SK's books in order is truly one of a kind which I would highly recommend).
“As for you, Constant Reader... One more turn of the path, and then we reach the clearing. Come along with me, will ya not?”
November 1, 2021
Book six in The Dark Tower series and I think Stephen King is the only author that can get away with writing himself into the story! I couldn't believe my eyes! I had heard that he was a character in the DT series but its one of those things that I didn't believe, until now.
I'm not loving this series and I'm not hating on it either, its just OK for me. I love how certain things tie back to other books, Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Stand are the obvious ones so far. I really like some of the characters but this whole multi personality thing leaves me confused and I just can't grasp what's going on with that.
Just one book to go! I am glad I'm pushing through because this is the centre of the SK multiverse but I don't think this will be a mega hit for me.
Three stars.
I'm not loving this series and I'm not hating on it either, its just OK for me. I love how certain things tie back to other books, Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Stand are the obvious ones so far. I really like some of the characters but this whole multi personality thing leaves me confused and I just can't grasp what's going on with that.
Just one book to go! I am glad I'm pushing through because this is the centre of the SK multiverse but I don't think this will be a mega hit for me.
Three stars.
July 6, 2018
Song of Susannah could have been 100 pages and held the same amount of information. Almost nothing happened and maybe four questions were answered. Come on, King.
I’m ready for book VII and the end.
I’m ready for book VII and the end.
March 14, 2023
Después de dos altos en el camino nos volvemos a poner en marcha hacia la Torre Oscura. Volvemos al estilo del segundo libro, con muchos viajes interdimensionales y tomando protagonismo Susannah, el mejor personaje de todos y se agradece el nuevo ritmo que le imprime King a la historia.
Está claro que la Torre Oscura es diferente al resto de libros escritos por King. No me puedo considerar un experto en el autor pero en lo que he leído esta saga es donde más pone de sí, y quien lo haya leído lo entenderá. Se mezclan muchos géneros distintos e incluso hay referencias metaliterarias a otros libros de King.
Esta parte metaliteraria es lo que me impide ponerle las 5 estrellas. Entiendo y me parece muy interesante lo que hace King pero me ha dado la sensación de que tengo que conocer todas las historias a las que hace referencia para disfrutar al 100% de la historia. Y cuando me embarqué en esta saga nunca imaginé que terminaría siendo así. De todas formas, la historia fluye a pesar del enorme caos entre líneas temporales y sucesos que tienen los personajes gracias al buen hacer de King.
Ya solo queda un paso más para llegar a la Torre...
Está claro que la Torre Oscura es diferente al resto de libros escritos por King. No me puedo considerar un experto en el autor pero en lo que he leído esta saga es donde más pone de sí, y quien lo haya leído lo entenderá. Se mezclan muchos géneros distintos e incluso hay referencias metaliterarias a otros libros de King.
Esta parte metaliteraria es lo que me impide ponerle las 5 estrellas. Entiendo y me parece muy interesante lo que hace King pero me ha dado la sensación de que tengo que conocer todas las historias a las que hace referencia para disfrutar al 100% de la historia. Y cuando me embarqué en esta saga nunca imaginé que terminaría siendo así. De todas formas, la historia fluye a pesar del enorme caos entre líneas temporales y sucesos que tienen los personajes gracias al buen hacer de King.
Ya solo queda un paso más para llegar a la Torre...
December 22, 2008
I've enjoyed this series immensely, all the way up until this book. Now I am reading the last one just to see if he can straighten out the mess he made here. What was he thinking? This is the ultimate in mental masturbation an author can produce. I liked the parts Eddie and Roland right up until they left Tower, and I kind of liked the bits with Jake, but the rest? Crap. It's crap!
I know authors of serials sometimes put themselves in the story (Clive Cussler comes to mind,) but it's usually done in such a brief, tongue-in-cheek way that it's like a little easter egg. This is way over the top, and it pissed me off.
I know authors of serials sometimes put themselves in the story (Clive Cussler comes to mind,) but it's usually done in such a brief, tongue-in-cheek way that it's like a little easter egg. This is way over the top, and it pissed me off.
February 4, 2020
This book is much more wonderful the second time around. Who knows, maybe it'll jump another notch by the third or the fourth. :)
This is a series that only gets better when you're swimming in the massive loads of details that combine Stephen King's life, the amazing worldbuilding of his bibliography, and add the little idea that Stephen King has put his SOUL into the DT.
What do I mean by that? Well, by his own admission, this is his magnum opus, his breathtaking, soul-stealing epic that ties together the grand majority of his separate novels and short stories and gives us a whole cosmology wrapped in an awesomely tight story that not only shits all over anyone's ideas of standard genres, but revels in breaking EVERY genre it can get its greedy little hands on.
In other words: this is a master storyteller's story. Few writers could get away with publishing this OR getting away with all the things he gets away with.
Do you really think that Roland is hoofing it to a huge dark tower in the distance?
Well, yeah, he is, but first, we've got to deal with the multiverse, super high-technology with AI's, multidimensional travel, the forced entropy of every universe, and the fate of a rose, an author, a ball in a bowling bag, and the number 19. Sound strange? Well, add a shootout, car accidents, the trials of motherhood with multiple personalities, and the snickity snack of cutlery and the call for long pork!
Does that sound strange?
This book mostly takes place in modern New York City.
Kinda interesting for a Ka-Tet used to a high-tech/fantasy wasteland that is really just a western, no?
But the most interesting part is something I will not spoil for those who have not read it. This joy is a really, really big joy. The references to King's life, his works, his favorite music, and his fears are all probably the things that gave me the most shivers. The most awe. And definitely the most laughter.
Is this series the most personal of the author's works?
Yes. And we are Well Met. Well Met indeed.
This is a series that only gets better when you're swimming in the massive loads of details that combine Stephen King's life, the amazing worldbuilding of his bibliography, and add the little idea that Stephen King has put his SOUL into the DT.
What do I mean by that? Well, by his own admission, this is his magnum opus, his breathtaking, soul-stealing epic that ties together the grand majority of his separate novels and short stories and gives us a whole cosmology wrapped in an awesomely tight story that not only shits all over anyone's ideas of standard genres, but revels in breaking EVERY genre it can get its greedy little hands on.
In other words: this is a master storyteller's story. Few writers could get away with publishing this OR getting away with all the things he gets away with.
Do you really think that Roland is hoofing it to a huge dark tower in the distance?
Well, yeah, he is, but first, we've got to deal with the multiverse, super high-technology with AI's, multidimensional travel, the forced entropy of every universe, and the fate of a rose, an author, a ball in a bowling bag, and the number 19. Sound strange? Well, add a shootout, car accidents, the trials of motherhood with multiple personalities, and the snickity snack of cutlery and the call for long pork!
Does that sound strange?
This book mostly takes place in modern New York City.
Kinda interesting for a Ka-Tet used to a high-tech/fantasy wasteland that is really just a western, no?
But the most interesting part is something I will not spoil for those who have not read it. This joy is a really, really big joy. The references to King's life, his works, his favorite music, and his fears are all probably the things that gave me the most shivers. The most awe. And definitely the most laughter.
Is this series the most personal of the author's works?
Yes. And we are Well Met. Well Met indeed.
July 16, 2019
Conclusion: King is either a genius or crazy, most probably both - "That is the truth"
July 30, 2022
I don't know why more people don't like this one. I thought it was brilliant. That final arc had me on the edge of my seat for the whole thing. It was absolutely riveting. The coming of Mordred MIGHT have made this my favorite book in the series if it wasn't for Stephen cutting off the ending with a damn cliffhanger. Can you imagine if the beginning of The Dark Tower with Mordred's full birth was instead written at the end of this book? Oh my god, that whole sequence would've been some of the most terrifying and fascinating writing in the history of fantasy. But no, he had to split it into parts. Why do you do this to me, Stephen? Why? You did the same damn thing with Blaine the Monorail. Just finish the arc in its original book instead of splitting them! Oh, how I long to live in the timeline where Song of Susannah ends with that full scene played out. Would've been pure gold.
I still love this book, though. Mia and her relationship with Susannah, although the most confusing and dumb thing ever, really had me invested. They had a strange rivalry/respect for each other that I found endearing in a twisted very King sort of way. Shame this book gets put down.
I can't help but hold this series in my head as 'Kingdom Hearts, but Stephen King'. Anyone who loves Kingdom Hearts as much as I do will know just how convoluted that franchise is. The stuff here with Mia and Susannah's bodies mingling is very KH to me. It's just so complex and bizarre. But I love what this book tried to do. I think Stephen King has one of the best imaginations in fantasy literature. It's not always good, but it's definitely always fun.
Reread update: I have just finished going through this book again. I am still incredibly fond of it. The fact that this book sits below 4 stars is asinine. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. 'Kingdom Hearts x Dark Tower' is a great book.
I still love this book, though. Mia and her relationship with Susannah, although the most confusing and dumb thing ever, really had me invested. They had a strange rivalry/respect for each other that I found endearing in a twisted very King sort of way. Shame this book gets put down.
I can't help but hold this series in my head as 'Kingdom Hearts, but Stephen King'. Anyone who loves Kingdom Hearts as much as I do will know just how convoluted that franchise is. The stuff here with Mia and Susannah's bodies mingling is very KH to me. It's just so complex and bizarre. But I love what this book tried to do. I think Stephen King has one of the best imaginations in fantasy literature. It's not always good, but it's definitely always fun.
Reread update: I have just finished going through this book again. I am still incredibly fond of it. The fact that this book sits below 4 stars is asinine. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. 'Kingdom Hearts x Dark Tower' is a great book.
March 13, 2017
3.5
Approximately 800 years ago I began a quest; a quest to take some much-loved friends of mine on a journey like no other. I enjoy doing things like this. I enjoy people reading books that I love so much I am willing to bludgeon them with said books until they agree to read them.
Luckily, with the Gunslinger I did not need to do too much convincing. That crazy MahFah Jeff joined on willingly enough with Delee and I.
(Little did he know, he’d be spending the rest of his pitiful life in my basement! *cackles*)
Since our journey began we have gathered and lost many. We have had some real fun times adding adverbs and adjectives to Delee’s nickname. We’ve enjoyed the company of one another and managed to not kill Dan 2.0.
Yet.
Song of Susannah is my least favorite in the series. No matter how many times I read the series through, Susannah just never grows on me. Now, could this be because she is paired with my literary soul-mate, Edward Cantor Dean? No, no. That has nothing to do with it…. I swear.
*dares anyone to question her with her death-stare*
*watches Jeff flinch and cackles*
The reason I don’t like Susannah is that she continuously fucks everything up. She’s difficult. And annoying. And unnecessary. She’s just a character I don’t care for. I don't know how else to put it. Her story does not interest me. I felt like King made her a little flat. Jake, Eddie and Roland all have this wonderfully interesting backstory that draw me in. Parts of Susannah’s story are interesting, but every time I start to think I’m invested in her, I find she does something to make me want to punch that crazy bitch in her throat.
I try to like her, I really do. But I don’t.
Her story in this gets completely out of control and takes a turn I’ve never liked. It is probably the one aspect of the Dark Tower that I really can't get behind. (Trust me, guys, it gets worse in the last book).
After the events in Wolves of the Calla, Susannah has disappeared. She’s slipped off to the Dixie Pig to deliver her chap. That’s all you need to know. Right there. I summed up her entire story in two sentences. The rest of the book is gold. It’s Eddie and Roland off on one adventure while Pere Callahan and Jake go on another. All the while Susannah makes things worse and worse by the minute. Because she is the worst.
I am excited to see the gang’s reaction to the finale-except Dan…I think Dan will hate it. (Just a feeling I have, I could be way wrong!) I am also very sad that a 3-year journey is coming to an end. When Jeff, Delee and I started this in 2014 none of us knew that it would become what it has today. I mean, shit! There are people who joined us that literally fell off the face of the Goodreads Planet never to be heard from again! And yet here we are… Me and my favorite GR people preparing to take on the final installment.
Guys, I’ll try my best to keep the tears to a minimum. No promises. But just remember:
December 29, 2019
A chamber western, not a lot of action but oodles of internal dialogue and back room machinations.
Many reviewers have called this one the weakest of the books and I’ll go along with that, King was eating up the long back miles towards the end.
For me the most appealing aspect of Song of Susannah was the inclusion of Stephen King himself! The idea of a multiverse that includes literature has been done before (see Heinlein’s spectacular mess The Number of the Beast) but to add in a certain New England writer was especially fun - and MOST especially the coda. Some special something brewing there for the last book.
And on to the last book where King will put a bow on this remarkable work of fantasy.
Many reviewers have called this one the weakest of the books and I’ll go along with that, King was eating up the long back miles towards the end.
For me the most appealing aspect of Song of Susannah was the inclusion of Stephen King himself! The idea of a multiverse that includes literature has been done before (see Heinlein’s spectacular mess The Number of the Beast) but to add in a certain New England writer was especially fun - and MOST especially the coda. Some special something brewing there for the last book.
And on to the last book where King will put a bow on this remarkable work of fantasy.
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