Fantasy Book Club discussion

Post here if you are planning to read this book. Give us your first impressions. NO SPOILERS, PLEASE.

I think I've read this 3 or 4 times before. I can't remember.

I know I owned this but can't remember if I read it!

The story is peculiar... the series as a whole is all over the place. There were very strong scenes but just as many low points where I'd almost give up on it. There is also a graphic novel which I preferred to the novels. The hero is very American... um... John Wayne plus Clint Eastwood equals Roland, gotta love him despite his type cast Ste Rio typical self. To see him dance... awesome.

A very strange book, with a dream-like and detached feel to it. It's fairly impressive to think that Stephen King wrote the book at age 19, though.

I've actually read this a couple times attempting to read the whole DT series, but each time I've finished this book, I've lost all interest in continuing.

I know everyone says to stick with it, that this book is painfully dull compared to the rest of the series, but still.

Mike? wrote: "I've actually read this a couple times attempting to read the whole DT series, but each time I've finished this book, I've lost all interest in continuing.

I know everyone says to stick with it, ..."

Why the question mark? Are you not sure that's your name, lol?

LOL...Sandra

Just waiting for delivery of the paperback...

I read this earlier this year and loved it. I'm now up to book 4, Wizard and Glass. But I read the Gunslinger Born graphic novel before I started the series. I wonder how knowing about Roland's background before it's revealed in the books compares with those who started reading them cold? I'm curious to see how the discussion goes. This is becoming one of my favorite fantasy series.

I stated this book ages ago, made it to the end of part one (about 70 pages), and then haven't touched it again. I think I'll try again this month (mostly because this group is reading it - thanks for pushing me! :P)

The reason I didn't keep going was that I really didn't enjoy it. Which is odd, because I adore Stephen King and have loved every word of this 10-12 other books I have read. But maybe my expectations were a bit too high - definitely lowering them before going in this time.

Hayley wrote: "I stated this book ages ago, made it to the end of part one (about 70 pages), and then haven't touched it again. I think I'll try again this month (mostly because this group is reading it - thanks ..."

I also started with the book and couldn't go thorugh with it untill the second time I read it.. luckily it's not very long.. Do try to read it this time cause the books that follow in the series are amazing..

I enjoyed the writing of S.King but not the story. I don't think I will continue the series.

I've been lucky to find time to read through most of the story in the last few days. Really enjoying his writing, the story doesn't seem to be going anywhere but I suspect there is a fair bit of character development going on and I never expect much of the story to come out in the first instalments of a series.

I'm enjoying the different characters and the use of flashbacks. Looking forward to the next books.

Jamie wrote: " Really enjoying his writing, the story doesn't seem to be going anywhere but I suspect there is a fair bit of chracter development going on and I never expect much of the story to come out in the first instalments of a series.

I'm enjoying the different characters and the use of flashbacks. Looking forward to the next books. "

Really? I normally love King's writing, but I'm really not enjoying it in this one. The flashbacks are annoying me, and the only character I like is Jake. It annoys me how he has to qualify things we already know (like whenever Allie is mentioned from part two onwards, it's always followed by "the woman from Tull" (or something simlar) and I just want to scream I KNOW WHO SHE IS!), and I feel it's trying to be too big and mystical for its own good.

Yep. I think I really want to give it a go. I find with a lot of series the story doesn't pick up until later on. I think King may have even said this in the introduction. This was an early work for him and as the final book wasn't finished until decades later maybe they will get better.

Not sure how I feel about this book yet. It's a little grittier (and grottier) than my usual taste.
I'll keep going to see where it goes.

I've tried to read this a couple times but never gotten more than about halfway through. Maybe I'll give it another try this month.

I don't like Horror so I generally avoid King. Is this really more fantasy like his The Eyes of the Dragon or is it more like The Stand?

I picked this up for the flight home and read through it yesterday. I like King's writing but I just didn't like this. If it hadn't been for the fact that I was stuck in an airport then an aeroplane with nothing else to read I feel pretty certain I wouldn't have finished it.

It almost seemed like he was trying to get across some sort of message in favour of having an understandable story line that can be followed. I felt like I did after I finished The Alchemist - I was meant to close the book with some new outlook and a love of overly poetic prose.

I love his horror books but this series just didn't do it for me :(

I had read this 2-3 years ago. I loved the first one and got sucked into the whole series. In two months I read the last 3 books and Salem's Lot. After that I got burned out... I love his writing, but I think I overdosed myself. :p

It's not horror. From the first book, he gives you this feeling of decadence, like the aftermath of a huge disaster and a man going through this because of something he must achieve.

Jute wrote: "I don't like Horror so I generally avoid King. Is this really more fantasy like his The Eyes of the Dragon or is it more like The Stand?"

The book is more fantasy, but its like neither becuase its like nothing King has written or will write because of the structure and pace.

I'll be starting this on audiobook within the next couple of days. It will be my first King!

The audio book is an excellent option. I did one of my rereads as a listen

I thought the book was pretty good, I had to keep in mind that Stephen King wrote it so I could appreciate some of the strange stuff, am reading book 2 of the series now.