The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

Informal Buddy Read for The Dark Tower Series

Yes, we intend to do the whole series!

Starting now, and going for as long as it takes...

Book One The Gunslinger

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Hello!
Edit: I elaborate a little on my feelings. This is one of my favorite series of all times if not the one, so I'm super stoked to do a buddy read and share thoughts and impressions on the whole saga.
In short, I'm so happy to do this *___*

I have about 70 pages left in the Gunslinger, so I will be finishing it up tonight. I have loads of questions, and I am wondering how many of the questions are answered in the subsequent books.

I don't think this one is a spoiler, but do we have any idea when this book takes place?
It references (view spoiler)[ the Bible, and old "anthems" like Hey Jude and Endless Love". So, way in the future then? How the hell did Endless Love survive? Why is the future so bleak? (hide spoiler)]

Loving it, loving it!

This is a great series for a buddy read! Enjoy!

I just downloaded an audio copy of the first book for a quick refresher!

Ooh, I hope the narrator is good.

I have not seen the movie of this, as I was warned away from it, but I have to say that I have no problem picturing Idris Elba as the gunslinger, (of course I have no problem picturing him in pretty much any situation- breakfast, a day at the beach, etc). Who did you all picture the first time reading it? The Man in Black is still faceless for me though.

I can't answer your question Jenny, but it is answered along the story ^^

About the movie, they took some concepts from the books but it's very distant. I love Idris Elba but I didn't feel Roland vibes from him (that's also in the way they wrote him, in my opinion) while the Man in Black was quite on point for me. Jake wasn't Jake at all, sadly. He's such a good character, this brave and pure young boy.

I also read the comic books so I have those images in mind as well, but the first time I read it Roland was a mix of Clint Eastwood (it's quite obvious I guess) and Viggo Mortensen, while the Man in Black wasn't very definite for me too, but it was probably quite close to Rupert Everett.

I'm refreshing the Gunslinger too and I have some points I'd like to share but for now let me just say I freaking love that incipit ❤️

Fabitha! Viggo is EXACTLY who I had pictured in my mind too!

As for the Man In Black he is currently still faceless for me and I wonder if that's because we have both only read book 1 so far.

Totally off topic but did you ever see Molly's Game with Idris? It's been on my list but I am so terrible at sitting down to watch something over an hour.

Angela wrote: "Totally off topic but did you ever see Molly's Game with Idris? It's been on my list but I am so terrible at sitting down to watch something over an hour."

Not yet. I keep meaning to.

I finished The Gunslinger the other night, and I am still reeling a bit. I want the next book, and I want it now, but I won't have it for about a week. So annoying!

So, really don't look under this spoiler tag if you haven't finished, I am asking questions based on big spoilers...

(view spoiler)[Is Jake really dead??????? Is the Man in Black really dead????? What the hell is the Tower? The civilization that produced Roland, and his training as a gunslinger, what was it? Why are there gunslingers? What was their purpose? Were they all looking for the Tower? Why? How is the Man in Black, and whoever his boss is, connected to the universe? Are there alien civilizations involved? Space travel in the past- from the old civilization that cured cancer and reached the stars? Or, is the big boss mystical? Are (were) the gunslingers looking for god?
Oh, and what were those glow in the dark zombie things? A human evolutionary subset that grew from the apocalypse?
What was the apocalypse?
(hide spoiler)]

Angela, Viggo was even rumored to be cast for the movie Fox wanted to do in 2008(ish?)...and never did. I was brokenhearted ç__ç

Jenny, I see you caught my same Tower-fever!
I'll try to answer at least something without spoiling anything, e.g. (view spoiler)[the zombie things. When Roland is in Tull, we hear people congratulate him because his mule was "normal", no added limbs etc. Similarly, when Allie gives him the meat she swears it's pure threaded-stock, but Roland is seriously doubting it didn't have malformations. We can assume something poisoned the lands, and animals aren't what they were before. Maybe the same happened to men if they were close enough to the poison, hence the slow mutants.

The cosmology and religion of this world are a little unclear as well, it looks like a big mix of different traditions, they have Jesus but also they mention this holy people, the Manni, who are travelers - through time? Space? Both? And some seems to regard gunslingers as myths as well. Roland also mentioned an Arthur Eld, who is linked to his life "before" but is also curiously named together with King Arthur. Mix in they know and operated technology at some point, and maybe some people worshiped machines too.

And they all say frequently that time - and maybe space also - are funny and they don't work like they used too. So how old is Roland? How far away is his land and the land where he met sweet Susan at the window? He said he is the last of his kind, sworn to his father and his guns to reach the Tower, and he has traveled a lot, following the Man in Black. For how long, we can only wonder. But that's the beauty of this story, it's epic, mixed genre, flawless King at his best! (hide spoiler)]

So. Basically shut up and read the next books, and maybe some questions will be answered, and even more will come up. Teehee

I do really like the world building, and the fact that the world itself is unclear. It makes me want to try to solve the mystery of it.

When King is good, he is really really good. Damn.

Noooo I'd never shut you up! It's amazing because basically every line makes us question and it's a fascinating puzzle! It's part of the journey and it's what propelled me to re-read it again with you :)

Roland himself is a Rubik's cube. There are so many faces for a character who is supposedly not as bright as his peers (view spoiler)[also, Cuthbert is one of my favorite characters from Roland's past. And Cort. The whole flashback with the hawk and the traitor is a short novel in itself. So many layers (hide spoiler)]

When King is good, he is really damn good, yes.
This book is as good as The Stand, but bigger and far more ambitious.

I started listening to the first book again today. This time around the first image that came to my mind for the man in black was Westley from The Princess Bride.

Well, he was a capable man, who slew the R.O.U.S.es. Not sure I have the name right.

I thought I would check in with you all and see where we stand with starting this series? If everyone needs more time I can completely understand as I still have a few books to finish up the Uno challenge this month.

Still waiting for my books. I hope to get them this week. I am ready to start as soon as I have them in my hot little hands.