Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion

Hey all. We’re continuing with the series The Tower, starting on November 1st.
We’ll be reading the second book in the series, The Drawing of the Three.

If you would like to join, please use spoilers when discussing the book and series. Happy reading!

Looking forward to it!😊

It will be fun!

I am planning on starting on this today. Actually, I've already read the first section (well, 2 pages called Argument, which is really just the summary of what has come before). Do both of you have that section in your copies? It is really good. I feel like I learned stuff from it.

I’m waiting on my library loan and it should be available in the next day or two. I’m next on the list. I’ll catch up!

No worries! I won't be moving very fast 😊

Yes, I had that in my copy, too. I thought it was helpful.

I've made it up to Chapter 2, part 9. This is already going in a way I wasn't expecting! I'll wait here until you get your copy Ginger.

Terry wrote: "I've made it up to Chapter 2, part 9. This is already going in a way I wasn't expecting! I'll wait here until you get your copy Ginger."

I've got my copy! Keep on reading. :D
I've got to the beginning of The Prisoner , Chapter 3 (Contact and Landing).
This has been a good start. (view spoiler)[The portal theme is very interesting in this. Also, the gunslinger losing some fingers is very bad for shooting. LOL (hide spoiler)]

This is going to get confusing, lol. So there are chapters and then there are numbered "chapters" within those. Maybe we should go with Terry's wording then? So I am starting chapter 2, part 1. It's labeled Eddie Dean.

I agree Ginger, (view spoiler)[him losing some fingers can't be good for shooting. And what the heck were those lobstrosities anyway, lol. (hide spoiler)]

Yes, I see that now. I definitely think the Chapter #, Part # method is the way to go. It will help!

Vickie wrote: "I agree Ginger'..."

Maybe it's (view spoiler)[this?! :D



Big enough to take some fingers and toes! hahaha (hide spoiler)]

Ginger wrote: "Vickie wrote: "I agree Ginger'..."

Maybe it's this?! :D



Big enough to take some fingers and toes! hahaha"

😂🤣😂

This is weird, but I'm just going with it, lol.

Vickie wrote: "This is weird, but I'm just going with it, lol."

I know, right?!

Vickie wrote: "This is weird, but I'm just going with it, lol."

It's so weird but I feel invested with the gunslinger. I'm going with it too. hahaha

Yes, I'm quite invested with the gunslinger, too. So much so that I got sucked into the Eddie Dean story today and finished that door #1 section. Have some things to say but I'll wait a bit.

I got to the beginning of Chapter 4, Part 8.
I found it pretty funny when (view spoiler)[Roland drank soda for the first time. Can you imagine how sweet that must have been?! hahaha

"No, sugar was not cocaine, but Roland could not understand why anyone would want cocaine or any other illegal drug... :D (hide spoiler)]

I'm excited to get where you are Vickie. I'm very invested in this story now. The (view spoiler)[portal door to current times and having Eddie help Roland is very entertaining. (hide spoiler)]

Just got to ch4, part 8 also. (view spoiler)[ can’t imagine having soda like that for the first time as an adult. I love Coke or Pepsi, so I can imagine it would be fantastic, especially if it was cold and he was hot. (hide spoiler)]

Vickie wrote: "Yes, I'm quite invested with the gunslinger, too. So much so that I got sucked into the Eddie Dean story today and finished that door #1 section. Have some things to say but I'll wait a bit."

I finished yesterday with this part. I’m at Chapter 1 of The Lady of Shadows.
What’s your thoughts?!
I found that (view spoiler)[Eddie ended up becoming a more solid person than he started. It’s interesting that he’s now stuck in this world as well. (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, I really got invested with Eddie's storyline. Okay, (view spoiler)[I had to suspend disbelief significantly...So Eddie just easily accepts that someone is in his head/body? 😆 And how is that even possible, lol? I honestly don't understand it. Also, Roland was basically at death's door, but then he is able to shoot it out with the bad guys, and then when they go back through the door, he's at death's door again. Oh, and the bad guy just happened to have Keflex in his bathroom.😆🤦🏼‍♀️ Oy vey, I hate that kind of writing. But I still enjoyed that whole story arc. And, yeah, I'm curious how all this will play out with people joining Roland in his world. (hide spoiler)]

Vickie wrote: "Yeah, I really got invested with Eddie's storyline. Okay, [spoilers removed]"

Oh, completely!! I’ve had to (view spoiler)[suspend all types of disbelief. Just imagine you’re watching a Jason Statham movie and you’ll be fine. Super entertaining but completely unbelievable. LMAO! (hide spoiler)]

So true! 😂🤣😂

Hi all. I’ve just finished the Gunslinger and am ready to pick up this one next. I’m reading slowly (lots of studying going on just now) but am really enjoying my re-read and checking your comments.
just thiught I’d le5 you know I’m still lurking in the background.

I’ll contribute more when things calm down a bit

Ginger wrote: "Vickie wrote: "Yeah, I really got invested with Eddie's storyline. Okay, [spoilers removed]"

Oh, completely!! I’ve had to [spoilers removed]"

I've made it up to the start of part 2 also. And yup, I get all of that too, but I think I'm more of a go with the flow kind of reader, so none of that really bothered me. I think I justified (view spoiler)[ Eddie accepting the Gunslinger in his mind as a matter of what choice did he have? If he would have resisted or not believed, Roland had the ability to take control as he wanted it seemed. I think Roland made Eddie's acceptance kind of necessary. He's a junkie too, so not so sharp and questioning as us too?
And on Roland being sick, that was a little not believable, although I think we're learning that Roland is all kinds of tough, and maybe all he needed was a little popkin to really get him going. Well, that and lots of adrenaline, which lead to his crashing so hard after. But... having said all of that, yeah it's a little hard to believe...😊 (hide spoiler)]
But I too was invested and am enjoying and totally curious about (view spoiler)[ where this world is that Roland is coming from, and how and why do these doors exist - maybe some kind of manifestation of the tower we learn about later?? (hide spoiler)]

Annerlee wrote: "Hi all. I’ve just finished the Gunslinger and am ready to pick up this one next. I’m reading slowly (lots of studying going on just now) but am really enjoying my re-read and checking your comments..."

Glad you're here Annerlee!

Yeah, good points, Terry, makes sense.

And yes, Annerlee, join in when you're able and let us know your thoughts.😊

Great points Terry! I’m also very (view spoiler)[interested in the doors and if this will be a constant throughout the series. I do love themes of portals! 🙌😂 (hide spoiler)]

Welcome Annerlee and glad you could join the BR!

I’m up to part 12 in ch4. This part with the (view spoiler)[ split personality of Detta and Odetta is crazy! Very much like. Jekyll and Hyde than anything. Again, this is like an impossible situation. (hide spoiler)]

Welp, I ended up not being able to put this down. I had to find out what happened, so I just finished. Definitely enjoyed this one more than book one.

And, yes Terry, Odetta is quite the character! Looking forward to discussing her further.😏

Vickie wrote: "Welp, I ended up not being able to put this down. I had to find out what happened, so I just finished. Definitely enjoyed this one more than book one.

And, yes Terry, Odetta is quite the character..."

Nice! This story does seem a little addictive at this point, haha.

Just got up to The Pusher, Chapter 1 (70%) in. My library copy doesn’t have pages.

Oh yeah, the Odetta (view spoiler)[character is crazy. When she’s Detta, her speaking is unhinged. It’s like what she would hear from a racist cartoon character. 😂

I’m hoping that SK will get into why she is this way! What event made her split. (hide spoiler)]

For me, this one more entertaining than the first.

Yeah, I just got to the Pusher, ch 1 also. And wow, this is crazy what ‘The Pusher’ actually refers to. Was not expecting that at all!

Right? Very crazy!

Terry wrote: "Just got to ch4, part 8 also. [spoilers removed]"

This is one of the lasting impressions I took from this book (this is a re-read) (view spoiler)[ everytime I drink coke / pepsi I wait to feel the spread of reviving sweetness. Roland (King ) completely right here imho.
(hide spoiler)]

Thoughts on Roland:- Just started 4- The Tower, with Eddie
(view spoiler)[
Thinking about Roland’s sharp watchfulness when he’s in Eddie’s world. He is so sharp and attuned to threats - noticing more watchers in the concourse than even Eddie does, classifying everyone in terms of their inner steel and potential as gunslingers, scoping threats at a glance (the air stewardesses/pilots and the thermos or the interrogators) I am fascinated (and attracted?) by his quick clear-sightedness.

I suppose it’s because he’s a product of his own harsh world that is in decline and is generally in survival mode himself as a gunslinger. The gunslinger from Tull is suddenly transplanted to NYC which makes fascinating reading. of course most are discounted as ‘fat’ and ‘soft’. I wonder how this opinion will change when he finally meets Balthazar and co.

Ther’s obviously magic in R’s world, and sorcerors. It’s interesting that R is not clear what is man-made knowledge and what is magic eg the Astin, flying chariots (planes) or cars. His acceptance of sorcery as a reality helps him comes to terms with modern tech very quickly. This is an advantage. hes not a surprised gibbering wreck and can get on with the day job (gunslinging). Although I can’t actually imagine R as a gibbering wreck, hes too much cold calculating pragmatist!

Also, King describes Roland as someone who would straighten a crooked picture in a hotel room (first book). This suggests someone who is slow and pedantic and I’m not getting a sense of him like that. Maybe it means he has a sense of what is right and just has to put things ‘straight’? in a dogged way like he pursues the man in black or is on a quest to the tower?

I’m also wondering about descriptions of Roland as a man lacking in imagination but also as a romantic. We often hear these as the opinions of others in Roland’s head, so they are probably perceptions rather than completely true, but I AM fascinated with trying to work him out. He’s an enigma. There are a lot of seemingly contradictory descriptions of him.
(hide spoiler)]

Annerlee wrote: "Thoughts on Roland:- Just started 4- The Tower, with Eddie

(view spoiler)[ I wonder how Roland will change Eddie. He’s already looking to him as a sort of elder brother and R is encouraging him to be stronger e.g during interrogation.

I wonder whether R will change because of Eddie’s influence. R has had friends before ( Alain, Cuthbert) and had a family / father he looked up to. we’ve only seen him as a loner so far (hide spoiler)]

Still in 4- The Tower
Thinking about cards

(view spoiler)[ reading about Balthazar building towers (!!) of cards in the Tower!

There were a lot of prophesies and signs about in the first book. There’s the demon at the Waystation, the oracle at the stones. Then there are tarot cards prophesying Roland’s fate by the man in black.

When I hear (audiobook) about Balazar having a deck of cards, I think this is more of the same, a prophesy of some sort. But no, they are actually playing cards, so I discount the idea. but he IS building a house (tower) of cards, which MUST be symbolic in an establishment called The Tower!? So I listen more carefully…

Balazar builds houses of cards… over and over. He hardly ever gets angry if the cards collapse. cards collapse at some ‘random’ occurrence such as the wind or slamming of a door, then Balthazar starts again. Maybe Balazar is superstitious and using the cards as an oracle after all. A way of measuring how his luck is turning. Will fate allow completion of the task or will a ‘random event’ collapse it

Also, playing cards are also a game of chance with some gamblers hoping ‘lady luck’ will favour them and some performing superstitious rituals to try and influence fate in their favour.

SK is adding layers of meaning here that we dont really understand, which makes us invested in reading on to make sense of what is happening. Wheels within wheels…

Great storytelling!

(hide spoiler)]

edit. ah, finishing the chapter, seems I had something there, lol

Terry wrote: "Yeah, I just got to the Pusher, ch 1 also. And wow, this is crazy what ‘The Pusher’ actually refers to. Was not expecting that at all!"

No, because we’re thinking of Eddie’s background so get the wrong meaning. Just like The Tower chapter is not what we’re expecting. Mr King is playing with us I think.

Terry wrote: "Vickie wrote: "Welp, I ended up not being able to put this down. I had to find out what happened, so I just finished. Definitely enjoyed this one more than book one."

I think book one will make more sense after we’ve read the whole series. There are lots of vague hints at things, lots of questions but not many answers

Thanks for the warm welcome by the way 😊

I had some time this morning and feel like I’ve hijacked the thread a little (OOPS, sorry)

Going to have to leave R’s world behind for a little now though. Am taking a trip back to my own reality 😝

Annerlee wrote: "Still in 4- The Tower
Thinking about cards

Seem to remember an image of the appropriate card at the beginning of each new section? I can’t find my printed copy to check, (view spoiler)[but i think this helps re-enforce the link to the prophesy, to confirm the validity of the tarot reading and maybe emphasise the importance of the vision at the palaver also?
(hide spoiler)]

Very cool insights, Annerlee. You have definitely dug into this series a lot. Since this is a reread for you, you know so much more stuff than we’re going to catch on our first reads through - which is ok, it’s good for us to not know these things at this point.

I did finish this one last night. Really enjoying how much is going on here. Looking forward to book 3 now.

Thanks for the thoughts on the series Annerlee! I'm glad you have enjoyed this so much. Have you read the whole series through? I see that this is a re-read for you.
This is the first time that I've read The Tower series and excited to find out more about this world. I definitely want to enjoy each book and be surprised while doing it. It's been fun ride so far.

I finished today as well. I liked this more than The Gunslinger. I thought the characters were better, especially Roland.

Spoilers for the end of the book:
(view spoiler)[I absolutely LOVED how Jack Mort died in the end with the train and having Detta/Odetta see it happen.

This book and series has a level of "fate" in it that might feel unrealistic at times, but fantasy tends to make us hope that the magic is real. I think this is one of those series that's going to grab me, pour the magic in my mouth, and make me swallow it even if I want it or not.
*I hope this makes sense. I does in my head but on paper, uh....* hahaha

If nothing else happens in this series, just having Detta get to see revenge on Mort was worth it.
Did you catch the part in where one of the cops that got his head knocked around mentioned seeing "the guy" aka Mort while watching The Terminator?
I'm trying to remember what the hell happens in the movie that is being referenced. I might need to watch it again.

King can do characters really well. I liked all of them in this even when Detta's language and vocabulary was cringe at times. I really struggled with that part, not going to lie.
Her redemption arc was really great at the end. She might end being the toughest of the three. 😃😂 (hide spoiler)]

I'm glad you guys are still enjoying this series! Some really cool insights, too - you're making me want to re-visit this world! I really love these characters, and it's all so EPIC.

Krystal wrote: "I'm glad you guys are still enjoying this series! Some really cool insights, too - you're making me want to re-visit this world! I really love these characters, and it's all so EPIC."

It feels epic Krystal!! 😂

Yeah, I'll be honest (view spoiler)[I cannot stand the way Detta talks. I really struggled with it. But yes, it was great she got to see what happened to Mort. (hide spoiler)] I also need to figure out how to get a handle on my suspension of disbelief situation moving forward so that it doesn't ruin my reading experience. Some stories I can ignore it completely and quite easily, and other stories not at all. Don't know why that is. But seriously, (view spoiler)[when Detta "manhandled" Eddie and especially when she drug him in the sand?🙄 I about lost my mind. I get it, her arms were stronger than normal due to her losing her legs, but I'm still not buying it. It was too much. (hide spoiler)] And that's the kind of stuff I have to try not to let ruin the story/journey for me. Any tips are welcome.😊

Vickie wrote: "Yeah, I'll be honest [spoilers removed] I also need to figure out how to get a handle on my suspension of disbelief situation moving forward so that it doesn't ruin my reading experience. Some stor..."

I totally get this! I wish I had some tips for you besides the whole Jason Statham reference that I said from before. LMAO

**Heads up readers, don't click on the spoiler until you're done with this book.**

I think with this series, I'm just going to have to realize that there is going to be a level of (view spoiler)[circumstances that line up just perfectly with things working out.
Case in point, Roland gets Mort to the Subway, gets Detta to look right at the point when he gets cut in half by the train, and then this is the catalyst that brings her two minds together.
This would never happen in real life (LOL!) but I think King is trying to get us to expect this level of magic to the series and it's beyond our understanding. (hide spoiler)]

Terry wrote: "Very cool insights, Annerlee. You have definitely dug into this series a lot. Since this is a reread for you, you know so much more stuff than we’re going to catch on our first reads through - whic..."

Yes, I get that. I’m trying to react in the moment to where we are in the story, but I suppose I will sometimes attach importance to some aspects because I see more of the whole.

I HAVE forgotten a lot… it’s a long series… so my thoughts aren’t ‘wise and eminent’ or anything lol 😝 I am checking before I post, doing my utmost not to spoil anything. Let me know if I need to hold back though.