Dark Tower discussion

Post your spoiler free Gunslinger thoughts here.

Wow. Wooah. What?! This is my first ever Stephen King book. I can't say that I ever planned to read his stuff b/c of his rep as a horror writer (and of course the super creepy movie IT). But my first steps into the desert with the gunslinger were mesmerizing. What a character and a bang up way to introduce him and his World in the first few chapters. I'm holding my breath in anticipation every stop he makes. I have the revised edition and plan to discuss on my weekly book podcast reignofbooks.com

You got quite a journey ahead of you, to say the least.

I totally hated this story at first. It was so totally different than anything I'd ever read. It was hard to follow at times. It was hard to make any sense of it.

Most people have similar experiences getting started with this series (something any film or TV series will have to rectify). But getting into the second book, everything in the first began to become clear.

Definitely my favorite series, and books 4 and 7 I think are the best of them.

Good to know the series finishes out strong. I guess I liked the main character right away from the opening pages of the series b/c the setting and situation are so eloquently written (and so forsaken). So I didn't have a hard time placing myself inside the journey. It's raw and unflinching and not too creepy so far.

I had read Desperation, The Stand and The Shining before this with their traditional linear narrative styles. This first DT book for me was a completely different flavor altogether, not only of King's work but of anything else. The same thing that initially repelled me is the same reason I love it today and keep going back to it.

Non linear stories can totally strain the brain. the writer better have a big payoff at the end! Honestly I'm not an early adopter of anything I.e. technology, books etc. I probably wouldn't be reading this if it wasn't so critically acclaimed:)

I just finished reading through the massacre at Tull. I remember that King was trying to create an "anti-hero" at the time, someone you don't necessarily like or easily sympathize with. The massacre certainly seems to fit the bill. What I've never understood, in spite of multiple readings, is why that occurs. There seems to be a narrative logic missing. Can anybody explain to me how this fits in the story itself, aside from "You're not supposed to like Roland yet?"

The Gunslinger and Drawing of the Three were both really hard for me to get through. I'm sure I'll enjoy them more on my second go, but I almost gave up several times. Not until The Waste Lands did I really commit to the series. I'm 2/3 through Wolves now and VERY happy I stuck around.

It's been a few years, but I lovvvved Wolves of the Calla.

Andrew wrote: "I just finished reading through the massacre at Tull. I remember that King was trying to create an "anti-hero" at the time, someone you don't necessarily like or easily sympathize with. The massacr..."

[vague, vague spoilers ahead]

The plot reason is pretty vague but does follow some thread of logic: The Man in Black is implied to be responsible for the hypnotic hold Sylvia (the preacher) has over Tull. Or at least he's responsible for enhancing it so it can be used to his own ends. Those ends are thwarted by the massacre occurring.

Meta to the story... it was likely done for the very reason you identified: to make Roland unsympathetic. It also serves to highlight just where he is in terms of his development as a person and a character, setting the audience up for the ... emotional rollercoaster that takes place later in The Gunslinger and his slow growth in later books.

I am re-reading after many years from my first read. My comment has to do with the intro/forward that King has written. I am fascinated with the idea that he wrote some of this as a 19 year old. It certainly couldn't have been too much. the flashbacks to his father and his original Ka- tet are deeply tied into Wizard and Glass. Surely he must have written a lot of this later on as he formulated more of the plot. Interested to hear from anyone who may know more....