[Deschain]

One of my favorite series of books, are the Dark Tower books by Stephen King. They are one of the few works of fiction that I have actually had dreams about, if that tells you anything...
now...***SPOILER ALERT****

In dark tower 4, Wizard and Glass, Roland and the gang encounter Flagg and the reborn (or at least, rejuvenated) Quick in the emerald castle...Was it just me, or was this part one of the crappest endings to a book that you have ever read? I for one found the entire book up to that point to be immensely satisfying, if a bit contrived; The love of Roland's life, Susan delgado was a pretty well drawn out character, and her being burned alive with those creepy-ass stuffy mans during the "celebrations" was for some reason one of the few things that have ever given me goosebumps...The entire thing with the pink wizard's glass taking Roland through out the entire tale in order to hurt him even more was also very nifty in that it made a bizarre sort of sense that Maerlyn would have made something so cruel...But, as cool as all of that was, when Roland finishes his tale in the thinny, the crew moves on to a god awful rendition of the "Wizard of Oz"...good grief, I was sick to my stomach. what was the point of that? I caught the fact that the bars on the gates were full of lost souls, and that one of them was probably susan delgado (or roland's mom, who I think also had blonde hair) but other than that, the entire scene left me with a dry mouth. I'm almost hesitant to read the next one (Thunderclap, which may never come out, at the rate King writes these things...when he was nailed by that van, I have to admit, the first thing I worried about was that NOW I'll Never get to read anymore...)

Sad, I know.

[Rob B]

I think on SK's website he lists the next DT book as The Crawling Shadow?

I thought Wizard and Glass was definitely different than the other DT books. The ending could have been a little better, but overall I kind of liked it. I am also a big fan of the Wizard of Oz, so maybe that is why I thought it was fine. I also read the book when it first came out a few years ago.

[Cadfael]

Hmmm... you may have a point, we waited soooo long for Wizard and Glass, maybe it was a bit of a let down.

I would be intrested to hear from anyone who read the books for the 1st time as a set... in one go...what do they think?

[Thoughtcriminal84]

I've heard the new book was going to be called "Thunderclap"...but who knows. I guess stephen king would be the one who would know, though. I thought thunderclap was a pretty cheesy title.

I didn't like Wizard and Glass after the riddling with Blaine concluded. That part ruled (as it should after the million year wait), but the rest wasn't really worth my time. I read it anyway, because I loved The drawing of three and The Wastelands, and I will continue to read them whenever he puts them out.

Does anybody else think that the Dark Tower is going to turn out to be Stephen King's mind? Roland, which is his first, best hero, in the greatest of his stories, searching after the thing that is slowly eating away at the barriers of the world...since all the stories are from Stephen King, it would make sense that the World Passing On that he's writing about is actually his own mind getting older. A realization of his own impending death, an epic tale of a man coming to terms with mortality...

Maybe i'm reading too much into it.

[Rob B]

TC84-you may be right. I have seen the same theory on some SK fan sites--when [if?!?] Roland ever gets to the Tower, he may find Stephen King in there.

Not a loony theory by my standards.

[Cadfael]

Meybe we should all read the poem 'Childe Roland, to the Dark Tower came, by Robert Browning I think.

According to King, this was the inspiration for the DT books, so maybe we can get ahead of the old Scaremeister...hehe

[AJ_]

Eventually I will finish reading this series. I first started it when The Gunslinger was published (however many years ago) and recently just finished the fourth book Wizard and Glass. Is it seven books that are in the series now? Is he done writing the series or is there more to come?

[Murrin]

He wrote and had published the last three books in quick succession, in order that the series actually be finished (he was worried, after the accident and considering the increasing delays between each volume of the Dark Tower, that he wouldn't finish it in his lifetime) - there are no more due beyond the seven that are out.


I read the first four a while back, but was waiting for MMPB editions of the rest - now they're out and I don't have the time, heh. I definately agree with the original poster - I found the Delgado story one of the best parts of the series up to that, but the rest of the book I thought was terrible, especially the ending parts. That's the other reason I've not got round to the last three books - I don't particularly like King's writing in the series.

[kater]

Well I'm going to sit on the other side of the fence and through piles of poo at you :D I thought the final three books and indeed the whole series was superb if increasingly odd The appearance of King himself was bordering on the megalomaniacal/insane I've never read anything quite so bizarre yet compelling in my life. The composite images taken from all manner of influences and previous King worlds were sharp and vivid for something so strange. I know a lot of people hated the end of the series but to me it made the most perfect sense and although I was disappointed with Mordred's part in the whole thing, I think the Dark Tower stands as one of the best fantasy series I've ever read.