[Phil Connors]

I agree, Erfael, but I think that would've been even worse for someone waiting book by book. I remember when Dreamsongs by Martin appeared in the bookstores over here a few months ago, I distinctly remember thinking 'How dare he write something else!' which was petulant, puerile, and on retrospect, kind of embarassing. Anyway, King writes more prolifically than almost any author I can think of, that's a given - he just took his blessed time with DT!

[shadow9d9]

I know this is a little off topic...

I've seen about 5 of King's movies and while mildly entertaining, they mostly were low budget, low production values, and were never spectacular. Regardless, my wife has suggested I give him a try.

Quick background, I mostly enjoy books like the Vorkosigan series, A Game of Thrones, the Prince of Nothing series, Tigana, and Discworld. I looked up the wikipedia entry for the Dark Tower series and it seems to like a western... I generally hate westerns... is it truly a western?

[Erfael]

Quick background, I mostly enjoy books like the Vorkosigan series, A Game of Thrones, the Prince of Nothing series, Tigana, and Discworld. I looked up the wikipedia entry for the Dark Tower series and it seems to like a western... I generally hate westerns... is it truly a western?

While the world is vaguely western-themed, I wouldn't call it a western. It's....well, it's sort of indescribable. It's really a synthesis of many, many things - many ideas, many kinds of storytelling, etc.

[clockwirk]

I know this is a little off topic...

I've seen about 5 of King's movies and while mildly entertaining, they mostly were low budget, low production values, and were never spectacular. Regardless, my wife has suggested I give him a try.

Quick background, I mostly enjoy books like the Vorkosigan series, A Game of Thrones, the Prince of Nothing series, Tigana, and Discworld. I looked up the wikipedia entry for the Dark Tower series and it seems to like a western... I generally hate westerns... is it truly a western?

Roland is really the only western thing about it. Really, he's a knight...but with guns and a hat rather than a sword and armor. There are some western style towns in the first book, but throughout the series you get zombies, robots, vampires, drug dealers, monsters, witches, etc... definitely not a western.

[Phil Connors]

As the others have alluded to, it's pretty much on its own as regards genre. The only similar genre-busting series I can think of are the Otherland books by Tad Williams, which largely take place in hyper-realistic VR environments, so Williams could draw on any and every type of fiction to tell his story - DT is....deep breath.....a Western Sci-Fi Fantasy Horror with elements of Magic occasionally set a fictional version of the real world. And that description doesn't even do it justice. The highest compliment I can pay King is that DT feels like genuine mythology - a new mythology - much like Star Wars did back in the day.

[Avi_stetto]

Roland is really the only western thing about it. Really, he's a knight...but with guns and a hat rather than a sword and armor. There are some western style towns in the first book, but throughout the series you get zombies, robots, vampires, drug dealers, monsters, witches, etc... definitely not a western.

Not to mention Marvel Comics villains . . .

Speaking of which, has anyone picked up the comic books? Those look really interesting, but I haven't had a chance.

[The Dark Truth]

I have read the first 4 books in the series and the quality and writing varies from novel to novel due to the length of time between titles (plus I think King kinda worked on the first few here and there between his other novels). The last three were written very close together so they will probably be most similar in quality. If you did not get hooked by the first book I doubt the rest of the series would grab you either.

Personally, I loved the first book, thought books 2&3 were alright and liked book 4 a lot. Eventually I'll get around to the last 3, but have heard mixed reviews on them so I am in no particular hurry to get to them.

[Mithfânion]

And we think Martin writes slowly... Can you imagine waiting 22 years to see how it ended!?

Considering the current progress of the ASOIAF books that comment may well come back to haunt you.