The Dark Tower

[Celinda]

I did a search and didn't see this as a previous post: Has anyone else here read/enjoyed The Dark Tower series? I loved it!

Who was your favorite character?

Which was your favorite book and why? Least favorite and why?

Did you like how it ended?

Me: I liked Roland; I found his progression as a character interesting. So hard yet he developed something of a heart.

I think I liked Wizard and Glass best, and maybe Wolves of the Calla second. I had such a hard time getting through The Gunslinger, though.

The ending: without spoiling it for anyone not finished, I thought it was very Stephen King-ish, though intriguing to consider. In a way, I wish I'd stopped before he ascended the tower, but I guess I would have felt incomplete if I'd stopped before the text ended.

Anyone else read the series or the books? Don't leave me the only one here!

[Laura]

*gasp*

I love you! *gestures to sig and custom title* This series has been my book obsession for about six months now!

Favorite character; Eddie, but Jake was a close second

The Drawing of the Three was my favorite if only for the line; "I'm ready to trade in the ~*pineapples*~ seaside vacation for what's behind door number two..."

My least favorite was Wizard and Glass--I found it a little slow, but I wouldn't say I disliked any of the books.

The ending? Heart-wrenching like HDM! I loved it. It disturbed me, made me cry and kept me from sleeping. Perfect!

[Dragon of Heaven]

I haven't read Dark Tower but i know that King is teaming up with Marvel to make it into a comic, the art work looks amazing

http://www.marvel.com/publishing/stories/showstory.htm?id=51

[Laura]

I haven't read Dark Tower but i know that King is teaming up with Marvel to make it into a comic, the art work looks amazing

http://www.marvel.com/publishing/stories/showstory.htm?id=51

Heh, that almost makes me want to turn into a comic book geek!

[Dragon of Heaven]

Heh, that almost makes me want to turn into a comic book geek!

Don't worry I’m not a "comic book geek", I just like good story telling.

[Celinda]

Laura, LOVE your custom title! I'm hoping to go to NYC in February or March and will just have to visit some places there to take pics of some DT spots.

See the turtle of enormous girth...

[Blossom]

I read the first one after becoming a Robert Browning fan though GCSE English. Twas very different and i liked the idea, but lost interest after the second book. The schizophrenic bitch was annoying and after she entered it all got a bit boring...probably the lack of drugs. However i do want to finish them, someday, if only to know more about the tower.

[Celinda]

The "schzophrenic bitch" had an interesting role in the books--especially after they integrated her personalities.

Stephen King is a somewhat crude writer at times, IMO, but I do like his stories. The Dark Tower is quite a journey and I fully intend to read the series again.

[DutchCrunch]

Wow, I stopped following the series about 3 or 4 years ago, it was only at book 4 then I believe.
With all the enthousiasm here, I might just have to pick it up again.

[hubert]

Well, it's about frigging time there was a Dark Tower thread!

(Although I do post at thedarktower.net, so I don't know why I'm complaining.)

Who was your favorite character?

Hmmm.... I'm going to have to go with Roland, because he is a complex and intriguing character. But Walter is the most like me, and he is by far the best villain of all time (except perhaps Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars).

Did you like how it ended?

It was necessary.

I think I liked Wizard and Glass best, and maybe Wolves of the Calla second. I had such a hard time getting through The Gunslinger, though.

I was immediately hooked with The Gunslinger. It was so vibrant and original.... and the last chapter is purely awesome.

EDIT: Just realized that this was my 19th post.

[Laura]

EDIT: Just realized that this was my 19th post.

*laughs*

My HDM converted roommate is getting started on my copy of The Gunslinger. I don"t know why this makes me happy, but it does!

[hubert]

EDIT: Just realized that this was my 19th post.

*laughs*

My HDM converted roommate is getting started on my copy of The Gunslinger. I don"t know why this makes me happy, but it does!

I already made most of my family read The Dark Tower. I'm working on getting them to read "His Dark Materials" (for some reason they seem to be prone to reading things like The DaVinci Code.)

[DutchCrunch]

(for some reason they seem to be prone to reading things like The DaVinci Code.)

That's good for reading when....uhm....you already read HDM 10 times.
Sadly my family is the same way. My little sister is my only option left. One brother is extremely dyslexic, doesn't see the difference between a b,p,q or d. The other is too damn lazy and my parents somehow don't care.
It gets frustrating.

[Revenant42]

If any book is as good as HDM it's TDT. I lvoe it so much. Blaine and Roland are my favourite characters for sure tohugh I love them all. My fav book is either the Wastelands or Wizard and Glass.

For any DT fans the power metal band Demons and Wizards have done an album largely based on DT vcalled Touched by the Crimson King. Any fan of rock/metal should try it out, it's great.

[QueenFisher]

possibly my favourite fantasy series (after HDM).

i liked Wizard And Glass the most, maybe cos it was the first one i read, i just loved the Roland-Susan story in it. so i didn't find The Gunslinger very difficult to get into once i bought it, cos i kinda knew Roland already.

i wasn't too happy about the ending, but if it had all ended happily, i suppose i would have been cross that he'd followed convention and made it all happily-ever-after. i do think the horn offers the chance for redemption though. just my thoughts.

and i loved eddie the most - it's probably the sarcasm.

[Angel to follow]

I only read the first two, It wasn't that amazing.

[Laura]

i wasn't too happy about the ending, but if it had all ended happily, i suppose i would have been cross that he'd followed convention and made it all happily-ever-after. i do think the horn offers the chance for redemption though. just my thoughts.

[spoiler]But Jake, Eddie and Susannah were all united in the Nozz a La World! That's happy...kind of[/spoiler]

and i loved eddie the most - it's probably the sarcasm.

haha, another great Eddie quote: "Shoot me Roland, before I breed."

[QueenFisher]

yeah, i sup[pose they're ok, but Roland's what it's all about, in the end, i reckon.

[furbaby]

I'd be glad of a few more opinions on this.

Both Borders and Waterstones have these on a 3-for-2 offer at the mo, and I am undecided .... it's a good opportunity, but I'm not sure if I will like it. I've enjoyed some of Stephen King's books, but not others, and some I haven't been able to finish. When he's good, he's very good IMO, but when he's bad he's dire. (I gotta soft spot for ol' Steve, though: I like the little essays he sometimes includes, and there's a lot of good advice in "On Writing".)

Also, HDM and LOTR apart, I haven't read any fantasy for years. There's so much derivative wannabe stuff out there. But Dark Tower seems to be remarkably popular.

Anyone else loved it or hated it?

[Laura]

These books were a wonderful trip--I've said too much in this thread already--but I think any fan of King or fantasy novels should read these. I think what I liked the most was the group dynamic between Roland and his motely crew. And King's writing style is just suberb, in my opinion.

So yes! Read them!