The Dark Tower: to Read or Not to Read

[drothgery]

I guess I am in the minority here, but I truly enjoyed the first book (the original, not the re-writing I heard about). I am one of those that don't enjoy King all that much, but I like his style in this one. The Drawing of the Three really surprised me (in a good way) and even the Wastelands had suprisingly good moments. Right now I am stuck at Wizard and Glass because the book is focusing on my least favorite of Roland's companions.

You haven't gotten very far in Wizard and Glass, have you?

Spoiler

I don't like spoiler tags for seven year old books, but unless your least favorite of Roland's companions is Roland, that's an odd comment on the book.

It's mostly an extended flashback of Roland's first 'adventure', accompanied by Cuthbert and Alain.

 

[Velenne]

I put the series on the whole in my Top 5 of all time. The first book, however, is very misleading. It's one of King's earlier works (after Salem's Lot, before the Stand) and is seemingly written in one fell swoop of inspiration. Later, he puts a lot more depth into the setting (including bits and pieces from the lion's share of his collected works- so if you're a King fan, you'll pick up on these tidbits), the characters, and the story itself.

I'll admit, it's an aquired taste for some- even King fans. But the breadth, ingenuity, and uniqueness (for me) of the world make it absolutely delicious food for the mind.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I'd say wait for the last book to come out. The next-to-last just came out.

 

[Frost]

I'd say read the second. I have to agree, I was somewhat disappointed with the first book. Not some much because of the content, but the writing wasn't very good. The ideas and such are what kept me reading. Now, in the second book, the writing is much better... you can see King evolve I guess. I say give it a go, but if after the first chapter or so you still aren't into it, find yourself another book.

 

[shadowthorn]

Read them all

I agree that the first book is the most surreal of the six published so far, but I also think it's the best. King wrote it when he was 22, as I recall, and the rest have all been written years later.

I think if you give up on the series after reading the one book that stands apart from the others, you may be missing out on quite a lot.

 

[Drew]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going on vacation next week, and I'll basically be doing nothing but relaxing in nature, reading, and working on D&D. I think I'll call my buddy and borrow the next book for the trip. If I don't like that one, then I'll just say that the Dark Tower is not for me and finally get around to reading the Stand.

 

[trancejeremy]

I really never liked any of the characters in the book. They were all very unpleasant people, I thought.

 

[Setanta]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I really liked the first one, and couldn't finish the second.

 

[[NO MA'AM]Jefferson]

Interesting you should start this thread Drew, I am in much the same position. I read the first book in the series and wasn't thrilled with it at all. I mostly finished it just because I was hoping it would get better, though now I am not sure I should even bother going on to the seconds one. I did however, like the short story "Little Sisters of Elluria" which is in the same setting and also starring Roland as the protagonist. That story made me get The Gunslinger to begin with and if the rest of the series is closer to that story than it is the Gunslinger than it might be worth a shot I am thinking.

 

[Fiery James]

I've just started the new book.

For christmas, I got my wife a bunch of "First Volumes" that were mentioned here... Gunslinger, Black Company, Magician: Apprentice, etc. I figured that if she liked any one of them, she could get the rest of the series for birthdays!

She read the Gunslinger and enjoyed it and figured I'd dig it even more. And she was right! I really liked the first book, and immediately went out and bought the rest of the series.

I think the series really changes after the first book. When Roland's companions are introduced and the bigger picture is glimpsed, it's a much larger tale than hinted at in the Gunslinger. So far, my favorite book has probably been Wizard and Glass, 'cause I like all of the young Roland stuff before the world moved on.

But Wolves of the Calla has some very cool stuff in it too, and you start to realize that the scope of this series may define "epic" by the final book. I really hope that The Dark Tower delivers the perfect conclusion for this series. Right now, I imagine the final page will say, "Go to your front door." and I'll find Stephen King himself waiting to tell me "The End".

I don't know what my point was, I just couldn't sleep.

If you didn't dig Gunslinger, you can live comfortably for the rest of your life without reading more. But if you do carry on, you'll see the story is very different after that first book, and the elements from the greater work touch on just about everything King's ever written. However, if the final book has the payoff that the series has been building to, I may come back to this thread and give more encouragement for the second book.

- James @ 5 AM