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odin45mp's review against another edition
3.0
Having finished the main Dark Tower cycle, I was happy to get to revisit Mid-World and the ka-tet of Roland again. But the tale and the telling were not what I was hoping for.
Spoiler
The tale is framed on the road to Calla Bryn Sturgis, between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla. But the meat of the tale lies in a flashback told by Roland, much like Wizard and Glass. Having experienced it before, this makes it less magical. To twist things further, there is a flashback/story within the flashback, telling a second tale. It makes the narrative feel forced and cheap, which isn't what I have come to expect from King, particularly in the Dark Tower cycle. I am fortunate in that I didn't have to wait years to read this tale, but it doesn't make my disappointment any less real.jraia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jayseewhy's review against another edition
3.0
This was a later addition to the Dark Tower series. While it doesn’t have room to add anything to the plot it does feature some engaging storytelling and adds some nice world building.
carrieneptune's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
zone_a3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape
manadabomb's review against another edition
4.0
The two most beautiful words in any language are: I forgive
This Dark Tower book is labeled as #4.5, it should fall between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla but, as King lets you know in the forward, you can read this as a stand alone book if you've never ventured into the Dark Tower series. So, non-DT fans, feel safe to grab this excellent story-within-a-story-within-a-story novel.
I really love how this book is set up. We start off with Roland and his ka-tet of Eddie, Jake, Susannah and the billy-bumbler, Oy. They are still traveling to the Dark Tower but they all notice Oy acting peculiarly. Roland is sure he knows why but can't grasp the thought (he's been through quite a lot by this point). An old man named Bix is the one to inform them that billy-bumblers detect Starkblasts, terrible freezing storms that appear out of nowhere, unless you have a billy-bumbler to detect them. Our crew hurries to the nearest stone building to take shelter from the starkblast.
Which leads us to the new story.....
To while away the night and storm, Roland tells the story of his young self and fellow gunslinger, Jaime, who are sent to a small town in search of a skin-man. A skin-man might be described as a were in modern times, a human that changes shape into an animal. Except the skin-man can become any animal and can rip the arms from people and beat them to death with their own arms (the story gets a bit gruesome - a la King).
Which leads us to the new story......
While trying to calm a young survivor of the latest skin-man attack, young Roland tells the story of Tim Stoutheart, a young boy who is very brave (and foolish) and goes on a quest to help his mother. He encounters dragons, plantpeople, mages, and many more scary and fascinating creatures.
Which winds us back to....
The young gunslingers and the skin-man
Which winds us back to....
The ka-tet finishing out the Starkblast on their way to the Dark Tower.
This was a book to take to your recliner with your cup of tea and a blanket. While the storms rage around you, you have a good place to go...with Roland the Gunslinger and his stories.
This Dark Tower book is labeled as #4.5, it should fall between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla but, as King lets you know in the forward, you can read this as a stand alone book if you've never ventured into the Dark Tower series. So, non-DT fans, feel safe to grab this excellent story-within-a-story-within-a-story novel.
I really love how this book is set up. We start off with Roland and his ka-tet of Eddie, Jake, Susannah and the billy-bumbler, Oy. They are still traveling to the Dark Tower but they all notice Oy acting peculiarly. Roland is sure he knows why but can't grasp the thought (he's been through quite a lot by this point). An old man named Bix is the one to inform them that billy-bumblers detect Starkblasts, terrible freezing storms that appear out of nowhere, unless you have a billy-bumbler to detect them. Our crew hurries to the nearest stone building to take shelter from the starkblast.
Which leads us to the new story.....
To while away the night and storm, Roland tells the story of his young self and fellow gunslinger, Jaime, who are sent to a small town in search of a skin-man. A skin-man might be described as a were in modern times, a human that changes shape into an animal. Except the skin-man can become any animal and can rip the arms from people and beat them to death with their own arms (the story gets a bit gruesome - a la King).
Which leads us to the new story......
While trying to calm a young survivor of the latest skin-man attack, young Roland tells the story of Tim Stoutheart, a young boy who is very brave (and foolish) and goes on a quest to help his mother. He encounters dragons, plantpeople, mages, and many more scary and fascinating creatures.
Which winds us back to....
The young gunslingers and the skin-man
Which winds us back to....
The ka-tet finishing out the Starkblast on their way to the Dark Tower.
This was a book to take to your recliner with your cup of tea and a blanket. While the storms rage around you, you have a good place to go...with Roland the Gunslinger and his stories.
lethaldose's review against another edition
5.0
So not what I was expecting, and my review is only because I never thought I would get the chance to spend any more time with Roland and his Ka-tet again and it felt like seeing old friends again just to take a short walk with them again.
The first tale of Roland's youth is interesting if short and unimportant, I was glad to finally meet Jamie Decurry, although I found him less interesting then Cuthbert or Alain.
The second tale that has none of the Dark Tower characters in it is the great one though, I was amazed at first it seemed a through away short fairytale and it kept going and I kept getting drawn more and more into it.
The first tale of Roland's youth is interesting if short and unimportant, I was glad to finally meet Jamie Decurry, although I found him less interesting then Cuthbert or Alain.
The second tale that has none of the Dark Tower characters in it is the great one though, I was amazed at first it seemed a through away short fairytale and it kept going and I kept getting drawn more and more into it.