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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
More like a 4.5/5 but this was a very good read. Stephen King's Dark Tower continues to build steam and momentum as it heads closer and closer towards the end. There are plenty of references that were very much appreciated in this one, nods to Marvel Comics and Harry Potter - the novelty that to someone from the 1970s thought Harry Potter was a Marvel character was quite amusing, and the quote from one of my favourite movies, The Magnificent Seven, that opens the book was also much appreciated.
The worldbuilding continues to excel in this as King continues to expand the world and it's clear now that although the movie itself was enjoyable trying to cram the entire Dark Tower universe into 90 minutes was always going to mean that it would never fulfill its potential, but at least we're getting a TV series and Idris Elba aced it as Roland Deschain. There were a lot of similarities between this movie and this particular book so it looks like that they took at least a significant inspiration from Wolves of the Calla as well as the earlier books in the series. Whilst there are plenty more adventures to be told this book moves the plot forward successfully, at a quick pace that at the same time feels a bit too long. Thankfully it's an improvement on Wizard and Glass, book four.
The dialogue and dialect are something that many fantasy writers tend to struggle with but it comes natural to King's characters and doesn't feel forced at all. The characters themselves are incredibly memorable and well-developed, each having their own parts to play and it's not all just about Roland or Jake. Not having read the previous books in a while did affect some of my knowledge coming into this one but the refresher at the start was all that I needed and I was quickly caught up. Not quite my favourite entry in the series, good Stephen King is still good Stephen King, and I'm looking forward to see how he wraps up the series in the concluding two volumes.
The worldbuilding continues to excel in this as King continues to expand the world and it's clear now that although the movie itself was enjoyable trying to cram the entire Dark Tower universe into 90 minutes was always going to mean that it would never fulfill its potential, but at least we're getting a TV series and Idris Elba aced it as Roland Deschain. There were a lot of similarities between this movie and this particular book so it looks like that they took at least a significant inspiration from Wolves of the Calla as well as the earlier books in the series. Whilst there are plenty more adventures to be told this book moves the plot forward successfully, at a quick pace that at the same time feels a bit too long. Thankfully it's an improvement on Wizard and Glass, book four.
The dialogue and dialect are something that many fantasy writers tend to struggle with but it comes natural to King's characters and doesn't feel forced at all. The characters themselves are incredibly memorable and well-developed, each having their own parts to play and it's not all just about Roland or Jake. Not having read the previous books in a while did affect some of my knowledge coming into this one but the refresher at the start was all that I needed and I was quickly caught up. Not quite my favourite entry in the series, good Stephen King is still good Stephen King, and I'm looking forward to see how he wraps up the series in the concluding two volumes.
This book was a disappointment. So many pages wasted on an alcoholic Catholic priest. So many pages wasted on the dramas of hicks no one cared about. But by far, the biggest insult was the ending. 800 pages of bullshit for a 3-page shoot-out which simply takes place, simply IS, with only two casualties and in such lame conditions. The "Bad Guys" were by far the most disappointing element. Robots built in the shape of Doctor Doom (Marvel comics), wielding light sabers and fucking Quidditch Snitches? "Wolves of the Calla", you can go fuck yourself. I give this lame manifestation of literature 2 stars because of the scenes with Susannah (which were by far the best) and because the premise had so so so much promise. Sad it could not deliver...
God... so many good and bad things.
I liked the plot of this book, I liked the new characters, it was good suspenseful fun in most parts. I loved Rosa, Tower, even Andy to some extent. Callahan the bi priest was a nice surprise (even though he later pissed me off) but the whole demon baby plot threw such a huge pall over the entire book. I HATE plots like this, hate them so much, and it just frustrated me so much that Susannah is being put through this bullshit. It was just the worst.
You-know-who's death near the end also pissed me off and struck me a lazy; it was clearly just a device for Jake to be traumatised into ~manhood~ or whatever; it felt so cheap and disingenuous and just disrespectful to a sweet character. I hate when characters are created to die in interesting ways, and this was so clearly the case.
The relationships in the ka-tet are what keeps me going and keeps me reading. SUSANNAH JUST BETTER BE OKAY.
I liked the plot of this book, I liked the new characters, it was good suspenseful fun in most parts. I loved Rosa, Tower, even Andy to some extent. Callahan the bi priest was a nice surprise (even though he later pissed me off) but the whole demon baby plot threw such a huge pall over the entire book. I HATE plots like this, hate them so much, and it just frustrated me so much that Susannah is being put through this bullshit. It was just the worst.
You-know-who's death near the end also pissed me off and struck me a lazy; it was clearly just a device for Jake to be traumatised into ~manhood~ or whatever; it felt so cheap and disingenuous and just disrespectful to a sweet character. I hate when characters are created to die in interesting ways, and this was so clearly the case.
The relationships in the ka-tet are what keeps me going and keeps me reading. SUSANNAH JUST BETTER BE OKAY.
The tale of Roland and his ka-tet's quest for the Dark Tower continues. I loved the pop culture references in this book and that Father Callahan from Salem's Lot is a central character in this book. There is also references to Sherlock Holmes, Star Wars, Marvel Comics and Harry Potter. Just shows you the melting of Roland's world and our world together. Also was very happy to see that Roland isn't just a badass in this book but Eddie, Susannah and Jake also show what Roland has trained them to do as gunslingers.
Siguiendo con mi intuición de separación casi genérica de cada tomo de la saga de la Torre Oscura podríamos incluir a The Wolves of the Calla en el del terror. Las ligeras pistas del aspecto cósmico y de mundos posibles que se fueron sembrando a lo largo de los 4 tomos anteriores (sin contar el 4.5 que salió luego de finalizada la saga, claro) finalmente se hacen verdadera carne en la figura del Padre Callahan como presencia más resonante.
La sombra constante de Mia y su pequeño "chap" se mezclan con el acecho de los espectrales Lobos que aparecen una vez por generación para llevarse a la mitad de los niños del pueblo asesinando a cualquiera que se oponga y sin inmutarse.
El clima se construye primero con el terror de estas figuras a lo largo de la novela para retornar hacia los westers y la acción llegando el final. En el medio veremos viajes en el tiempo y el espacio, entre mundos y entre realidades con vampiros, fantasmas, gangsters y los temores últimos: el Crimson Eye y la posible caída de la Torre.
La sombra constante de Mia y su pequeño "chap" se mezclan con el acecho de los espectrales Lobos que aparecen una vez por generación para llevarse a la mitad de los niños del pueblo asesinando a cualquiera que se oponga y sin inmutarse.
El clima se construye primero con el terror de estas figuras a lo largo de la novela para retornar hacia los westers y la acción llegando el final. En el medio veremos viajes en el tiempo y el espacio, entre mundos y entre realidades con vampiros, fantasmas, gangsters y los temores últimos: el Crimson Eye y la posible caída de la Torre.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
The fifth volume in “The Dark Tower” sees our ka-tet getting involved in protecting a village from a group that steals children and returns them unstable. The story brings a lot of surprises that includes a character from a familiar King novel, a strange vision for Roland and Susannah having a second personality. Still a mammoth of an entry that will entertain you. A- (91%/Excellent)
I absolutely loved this book. I wasn't sure about it at the start. Felt a little slower and more disjointed than the others. But man, oh man. This one is a crazy ride. One where I actually gasped out loud several times while reading. And it had my head spinning at times - in a good way - with all the weaving of storylines and characters. Loved it right through the last second. I'm both desperately trying to finish the series before the movie comes out and dreading the moment when I've finished the series and there are no more adventures of Roland and his ka-tet to read.
My goodness, every step on the road to the Tower is better than the previous one.
First of all, the fact that the previous books set up this detail of is beautiful. Going back to the other books to see that it was always there, every time a little bigger, is just amazing.
Second of all, the inclusion of Salem's Lot,is such a powerful element that connects all of Stephen King's books together in the most elegant way I can think of. Only a novel like the Dark Tower, rich in intertexuality, can pull something like this off.
The Dark Tower is probably one of the few series that has me wanting to read the full series in one sitting. I hope I find the time to rejoin the journey real soon.
I regret giving the previous books a five star rating, because that means I can't praise this book any more than the previous one.
First of all, the fact that the previous books set up this detail of
Spoiler
the number nineteenSecond of all, the inclusion of Salem's Lot,
Spoiler
as in Callahan, but also the physical novel in itself, and by extension Stephen King,The Dark Tower is probably one of the few series that has me wanting to read the full series in one sitting. I hope I find the time to rejoin the journey real soon.
I regret giving the previous books a five star rating, because that means I can't praise this book any more than the previous one.
Good solid book in the series...I enjoyed the introduction of Father Callahan from Salem's Lot, the story of his journey to the Calla (especially his encounters with the different "levels" of New York/Jersey, where the newspapers had different names, the money had different people on it, etc.); Susannah's training on the dish, the creepy and robotic wolves, and the hilarious Harry Potter reference.
[audiobook version completed July 2020]
[audiobook version completed July 2020]