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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
4 stars on second reading review; 5 stars on the third. I split the difference. Here are the two reviews.
Second reading (2017): While not the best in the series, it was still really good.
Third reading (2024): Dang that took awhile to finish this one! So good though.
Second reading (2017): While not the best in the series, it was still really good.
Third reading (2024): Dang that took awhile to finish this one! So good though.
LOL. Oh...that was anticlimactic.
Long Journey to the Dark Tower–Stop 22: Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
3.5 Stars
The most consistently good of the series for me. I think The Waste Lands has higher highs and the final novel is more emotional. I like the Western aspect of this, and the return of Father Callahan is mostly welcome. Of course King has to add a few annoying elements. Other than that, I think it’s a good book and definitely a step up from the last one.
Dark Tower Relevance: It’s book five!
Next Stop: Continuing the main series: The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah.
My Dark Tower Read Roadmap
a. “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” poem by Robert Browning
b. "The Dark Man" (1969 poem)
c. “Jerusalem’s Lot” (1978) [reread]
1. Salem's Lot (1975) [reread]
d. “One for the Road” (1977) [reread]
Skipped: The Stand (1990 revision) [recent read, didn’t enjoy]
2. The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (2003 revised edition)
3. The Eyes of the Dragon (1984)
4. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
e. “The Mist” (1980) [reread]
f. “The Jaunt” (1981) [reread]
g. “Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut” (1984) [reread]
5. The Talisman (1984) [reread]
6. It (1986) [reread]
h. "The Reploids" (1988 short story in The Skin Trade)
Skipped: Needful Things (1991) [recent read, did enjoy]
7. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991)
8. Insomnia (1994)
9. Bag of Bones (1998)
10. Rose Madder (1995)
11. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997)
12. The Regulators (1996)
13. Desperation (1996)
14. The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012)
15. Everything’s Eventual (2002)
i. "Everything's Eventual" (1997)
j. "The Little Sisters of Eluria" (1998)
16. Storm of the Century (1999 published screenplay)
k. Storm of the Century (1999 television miniseries)
17. Hearts In Atlantis (1999)
18. The Plant (2000)
19. On Writing (2000)
20. Black House (2001)
21. From A Buick 8 (2002)
22. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003)
k. Kingdom Hospital (2004 television series)
23. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004)
24. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004)
25. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982 version)
26. Cell (2006)
27. The Colorado Kid (2005)
l. "Ur" (2009) from The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015) [reread]
m. “Mile 81” (2011) [reread]
28. Duma Key (2008)
Skipped: 11/22/63 (2011) [recent read, mostly enjoyed]
3.5 Stars
The most consistently good of the series for me. I think The Waste Lands has higher highs and the final novel is more emotional. I like the Western aspect of this, and the return of Father Callahan is mostly welcome. Of course King has to add a few annoying elements.
Spoiler
The abortion this is weird and best ignored. I know Catholics, especially at the time, would have been very anti-abortion, but I feel like exorcizing a demon baby would have been an exception. Why not just say can’t cause magic to keep the shitty pregnancy. Speaking of, the pregnancy is dumb and is my least favorite element of the series. It starts horribly and ends in mediocrity.Dark Tower Relevance: It’s book five!
Next Stop: Continuing the main series: The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah.
My Dark Tower Read Roadmap
a. “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” poem by Robert Browning
b. "The Dark Man" (1969 poem)
c. “Jerusalem’s Lot” (1978) [reread]
1. Salem's Lot (1975) [reread]
d. “One for the Road” (1977) [reread]
Skipped: The Stand (1990 revision) [recent read, didn’t enjoy]
2. The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (2003 revised edition)
3. The Eyes of the Dragon (1984)
4. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
e. “The Mist” (1980) [reread]
f. “The Jaunt” (1981) [reread]
g. “Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut” (1984) [reread]
5. The Talisman (1984) [reread]
6. It (1986) [reread]
h. "The Reploids" (1988 short story in The Skin Trade)
Skipped: Needful Things (1991) [recent read, did enjoy]
7. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991)
8. Insomnia (1994)
9. Bag of Bones (1998)
10. Rose Madder (1995)
11. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997)
12. The Regulators (1996)
13. Desperation (1996)
14. The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012)
15. Everything’s Eventual (2002)
i. "Everything's Eventual" (1997)
j. "The Little Sisters of Eluria" (1998)
16. Storm of the Century (1999 published screenplay)
k. Storm of the Century (1999 television miniseries)
17. Hearts In Atlantis (1999)
18. The Plant (2000)
19. On Writing (2000)
20. Black House (2001)
21. From A Buick 8 (2002)
22. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003)
k. Kingdom Hospital (2004 television series)
23. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004)
24. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004)
25. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982 version)
26. Cell (2006)
27. The Colorado Kid (2005)
l. "Ur" (2009) from The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015) [reread]
m. “Mile 81” (2011) [reread]
28. Duma Key (2008)
Skipped: 11/22/63 (2011) [recent read, mostly enjoyed]
Not too much to say here. For me this is the last book in the series that showed "The Dark Tower" at its peak. The remaining books did not have the same energy and yes, I am still angry at the conclusion of this series. Though now of course re-reading this one, I do hate the references to Harry Potter. Yeah, not going into it much here, but I refuse to ever read anything again about J.K. Rowling. I forgot how much of a fan of that series Stephen King was back when he was writing this series. There are also some other pop cultural references in this one that was a bit jarring to read now in 2020.
"Wolves of the Calla" is the fifth book in "The Dark Tower" series. We follow our ka-tet, Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and of course Oy. Our ka-tet has been wandering for a long time and finally comes along the town of Calla Bryn Sturgis which needs the help of the last gunslingers. Calla is a town where twins are born (hello references to "The Talisman") and every 20 years, creatures called the Wolves come and steal one set. The twins are taken to a place called Thunderclap. No one knows what is done to them, but they are eventually returned and are left mindless and huge (I read shades of "Desperation" with regards to the growth). The townspeople tell the ka-tet that if they try to fight back, the kill everyone. The wolves are now due to arrive soon and they want to fight back and want the gunslingers to train them.
Ahh yeah. King gives us a good western showdown fight with some random references here and there. And we also get a look at some characters that will make you go what the heck (hello Father Callahan...this isn't Salem's Lot.) We also have Roland and crew dealing with the fact that "the rose" that they all dream of is in danger and trying to figure out what they can do in order to keep it safe.
Things I loved: Our ka-tet and how strong they are together. All of them are gunslingers. I still get a kick out of "Black House" when the gunslingers are referenced in that and we hear how dangerous they are to the Crimson King.
Things I did not love: The pregnancy story line was the worst thing ever and I wish that King had lef it out. I know he wants to play a little into the whole Arthur mythos, but he already did that when you read how Roland's gun came to being. And about Roland's ancestors when you read the graphic novels. The whole split personality thing a freaking-gain. Seriously? Why? It was not needed.
That said, this is still my favorite cause I know what is coming and it breaks this Constant Reader's heart every single time.
"Wolves of the Calla" is the fifth book in "The Dark Tower" series. We follow our ka-tet, Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and of course Oy. Our ka-tet has been wandering for a long time and finally comes along the town of Calla Bryn Sturgis which needs the help of the last gunslingers. Calla is a town where twins are born (hello references to "The Talisman") and every 20 years, creatures called the Wolves come and steal one set. The twins are taken to a place called Thunderclap. No one knows what is done to them, but they are eventually returned and are left mindless and huge (I read shades of "Desperation" with regards to the growth). The townspeople tell the ka-tet that if they try to fight back, the kill everyone. The wolves are now due to arrive soon and they want to fight back and want the gunslingers to train them.
Ahh yeah. King gives us a good western showdown fight with some random references here and there. And we also get a look at some characters that will make you go what the heck (hello Father Callahan...this isn't Salem's Lot.) We also have Roland and crew dealing with the fact that "the rose" that they all dream of is in danger and trying to figure out what they can do in order to keep it safe.
Things I loved: Our ka-tet and how strong they are together. All of them are gunslingers. I still get a kick out of "Black House" when the gunslingers are referenced in that and we hear how dangerous they are to the Crimson King.
Things I did not love: The pregnancy story line was the worst thing ever and I wish that King had lef it out. I know he wants to play a little into the whole Arthur mythos, but he already did that when you read how Roland's gun came to being. And about Roland's ancestors when you read the graphic novels. The whole split personality thing a freaking-gain. Seriously? Why? It was not needed.
That said, this is still my favorite cause I know what is coming and it breaks this Constant Reader's heart every single time.
I upped my previous rating to a 5- I don’t know if it’s my wife’s voice reading it to me that makes it more enjoyable or what…but I’m still very much enjoying our Dark Tower journey!
Easily my favorite of the series so far. A deep tale crafted inside deep tales mixed with other deep tales. Nineteen.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
This one was looonnngggg and pretty tedious. The battle with the wolves doesn’t even take place until the very end of the book. Overall still an interesting read, but it was challenging to not get bored at some parts.
It was still a great read but in retrospect, not quite as great as, let's say, Drawing of the Three for me. It was very much a book about the ka-tet and how well they grow and bonded and worked well against a common foe. The fight near the end lacked slightly for me. King sure knows how to keep you sticking around
3.75⭐️- This book felt very long. The last 35% of the book was really good and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. Jake is still my favorite and I was so sad for him during this book. Overall, there’s a lot of information being woven into the book and sometimes it feels like it takes forever for the author to get the main idea out. I am really interested to know what happens next.