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thecandiegirl's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Cursing, Child death, Gun violence, and Drug use
celey's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Well written, hauntingly strange, dreamlike high fantasy with a grounded touch. Explores the dark side of a world that’s dying, or perhaps already dead. Confusing and hard to follow sometimes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Rape
mlizzi88's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I enjoyed the style and writing of this book but I did feel lost... a good chunk of the time. Like I had no idea what I was reading. I know that as the series progresses it'll fall into place but for this first read I didn't have the terminology and culture of the world helping me through some of the plot. I'm sure on a re-read that star rating would go up as I understood more of the context. I'm very excited to read on and see if some of my theories are even remotely close to where this is heading (they are plentiful and wild).
I do have to say, this was the first book in a while that made my former English major self perk up with the possibilities in the symbolism and allusions. There is a heavy (HEAVY) draw on religious symbolism and allusions, some King Arthur shoved in there, some greek myths, etc. HEAVY. PLENTIFUL symbolism lol.
I think my only real "complaint" was this.. almost young/juvenile view of women (however few of them there were) especially surrounding sexuality and the interactions between men and women. At one time I even commented that it almost felt cartoonish. It is a young man's fantasy of being a man (how many times can we say sensual and refer to one's crotch?). I also find it a little weird that we were reminded about 7 times who Allie was (the woman he bedded in Jethro Tull didn't ya know) and yet other words were slung around with zero clues was to what they were? (Tet for example??).
He also seems irresponsible with his ammunition. The boy is trigger happy with what I assume is a finite resource (bullets). But that's neither here nor there.
I do have to say, this was the first book in a while that made my former English major self perk up with the possibilities in the symbolism and allusions. There is a heavy (HEAVY) draw on religious symbolism and allusions, some King Arthur shoved in there, some greek myths, etc. HEAVY. PLENTIFUL symbolism lol.
I think my only real "complaint" was this.. almost young/juvenile view of women (however few of them there were) especially surrounding sexuality and the interactions between men and women. At one time I even commented that it almost felt cartoonish. It is a young man's fantasy of being a man (how many times can we say sensual and refer to one's crotch?). I also find it a little weird that we were reminded about 7 times who Allie was (the woman he bedded in Jethro Tull didn't ya know) and yet other words were slung around with zero clues was to what they were? (Tet for example??).
He also seems irresponsible with his ammunition. The boy is trigger happy with what I assume is a finite resource (bullets). But that's neither here nor there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
efrancart's review against another edition
dark
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
0.5
Raunchy and gross. Good ideas within about afterlife and death but def the worst Steven King I’ve ever read. It feels like the gunslinger is sexualizing the 10-year-old boy. He’s just so beautiful 🤮🤮🤮 of course this was after he used his gun as a dildo on a woman but was careful not to touch her secret flesh. I swear. I just. No.
No idea why this book and subsequent series is held in high regard.
No idea why this book and subsequent series is held in high regard.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Sexual violence
Moderate: Pedophilia
brogancha's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Murder, Gun violence, Rape, and Sexual content
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, and Sexism
raginsagein's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
First real foray into Stephen King, and I wasn’t terribly impressed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Child death, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Torture, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
axeltheredpanda's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall a very good book! I found it a little challenging to read (very flowery text) but that’s likely due to me only reading one book in the last ten years and only just coming back to reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Car accident, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Drug use, and Sexual content
Moderate: Gun violence, Addiction, Child death, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Blood
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Cursing
prinsessenora4's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Very interesting and well written. Quite slow paced (in my opinion). I liked the complexity of the characters and setting, and the deterministic feel of the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, Murder, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Genocide
nadia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.25
I was definitely intrigued to start but at some point I got a little bored and distracted and lost my way a little bit — I was also reading this a lot while tired, but you could also argue that the book didn't capture my attention — so then by the end I wasn't sure I'd understood everything I was supposed to! I think it'll all make more sense as I work my way through the rest of the series, which I am definitely keen to do!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Gun violence
lvl52_grant's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is by far the oddest of the series, but sets you up for one of the greatest stories told. A mix between western, fantasy, and horror, King builds up and tears down and builds up again his protagonist, Roland the Gunslinger. He travels through a desert at the end of the world, watching people and places slowly decay, never letting anything prevent him from achieving his goal: the Dark Tower. I first read this book as a 19 year old, a number of importance to the series, but I had never read this second publishing. Some of the newer details felt odd, like sprinkling fan-service-y cameos, but it still sets up the protagonist and reader for their journey to the Tower, answering no questions and asking many.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, and Sexism