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adayania's review against another edition
5.0
This is the backbone of everything else King writes. Required reading
luna545's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
shari_billops's review against another edition
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, Book 1) by Stephen King (2003)
urthwild_darknessbeckons's review against another edition
4.0
I loved most of the entire series and read many of the books multiple times. However, I will never forgive him for the last 1 and a half chapters of the very last book. Imagine waiting all those years and getting that ending. I dramatically threw that last book across the room. I am prepared to re-enact the dramatic flinging in person for anyone who knows me. I finished this series years ago, hence this very short review.
robrowe's review against another edition
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger by Stephen King (1988)
easolinas's review against another edition
4.0
Stephen King is best known for being a horror writer, covering everything from evil cars to telekinetic high-schoolers. But his magnum opus was the Dark Tower series, an epic gritty high-fantasy story strongly tinged with horror. "The Dark Tower, Books 1-3: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands" displays the strong first three parts of the series, sweeping you into the Midworld.
"The Gunslinger" introduces us to Roland Deschain of Gilead, the last gunslinger of a long-dead land. The hardened cowboy/knight wanders through a wasted world, tracking a "man in black" who can help him find (cue ominous music) the Dark Tower. Along the way he finds Jake, a young boy who was killed in a car accident in our world. But in the name of his quest, Roland may be called on to sacrifice what he loves...
"The Drawing of the Three" kicks off mere hours after "Gunslinger" ends. Roland is sick, and being pursued by carnivorous "lobstrosities." But then he ends up transporting his mind into our world -- specifically, into the minds of junkie smuggler Eddie Dean, and legless civil rights activist Odetta Holmes (and her evil alter ego, Detta). Roland "draws" these two into his own world, but Eddie's withdrawal and Detta's malevolence might kill his quest before it even starts.
"The Waste Lands" begins with Roland tutoring Susannah (formerly Odetta/Detta) and Eddie in how to be gunslingers. But Roland is not doing well. Because of a paradox he created when he saved the boy Jake, his mind is starting to deteriorate. In Manhattan, Jake is suffering from the same thing. To save them both from madness, the gang draws Jake away from our world. But no sooner has he joined them than they come to a ruined city, with an insane mono train and a sinister figure following them...
As the Dark Tower lies at the heart of all worlds, the Dark Tower series lies at the heart of Stephen King's vast bibliography -- this is where he ties everything together, from his classic novels like "IT" and "The Stand" to his own LIFE. These three books are only the beginning, slowly introducing the main ka-tet as well as the ruined, desolate Midworld, but they are absolutely brilliant.
King's writing here is full of blood, dust and loneliness, and he weaves in some truly horrific moments of visceral power as well as moving drama. And he does an outstanding job setting up a parallel world to our own, with some shared history and beliefs but a very different "now."
And Roland Deschain is an excellent lead character, a mixture of rock-hard determination and affection for his friends. Eddie comes across as rather annoying at times, but he's evidently supposed to; on the other hand, Susannah is remarkably complex with her double personality and her boundless inner strength. And Jake serves as a surrogate son for Roland, while displaying his own brand of eleven-year-old toughness.
"The Dark Tower, Books 1-3: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands" brings together the first three classic stories of Midworld, and it will blast you into a world of dust and blood.
"The Gunslinger" introduces us to Roland Deschain of Gilead, the last gunslinger of a long-dead land. The hardened cowboy/knight wanders through a wasted world, tracking a "man in black" who can help him find (cue ominous music) the Dark Tower. Along the way he finds Jake, a young boy who was killed in a car accident in our world. But in the name of his quest, Roland may be called on to sacrifice what he loves...
"The Drawing of the Three" kicks off mere hours after "Gunslinger" ends. Roland is sick, and being pursued by carnivorous "lobstrosities." But then he ends up transporting his mind into our world -- specifically, into the minds of junkie smuggler Eddie Dean, and legless civil rights activist Odetta Holmes (and her evil alter ego, Detta). Roland "draws" these two into his own world, but Eddie's withdrawal and Detta's malevolence might kill his quest before it even starts.
"The Waste Lands" begins with Roland tutoring Susannah (formerly Odetta/Detta) and Eddie in how to be gunslingers. But Roland is not doing well. Because of a paradox he created when he saved the boy Jake, his mind is starting to deteriorate. In Manhattan, Jake is suffering from the same thing. To save them both from madness, the gang draws Jake away from our world. But no sooner has he joined them than they come to a ruined city, with an insane mono train and a sinister figure following them...
As the Dark Tower lies at the heart of all worlds, the Dark Tower series lies at the heart of Stephen King's vast bibliography -- this is where he ties everything together, from his classic novels like "IT" and "The Stand" to his own LIFE. These three books are only the beginning, slowly introducing the main ka-tet as well as the ruined, desolate Midworld, but they are absolutely brilliant.
King's writing here is full of blood, dust and loneliness, and he weaves in some truly horrific moments of visceral power as well as moving drama. And he does an outstanding job setting up a parallel world to our own, with some shared history and beliefs but a very different "now."
And Roland Deschain is an excellent lead character, a mixture of rock-hard determination and affection for his friends. Eddie comes across as rather annoying at times, but he's evidently supposed to; on the other hand, Susannah is remarkably complex with her double personality and her boundless inner strength. And Jake serves as a surrogate son for Roland, while displaying his own brand of eleven-year-old toughness.
"The Dark Tower, Books 1-3: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands" brings together the first three classic stories of Midworld, and it will blast you into a world of dust and blood.
prof_g's review against another edition
5.0
The Wastelands was good, but it took a minute to get going. Stephen King has a knack for detail that borders on the obsessive. Once it got going though, it was one heck of a story, as always. This book felt like a transitional piece. Considering it's part of a longer work, I don't doubt that it probably is. It did leave me wanting to read #4 which I will do in a little while. Like every book I've read so far in this series, I have to put a little distance between readings. I like the way these books sort of lay over me. I'll be thinking about Roland and his ka-tet and the machines (especially Blaine) for weeks. There is always so much to understand.
brownearthgirl's review against another edition
5.0
The Wastelands was good, but it took a minute to get going. Stephen King has a knack for detail that borders on the obsessive. Once it got going though, it was one heck of a story, as always. This book felt like a transitional piece. Considering it's part of a longer work, I don't doubt that it probably is. It did leave me wanting to read #4 which I will do in a little while. Like every book I've read so far in this series, I have to put a little distance between readings. I like the way these books sort of lay over me. I'll be thinking about Roland and his ka-tet and the machines (especially Blaine) for weeks. There is always so much to understand.
timmatthews's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sheppasm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0