Scan barcode
emilyrosebooks's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
This is book 4.5 of the Dark Tower Series, and if you are someone who needs momentum to stick with a story, skip this one and come back to it. It is a story within a story within a story. Roland and the ka-tet are moving on and they get stuck in a big storm. While they wait out the storm, Roland tells a story of his youth, and within that story he tells a young boy another story. It is interesting, it does lend depth to Roland and his backstory, but absolutely NOT necessary to move on with the series and see what happens.
If you like Stephen King stories with easter eggs of Randall Flagg/The Man in Black, this is one of them. In that sense, it is good, but I think it kills the momentum of Roland's quest for the dark tower.
If you like Stephen King stories with easter eggs of Randall Flagg/The Man in Black, this is one of them. In that sense, it is good, but I think it kills the momentum of Roland's quest for the dark tower.
olivrprice's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
shonnyy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lysandous's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-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
4.5
tomgenue's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
ianacook's review against another edition
2.0
I mean, individually, I would've probably given each of the stories 3–4 stars. But. My man. Stephen. Stop it with the story-within-a-story crap. It was bad enough in book 4. And now you had to top it with a story-within-a-story-within-a-story? It's just tiresome and obnoxious. Just write some short fiction in the same world instead. It'll feel a lot less jarring and contrived if it isn't shoehorned into the broader narrative unnecessarily.
gilliangaskill's review against another edition
3.0
Not a bad book but I guess I just don’t see why it was written… didn’t add very much to the main story of the series. I am reading in book order, not publishing order, so I haven’t finished the series yet. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and say it may make sense later on…
dejnozkova's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
revisins's review against another edition
3.0
Admission: I've not read The Dark Tower series in its entirety. I am reading it in series order. I know that this novel (or really, set of nested novellas) was written after King finished the series. I cannot say for sure that it definitely feels like that. I can say that for the overall plot and momentum of the story arc so far--it feels like a no consequence type of story.
It's a good story, for what it is--a rest stop. A warm tale deep in the heart of a cold night. As I have been away from the series for a few months, it was a good refresher. The structure felt like Wizard and Glass, but with an extra layer.
If you go into this novel with the expectation of plot movement of the larger narrative--it doesn't happen. I didn't have that expectation. I knew that stakes would be non-existent based on the novels publication after the series was completed. If anything, I had the hope that story would give more texture to the Ka-tet overall, not just Roland once more. Perhaps I will get more of that in the remain three books.
The wheel ever turns.
It's a good story, for what it is--a rest stop. A warm tale deep in the heart of a cold night. As I have been away from the series for a few months, it was a good refresher. The structure felt like Wizard and Glass, but with an extra layer.
If you go into this novel with the expectation of plot movement of the larger narrative--it doesn't happen. I didn't have that expectation. I knew that stakes would be non-existent based on the novels publication after the series was completed. If anything, I had the hope that story would give more texture to the Ka-tet overall, not just Roland once more. Perhaps I will get more of that in the remain three books.
The wheel ever turns.