A review by ruttery
The Dark Tower by Stephen King

4.0

7 years, 7 books, my (slow, so slow) journey with Roland & co (ka?) is finally finished. I felt myself growing weary towards the end, almost gave up during Song of Susannah, but couldn't deny myself a glimpse at the tower. I am kind of relieved it's over, but the journey was certainly exhilarating and dragged me straight into Mid-World. Looking back on the series as a whole, I think it is Roland's tales of Mejis and Gilead that stick firmest in my mind. King writes simplistically but powerfully, and it's the little descriptions of feeling and memory, love and loss, Mid-world mannerisms and turns of phrase that is what made this story so alive to me.

I'll have to drop a star for the book - I enjoyed the writing, loved the creations of Roland's world, and of New York, but towards the end got tired of everything being explained by ka/"just because" ("why won't the fire light? Because it hates us"), random insertions of lightsabers/snitches/teleportation (wait, there are people who have the power of teleportation, yet we've relied on these doors the whole damn time?),

Spoiler

rather pathetic endings for all three of the (quite scary up until that point) big bad baddies

and Stephen King's own appearance. Say sorry, I know he apologises, but that doesn't mean I have to like it any better...

Spoiler

I didn't find that I hated the ending, like so many others. It actually made a lot of sense, considering Roland's character. Of course he would keep making the same mistake over and over again. I don't quite understand how this time around he has managed to acquire the horn, but it left me thinking "what if", the mark of good story-telling, in my opinion.