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ojtheviking's reviews
116 reviews
Plunge Hill: A Case Study by J.M. McVulpin
3.0
This was another interesting read from this six-novella collection!
One of the things that set this book apart from the other Eden Book Society releases, is the premise. It doesn't present itself as a novella by an author named McVulpin. Instead, this takes on the guise of being a collection of found letters and diary entries, presented - and commented on - by McVulpin who is a psychologist. The story is told through the personal accounts of Bridget, as well as her predecessor Anouk, and their experiences at Plunge Hill hospital, with McVulpin occasionally commenting on the story along the way through various footnotes.
I often find the epistolary format interesting; it's like a written version of found footage horror. (Then again, one could say that found footage is more like a film version of the epistolary format)
Many elements help create a tense atmosphere in this story. Paranoia, isolation, the feeling of living in a town where everybody looks at you the same way and appears to know some of your dark secrets, and the possibility of something almost Lovecraftian in nature existing there. Anouk has already been through it, as described in her diary entries, and now we have her replacement, Bridget, having very similar experiences, and trying to uncover the truth about the town she has mysteriously been invited to live and work in.
One of my few, small gripes is that due to the nature of this plot, McVulpin's interjections come across as unnecessarily dismissive and sarcastic. The fact that he is quick to pin Bridget's writings on mental illness is fine due to the context, but some of his footnotes are not much more than a snary remark in the vein of "yeah, sure", as opposed to offering a clinical analysis of her alleged mental disorder. It just comes across as counterproductive to what he otherwise appears to intend to achieve through this so-called case study, and his professionalism becomes questionable.
Also, another thing that was borderline cheesy, was how Anouk would exclaim Swedish phrases simply because she's Swedish. Especially how the word "fuck" was directly translated into Swedish. This assumes that English profanity is worded exactly the same in other languages. But in Swedish, that just sounds like she is exclaiming "Procreate!" (only with a ruder choice of word). Again, it's a minor gripe, but for someone who understands Swedish, this stood out to me.
Either way, the overall novella was well-written and made for a suspenseful mystery. A thing I have loved about these Eden Book Society releases so far, is that the novellas are short enough that you can read through them within mere hours, but the storytelling is usually still as immersive and gripping as full-length novels. And this installment was particularly a creative one.
P.S.: Just a trivial observation... At the top of every page, it says the name of the author on the left side (the even-numbered pages), and the book title on the right side (the odd-numbered pages). However, on page 165 in my copy, the book title instead randomly says "Starve Acre", which is another Eden Book Society release. A funny bit of editing blunder, I suppose.
One of the things that set this book apart from the other Eden Book Society releases, is the premise. It doesn't present itself as a novella by an author named McVulpin. Instead, this takes on the guise of being a collection of found letters and diary entries, presented - and commented on - by McVulpin who is a psychologist. The story is told through the personal accounts of Bridget, as well as her predecessor Anouk, and their experiences at Plunge Hill hospital, with McVulpin occasionally commenting on the story along the way through various footnotes.
I often find the epistolary format interesting; it's like a written version of found footage horror. (Then again, one could say that found footage is more like a film version of the epistolary format)
Many elements help create a tense atmosphere in this story. Paranoia, isolation, the feeling of living in a town where everybody looks at you the same way and appears to know some of your dark secrets, and the possibility of something almost Lovecraftian in nature existing there. Anouk has already been through it, as described in her diary entries, and now we have her replacement, Bridget, having very similar experiences, and trying to uncover the truth about the town she has mysteriously been invited to live and work in.
One of my few, small gripes is that due to the nature of this plot, McVulpin's interjections come across as unnecessarily dismissive and sarcastic. The fact that he is quick to pin Bridget's writings on mental illness is fine due to the context, but some of his footnotes are not much more than a snary remark in the vein of "yeah, sure", as opposed to offering a clinical analysis of her alleged mental disorder. It just comes across as counterproductive to what he otherwise appears to intend to achieve through this so-called case study, and his professionalism becomes questionable.
Also, another thing that was borderline cheesy, was how Anouk would exclaim Swedish phrases simply because she's Swedish. Especially how the word "fuck" was directly translated into Swedish. This assumes that English profanity is worded exactly the same in other languages. But in Swedish, that just sounds like she is exclaiming "Procreate!" (only with a ruder choice of word). Again, it's a minor gripe, but for someone who understands Swedish, this stood out to me.
Either way, the overall novella was well-written and made for a suspenseful mystery. A thing I have loved about these Eden Book Society releases so far, is that the novellas are short enough that you can read through them within mere hours, but the storytelling is usually still as immersive and gripping as full-length novels. And this installment was particularly a creative one.
P.S.: Just a trivial observation... At the top of every page, it says the name of the author on the left side (the even-numbered pages), and the book title on the right side (the odd-numbered pages). However, on page 165 in my copy, the book title instead randomly says "Starve Acre", which is another Eden Book Society release. A funny bit of editing blunder, I suppose.
Starve Acre by Jonathan Buckley
4.0
First of all, I love it when a good story is presented with a good title. Starve Acre is the perfect name for this wonderful little horror story. It immediately sets the tone, and the rest of the novella does not disappoint.
Despite it being a relatively short story, it's a slow burn, but the pace fits the overall tone well. It's a story that is rather bleak right off the bat, as we are introduced to a grieving couple. Then we discover that their grief is merely the beginning, and it gets much darker from there. The story skips forth and back in time, between events leading up to a tragedy, and how the aftermath develops.
While the setting is in a British village, it certainly delivers a highly gothic atmosphere, where we see cursed folklore and old superstition become reality. The grieving mother first comes across as irrational due to her blinding grief, but as the story unfolds, there are other forces at play. And it would appear that something sinister was going on with their son before he passed away. All of this leads to a gripping and brutal final part.
Out of all six current Eden Book Society releases, I'd say this ended up being my favorite one. The solid pacing, the simplistic approach to the narration where much can be said with few words, the author's ability to create such an ominous feel over the limited span of this novella ... all of it is just superbly done.
It's my understanding that the author has re-released this story under his real name, and has expanded upon it to make it an even more fleshed-out horror story. I may have to acquire that version one day, to get the full experience of this dark tale.
3.5 points rounded up.
Despite it being a relatively short story, it's a slow burn, but the pace fits the overall tone well. It's a story that is rather bleak right off the bat, as we are introduced to a grieving couple. Then we discover that their grief is merely the beginning, and it gets much darker from there. The story skips forth and back in time, between events leading up to a tragedy, and how the aftermath develops.
While the setting is in a British village, it certainly delivers a highly gothic atmosphere, where we see cursed folklore and old superstition become reality. The grieving mother first comes across as irrational due to her blinding grief, but as the story unfolds, there are other forces at play. And it would appear that something sinister was going on with their son before he passed away. All of this leads to a gripping and brutal final part.
Out of all six current Eden Book Society releases, I'd say this ended up being my favorite one. The solid pacing, the simplistic approach to the narration where much can be said with few words, the author's ability to create such an ominous feel over the limited span of this novella ... all of it is just superbly done.
It's my understanding that the author has re-released this story under his real name, and has expanded upon it to make it an even more fleshed-out horror story. I may have to acquire that version one day, to get the full experience of this dark tale.
3.5 points rounded up.
The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay
4.0
Now, this novel caught me by surprise in a wonderful way. It's my first time reading anything by Paul Tremblay, but after having finished The Pallbearers Club, I am very interested – and intent on – reading more of his work. What a weird and beautiful book this is.
The premise borders on something a bit epistolary-like, as we have the character Mercy finding the script for the memoir of her friend Art. That is to say, Art himself claims it's his memoir, while Mercy will adamantly insist that it's more of a novel, as she considers a lot of his anecdotes to be exaggerated and flat-out fictional. This is one of the most unique things about this novel. We are sort of reading it along with Mercy, and she's making little interjections and quips along the way through handwritten comments in the margins, as well as offering her overall thoughts at the end of each chapter. There's something a little meta about this, as if Tremblay himself is making jabs at his own writings, and channeling people who might have offered comments on his writing in the past. (However, that's just me speculating)
And because of Mercy's commentary, we find ourselves possibly dealing with an unreliable narrator, as she picks apart things he has claimed and objects to them, making us wonder if he is misremembering details or exaggerating them for dramatic effect. At the same time, the way Mercy herself “sets the record straight” comes across as self-serving. Thus, both characters ultimately come across as unreliable narrators, albeit for separate reasons. And we're left to wonder what is real or not.
Tremblay's writing is masterful, incredibly sharp, and at times beyond witty. The humor is effortless and deadpan, often based on the combination of Art's awkwardness and self-deprecation, and Mercy's snarky playfulness. Some moments are simultaneously absurd and relatable, and I found myself chuckling several times. Tremblay also has a delightful way of turning nouns into verbs, such as how someone “supervillained a laugh.” Descriptions like that truly add to the overall humor and feel.
Since the novel had the “horror” tag, one might ask: Are there many scares throughout the story? I'd say for the most part no, but it's also not trying to be that kind of horror story. There are some suspenseful, fever dream-like moments with horror undertones, potentially something supernatural depending on whether Art's memoir is to be believed. Ghoulish sprinkles here and there to give some unique flavor to the nervous-geek-befriends-cool-rock-chick trope, and done in a superb way.
In other words, it's not necessarily meant to be a novel that will keep you up at night after it has given you terrifying nightmares. What it is instead, is a story that is captivating, quirky, surreal at times, funny, a story that gives the rock scene's term “battle jacket” a whole new meaning, and ambiguous, but with a lot of heart – especially when certain things become somewhat more clear and begin to make sense – and I can safely say The Pallbearers Club has now become one of my favorite reads so far in 2023.
The premise borders on something a bit epistolary-like, as we have the character Mercy finding the script for the memoir of her friend Art. That is to say, Art himself claims it's his memoir, while Mercy will adamantly insist that it's more of a novel, as she considers a lot of his anecdotes to be exaggerated and flat-out fictional. This is one of the most unique things about this novel. We are sort of reading it along with Mercy, and she's making little interjections and quips along the way through handwritten comments in the margins, as well as offering her overall thoughts at the end of each chapter. There's something a little meta about this, as if Tremblay himself is making jabs at his own writings, and channeling people who might have offered comments on his writing in the past. (However, that's just me speculating)
And because of Mercy's commentary, we find ourselves possibly dealing with an unreliable narrator, as she picks apart things he has claimed and objects to them, making us wonder if he is misremembering details or exaggerating them for dramatic effect. At the same time, the way Mercy herself “sets the record straight” comes across as self-serving. Thus, both characters ultimately come across as unreliable narrators, albeit for separate reasons. And we're left to wonder what is real or not.
Tremblay's writing is masterful, incredibly sharp, and at times beyond witty. The humor is effortless and deadpan, often based on the combination of Art's awkwardness and self-deprecation, and Mercy's snarky playfulness. Some moments are simultaneously absurd and relatable, and I found myself chuckling several times. Tremblay also has a delightful way of turning nouns into verbs, such as how someone “supervillained a laugh.” Descriptions like that truly add to the overall humor and feel.
Since the novel had the “horror” tag, one might ask: Are there many scares throughout the story? I'd say for the most part no, but it's also not trying to be that kind of horror story. There are some suspenseful, fever dream-like moments with horror undertones, potentially something supernatural depending on whether Art's memoir is to be believed. Ghoulish sprinkles here and there to give some unique flavor to the nervous-geek-befriends-cool-rock-chick trope, and done in a superb way.
In other words, it's not necessarily meant to be a novel that will keep you up at night after it has given you terrifying nightmares. What it is instead, is a story that is captivating, quirky, surreal at times, funny, a story that gives the rock scene's term “battle jacket” a whole new meaning, and ambiguous, but with a lot of heart – especially when certain things become somewhat more clear and begin to make sense – and I can safely say The Pallbearers Club has now become one of my favorite reads so far in 2023.
The Acolyte by Nick Cutter
3.0
Having previously read and thoroughly enjoyed Cutter's two first novels, The Troop and The Deep, I went into this optimistic. Now that I've read The Acolyte, it's not so much that I was disappointed, but maybe to some degree slightly underwhelmed.
The story itself is interesting enough. This time, Cutter has written a futuristic, dystopian novel, and the world-building seems very well thought out. We find ourselves in a society where faith is the law – a law that's enforced with extreme prejudice. There is only one true religion, anything else is outlawed. People are living in a reality of brainwashing and censorship, threats of conversion therapy, torture, oppression, a place where science is disbanded and astronauts no longer exist – the ultimate conservative dictatorship, amen.
Conceptually, the premise isn't too far-fetched in some ways, as Christianity has historically been very aggressively trying to dominate the world. Invading, conquering, and shackling entire cultures in order to force their faith upon everyone. This story basically demonstrates – albeit to quite a dramatic degree - what it might look like if they succeeded in a complete takeover.
With that said, the plot moves along a bit fast. Not much time is spent on introducing the characters or establishing their personalities before they are thrown right into the action. Not that it's flat-out bad that a story is fast-paced and action-packed, but still, I always say there should be room for some introductory exposition just to make sure you genuinely care about the characters, and about what happens to them.
The writing isn't bad per se; I still think it has that distinct Cutter style. The narration has a steady pace and he knows how to make the action stand out and be suspenseful for the most part. And you can always rely on Cutter to have some fairly violent and gory moments. My only gripe is that it's all just a bit surface-level. Very plot-focused, without that much character development.
I do realize that this may be slightly intentional, since this story is essentially a hybrid between futuristic dystopia and something like an old noir detective story. Such detective stories could often be very to-the-point and just present the murder mystery.
Speaking of the murder mystery, it's not so much a whodunit, but why-are-they-doing-it. I'd almost say there are some supervillain elements to this part of the story, as the whole city is made unsafe due to the way the murders are committed. It all could have just been slightly more captivating had I cared more about the actual characters.
All in all, though, it's undeniable that Cutter also has sprinkled a fair share of social commentary over this story, shedding some light on all the actual hatred, prejudice and religious narcissism that does exist in our world today. In his own author's notes, he says it was a struggle for him to write certain parts of this book, having to put himself in the mind of such hatred for the sake of the story. His efforts are as such commendable.
So, while this was my least favorite of the three Cutter books I have read so far, I'm still not saying this was bad altogether. And I am still interested in reading more of his work one day.
The story itself is interesting enough. This time, Cutter has written a futuristic, dystopian novel, and the world-building seems very well thought out. We find ourselves in a society where faith is the law – a law that's enforced with extreme prejudice. There is only one true religion, anything else is outlawed. People are living in a reality of brainwashing and censorship, threats of conversion therapy, torture, oppression, a place where science is disbanded and astronauts no longer exist – the ultimate conservative dictatorship, amen.
Conceptually, the premise isn't too far-fetched in some ways, as Christianity has historically been very aggressively trying to dominate the world. Invading, conquering, and shackling entire cultures in order to force their faith upon everyone. This story basically demonstrates – albeit to quite a dramatic degree - what it might look like if they succeeded in a complete takeover.
With that said, the plot moves along a bit fast. Not much time is spent on introducing the characters or establishing their personalities before they are thrown right into the action. Not that it's flat-out bad that a story is fast-paced and action-packed, but still, I always say there should be room for some introductory exposition just to make sure you genuinely care about the characters, and about what happens to them.
The writing isn't bad per se; I still think it has that distinct Cutter style. The narration has a steady pace and he knows how to make the action stand out and be suspenseful for the most part. And you can always rely on Cutter to have some fairly violent and gory moments. My only gripe is that it's all just a bit surface-level. Very plot-focused, without that much character development.
I do realize that this may be slightly intentional, since this story is essentially a hybrid between futuristic dystopia and something like an old noir detective story. Such detective stories could often be very to-the-point and just present the murder mystery.
Speaking of the murder mystery, it's not so much a whodunit, but why-are-they-doing-it. I'd almost say there are some supervillain elements to this part of the story, as the whole city is made unsafe due to the way the murders are committed. It all could have just been slightly more captivating had I cared more about the actual characters.
All in all, though, it's undeniable that Cutter also has sprinkled a fair share of social commentary over this story, shedding some light on all the actual hatred, prejudice and religious narcissism that does exist in our world today. In his own author's notes, he says it was a struggle for him to write certain parts of this book, having to put himself in the mind of such hatred for the sake of the story. His efforts are as such commendable.
So, while this was my least favorite of the three Cutter books I have read so far, I'm still not saying this was bad altogether. And I am still interested in reading more of his work one day.
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
4.0
3.8 rounded up.
Well, my official journey through the Dark Tower series has begun, and it begins with this, a novel that seems to divide my fellow King fans. I'm a member of some fan groups on Facebook, and when I announced that I was finally getting started on these books, I was “warned” that Volume I is sort of the oddball among them, and that Volume II and beyond is where the real fun starts.
I didn't particularly have any problems with this one, though. It remains to be seen in retrospect how different in tone this is from the rest, but as a complete newcomer to the series, I ultimately enjoyed it. I loved the mix of styles, here. It's like a Western with gun fights and shootouts, combined with fantasy elements such as magic and otherworldly creatures, all wrapped up in a Mad Max-style dystopian, post-apocalyptic setting, with an overall surreal feel to it all.
With that said, it is admittedly a relatively short novel with a storyline that doesn't cover very much just yet, and maybe that's one of the reasons why the rest of the series is considered to be better, as I'm assuming it expands this universe and introduces more characters.
But I have to say, one of the things that excited me the most was finally getting to read the book that featured THAT line. It's been said that an author can consider themselves lucky if they manage to strike gold with a memorable opening line. And the opening line here - “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed” - which not only starts off this volume but is the first line of a (roughly) 4,250-page epic, surely must be up there among the most iconic ones. So simplistic, but it establishes a scenario and a conflict immediately, and urges you to keep reading to find out what this is all about.
Normally, I'd say that if you handed me a novel without revealing the author's name, I could tell from the narration and the descriptions that it was most likely written by Stephen King, because he has a fairly consistent style. But when it comes to Volume I: The Gunslinger, there is a slightly different feel to his narration. I think part of that is because he's writing from the perspective of the titular gunslinger (aka Roland Deschain), and the way they speak within this universe. But I also feel that he intentionally narrated things a bit differently just to put us in the mindset of this surreal, timeless realm in which the story takes place.
Aside from the flashbacks, Roland's name is rarely spoken in this novel, which gives him a certain mystique, similar to Clint Eastwood's nameless characters in the Dollars trilogy. There's a general consistency of mystique throughout the novel in general, such as his age, when this all takes place (past, present, or future compared to our own timeline), and where we are. There is a strange notion that many of the characters can't quite grasp the concept of time, and some display a lack of knowledge as to how they arrived at where they are. Because of this, to me, some parts read as if they are all in some sort of limbo or afterlife, as if they have somehow been transported there from what we consider our own reality here on Earth.
All of this is of course my understanding of the overall story after having just read the first volume. I was a bit unsure whether to do a review now, or wait until I had read the entire series. But I'm thinking that while King was still writing these novels, people didn't have the luxury of giving their complete, after-the-fact impression. Thus, I decided to share my thoughts after each book.
So, as a conclusion here and now, I personally think Volume I: The Gunslinger was a pretty interesting start. And since, as mentioned, there appears to be a consensus among fans that the rest of the series is much better, I am excited to keep reading!
Well, my official journey through the Dark Tower series has begun, and it begins with this, a novel that seems to divide my fellow King fans. I'm a member of some fan groups on Facebook, and when I announced that I was finally getting started on these books, I was “warned” that Volume I is sort of the oddball among them, and that Volume II and beyond is where the real fun starts.
I didn't particularly have any problems with this one, though. It remains to be seen in retrospect how different in tone this is from the rest, but as a complete newcomer to the series, I ultimately enjoyed it. I loved the mix of styles, here. It's like a Western with gun fights and shootouts, combined with fantasy elements such as magic and otherworldly creatures, all wrapped up in a Mad Max-style dystopian, post-apocalyptic setting, with an overall surreal feel to it all.
With that said, it is admittedly a relatively short novel with a storyline that doesn't cover very much just yet, and maybe that's one of the reasons why the rest of the series is considered to be better, as I'm assuming it expands this universe and introduces more characters.
But I have to say, one of the things that excited me the most was finally getting to read the book that featured THAT line. It's been said that an author can consider themselves lucky if they manage to strike gold with a memorable opening line. And the opening line here - “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed” - which not only starts off this volume but is the first line of a (roughly) 4,250-page epic, surely must be up there among the most iconic ones. So simplistic, but it establishes a scenario and a conflict immediately, and urges you to keep reading to find out what this is all about.
Normally, I'd say that if you handed me a novel without revealing the author's name, I could tell from the narration and the descriptions that it was most likely written by Stephen King, because he has a fairly consistent style. But when it comes to Volume I: The Gunslinger, there is a slightly different feel to his narration. I think part of that is because he's writing from the perspective of the titular gunslinger (aka Roland Deschain), and the way they speak within this universe. But I also feel that he intentionally narrated things a bit differently just to put us in the mindset of this surreal, timeless realm in which the story takes place.
Aside from the flashbacks, Roland's name is rarely spoken in this novel, which gives him a certain mystique, similar to Clint Eastwood's nameless characters in the Dollars trilogy. There's a general consistency of mystique throughout the novel in general, such as his age, when this all takes place (past, present, or future compared to our own timeline), and where we are. There is a strange notion that many of the characters can't quite grasp the concept of time, and some display a lack of knowledge as to how they arrived at where they are. Because of this, to me, some parts read as if they are all in some sort of limbo or afterlife, as if they have somehow been transported there from what we consider our own reality here on Earth.
All of this is of course my understanding of the overall story after having just read the first volume. I was a bit unsure whether to do a review now, or wait until I had read the entire series. But I'm thinking that while King was still writing these novels, people didn't have the luxury of giving their complete, after-the-fact impression. Thus, I decided to share my thoughts after each book.
So, as a conclusion here and now, I personally think Volume I: The Gunslinger was a pretty interesting start. And since, as mentioned, there appears to be a consensus among fans that the rest of the series is much better, I am excited to keep reading!
The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King
4.0
In the world of television, there's this somewhat clichéd notion that some shows will need at least the entirety of their first season to fully find their footing and get into a specific groove. For example, I know many Trekkies would say that the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is rather clumsy, but it's really beginning to form its own identity from the second season, and then maybe it has perfected its own formula by Season 3.
If one can accept such a concept, I can say that we're seeing a similar evolution in the Dark Tower series, as Volume II: The Drawing of the Three comes at you with a renewed and stronger energy than its predecessor. So, to be fair: In my review of the previous book, I mentioned that I had been somewhat warned that Volume I: The Gunslinger was kind of a strange read, but that it would get better in the following volumes. While I personally didn't mind the first book, I will say I still have to admit that they were on to something. The narration is slightly easier to follow this time, not as surreal, and more in the same vein as King's regular writing style.
With that said, there are still larger-than-life, otherworldly scenarios that continue to unfold. For example, the whole concept of the doors that take you to, shall we say, other lifetimes, reminds me a little bit of the old Quantum Leap series (a more voluntary version of such a scenario, one might say). Also, I like how the story in this volume starts off mere hours after the final events of the first one. It helps enforce the notion that all seven original volumes combined are one long story.
The narration itself loosens up a little and adds more of that good ol' King brand of dark humor. But there's still plenty of suspense too, as this second volume overall has a lot more action sequences than the first one. We also see the ensemble of characters beginning to grow. Not only the key characters introduced and directly involved in the main plot of Volume II, but all the colorful and unique supporting characters that come with them in minor or larger roles.
Speaking of these new key characters, and the way each of them is introduced to us, the structure of events partly feels almost like an anthology in disguise. As Roland is meeting each of them – or drawing them, like cards – a lot of time is spent establishing their backstories, to give us a sense of what lives they've led before Roland pulls them out of their timeline. The way King establishes their personalities and lives could be like individual short stories (if slightly reconstructed), but they are all connected through Roland and the overall story.
This all adds different flavors along the way, adding even more genres and topics to the original Western Fantasy vibe feel, and keeps the reading experience consistently fresh.
Oddly enough, over the course of these two first volumes, Roland is still the most mysterious character, in terms of how much (or little) we know about him at this point. There hasn't been much more development than the trinkets of backstory we got in the first volume. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it makes him one-dimensional or uninteresting. It's more like we are learning more about his personality through the eyes of the other characters, as they are learning to trust and understand him. Plus, it makes sure that what I mentioned in the previous review, that he has this vibe to him similar to Clint Eastwood in the Dollar trilogy, continues.
Now being two volumes in, I am getting a better feel for the overall themes, or at least trying to grasp them better. For example, the individuals that Roland interacts with this time seem to all be broken and imperfect in their own ways (albeit to various degrees), and for a newcomer to this series, I am left to wonder if these imperfections in and of themselves have a purpose – or, rather, what purpose they have. Among each of these characters, there are traits of violence, corruption, greed, compulsions, and so on, so one is left to wonder why such flawed characters are the ones destined to accompany or otherwise serve Roland. And then there's the fact that their lives appear to in part have been connected even before Roland brought them together for his quest.
Well, some of these elements will undoubtedly be all the more cleared up as the story continues. For now, I will conclude this review by saying Volume II: The Drawing of the Three took the uniqueness of the first volume and expanded upon it, making it an even more intricate and interesting story, and a very enjoyable read, one that gets me very excited to get started on the continuation.
If one can accept such a concept, I can say that we're seeing a similar evolution in the Dark Tower series, as Volume II: The Drawing of the Three comes at you with a renewed and stronger energy than its predecessor. So, to be fair: In my review of the previous book, I mentioned that I had been somewhat warned that Volume I: The Gunslinger was kind of a strange read, but that it would get better in the following volumes. While I personally didn't mind the first book, I will say I still have to admit that they were on to something. The narration is slightly easier to follow this time, not as surreal, and more in the same vein as King's regular writing style.
With that said, there are still larger-than-life, otherworldly scenarios that continue to unfold. For example, the whole concept of the doors that take you to, shall we say, other lifetimes, reminds me a little bit of the old Quantum Leap series (a more voluntary version of such a scenario, one might say). Also, I like how the story in this volume starts off mere hours after the final events of the first one. It helps enforce the notion that all seven original volumes combined are one long story.
The narration itself loosens up a little and adds more of that good ol' King brand of dark humor. But there's still plenty of suspense too, as this second volume overall has a lot more action sequences than the first one. We also see the ensemble of characters beginning to grow. Not only the key characters introduced and directly involved in the main plot of Volume II, but all the colorful and unique supporting characters that come with them in minor or larger roles.
Speaking of these new key characters, and the way each of them is introduced to us, the structure of events partly feels almost like an anthology in disguise. As Roland is meeting each of them – or drawing them, like cards – a lot of time is spent establishing their backstories, to give us a sense of what lives they've led before Roland pulls them out of their timeline. The way King establishes their personalities and lives could be like individual short stories (if slightly reconstructed), but they are all connected through Roland and the overall story.
This all adds different flavors along the way, adding even more genres and topics to the original Western Fantasy vibe feel, and keeps the reading experience consistently fresh.
Oddly enough, over the course of these two first volumes, Roland is still the most mysterious character, in terms of how much (or little) we know about him at this point. There hasn't been much more development than the trinkets of backstory we got in the first volume. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it makes him one-dimensional or uninteresting. It's more like we are learning more about his personality through the eyes of the other characters, as they are learning to trust and understand him. Plus, it makes sure that what I mentioned in the previous review, that he has this vibe to him similar to Clint Eastwood in the Dollar trilogy, continues.
Now being two volumes in, I am getting a better feel for the overall themes, or at least trying to grasp them better. For example, the individuals that Roland interacts with this time seem to all be broken and imperfect in their own ways (albeit to various degrees), and for a newcomer to this series, I am left to wonder if these imperfections in and of themselves have a purpose – or, rather, what purpose they have. Among each of these characters, there are traits of violence, corruption, greed, compulsions, and so on, so one is left to wonder why such flawed characters are the ones destined to accompany or otherwise serve Roland. And then there's the fact that their lives appear to in part have been connected even before Roland brought them together for his quest.
Well, some of these elements will undoubtedly be all the more cleared up as the story continues. For now, I will conclude this review by saying Volume II: The Drawing of the Three took the uniqueness of the first volume and expanded upon it, making it an even more intricate and interesting story, and a very enjoyable read, one that gets me very excited to get started on the continuation.
The Waste Lands by Stephen King
4.0
The quest for the Dark Tower continues, and I am still gladly on this journey without hesitation!
Tonally, I feel that Volume III: The Waste Lands is at times a mix of the first two. In Volume I: The Gunslinger, King merely began to establish the strange and fantasy-like world Roland comes from, while in Volume II: The Drawing of the Three, we spent a large portion of the story in our own reality, especially as Roland had to resolve Eddie's dilemma before he could join his quest. This time around, a lot more time was spent in the other realm, but with the flavors from our own reality blending into the scenery through the personalities of Eddie, Susannah, and, shall we say, another returning character.
I truly appreciated both those elements. We're going deeper into the lore of this other dimension – literally getting some more world-building, which is necessary for the fantasy genre – and are given more insight into local history, the current societal structure, and the mystery of why the landscape is as desolate and post-apocalyptic as it is. The ensemble of characters is ever-growing, with quite a large cast this time, each of them showcasing unique traits and quirks.
As a side note, it was more fitting than I realized when I in my previous reviews described Roland as a silent Clint Eastwood-type, as the Dollar trilogy is actually referenced in this book. Speaking of references, we are also starting to see more signs of how some of Stephen King's other novels tie into the Dark Tower multiverse here, which is also fascinating to behold.
In short, Stephen King is clearly having a lot of fun with this universe, as he continues to sprinkle all sorts of styles and genres on top of the fantasy foundation. We get war stories, science fiction, a haunted house, even a little bit of steampunk ...and ZZ Top?? All of this gives us a setting as vast and timeless as this world itself. In other words, even though Volume III: The Waste Lands is almost 600 pages long, he continues to keep it interesting, although some moments feel like borderline padding just to draw out the suspense a little bit, but he just barely manages to avoid crossing that border.
By now, it is made much clearer that the overall story is serialized, from the way this volume ends somewhat abruptly on a cliffhanger. Good thing the whole epic was already completed by the time I started reading these, because I can imagine the combined suspense and frustration in the readers who consumed this book back when it was originally published, and would have to wait for who knows how many years until the next volume!
My final thought? The story keeps getting more and more exciting, urging me to read on.
(...and I want my own Oy for a pet. )
Tonally, I feel that Volume III: The Waste Lands is at times a mix of the first two. In Volume I: The Gunslinger, King merely began to establish the strange and fantasy-like world Roland comes from, while in Volume II: The Drawing of the Three, we spent a large portion of the story in our own reality, especially as Roland had to resolve Eddie's dilemma before he could join his quest. This time around, a lot more time was spent in the other realm, but with the flavors from our own reality blending into the scenery through the personalities of Eddie, Susannah, and, shall we say, another returning character.
I truly appreciated both those elements. We're going deeper into the lore of this other dimension – literally getting some more world-building, which is necessary for the fantasy genre – and are given more insight into local history, the current societal structure, and the mystery of why the landscape is as desolate and post-apocalyptic as it is. The ensemble of characters is ever-growing, with quite a large cast this time, each of them showcasing unique traits and quirks.
As a side note, it was more fitting than I realized when I in my previous reviews described Roland as a silent Clint Eastwood-type, as the Dollar trilogy is actually referenced in this book. Speaking of references, we are also starting to see more signs of how some of Stephen King's other novels tie into the Dark Tower multiverse here, which is also fascinating to behold.
In short, Stephen King is clearly having a lot of fun with this universe, as he continues to sprinkle all sorts of styles and genres on top of the fantasy foundation. We get war stories, science fiction, a haunted house, even a little bit of steampunk ...and ZZ Top?? All of this gives us a setting as vast and timeless as this world itself. In other words, even though Volume III: The Waste Lands is almost 600 pages long, he continues to keep it interesting, although some moments feel like borderline padding just to draw out the suspense a little bit, but he just barely manages to avoid crossing that border.
By now, it is made much clearer that the overall story is serialized, from the way this volume ends somewhat abruptly on a cliffhanger. Good thing the whole epic was already completed by the time I started reading these, because I can imagine the combined suspense and frustration in the readers who consumed this book back when it was originally published, and would have to wait for who knows how many years until the next volume!
My final thought? The story keeps getting more and more exciting, urging me to read on.
(...and I want my own Oy for a pet. )
Wizard and Glass by Stephen King
5.0
4.5 rounded up.
Continuing pretty much directly where the previous volume left off, Stephen King has by now sufficiently established the Dark Tower series as one long story split up into segments. As I began reading this book, it no longer felt like I was reading a follow-up; it didn't even feel like I had started on a different book at all, just the next chapter. Considering how some years went by between every time a new volume was published, King has done a good job at making the end of the previous book and the beginning of this new one blend together seamlessly.
Overall, I'd say that this volume covers a part of the Dark Tower universe I've been waiting for, which is more about Roland himself. We're finally getting a lot more of his backstory, specifically the circumstances around who Susan is and how they came to fall in love. As a bonus, we also get more insight into Roland's relationship with his childhood friend Cuthbert.
All of this backstory is told by Roland himself in the current time, but the narration transports us back to the time he is referring to. The majority of the plot takes place here in this volume. What this also means, is that a huge portion of this book focuses solely on the “dystopian, magical Wild West” feel, with shootouts and witchcraft, gunslingers and sheriffs, all intertwined. We are introduced to a whole new ensemble of characters, and we get much deeper into the lore of this reality they live in. As such, this entire backstory feels like a prequel right in the middle of the still ongoing main story in the present time. I really liked that narrative detour of sorts.
In all honesty, I do feel that some parts came close to feeling a bit dragged out, but fortunately, King has the ability to even make filler/padding portions interesting through his writing. And I appreciated the world-building enough to never actually feel bored or impatient. We will see what I think of future installments when it comes to this, as Volume IV: Wizard and Glass is just the second-longest book in the series.
Also, in the present time portion of the story, we're seeing more and more signs of how King is blending all of his literary worlds together, with even clearer references to other novels and characters. Roland and his ka-tet are witnessing how these worlds are starting to bleed into one another.
His inspirations from other works of writing are more worn on his sleeve as well. One thing that might be a stretch on my part, is how the duel of riddles between Roland's crew and Blaine reminded me of a similar riddle game between Bilbo Baggins and Gollum in The Hobbit. But there was one reference that was made abundantly clear, so much so that it literally became a part of this current story. It's as if the Dark Tower series not only blends together King's own works, but could potentially draw energy from any and all literary works (...as long as it's public domain, I suppose).
Despite my critique above regarding how some parts almost dragged on a bit, Volume IV might be one of my favorite installments of this series so far, especially the entire flashback segment.
Continuing pretty much directly where the previous volume left off, Stephen King has by now sufficiently established the Dark Tower series as one long story split up into segments. As I began reading this book, it no longer felt like I was reading a follow-up; it didn't even feel like I had started on a different book at all, just the next chapter. Considering how some years went by between every time a new volume was published, King has done a good job at making the end of the previous book and the beginning of this new one blend together seamlessly.
Overall, I'd say that this volume covers a part of the Dark Tower universe I've been waiting for, which is more about Roland himself. We're finally getting a lot more of his backstory, specifically the circumstances around who Susan is and how they came to fall in love. As a bonus, we also get more insight into Roland's relationship with his childhood friend Cuthbert.
All of this backstory is told by Roland himself in the current time, but the narration transports us back to the time he is referring to. The majority of the plot takes place here in this volume. What this also means, is that a huge portion of this book focuses solely on the “dystopian, magical Wild West” feel, with shootouts and witchcraft, gunslingers and sheriffs, all intertwined. We are introduced to a whole new ensemble of characters, and we get much deeper into the lore of this reality they live in. As such, this entire backstory feels like a prequel right in the middle of the still ongoing main story in the present time. I really liked that narrative detour of sorts.
In all honesty, I do feel that some parts came close to feeling a bit dragged out, but fortunately, King has the ability to even make filler/padding portions interesting through his writing. And I appreciated the world-building enough to never actually feel bored or impatient. We will see what I think of future installments when it comes to this, as Volume IV: Wizard and Glass is just the second-longest book in the series.
Also, in the present time portion of the story, we're seeing more and more signs of how King is blending all of his literary worlds together, with even clearer references to other novels and characters. Roland and his ka-tet are witnessing how these worlds are starting to bleed into one another.
His inspirations from other works of writing are more worn on his sleeve as well. One thing that might be a stretch on my part, is how the duel of riddles between Roland's crew and Blaine reminded me of a similar riddle game between Bilbo Baggins and Gollum in The Hobbit. But there was one reference that was made abundantly clear, so much so that it literally became a part of this current story. It's as if the Dark Tower series not only blends together King's own works, but could potentially draw energy from any and all literary works (...as long as it's public domain, I suppose).
Despite my critique above regarding how some parts almost dragged on a bit, Volume IV might be one of my favorite installments of this series so far, especially the entire flashback segment.
Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King
5.0
4.5 rounded up.
Now five volumes in, King has hit a solid stride in terms of the narration of this Dark Tower series, and he appears to expand his world-building with great ease.
One thing that I've really enjoyed about this series so far, is that each installment is a sort of hybrid between episodic adventures and a larger, overarching storyline. It's a great way to add a new flavor to each installment, yet keep it within a familiar setting. And it truly makes this entire story one, great odyssey of a great journey where one along the way meets friends and foes, characters and creatures, pleasures and dangers.
This time, we are introduced to a town dealing with mysterious creatures known as Wolves. So some time is spent establishing what is going on in that context, as well as Roland and his ka-tet deciding to help the townsfolk fight the Wolves.
Here we also meet Father Callahan - originally from one of King's earliest novels, 'Salem's Lot - reminding us once again how all his stories appear to be connected, tied together by the Dark Tower's multiple beams. A great portion of Volume V: Wolves of the Calla is therefore spent on establishing Callahan's backstory, to help us understand how he ended up in Mid-World after we last read about him. This part of the book almost feels like a sequel to 'Salem's Lot that King ended up weaving into the fabric of the overall Dark Tower series. These were some of my favorite parts of this volume.
Then it gets really interesting towards the end. Not only does this volume end with quite a cliffhanger, but it introduces a certain self-referential element that I had previously heard about but was wondering how it would be added to the story. I have some questions and reservations about this particular part right now, but will hold off on commenting too much until I've read the next book.
All in all, it was another great read, and it's mindblowing that I'm now already over halfway through the entire series!
Now five volumes in, King has hit a solid stride in terms of the narration of this Dark Tower series, and he appears to expand his world-building with great ease.
One thing that I've really enjoyed about this series so far, is that each installment is a sort of hybrid between episodic adventures and a larger, overarching storyline. It's a great way to add a new flavor to each installment, yet keep it within a familiar setting. And it truly makes this entire story one, great odyssey of a great journey where one along the way meets friends and foes, characters and creatures, pleasures and dangers.
This time, we are introduced to a town dealing with mysterious creatures known as Wolves. So some time is spent establishing what is going on in that context, as well as Roland and his ka-tet deciding to help the townsfolk fight the Wolves.
Here we also meet Father Callahan - originally from one of King's earliest novels, 'Salem's Lot - reminding us once again how all his stories appear to be connected, tied together by the Dark Tower's multiple beams. A great portion of Volume V: Wolves of the Calla is therefore spent on establishing Callahan's backstory, to help us understand how he ended up in Mid-World after we last read about him. This part of the book almost feels like a sequel to 'Salem's Lot that King ended up weaving into the fabric of the overall Dark Tower series. These were some of my favorite parts of this volume.
Then it gets really interesting towards the end. Not only does this volume end with quite a cliffhanger, but it introduces a certain self-referential element that I had previously heard about but was wondering how it would be added to the story. I have some questions and reservations about this particular part right now, but will hold off on commenting too much until I've read the next book.
All in all, it was another great read, and it's mindblowing that I'm now already over halfway through the entire series!
Song of Susannah by Stephen King, Darrel Anderson
5.0
4.7 rounded up.
The quest for the Tower draws near a conclusion, as I have now read the penultimate volume - and enjoyed it!
One could say that this volume is split into two main narratives, as our main characters are separated from each other. Or, rather, Roland and his crew are separated from Susannah Dean. The previous book, Volume V: Wolves of the Calla, left us with a slight cliffhanger regarding Susannah's whereabouts, and so one of the narratives in this volume shows us where she went and what she is up to, while the other portion shows us how the others attempting to find and rescue her.
I was pleased to see this volume spend such a fair portion focusing on Susannah, as she's become one of my favorite characters throughout this series. Frankly, in my opinion, she is one of the characters that has had the most development overall in the series, and certainly in the last couple of volumes, after the introduction of the Mia persona.
I feel like this latest development also retrospectively gives more purpose to a moment in an earlier novel; a moment that could come across as borderline gratuitous then and there due to the circumstances. (Not that I'm generally a prude otherwise) That moment is now shown to have led to consequences that directly impact the main storyline in a way that ups the stakes for everyone involved.
As for the second narrative involving the rest of Roland's gang, there was another element introduced in the previous volume that made me curious as to how this would be utilized as the story progresses. One could argue that Stephen King has often borrowed from his own life whenever he is writing about a character whose profession happens to be that of an author. Whether it's the alcoholism of Jack Torrance in The Shining, or the paranoia of Paul Sheldon being trapped with a deranged fan, it's not too far-fetched to assume that King has implemented a few of his own flaws and fears in such stories.
However, in the Dark Tower series, he has now literally introduced himself as an actual character, albeit with some alternate history behind him; let's just say that the real-life accident that King was actually in had a different outcome in the Dark Tower's version of his life.
In one of the King-related Facebook groups I'm a member of, I saw some reference to this fact in a comment, which had me a little bit worried, because the person who wrote the comment felt that Stephen King writing himself into the story was such a ridiculous inclusion that they lost interest in reading. However, while I'll still hold off on making too much of a statement until I have read the next and final volume, to see how involved the fictional King is in the rest of the story, it wasn't that bad in my opinion, at least for now. There was a chance it could have come across as far more narcissistic, especially due to the implications of how King is connected to the entire story, but I felt that it was a fairly humble, partly tongue-in-cheek approach.
Compared to a couple of the previous volumes, as well as the next one, Volume VI was also a bit on the shorter side, clocking in at 434 pages. That wasn't really a bad thing to me. It kept the narrative - or, narratives - more focused. Because when it comes to Stephen King's writing, his digressions can often go either way. Some moments really paint a picture and expand the world-building, while others feel like ramblings put in almost for the sake of padding. With this volume being somewhat more compact, there wasn't that much of a risk of the latter.
With that said, now that I finally find myself about to take on the final main volume in this epic series (with only the follow-up/prequel story called The Wind Through the Keyhole after that), I absolutely don't mind that the next book is the longest part of the Dark Tower series. The grand finale! (...although I have heard some warnings about said finale, but I'll refrain from judgment until I have actually read it myself)
The quest for the Tower draws near a conclusion, as I have now read the penultimate volume - and enjoyed it!
One could say that this volume is split into two main narratives, as our main characters are separated from each other. Or, rather, Roland and his crew are separated from Susannah Dean. The previous book, Volume V: Wolves of the Calla, left us with a slight cliffhanger regarding Susannah's whereabouts, and so one of the narratives in this volume shows us where she went and what she is up to, while the other portion shows us how the others attempting to find and rescue her.
I was pleased to see this volume spend such a fair portion focusing on Susannah, as she's become one of my favorite characters throughout this series. Frankly, in my opinion, she is one of the characters that has had the most development overall in the series, and certainly in the last couple of volumes, after the introduction of the Mia persona.
I feel like this latest development also retrospectively gives more purpose to a moment in an earlier novel; a moment that could come across as borderline gratuitous then and there due to the circumstances. (Not that I'm generally a prude otherwise) That moment is now shown to have led to consequences that directly impact the main storyline in a way that ups the stakes for everyone involved.
As for the second narrative involving the rest of Roland's gang, there was another element introduced in the previous volume that made me curious as to how this would be utilized as the story progresses. One could argue that Stephen King has often borrowed from his own life whenever he is writing about a character whose profession happens to be that of an author. Whether it's the alcoholism of Jack Torrance in The Shining, or the paranoia of Paul Sheldon being trapped with a deranged fan, it's not too far-fetched to assume that King has implemented a few of his own flaws and fears in such stories.
However, in the Dark Tower series, he has now literally introduced himself as an actual character, albeit with some alternate history behind him; let's just say that the real-life accident that King was actually in had a different outcome in the Dark Tower's version of his life.
In one of the King-related Facebook groups I'm a member of, I saw some reference to this fact in a comment, which had me a little bit worried, because the person who wrote the comment felt that Stephen King writing himself into the story was such a ridiculous inclusion that they lost interest in reading. However, while I'll still hold off on making too much of a statement until I have read the next and final volume, to see how involved the fictional King is in the rest of the story, it wasn't that bad in my opinion, at least for now. There was a chance it could have come across as far more narcissistic, especially due to the implications of how King is connected to the entire story, but I felt that it was a fairly humble, partly tongue-in-cheek approach.
Compared to a couple of the previous volumes, as well as the next one, Volume VI was also a bit on the shorter side, clocking in at 434 pages. That wasn't really a bad thing to me. It kept the narrative - or, narratives - more focused. Because when it comes to Stephen King's writing, his digressions can often go either way. Some moments really paint a picture and expand the world-building, while others feel like ramblings put in almost for the sake of padding. With this volume being somewhat more compact, there wasn't that much of a risk of the latter.
With that said, now that I finally find myself about to take on the final main volume in this epic series (with only the follow-up/prequel story called The Wind Through the Keyhole after that), I absolutely don't mind that the next book is the longest part of the Dark Tower series. The grand finale! (...although I have heard some warnings about said finale, but I'll refrain from judgment until I have actually read it myself)