Anyone Here Read The Dark Tower Books?

[inthedoorway]

And if so who was your favorite character?
Favorite book?
Did you read/like the comics?

 

[Friendly Lurker]

I've read the first one and I'm sure I'll read the rest some day but I just have so much stuff to read first. (sw)

 

[inthedoorway]

I've read the first one and I'm sure I'll read the rest some day but I just have so much stuff to read first. (sw)

Don't judge the series on the first one. I read it like 10 yrs ago and hated it. But then a couple yrs ago I happened to pick up the 2nd, and it was amazing. The first one is the worst by far. It gets so good.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

I've read them all from when the first one was published. I haven't read the revised versions of the first three yet though. I thought it was neat the way that virtually all King's work (at least since his accident, I believe) relates back to the Dark Tower in some way, though I think that there may have been quite a bit of ret-conning going on between some of the really early stuff and the series. I loved the way in which the end of the series gave some hope that -

Spoiler

even though Roland was doomed to relive the whole thing over, as he had done many times (apparently) - that the next time may be the last he had to...

BTW - I think my favourite would be either the second (The Drawing of the Three) or the third (The Waste Lands) though I pretty much loved the whole series...though I did find some of the meta-fictional stuff relating to King and his accident in the last couple of books was a little over the top...but, hey, it's Stephen King and I can forgive him his indulgences 🙂

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I haven't read the revised versions of the first three yet though.

I think my favourite would be either the second (The Drawing of the Three) or the third (The Waste Lands) though I pretty much loved the whole series...

What 'revised versions' I did like Blaine in The Waste Lands and Drawing of the Three was good.. but I really liked Wizard and Glass, I liked seeing Roland as a young pup full of piss and vinegar.

See, for some reason the later books actually DREW me in; when allusions were made to classic comic characters and other works of fiction. I really fell for that hard. I thought it was a bit over the top but by then I was pretty much in their world. Plus, hello..

Spoiler

jumping into The Stand

REALLY got me!

Oh.. character.. I cant remember her name but I liked the black girl/lady.

 

[inthedoorway]

I agree with Mr. Pointy, the stuff where King wrote himself in was a little self indulgent. I mean throughout the whole series he keeps saying Roland looks like Clint Eastwood, and then later he says Roland and himself look almost identical. I always found that weird.

My favorite book is definatly Wizard and Glass as well. I really liked the stuff with John Farson and the Big Coffin Hunters, and I enjoyed Rolands 1st Ka-tet (Cuthbert and Alain) more than the newer one.
Wolves of the Calla would be my next pic.
I liked the books that were kind of side stories to the main quest.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

What 'revised versions'

As I recall the first four books were all subject to some revision in 2003 when Vol. 4 (Wolves of the Calla) was published. The main revision was to Vol. 1 but I think they all got a "Re...something" subtitle at least...and there was all that stuff with '19' which was added in...

 

[Skanky Vamp]

As I recall the first four books were all subject to some revision in 2003 when Vol. 4 (Wolves of the Calla) was published. The main revision was to Vol. 1 but I think they all got a "Re...something" subtitle at least...and there was all that stuff with '19' which was added in...

Ah.. so just crap to sell books. Thought it may have been like the Stand where they came out with an unabridged version. The first one was ubershort.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

Ah.. so just crap to sell books. Thought it may have been like the Stand where they came out with an unabridged version. The first one was ubershort.

I think it was more to do with Mr King's 'art' 🙂 I think his first version of The Gunslinger was written in the 70s and published in the early 80s and he wanted to bring the series up to speed with 21st Century Steve 🙂

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I think it was more to do with Mr King's 'art' 🙂 I think his first version of The Gunslinger was written in the 70s and published in the early 80s and he wanted to bring the series up to speed with 21st Century Steve 🙂

He wrote the first one in college as a writing experiment if memory serves, and it felt that way; felt very raw and unpolished, but I would assume that is how Roland would feel. I dont think I would like it updated. I would love to see it as a movie, but I would HATE for them to make it a movie.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

I would love to see it as a movie, but I would HATE for them to make it a movie.

As I've just found out...after Googling various aspects of the series 'cos of this thread...JJ Abrams bought the rights for $19...after finally getting round to seeing Star Trek today, I'll trust him to do a good job with this franchise 🙂

 

[Faith]

I have read a lot of Stephen King over the years. He is responsible for my greatest fear (clowns), I love some of his books e.g. Needful Things, Desparation (I am also partial to Richard Laymon).

So my question is....is this series worth it?

 

[Sweetescape]

My brother keeps tell me to read it since I loved The Stand and IT..I dunno it seems like a long old slog and to be honest it feels Stephen King's just writing for the sake of getting money I haven't enjoyed a fair few of his books.

 

[inthedoorway]

I have read a lot of Stephen King over the years. He is responsible for my greatest fear (clowns), I love some of his books e.g. Needful Things, Desparation (O am partial to Richard Laymon).

So my question is....is this series worth it?

These are his best books by in my opinion.

 

[wickedtiger86]

These books were kind of a big part of my life. I picked up a copy of "The Drawing of the Three" at a yard sale for a quarter when I was thirteen and that was it for me.

Favorite Character? This is so tough. I mean I love Roland and Jake. And Eddie. I love him too. Grrarg! I can't decide from the three of them.

Favorite Book? I'm going Wizard and Glass. I love young Roland. And I cried for like a decade over it. Which usually happens with his books . . .

I read the first set of comics and . . . I'm pretty sure it was just all the backstory that was in Wizard and Glass. So, I love Lee's artwork.

On a side note, my favorite Stephen King book is "The Talisman" followed closely by "The Eyes of the Dragon" and "The Stand"

There's like, two different Stephen Kings. There's the horror type "It" King and the fantasy-ish "Dark Tower" King. When I was working at the bookstore I discovered that a lot of people have a definite preference. Not all of them, but a lot. I, personally, stick more to the fantasy because I'm a wuss when it comes to horror and I hate nightmares. Just thought that was interesting. 🙂

 

[inthedoorway]

Stephen King actually writes a lot of different stuff. Like the Body (which Stand by Me is based on) is like a coming of age story about 4 boys. Alot of people only know the horror stuff, which I personally dont care for.

The first comic was just about the stuff in Wizard and Glass, but the next two continue where Wizard and Glass left off, with young Roland going home etc etc they're really good

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I have read a lot of Stephen King over the years. He is responsible for my greatest fear (clowns), I love some of his books e.g. Needful Things, Desparation (O am partial to Richard Laymon).

So my question is....is this series worth it?

Think more Needful Things with a bit of Desperation (did you read the Regulators? its 'sequel' I liked that as well) as far as tone. It was not a horror series, it was more straight up fantasy.

I do think that if his name was Rowling or Tolkien (not comparing the two, mind you) that more people would be familiar; in my opinion this series is comparable to LOTR.

(granted, as Pointer pointed out the end seemed a bit masturbatory but, it can be overlooked)

 

[inthedoorway]

Think more Needful Things with a bit of Desperation (did you read the Regulators? its 'sequel' I liked that as well) as far as tone. It was not a horror series, it was more straight up fantasy.

I do think that if his name was Rowling or Tolkien (not comparing the two, mind you) that more people would be familiar; in my opinion this series is comparable to LOTR.

(granted, as Pointer pointed out the end seemed a bit masturbatory but, it can be overlooked)

I hated the ending at first, but the more I thought about it the more I liked it.
I really suggest anyone who likes fantasy books to pick this up, dont let the King name scare you off.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

Actually guys, The Talisman (and its sequel Black House) were co-written by King and the very wonderful Peter Straub who is another of my fave authors...check out Ghost Story, The Throat and KoKo by him...they are excellent and won a shed-load of awards.

Also Desperation and The Regulators, whilst both written by King, were a kind of experiment where he took the same cast of characters and wrote a book about them as himself (Despearation) and one as his pseudonymous alter-ego Richard Bachman (The Regulators). Both connect pretty directly to the Dark Tower books as I recall.

 

[ItMustBeBunnies]

I love The Dark Tower series. I couldn't pick a favourite book, but character wise Id have to go with Eddie and Jake. I love the way concepts and characters etc, from his other novels show up. Whenever someone I know tells me they are going to read the series, I always ask if they have read stuff like Salem's Lot, Hearts In Atlantis, Insomnia, etc because while its not absolutely necessary to have read them, it makes it so much more enjoyable imo. I haven't read the comics, Im not really a comic fan but I may pick them up eventually.

Grrrh, I had an argument with a friend of mine recently while watching The Mist, at the beginning the main character (forgotten his name, sorry) is painting a picture of Roland outside The Tower, he wouldnt believe me when I said it was Roland, he kept insisting it was Clint Eastwood, lol.