Reaching the Dark Tower - Song of Susannah and The Dark Tower: Apr- Sep 15

So, I went and finished the Dark Tower series. I haven't got the energy to write about the two books individually, and I'm not one for lengthy criticism, so I'll just close out the series with a few thoughts.

It's King's self-professed magnum opus. It didn't hit me the way I'd expected or maybe hoped. Overall, I could say I wouldn't have really minded missing the whole thing out. At the same time, there were sections that really got me, specifically the evolution of Jake and Roland's relationship and the death of one of the characters was like a knife. I read the section while walking home from work and after a couple of great wracking sobs burst out of me, I had to put the book away until I got in the house. 

The biggest thing for me, though, was that I didn't care how things turned out. Apart from the particularly moving passages, the rest was just a story passing by.

Now, I read with interest the introductions to the books where King says that he received letters from people who were dissatisfied with the way he ended one book and other plot decisions he made. Who are these dickweasels that take it upon themselves to write to an author and tell them they shouldn't have written this or that? Your options as a reader are limited to read or don't. That's it. It's not for you. It's mere coincidence if you like it. Jesus.

My final thought is that I'm inclined to find the audiobook series and give it all another go. We'll see.

Wolves of the Calla - The Dark Tower V : Feb - Apr 15

This big bugger didn't take me all that long, all things considered. I finally managed to find some reading discipline and forced my way through.
I suppose using the word 'forced' there says a lot. I wasn't rushing to pick the book up every night, desperate to see what would happen next, but soldiered through it.
I'm still not a Dark Tower convert, but still holding on that everything will fall into place and the scales will fall from my eyes. Or not. Either way, there are worse ways to spend your time.

The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three - 19th January 2012

So, I read Jeff Lemire’s Essex County once I’d finished The Eyes of the Dragon and it was so, so good. I can’t recommend it enough. The artwork is stark, distinctive and beautiful and the story is heart-breakingly moving and real but its heaviness doesn’t drag it down. It’s a thing of wonder.

Anyway, back to The Dark Tower. I didn’t care much for The Gunslinger so am hoping for a vast improvement. I am reliably informed by Laura of http://devouringtexts.blogspot.com/ that it is “The Dark Tower is the best ever!” so my expectations are still pretty high.

Onward!

The Gunslinger: Dark Tower I - 14th Jan - 19th February 2011

It pains me more than it probably should to say this, but I didn't care much for The Gunslinger.


I wanted to, but just couldn't get into it. That also goes to explain why a book of a little over 200 pages took more than a month to read. I grew more interested towards the end as the greater adventure was implied but couldn't raise much of an interest in the main character in the first place. I know he was trying his hand at something new, genre-wise and obviously stuck with it, so I'll give him a pass and reserve judgement until the next chapter of the series.


Not a lot more to say.


Currently listening:
Ben Marwood - Outside There's A Curse


and rabidly anticipating the new Trap Them and Victims albums.

The Gunslinger - Dark Tower I - 14th Jan 2011

I haven't read any of the Dark Tower series before.  I'm looking forward to cracking on with this bad boy.