The Dark Tower series

[Scurlogg_Hawkk]

I have one of the Dark Tower books it's cool i have to read the other books too .But i am wondering is the comics book based on Dark Tower books are they good or what ?

[cphilli]

I have one of the Dark Tower books it's cool i have to read the other books too .But i am wondering is the comics book based on Dark Tower books are they good or what ?

I enjoyed the ones I've read so far. Pretty early on in the comics (either the first or second story arc) you get to see the Crimson King and for me that was well worth it. I will admit that I like that issues that add to the story and not just repeat what we've already seen. "The Gunslinger Born" was basically just a repeat of Book 4 "Wizard and Glass". I read "The Gunslinger Born", "The Long Road Home" and "Treachery" as monthlies and I'm getting caught up with the rest now. If you are a fan of the books I would suggest giving the comics a chance.

[RickThunderclees]

The comics certainly aren't bad. But they don't come close to books. Dark Tower Series is one of my favorite series. Which I believe can be enjoyed without reading any other King books, but having read his other works does give one a different appreciation of the series.

[destro]

I read the first 3 books in high school and waited over 10 years to finish the series. It's very odd considering it's the same writer using the same characters...but I really find that I'll enjoy one of them, then dislike the next. I loved the 1st book. Drawing of the Three, wow I really struggled to get through that one. I've still never really warmed up to Eddie or Susannah. Wizard and Glass and Wolves of Calla were a big improvement over the 2nd book, I enjoyed them a great deal. Now I've started Song of Susannah and have that same feeling of 'meh' again. So tired of hearing about "the chap"... That said, it's an entertaining series, even the 'meh' ones. I'm hoping this one will go by quickly so I get get on to The Dark Tower (hopefully another great one).

I've already read most of King's books and haven't come across anything that I feel is especially necessary reading to enjoy the series as a stand alone, other than perhaps Salem's Lot to get more of Callahan's story, but even that is recapped fairly thoroughly in Wolves of Calla and I don't think it's a must. King obviously wants you to read Imsomnia and Hearts in Atlantis, but I don't feel they need to be read.

[Zero Hunter]

I still don't like the ending of the series. It just felt like a cop out to me.

[cphilli]

I still don't like the ending of the series. It just felt like a cop out to me.

Yeah I had a hard time with the ending too. I had a feeling that's what it was coming to when he went back and re-edited and added to book 1.

[destro]

Just finished the last book. I had no issues with the ending.

But the way certain enemies were dealt with rather abruptly left me disappointed. Now that I've read the whole series, I feel pretty much the same as I did before the last book. Entertaining but extremely uneven. Maybe King tried to do a bit too much with this series, he really throws everything at you and I think something is lost in the muddle. Especially considering how simple, gritty and entertaining the 1st book was.

[Meehl]

Each of the first four books are very good for different reasons, IMO, and all very different styles: Eastwood spaghetti western, 80s psychological thriller, 90s fantasy action movie, Shakespearean western tragedy.

The 5th book fell off a cliff and the 6th book was awful. The 7th book was unremarkable. I say that I was greatly disappointed in books 5-7 despite loving the return of an old friend in the 5th book and the fact that I thought the overall ending made a lot of sense. I'm hoping that the new book 5 (4.5?) was written because he heard the song of the turtle again.

[Jared H.]

So there's a new Dark Tower book now, called "A Wind Through the Keyhole." it apparently takes place between books 4 and 5.


I'm...not sure how to feel about this. I used to be an avid reader of King, and both my wife and I were huge Dark Tower fans. But the quality of the last two books in the series and the ending to 7 actually caused me to abandon reading any works by King entirely. But this new one is apparently pretty good, so I'm conflicted.

[Chiasm]

Each of the first four books are very good for different reasons, IMO, and all very different styles: Eastwood spaghetti western, 80s psychological thriller, 90s fantasy action movie, Shakespearean western tragedy.

The 5th book fell off a cliff and the 6th book was awful. The 7th book was unremarkable. I say that I was greatly disappointed in books 5-7 despite loving the return of an old friend in the 5th book and the fact that I thought the overall ending made a lot of sense. I'm hoping that the new book 5 (4.5?) was written because he heard the song of the turtle again.

I thought the very ending of book with Roland's final fate was amazing. The rest of the book and how we got to that point was pretty dull.

[Alex]

I still don't like the ending of the series. It just felt like a cop out to me.

I liked it because it had a happy ending without having a happy ending.

[Tik]

I thought the last book was amazing, my favorite of the lot. And the ending was just perfect, you couldn't have ended it any other way really.

[HectorP]

I thought the last book was amazing, my favorite of the lot. And the ending was just perfect, you couldn't have ended it any other way really.

Tik have you seen Marvel's Dark Tower Omnibus?

[andthegunslinger]

Could I have some King recommendations? I'm halfway through 11/22/63 and quite enjoying it. I haven't read a new King book since Cell which I thought was pretty meh.

Old, new, it doesn't matter.

If I had to read three King books (that I haven't read) what would you suggest?

Books I've Read:
The Stand
Different Seasons
The Talisman
It
Misery
Insomnia
Rose Madder
The Green Mile
On Writing
Cell

and the complete Dark Tower Series

[Lee Kaye]

I think The Bachman Books are good. The Long Walk in there is one of the best things he has done IMO. Simple concept, very well executed. Plus you get the Running Man which is much more of a spy thriller type book than the Arnie in Latex film would have you believe.