Shootin' Traitors, Findin' Love, Clickin' Heels, Hopin' for Home

We were left hanging at the end of the last Dark Tower book. Stephen King wanted to bring a little suspense to that last novel and give some expectation to book four of the series. In Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, Book 4) we're thrust in right where we left off with Roland and Company aboard Blaine the Choo-Choo. It didn't start as a luxury trip and certainly didn't continue that way as the sped across the wastes. Where the ka-tet(the Gunslinger and his group) ends up is far from their intended destination. They're thrust into an alternate world that no one would be happy to call home.

It's in this alternate universe that Stephen King decides to take the readers back in time to one of the shaping moments in the Gunslingers past. Up until this point, the Dark Tower series has mentioned a few names and a few other tid-bits about the world before it passed on. We're now taken back to a young Roland with his original ka-tet of Alain and Cuthbert. It was a fresh look at Roland and how he became the Gunslinger he is today - even if it's just a small part of a big story. This flashback covers Roland's first love as well and the tragedy that befell them. In a lot of ways, knowing the background helps to strengthen the story going forward. Once you know the reason one acts they way they do you can build that character in a stronger way.

As for writing, Stephen King continues to write an incredible story. He does step off the deep end when it comes to sexuality and coarseness. I guess that I should have known that it would go there at some point, but three books in gave me a false sense of security. I'm assuming that some of this could have been transplanted into a harlequin novel and been right at home. For me, that didn't add much to the story. I could have used less of that and more explanation of the world and it's characters. Perhaps it's a little like the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. The American public didn't need to know any details other than that he had an affair and lied under oath about it. Anyhow, It's at this book that I don't know if I can fully recommend this series of books to other readers. I have thoroughly enjoyed the series and will finish it, but 50 pages or so could be eliminated. This is not a book series for every person.

Rating: 7 - excellent progression; equal action and suspense; can't recommend, but will finish the story

Mini Review: Stephen King

Reading long series makes it a little tough to give in-depth reviews every time I read the next book. Unfortunately, I think we'll have a little bit of that on here with Jordan, King, Williams, Cook, and Abercrombie. In the next few reviews, I'm going to try to read some out of series books - Defoe, Melville, and maybe some Lovecraft.

Back to the review, The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, Book 3) takes up where we left off with Roland and the others. It was a very intense read for the series. Of the first three, this one has had the best pace and the greatest desire to read through the entire book without putting it down to do all the normal stuff in life - bathroom, eating, talking. King writes out his characters well.

I do have a couple gripes. Close to the end, the story seems to just leap forward without telling what happens. One moment, the group is split up and the next they're at their destination. And that's right at the moment where some heavy stuff is happening. It felt incomplete. Leah thinks that he'll just tell that story in one of the next books, but it could be a little out of place. My other gripe is how the book ends. I'm all for having a cliffhanger, but this one was way too abrupt. At least give us a little conclusion. I would be beside myself if I was reading these when he was writing them!

Rating: 8 - can't get enough. I'm sad that I have to put it down for a while and read some other books.

-D

The Drawing of the King

Late last year I decided that I'd try out an author that I had no real desire to ever really try out. Stephen King ended up surprising me with The Dark Tower series and Gunslinger, the first book in the series. I'm sure I'll have some *bonus* books near the end of the year so I'll save that review for then. This year I finally picked up book two of that series: The Drawing of the Three.

A little backgound is going to be in order. Roland, the gunslinger, has finished the first part of his quest for the Dark Tower. While he has traversed his world to the very ends of it, he's still without the clarity to know his next move. All he knows is that he must reach his goal. At the onset of this book, things are not going well for him. Let's just say that Roland and Lobsters do not mix. Fortunately for the gunslinger, the man in black(neither Johnny Cash or the gunslinger) knew that life was going to get really strange..... in the form of a door in the middle of a beach.

Now, this was definitely not what I was expecting from a fantasy novel. You have the gunslinger which feels like it's out of a western. In fact, the first book is about 90% western w/ 10% fantasy. The characters that join Roland end up being a junkie, a woman with a dual personality, and a killer. And that's not even the weirdest part!

Stephen King does an excellent job at keeping the pace up in the book compared to the last. He made interesting characters, furthered the story, and presented a story with incredible depth. King doesn't create a book that's terribly difficult to read. You get what he's trying to say, and his humor is pretty enjoyable in this series(tooter fish!). This isn't a book for one who's sensibilities are offended by crude language. The aforementioned characters are as gritty as they sound. If you don't mind, then you'd probably enjoy it.

-D

Rating: 8 CBs! It's a great read - great book two... and it's not scary!