To review any particular installment of the 'Dark Tower' series in isolation would, I feel, be a pointless exercise. They are all essential cogs in the greater machine of the Dark Tower series in which we follow Roland's epic quest to find his personal grail: The Dark Tower.
Unlike the horror stories, which make up the majority of King's work, this is a fantasy adventure of the highest order that plays with many contemporary reference points amidst the charming and ever mysterious world Roland inhabits.
The way King weaves a whole string of narratives together is incredible: a feat which is made more astounding by the fact that he has spanned this series over almost thirty years of writing on and off!
Roland's backstory is compelling and King tantalises the reader by revealing it gradually throughout the seven books. Though Roland is undoubtedly the star of the show his supporting cast of fellow travellers, who he picks up on the way to the tower, are as endearing as any troop of questers found in the world of Mr Tolkien.
I would defy anybody not to like this series if they gave it a chance. It is such a wonderful flight of the imagination that continually threatens to fall into the irretrievable bounds of the absurd but somehow manages to maintain its credibility. During the quest Roland will demonstrate his extraordinary skills with a gun, meet the wizard of Oz and slay a mechanical bear - one of the decaying relics of the world that has "moved on"! Oh did I mention his gang is almost killed by a talking train with a homicidal tendancies and a love of riddles?
Just as Roland's external exploration of the fantastical world he inhabits is a pleasure to follow the characters' internal journies represent the most poignant cause for the reader''s reflection. No character character is devoid of an Achiles Heel or personal demon that they must overcome whether it be disabilty, drugs addiction or, as in Roland's case, an inability to sit comfortably in his skin as an emotional being!
For hardened King fans there is also a huge amount of intertextuality that will reward the reader with glimpses of characters fondly remembered from previous tales. Indeed, while it appears that King has managed somehow to create a vast array of worlds within this series, he at the same time manages to fit in and include the very one that surrounds us now. You will not simply view the story from afar: you may even feel like you are becoming part of it!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
The final volume sees gunslinger Roland on a roller-coaster mix of exhilarating triumph ... more
and aching loss in his unrelenting quest to reach the dark tower. Roland's band of pilgrims remains united though scattered. Susannah-Mia has been carried off t...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: An epic landscape that doesn't need lots of characters or dialogue as it paints the sotryline for itself Disadvantages: Such a change from his normal style can either be a good or bad thing for readers
Advantages: Different style from King and an interesting storyline Disadvantages: Fantasy, even post-Lord of the Rings, is still not everyone's cup of tea
Advantages: Amazingly well written, Great character build up, ingenious storyline Disadvantages: very long story! Shop around as buying each book could be costly
very helpful by (37%):
helpful by (63%):
