Re: The Dark Tower Series

by Ringdrotten Fri May 01, 2015 10:41 pm

bungobaggins wrote:Yeah, it's been a five year road for me and these books. I know others have had to wait longer between publication dates, but it was still a long time to get through, for me. But I'm glad I read these books, I love the characters and the universes.

Spoiler:

by Ringdrotten Fri May 01, 2015 11:01 pm

bungobaggins wrote:I'm going to rank the books in order of those I enjoyed the most to those I enjoyed the least:

1. Wolves of the Calla
2. The Wastelands
3. The Gunslinger
4. Song of Susannah
5. The Dark Tower
6. The Drawing of the Three
7. Wizard and Glass

I think the next step for me is to read Wind Through the Keyhole and Insomnia.

Wow, your list is pretty different from mine!
1) The Gunslinger (Tull and The Man in Black are my favourite chapters of the entire series, I think)
2) Wolves of the Calla
3) The Wastelands (mostly because of Blaine)
4) Wizard and Glass
5) The Drawing of the Three
6) Song of Susannah
7) The Dark Tower

2, 3 and 4 might as well be a tie, there are so many things I love about them all. The Drawing of the Three also had its great moments, especially when he draws Eddie. It's hard to rate them, really, but the first book was the one which made me fall in love with the series, I was fascinated by it in a way no book has ever fascinated me before. It's the only book I really wish I could reread right now, but then I would probably reread the rest as well, and I'm not ready for that yet Laughing

by bungobaggins Sat May 02, 2015 2:51 am

That's what I think is great about these books. I feel that I can go back to them, like I want to go back to them eventually. We can list the books as we did, but I don't think any of them are bad books, some books simply grabbed onto us in different ways.

For now I'll probably pick up Wind Through the Keyhole, but I'm looking forward to the day when I can rejoin the ka-tet on the path of the Beam.

I think I'm more at peace with the ending now than I was last night. However, I can't help but feel that this is some kind of punishment for Roland; didn't the voice say something about "salvation"?

Didn't Forest read The Gunslinger? We've got to get him in on this! Very Happy

by Ringdrotten Sat May 02, 2015 9:28 am

Yeah, I know I will go back to them at some point too. It took me a good night's sleep to get more comfortable with the ending too, even though I'll never see

Spoiler:

Not sure if Forest ever read the whole book, or liked it much at all (correct me if I'm wrong!)

by bungobaggins Sun May 03, 2015 3:18 am

Regarding the Crimson King:

Spoiler:

by bungobaggins Mon May 04, 2015 2:48 am

Finally used my Barnes and Nobel gift card from Christmas. Think I got a pretty good haul. Didn't have a physical copy of Book 7, and I saw this one with illustrations and I had to get it. I counted, and there are 12 color full page illustrations. I also purchased The Dead Zone, but that's just mass market paperback and not worth photographing.

The Dark Tower Series - Page 5 Img_2010

by Eldorion Mon May 04, 2015 7:17 am

Ah, good ol' bargain section. Very Happy

I've seen those books a million times but I never knew they were illustrated. Razz

Hope you enjoy 'em, bungo!

by Ringdrotten Mon May 04, 2015 10:29 am

Nice, Bungo Very Happy

I only have kindle editions, but I want to get a full set of hardcovers to put in my bookshelf. I hope you enjoy the Wind Smile

by Ringdrotten Tue May 05, 2015 10:09 pm

Finised The Wind tonight. There's not that much to say about, really, except that I enjoyed it alot. I dont think it is the book to read if you're anxious to get on with Roland's journey after book 4, however. But a great book all the same, absolutely recommended for a fan of the series Smile

by bungobaggins Wed May 06, 2015 4:01 am

Glad to hear you enjoyed it Ringo. I started The Dead Zone the other day and will pick up Wind once I've finished it.

A couple interesting things I noticed in the beginning of Dead Zone: the name of a street mentioned is "Flagg Street"; the main character bets on a county fair carnie roulette game and puts all his money on number 19. Razz

by Ringdrotten Wed May 06, 2015 2:43 pm

Nice

I began reading The Stand yesterday, looks very promising so far. Only a few chapters in yet, but I'm enjoying it. Feels like reading a flashback story from DT Smile

by bungobaggins Thu May 07, 2015 2:35 pm

by bungobaggins Thu May 07, 2015 3:17 pm

Ringo, what Dark Tower graphic novel did you order?

by Ringdrotten Thu May 07, 2015 10:39 pm

bungobaggins wrote:

Cool

Somehow it never entered my mind to look that song up, even though I know it was King's inspiration for the CK.

I bought this one from Amazon. I've only read the first one so far, The Gunslinger Born, which can be bought separately at a more reasonable price. It includes Roland's training in Gilead and the rest of Wizard and Glass. I think you would prefer this version of W&G, actually. Highly recommended, even if you're not a fan of comics in general (I'm not either).

by bungobaggins Sun Jul 05, 2015 9:16 pm

http://deadline.com/2015/06/the-dark-tower-stephen-king-director-nikolaj-arcel-dragon-tattoo-scribe-1201436229/

by Ringdrotten Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:43 am

Mixed feelings about this. I'd absolutely love to see Roland, Walter and the rest on-screen, but I'm terrified they will make a mess of it. Still, I can't help but feel very excited about it, I just hope they cast Roland right (and Walter).

On another note: During my long hunt for trolls I managed to squeeze in quite a few reading hours, and I finished The Stand The reason I began reading it in the first place was because of Randall Flagg's role in it, but I enjoyed the whole thing. So many great characters (The Kid and Trashcan Man on road trip was just hilarious all the way), RF obviously, Nick, Tom Cullen and so many more. I have been longing for someone to discuss the ending with, though.

How necessary was the sacrifice of Larry and the others when the Traschan man would've blown them all to pieces anyway? Larry and the rest didn't play a part in the events that lead to Trashcan running off and returning with an A-bomb, so I can't really see anything that would require them to be sacrificed in the first place. Their sacrifice only served the purpose of bringing all those people together in one spot, but an A-bomb would've taken care of the entire city anyway. And to be honest, it was DT all over again - Ka is a wheel, we get that. You're excused, Stephen King, no need to write good endings anymore.

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:01 pm

Kings endings are often a bit, um, weak- IT anyone?

My personal favourite King book is Christine- there is just something appealing about the central friendship between Arnie and Dennis is written, a real sense of living in the times its set, it has such a strong sense of time and place. But like a lot of King I do feel it needed a stronger handed editor- there are chunks in the middle do nothing, but even so its still my favourite.

I also love the Carpenter film version, even though it makes a particularly serious deviation in story by just making the car evil from the get go rather than a haunted house on wheels but its portrayal of those main characters, that central friendship and that sense of time and space is spot on, the locations are immaculate and right out the pages of the book and its visually stunning and has a fantastic score. And Keith Gordon, in his last acting role as Arnie (he went on to direct and produce after this) is just a spot on remarkable turn. A loss to the acting world him giving it up based on this performance.

by azriel Sat Jul 11, 2015 5:09 pm

That was a blast from the past Bungo ! Thumbs Up

I used to listen to this guy all the time, finger on the pulse for all my fav groups, "Yes", "Tangerine Dream," "Genesis" etc etc as well as "King Crimson" Very Happy

He was always so manic & happy

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 11, 2015 5:49 pm

Love this scene from Christine- the music, the direction, the effects- all brilliant-

by bungobaggins Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:53 pm

Ringdrotten wrote:Mixed feelings about this. I'd absolutely love to see Roland, Walter and the rest on-screen, but I'm terrified they will make a mess of it. Still, I can't help but feel very excited about it, I just hope they cast Roland right (and Walter).

On another note: During my long hunt for trolls I managed to squeeze in quite a few reading hours, and I finished The Stand The reason I began reading it in the first place was because of Randall Flagg's role in it, but I enjoyed the whole thing. So many great characters (The Kid and Trashcan Man on road trip was just hilarious all the way), RF obviously, Nick, Tom Cullen and so many more. I have been longing for someone to discuss the ending with, though.

How necessary was the sacrifice of Larry and the others when the Traschan man would've blown them all to pieces anyway? Larry and the rest didn't play a part in the events that lead to Trashcan running off and returning with an A-bomb, so I can't really see anything that would require them to be sacrificed in the first place. Their sacrifice only served the purpose of bringing all those people together in one spot, but an A-bomb would've taken care of the entire city anyway. And to be honest, it was DT all over again - Ka is a wheel, we get that. You're excused, Stephen King, no need to write good endings anymore.

The thing with The Stand, at least how I see it, is that the "free people" had to do something. God spoke to Mother Abigail, she sent the group on their quest. They followed through on the promise, so God detonated the big one. The bomb wouldn't have blown up otherwise.

I actually really like the ending of The Stand. Shrugging

Granted that's the ending in the uncut version.

by bungobaggins Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:54 pm

For the record I really don't think King's endings are that bad.

by bungobaggins Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:02 pm

Okay, so the ending of a deus ex machina in the literal sense. But aren't the eagles sort of a deus ex machina in Lord of the Rings? And isn't that the literary work that King was drawing inspiration from in The Stand?

Edit: forgot to mention the real deus ex machina in LOTR with Gollum stepping too far and falling. The Stand also includes the concept of eucatastrophe.

by Forest Shepherd Sun Jul 12, 2015 12:11 am

I am part-way through The Drawing of the Three!
I like it quite a lot thus far, especially the corporeal co-habitation going on with the baboon-ridden junkie.

by bungobaggins Sun Jul 12, 2015 12:21 am

Oh Forest! I didn't know you were continuing with the series. cheers

Hile, gunslinger. We are well met. And welcome to our little ka-tet of the ninety and nine! Glad to hear you are enjoying book two. It was a little slow for my tastes; book three really picked up for me though.

by Forest Shepherd Mon Jul 13, 2015 12:55 am

Well-met indeed!

I was rather sleepy just now reading the book and I know what you mean about it being a little slow. It's like reading a new book really whenever a new door is opened, and adjusting to the new characters and getting what King is talking about takes some patience (and not being sleepy helps!).