Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

It Dark Tower series time!

Beginning with a short story appearing in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1978, the publication of Stephen King's epic work of fantasy -- what he considers to be a single long novel and his magnum opus -- has spanned a quarter of a century.

Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, The Dark Tower series is King's most visionary feat of storytelling, a magical mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that may well be his crowning achievement.

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The first book in the series is Gunslinger.



In The Gunslinger (originally published in 1982), King introduces his most enigmatic hero, Roland Deschain of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting, solitary figure at first, on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own. Pursuing the man in black, an evil being who can bring the dead back to life, Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake.

Reading schedule:
I realize that with so many editions page numbers would be different.
Just follow by chapter.

August 16th - 19th The Gunslinger Chapter
August 20th - 22nd The Waystation Chapter
August 23rd - 25th The Oracle and the Mountains
August 26th - 31st The Slow Mutants & The Gunslinger and the Dark Man

Be aware that if you have not read to the end of the scheduled reading sections, there will most probably be spoilers in the discussion posts.

Please try and keep comments in the time frame schedule posted so everyone has a chance to discuss and share their thoughts at the same time.

Great choice! I love The dark tower series, and I haven't read them in a looong time, maybe ten years now. I am definitely joining in.

I can't wait to see what everyone thinks of this series. I read it forever ago. Probably should re-read. :)

Hi all. If you don't mind, I'll join you! About to get a copy of the Gunslinger put into my hands finally!

Welcome Jason! Glad you can join us. Hope you enjoy it.

Welcome everyone :-)

Which edition are you reading. ~ the original or the revised?

I have a very old 1989 copy here in my hands. I have heard people say the revised edition adds more information that the original.

Has anyone read both editions? If you have, what did you think about the two different versions?

Just started today. About halfway through the first chapter. It's really good so far. I've been dying to read this series for a while now!

::like::

I'm about where you are Karlee.

I, unfortunately, will not be able to start until tomorrow. I'm right in the middle of moving back to school. But I am looking forward to reading this! I've had it on my shelf for years but just never got around to it!

What are your first impressions of The Gunslinger, both the novel and the character?

What do you think of the man in black?

What do your think of the town of Trull? It's citizens?
(view spoiler)[ The massacre of townspeople/survival of the gunslinger? (hide spoiler)]

I probably won't start til wednesday, but I'll try to catch up!

I have a revised copy and haven't had a chance to compare the two versions. Still, I have a feeling that the writing style is typical for eighties. It is difficult to explain this subtle sensation, but I couldn't shake it off throughtout the whole part.

As I started with reading the shortstory in Everything's Eventual, I knew a little bit about the gunslinger and I must say it helped a lot, as I was slightly irritated but the structure of this first part of the series. I was anxious to know from the start about the background and purpose of the gunslinger while is seems we have to wait to find out more.

When it comes to Tull, I was confused about their role at the beginning, but knowing the genre, I suspected the encounter with them wasn't going to be the pleasant one. (view spoiler)[ It turned out it was unpleasant for them rather than the gunslinger (hide spoiler)]

OK- gonna start today:). I have been working the last few days. Uuugghh. Exhausting. Now I have a few days off. Gotta catch up.

The way The Gunslinger is written throws me off a bit. I find it to be a bit chunky. Parts of it are written with a nice flow. Other parts are so chunky that I have to read them 6 times to untangle them.

(view spoiler)[
The Gunslinger himself... jury is still out. He seems an okay sort, the last of his breed (In a way comparable to Lord of the Rings Aragorn). Skilled with weapons people have probably only viewed in old pictures and chasing the mysterious Man in Black.

I found the roll of Tull to be predictable. At every possible moment the Gunslinger states/thinks that the town was a trap, and before he started his story to Brown he stated that they were all dead. This also places the Man in Black as the bad guy with no questions asked.

The town itself is pretty drab. The incestuous stableman, the pastor selling hell-fire sermons, town whore also the bar keep, Aunt Mill who always sings off key. People you could find in any modern or ancient city.
(hide spoiler)]

Beginning the book on a plane late night tonight!

I started this a few days ago, and I'm finding it hard to get into. It's confusing--maybe the writing just isn't my style?

Bri - also this is supposed to be the worst book in the series. He admits it. He went back and added stuff way later to fit into the series better and he wrote it when he was younger. But if you like Stephen King this series is his biggest accomplishment and one of his greatest works. But too bad you can't take away the first book. My step dad never read the series because he didn't much care for The Gunslinger - but King would ask that you check out The Drawing of the Three before giving up. I know this because I am reading the revised edition of the Gunslinger and King has an intro "On Being Nineteen (and a Few Other Things" and a forward for the revised edition. He addresses all these things. The Dark Tower as a series is his greatest accomplishment - the first book is mediocre.

Unless I just hate a first book in a highly recommended series I try the second one before giving up. Often the first one is the weakest book. Tony Pratchet tells readers to skip the first of his Disc series and I wish I had taken that advise. I think its because they need the first one to set up the story line for the rest. Sometimes it seem as if the author is not quite sure yet were he wants to go with it.

Don't worry Bri, you're not on your own. I tried to read this a little while ago and couldn't get into it, practically every page I kept thinking "I have no idea what is going on".

The Gunslinger is the first King wrote at a very early age. The Dark Tower books were written over the course of his lifetime. The Gunslinger is the weakest of them simply because it was written by an immature writer. This may have been started by King before even Carrie. I can't remember. Stick with the series. It's worth it! On a side note. The world of the Dark Tower slips in to many unrelated King novels. It's kind of a thread tying many, many of his books together with small threads.

I love Stephen King, but for some reason I kept passing over The Dark Tower series. I have read everything else by him so several month ago I decided to start the series and I am very glad I did. Like Daniel said the Gunslinger is the "weakest" in the series, but I love how the story grows and develops over the course of years. It's great to see how Stephen King also "grows" with his writing.

I actually listened to this on audiobook and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed reading it and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series

I'm already behind but I want to join in for this series read.

Cathie wrote: " What are your first impressions of The Gunslinger, both the novel and the character?

What do you think of the man in black?

What do your think of the town of Trull? It's citizens?
"

My first impression of the Gunslinger as a character made me think of Clint Eastwood in a parallel western universe. He's full of mystery. He has direction and one all-consuming goal - to find the Man in Black - but we don't know why. That's what kept me turning the pages.

Tull was an interesting town. But I continuously wondered what kind of world it existed in. Is this a post-apocalyptic earth? Or a parallel universe?

There are a lot of references to pop culture and other earth-like history - like the drunk in the Tavern playing, "Hey, Jude" and the fire-and-brimstone preacher preaching from the bible. The Gunslinger makes references to the Man Jesus and various greek myths (like Narcissus) as well as other gods that seem indigenous to his world.

Obviously our earth exists somewhere because that's where Jake came from.

I like the Gunslinger and this seems like a classic hero's journey.

Karlee - That was my impression of the Gunslinger too. I think I read somewhere years ago that he actually based the character on Clint Eastwood. The drawing even looks like him.

Yeah, I thought Clint Eastwood too. I think Clint is the ultimate gunslinger when people think of bad dude westerns.

I am behind too. But I will catch up when I have time. Reading too many books right now.

Well if he did base him off of Clint Eastwood, then he did an excellent job. That's who I picture in my head whenever I'm reading him. Clint is the ultimate gunslinger. ;)

MY image has been Clint Eastwood's looks combined with Yul Brenner's voice. Don't know where that came from. Maybe The Science fiction western themed movie he did. "Westworld" I think it was called.

I don't picture the gunslinger as being so old as Clint Eastwood.

Sarah wrote: "I don't picture the gunslinger as being so old as Clint Eastwood."

Think most of us are remembering an earlier Clint. Never mind us old foggies

Diana wrote: "MY image has been Clint Eastwood's looks combined with Yul Brenner's voice. Don't know where that came from. Maybe The Science fiction western themed movie he did. "Westworld" I think it was called."

I love that!!

Sarah wrote: "I don't picture the gunslinger as being so old as Clint Eastwood."

Sarah - Yes, definitely a younger Clint. This is an old book.

I could see him as more of an Outlaw Josey Wales, Clint. Finishing the book tonight.

Sarah wrote: "I don't picture the gunslinger as being so old as Clint Eastwood."

Sarah I wasn't thinking old Clint. I was thinking more like this...





By the way, I think Clint may have been the Hugh Jackman of his day...

Thanks Karlee! That's just what I was thinking! I don't know how to post pics either!

Diana wrote: "MY image has been Clint Eastwood's looks combined with Yul Brenner's voice. Don't know where that came from. Maybe The Science fiction western themed movie he did. "Westworld" I think it was called."

Oh I like that Diana!

Kristie I figured it out. When you go to post a message, click on the upper right hand of the box where it says (some html is ok). From the list, copy and paste the link for photos.

Find the pic you want online and right-click. Then choose view image info and copy the link that is highlighted in the next box.

Paste that link in between the parenthesis on the first link and voila! I had to play around with the height and width perimeters in the link until I got them to look right.

If anyone knows an easier or better way, please school me! ;)

Ok...let's try this.

Ha! Thanks! :D

Oh baby baby. I never knew young Clint was so hot. Not my type - but still hot.

Sarah wrote: "Oh baby baby. I never knew young Clint was so hot."

Oh yeah baby!

And way to go Kristie!

I know Sarah! Right?!

Thanks Karlee! :) I'm so happy that worked.

:like:

By the way, Clint Eastwood has a son who is an actor and has inherited his father's brooding good looks. What do you think? If they ever do get around to making movies out of the Dark Tower series wouldn't it be poetic if Eastwood's son played the Gunslinger? ;)

Oh yeah. I think they should make like a series like Game of Thrones or something.

I agree Sarah. Someone like HBO would be great at adapting them for a series. Much better than trying to cram an entire book into one movie.