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Just started reading "The Dark Tower" by Stephen King and have to say I've yet to pick up my jaw from the floor. Gritty and dark are these books (nothing new there from what others have told me about his other books) and a very nice cross-genre series. Stephen King uses a combination of High Fantasy, Gothic Fantasy, Westerns and his trademark Horror elements to create a story that is both highly engaging and nigh unput-downable.
I have a new fav author at the moment and I'm trying to work the courage up to try one of his horror books when I'm up to date with Roland and the Dark Tower...not holding my breath I'll be terrorising myself any time soon though

I suffer from a very sexy learning disorder, what do I call it Kif?

*sigh* Sexlexia

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I've been dead for a while now, so far I don't like it...

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The Dark Tower is a terrific series. Well, the first three are. I haven't been able to find the rest second-hand yet.

...And The Running Man, written by King as Richard Bachman, is also a great read. (Forget the Arnold Shwarztaname movie, it's not even close to what the book's about.)

Which begs the question. Why does someone who actually can write this well, insist on churning out all that repetitive, gormless Horror?

Oh yeah, I forgot...he's making squillions out of it. (Thought I'd better state the obvious before someone else did.)

Adios

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Oddly enough, I actually have read book 2 of 'The Dark Tower series (The Drawing Of The Three). Someone-or-other gave it to me as a present a few years back, not realising that it was the second book of a trilogy (on the front it just says 'The Dark Tower' - the 'II' that should be there isn't, for some reason).

I DID find it a very good read - but for whatever reason, I never did get around to getting my hands on books 1 or 3. Methinks I will have to do so - and soon. My enjoyment of book 2 leads me to reccomend this series to all and sundry.

You may now consider me .

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I can safely say you won't find the last four in second hand shops for a little while yet DN - volume four has only just come out in hardback. You say The Running Man is worth a look? I'll begin pestering the local libraries for it soon.

Timbo, the Langoliers will also be pestered for at the library...

Sorry to shatter the illusion Sparhawk but the Dark Tower is a 7 book series...not a triliogy and if the currant trend is anthing to judge by, we'll be needing a an entire shelf for the last book by itself....

I suffer from a very sexy learning disorder, what do I call it Kif?

*sigh* Sexlexia

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I've been dead for a while now, so far I don't like it...

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I haven't liked a lot of Stephen King's stuff. I've enjoyed some of his books, and I LOVED 'The Langoliers' - the book and the movie just worked so well.

I think I'll have to give this Dark Tower series a go. I'll be on the look out for it.

Tim.

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Hi Lachlan - the Langoliers is the first of four stories in Four Past Midnight (I hope ...) Might help you to locate it in the library ...

Tim.

Edited by: timbo178 at: 4/23/04 12:02 am

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"Coooooooooooool!" (said in best possible imitation of Bart Simpson).



7 books is always better than 3 - unless, of course, it isn't. So is it? Please tell me this isn't one of those series that drags on for about four books longer than it should.

You may now consider me Confluxed ... I mean, ConFUSED.

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From what I've heard about book 5 (The Wolves of the Calla), its still as good as book 1 (The Last Gunslinger) although apprently it becomes a little "girly" in the romantic way.
Thanks for the extra info Timbo...the librarians just looked at me strangely when I asked...

I suffer from a very sexy learning disorder, what do I call it Kif?

*sigh* Sexlexia

Edited by: Lachlan the Winged at: 4/27/04 7:06 pm

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I've been dead for a while now, so far I don't like it...

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I have the first book in storage- have never managed to get around to reading it somehow. Might bowwor it form library when all my other books are finished- have to finisdh the Trinity Trilogy first.

I also agree that he CAN be a talented writer - but "wastes" allot of time on some horror. THey all end up the same which is annoying. Esp when you read them 1 after the other. I was disappointed with Richard Bachman books- have no idea how ppl didnt figure out it was him.

I enjoyed the Green Mile; The Stand; IT ; Running Man. Loved the ending of christine ">

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I'm not a King fan, and whille I always try not to be a literary snob, I have to say this dude confuses me...and he seams to go out of his way to appear cheap and puerile.

The Dark Tower series is a great read, as is etc etc see above...and I remember seeing a mini-series years ago of The Stand (which I've never read), and I thought that it was the best thing of King's I've ever seen (very Dark Tower really...in comparison to his Horror rubbish.)

But here's a weird thing. According to this link ...

www.fantasticfiction.co.u...n_King.htm

The Stand was written back in 1978 (only his 5th of 80 odd books) and The Running Man was only written in 1982. It would appear that all the stuff I like was written, or at least started, very early on.

Adios

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Just a quick update, I'm reading the fifth book now and I can reliably say that it's still as good as the first one, perhaps a little better in some respects, a better understanding of why Roland is like he is.
An interesting side-note though, Dark Tower has many subtle references to his other books, the disgraced priest from 'Salem's Lot makes an appearance, there's also reference to the major-villan-with-the-initials-RF that King has done in other stories. There are probably heaps more that people who've actually read his other stories will find

I suffer from a very sexy learning disorder, what do I call it Kif?

*sigh* Sexlexia

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I've been dead for a while now, so far I don't like it...

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Have finally obtained books 1, 3, & 4 of 'The Dark Tower' - thank you Dymocks'! orry Now all I need is the time to actually READ them ............ :brick

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Just purchased Song of Susanah (book six), I've jumped it to the top of the pile so after Brilliance of the Moon, I shall catch up with Roland and the Ka-tet of nineteen and ninety-nine.

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I've been dead for a while now, so far I don't like it...

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Just finished reading the seventh and final volume of this series - the only thing that sums this book up is WOW, the best finale to a story I've read in ages although I warn anyone who is thinking about finishing Roland's tale to prepare yourself - guys have a stiff drink and girls, a box of tissues perhaps. Either way, take King's advice when he advises you to stop reading near the end (its a chapter in the book so you'll know what I mean)

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I've been dead for a while now, so far I don't like it...

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I'm a bit of  king fan, has anyone read Cell or Dreamcatcher? They're the two most recent SK books I've read. They're both awesome in their own right, though I'd say Dreamcatcher was my fav, the way the story resolved itself in the end, and the entire concept of the story itself. Actually I'm gonna go all out and say Dreamcatcher is my outright favourite Stephen King book. And I've read my fair share!

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I feel compelled to read it now!

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I haven't read either of those two, but out of the 10 Stephen King books i have read i think my favourite is Misery....so far anyway.

The next book i'll b reading is "IT"

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ive only read one stephen king book and thats 'IT'

creepy stuff... *shudders*

im gonna say that its the freakiest horror book i have read as of yet in my life. Dead set! I think its the only book that has almost driven me to nightmares... ahh its freaking me out just thinking about it!

But at the same time it is totally and utterly awesome - 9/10

x

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I personally love his "Dark Tower" series. I sat there and read through all seven books, somewhat torturous but also very fulfilling when I finished it. My favourites were "Wizard and Glass" and "Wolves of the Calla". Apart from them I've only read "Carrie" and "The Stand". The Stand is near the top of the list of my favourite books. It was huge but quite gripping and breathtaking.

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I was a huge Stephen King fan (though not his number one, of course) during my wayward teenage years. I stopped reading him so much after either Rose Madder or Insomnia, whichever was released more recently. I might just try Dreamcatcher out though, since I've been thinking about returning to horror.  Pet Sematary had to be my favourite as far as being creepy goes. I've always had this weird fear of zombies. Not lumbering, Night of the Living Dead zombies, but the 28 Days Later variety (I know they weren't dead but they were close enough) who move as fast as a normal person. They're only scary if you can't escape them at a slow walk.