[7/10] - "What's on the other side of the door for me?" Eddie asked the gunslinger quietly. "Go on and tell me. If you can tell me, maybe I'll come. But if you lie, I'll know." - "Probably death", the gunslinger said. "But before that happens, I don't think you'll be bored. I want you to join me on a quest. Of course, all will probably end in death - death for the four of us in a strange place. But if we should win through ..." His eyes gleamed. "If we win through, Eddie, you'll see something beyond all the beliefs of all your dreams." - "What thing?" - "The Dark Tower." I wasn't bored, but neither was I exactly bowled over by this sequel to 'The Gunslinger'. The book is eminently readable, the tension maintained with consummate skill, the new characters intriguing and well fleshed out, the dialogues snappy and natural. There's even a couple of well rendered high adrenaline shotouts, some scary oversized lobster-monsters that justify the classification of 'western-horror-fantasy' for the series. What I'm still missing is the point of the quest. Why is Roland compelled to search for the Dark Tower? When will the blank spots in his backstory be filled out? When will we learn more about the world of Roland, why and how it moved on? Questions that remain largely unanswered at the end of the novel, making it a second, longer prologue to the main event that is still only vaguely defined, mostly in metaphysical terms. I want to see something 'beyond the beliefs of all my dreams', but so far I got a lot of posturing and marketing sales pitches, promises of later enchantment, if I only continue reading these Gunslinger books. I guess I will do it, I will give credit to Stephen King's promises and to the enthusiasm of his legion of fans, even as I cast a wary eye at the doorstopper size of these later installments.Coming back to the present story, the plot is holding together much better than the episodic novellas included in the opening book. Roland needs some sidekicks to aid him in his quest to reach the Dark Tower, and some unknown entity or God is conveniently placing doors to the north of the beach that our gunslinger finishes his westward quest after The Man in Black. These doors lead to a parallel universe, a secondary world that is revelaed to be our own dear Earth, in particular New York City. The doors also mess up with the fabric of time, and Roland goes through the portals into three different timelines: 1987, 1964, 1977. I had to check online for the dates, I'm not sure they are spelled out like this in the book, but maybe a reader more familiar with American pop culture will have an easier task than me in placing the action correctly. I know that the sixties in particular are a fascinating, defining moment for King, as references to the Kennedys, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and the drug counter-culture are recurrent themes in King's stories. Anyway, the dates are less important to me than the people Roland is trying to recruit. I believe this is the one field where King is a true master : making the reader care and become invested in the fate of his fictional characters. The first door gets us into the mind of Eddie Dean, a young man in very big trouble, a drug addict that gets on the wrong side of a Sicilian dealer who uses Eddie's love for his older brother to turn him into a drug smuggler. King manages to transform this crook into a smart, loyal, considerate knight, a reluctant participant in the search for the Dark Tower that I hope will serve later as a counterweight to the more ruthless, cynical atitude that drives Roland. "Only two choices here, Roland whispers. Don't know how it is in your world, but only two choices here. Stand and maybe live, or die on your knees with your head down and the stink of your own armpits in your nose. Nothing ..." He hacks out a cough. "Nothing to me." Being a newcomer to the world of Roland (a blank slate), this Eddie Dean would make a useful literary device to let the reader learn more about this still generic country and about the backstory of our gunslinger. This opportunity is mostly wasted for now, as roland is very reluctant to release said information, and when he does he talks mostly in riddles. For example, Eddie wants to know what is 'ka' and why it is so important to Roland? Here it means duty, or destiny, or, in the vulgate, a place you must go. I may be thick skulled, but in another part of the novel 'ka' is equated with Roland's soul or conscience, the part of him that goes through the doors and leaves his physical body behind. So I'm still confused, as I am about the nature of the Dark Tower (a nexus of time and space, I believe was the description in the first book).Second door gives us an even more troubled character, a woman of colour with a split personality. Odetta Holmes is a rich Park Avenue heiress with a sweet disposition and an active interest in the civil rights movement. But she has recurrent headaches that leave blank spots in her memory. She is completely unaware of her alter ego, Detta Walker, a bitter, violent, foul-mouthed, paranoic virago from the ghetto. Odetta/Detta is also a double amputee, victim of a random act of violence. Again, King is in top form making the transitions between the two aspects of this schizophrenic personality, using both women to advance the plot and crank up the adrenaline and even managing to introduce a romantic angle into his epic.By the time we reach the third and last door prophesized by the Man in Black, the pace of the story has become a headlong rush into action, with split second cinematic cuts that grab the reader and refuse to let go before the last page is turned, no matter how late into the night it gets. The third 'recruit' comes to us like the previous two with a heavy psychological bagage, probably the heaviest, since his Tarot symbol is Death. Jack Mort is a socipath, a serial killer that we find out has already messed up with the fate of Roland and the others. How could he possibly be destined to be part of the search for the Tower? Well, you must read the book if you want to find out, it's not my place to give away all the salient points. To finish with my review, after praising the characterization and the pacing of the story, I feel I have to include also the part that is bothering me. It has to do with free-will and pre-destination, with the use of prophecy and convenient plot devices (doors) that appear out of thin air. The construction so far feels contrived, forced, and still too vague. (view spoiler)[ In matters of the Tower, fate became a thing as merciful as the lighter which has saved his life and as painful as the fire the miracle had ignited. Like the wheels of the oncoming train, it followed a course both logical and crushingly brutal, a course against which only steel and sweetness could stand. (hide spoiler)]
THE GUNSLINGERRoland Deschain – Of the line of Eld – all the way back to Arthur Eld“Merlin and Arthur and the knights of the Round Table,” Jake said dreamily.The gunslinger felt a nasty jolt go through him. “Yes,” he said. “Arthur Eld, you say true, I say thank ya.Roland continues his quest for The Dark Tower where he intends to do...whatever it is I’m supposed to do there, accomplished whatever fundamental act of restoration or redemption for which I was meant,... THE TOWERWe learned from the end of the last book“... Suppose that all worlds, all universes, met in a single nexus, a single pylon, a Tower. And within it, a stairway, perhaps rising to the Godhead itself. Would you dare climb to the top, gunslinger?.Would Roland dare? Would he spit in the face of destiny? Would he defy Ka? Would he try to stop worlds from “moving on?”And can you hear The Man in Black’s shrieking laughter. That hoary cripple who so obligingly points Roland down a fool’s path on a doomed quest. THE THREE DOORSThree doors into a parallel Universe, called New York. All the same “where” but different “whens.” We would call them the “real world” but the gunslinger would laugh.Three. This is the number of your fate.Three?Yes, three is mystic. Three stands at the heart of the mantra.Which three?And behind Door No 1 we have... THE PRISONER ’The first is young, dark-haired. He stands on the brink of robbery and murder. A demon has infested him. The name of the demon is HEROIN’Meet Eddie Dean from New York City 1987.Roland meets Eddie on a sky carriage. Where army women in uniform serve popkins, do you ken popkins? Say sorry - tooter fish sandwiches ...mmmm Roland likes tooter fish sandwiches. Eddie is nervously contemplating the ritual of the “Clearing of the Customs.” He is afraid of the inquisitors there or that an Oracle who looks at suspicious people might be called. You see, Eddie is nervous because Eddie is concealing some packets of white powder. He intends to "profane the ritual." Luckily for him, the gunslinger needs him. Needs him for his quest.There’s going to be shooting.”“There is?”“Yes.” The gunslinger looked serenely at Eddie. “Quite a lot of it, I think.”And indeed there is and it is freakin AWESOME!!!And behind Door number 2 we have... THE LADY OF SHADOWS She comes on wheels. I see no more.Meet Odetta Holmes and Detta Walker from New York City 1964 – She’s a schizophrenic. Who? Odetta or Detta? Yes.Odetta/Detta is also a wheelchair bound amputee. Roland needs her, no needs both of her for his quest. But Roland has a problem, and it has nothing to do with the missing legs.So Odetta, would you care to go on a quest to save all the worlds with yon gunslinger?‘If I could do something like that—if I could be that brave—I think I could be happy for the rest of my life. But that sort of courage is not in me.’What about you Detta – elegant and eloquent lady that you are? Would you give yourself to the gunslinger’s quest for the Tower?“WHO WAS THAT MAHFAH? I GONE HUNT HIM DOWN AND KILL HIS ASS!”“I ain’t goan nowhere wit choo, mahfah,GOAN KILL EVERY MAHFAHIN HONKY I SEE! GOAN GELD EM FUST! GOAN CUT OFF THEIR BALLS AND SPIT EM IN THEY FACES! GOAN—”Uhh – I’ll take that as a no.Moving quickly on to Door number three! THE PUSHER Yet it means death, Roland thought, and knew it was so.Meet Jack Mort (le Morte) from New York City 1977 He didn’t care who; when it came to murder, Jack Mort was an equal-opportunity employer.Jack likes to push things and people. Like bricks off multi-story buildings – and kids into traffic – and black people into oncoming trains.But when killer meets killer its Mort vs Roland, Death vs The Gunslinger.Death is a part of Ka too. But that won’t stop Roland spitting in it’s face. THE ADDICTIONIf Eddie is hooked on Heroin, and Detta is hooked on stealing, and Mort’s drug is killing – then Roland’s addiction is The Tower. As Eddie tells him“You’re a Tower junkie, Roland.”He sees it’s shadow in whatever world he travels. In a literal sign “The Leaning Tower” where Balazar likes to erect a monolith of playing cards. Or whether in Mort’s high rise office building. Yeah, Roland has it bad. And can his new friends trust him?Enrico Balazar would have told him, but the gunslinger didn’t need the likes of Balazar to tell him this one fact of life: Never trust a junkie.If Roland sacrificed the boy he loved for the tower, is anyone safe with him?“He taught me if you kill what you love, you’re damned.”“I am damned already,” Roland said calmly.And when Roland’s world collides with those behind the doors, and all these addictions come together, well ...As Henry Dean, the great sage and eminent junkie would have put it, Flip-flop, hippety-hop, offa your rocker and over the top, life’s a fiction and the world’s a lie, so put on some Creedence and let’s get high.5 stars
What do You think about The Drawing Of The Three (2003)?
In this second addition to the series Rowland's relentless expedition continues on toward the Dark Tower. When three doors appear to him he soon finds out that he is to obtain three different characters from different timelines in New York City history. Eddie Dean is the first, a sad, drug addict, looser; Odetta Holmes, the second unsuspecting party who is a wealthy paraplegic with a split personality and Jack Mort the third individual is the lowest of the low drug pusher. I find it fascinating how Stephen King has a way of making even the most horrible characters likable in their uniquely, vulnerable way. Each plays an important part in providing him with significant help and important tools for him to push on. We are still not made privy to why Rowland feels the undying need for this reckless adventure but that is all a part of the allurement and seduction of the story. The imagery and other worldly, bazar creatures hooked me from the beginning and kept me, (and whomever was in the room while I was listening), captivated throughout. I thought that I may not like it as much because of the change of George Guidall as the narrator but was pleasantly surprised by Frank Mueller's wonderful job. Great series so far and I am looking forward to the longer books in the series.
—Susan
8.5/10A really good second novel in the series where things seem to hit their stride and the promise of the first book becomes even more evident here. For me to only rate it 4 stars was really hard as it’s as high as a 4 star book will ever be from me. There were just a couple of things that prevented me from giving it that highest of high ratings. The story is split into three after a crazy opening where straight off the bat things go downhill for Roland and his quest is put in jeopardy. The lobstrosities take chunks out of him and he’s left a few digits down. This is merely a setback for a “Tower Junkie” like Roland though and off he goes looking for his prophesised 3. As Roland reaches the 1st door things are not looking good for him. Still he persists and he meets up with Eddie, a likeable junkie who is currently in a sky carriage smuggling some drugs into the US. This whole section was a highlight for me, the back and forth conversations with Roland and Eddie, the new ideas brought to the series with a “Being John Malkovich” feel (even though this was way before that film), the gunfight in the restaurant where Roland shows his skills again. Also the whole concept of Roland struggling with a world which is unfamiliar to him but familiar to the reader. “Tooter Fish sandwiches” has now become a phrase I use at home quite often. Things don’t necessarily slow down in the second section but they were less enjoyable for me with Odetta/Detta. There were some funny parts though with Detta’s over the top stereotypical “days gone by black lady speak” but it grated after a while. Overall for the book this was my least enjoyable part of the book. The third section was quite interesting watching Roland take on Jack Mort (French for death coincidently) and how his obsession links to Odetta’s back story. Jack is quite the despicable character but this is sometimes needed in this sort of story, something to really get the blood boiling. Again Roland can show what he can do with his guns and wits come the end and things tie off nicely.I did notice that the film version of “The Shining” was mentioned by King but not in a self referential way, almost like he was disowning it. It is said that he wasn’t happy with the film version and that thought popped into my head. The whole story was a nice change of pace and speed from the first one linking in a world which is known to that of Roland’s making it an easy read and quite differing from the first outing. Things are left off quite nicely to entice you to read further into the series too which I certainly will be doing. I’m keen to see what is next in Roland’s journey to the tower.
—Richard
Gunslinger was a strange little book, a surreal tale of some kind of dystopia with a protagonist straight out of a classic noir. It was interesting and entertaining and didn't really inspire me to finish a series that might just keep getting longer whilst I work my way through it. Turns out Stephen King got the Dark Tower bug back and after finishing the series he wrote another instalment. Ordinarily I'd be against such behaviour but after ploughing through this second episode in record time who am I to argue against more of this incredible and incredibly written story?I don't even know why I came back, sure it's a highly regarded series but then so is The Wheel of Time and you won't find me picking up even one volume of that for anything other than a doorstop. And King is a much loved author, but not by me. I guess I might have to start changing that opinion sooner rather than later, as what he proves yet again with The Drawing of the Three is that he is a damned fine storyteller able to juggle multiple genres, create fascinating morally grey (and downright black too) characters and write believable dialogue, all the while keeping you flipping pages and on the edge of your seat with tension.I guess I'm in this for the long haul now. More fool me.
—Tfitoby
