Being a huge fan of all things dark and brooding, I’m surprised that I never had the interest to pick up this book before. The Gunslinger is first part in a seven book series entitled “The Dark Tower.” Since The Gunslinger’s debut in 1970 and the Dark Tower Series completion in 2004, thousands of people have enjoyed this trek through time and space that King claims was inspired by the poem “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” by Robert Browning. The story centers on Roland, a gunslinger (think Clint Eastwood) and the last of his kind. Roland’s journey begins with a single sentence: “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” We know little of Roland, but as the story unfolds so does Roland’s history. Soon the reader understands more of what is going on than the main character himself. King does an excellent job of keeping the story moving swiftly and intertwining a variety of details and allusions. The reader is allowed to form their own conclusions of where Roland might be, what his quest might lead to. Mixing the genres of fantasy, horror and western, The Gunslinger is unlike any other piece of fiction I have read to date. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a complex story filled with intrigue, desire, terror and consequence. I find myself eager to move through the series at lightning speed. I now hold in my hands the Drawing of Three which will continue the journey of Roland and his pursuit of the Dark Tower.Adrienne Wilson
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I read the Dark Tower books a couple years ago and I abslutely loved them. My personal favorites are the first two (The Gunslinger and The Drawing of the Three) and the fifth book, Wolves of the Calla. The graphic novels that came out recently are also spectacular. The story blends in wonderfully and the artwork really captures the feel of the books.
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