Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, The Dark Tower series is unlike anything you have ever read. The final book opens like a door to the uttermost reaches of Stephen King's imagination. You've come this far. Come a little farther. Come all the way. The sound you hear may be the slamming of the door behind you. Welcome to The Dark Tower.
At one point in this final book of the Dark Tower series, the character Stephen King (added to the plot in Song of Susannah) looks back at the preceding pages and says "when this last book is published, the readers are going to be just wild." And he's not kidding.
After a journey through seven books and over 20 years, King's Constant Readers finally have the conclusion they've been both eagerly awaiting and silently dreading. The tension in the Dark Tower series has built steadily from the beginning and, like in the best of King's novels, explodes into a violent, heart-tugging climax as Roland and his ka-tet finally near their goal. The body count in The Dark Tower is high. The gunslingers come out shooting and face a host of enemies, including low men, mutants, vampires, Roland's hideous quasi-offspring Mordred, and the fearsome Crimson King himself. King pushes the gross-out factor at times--Roland's lesson on tanning (no, not sun tanning) is brutal--but the magic of the series remains strong and readers will feel the pull of the Tower as strongly as ever as the story draws to a close. During this sentimental journey, King ties up loose ends left hanging from the 15 non-series novels and stories that are deeply entwined in the fabric of Mid-World through characters like Randall Flagg (The Stand and others) or Father Callahan ('Salem's Lot). When it finally arrives, the long awaited conclusion will leave King's myriad fans satisfied but wishing there were still more to come.
In King's memoir On Writing, he tells of an old woman who wrote him after reading the early books in the Dark Tower series. She was dying, she said, and didn't expect to see the end of Roland's quest. Could King tell her? Does he reach the Tower? Does he save it? Sadly, King said he did not know himself, that the story was creating itself as it went along. Wherever that woman is now (the clearing at the end of the path, perhaps?), let's hope she has a copy of The Dark Tower. Surely she would agree it's been worth the wait. --Benjamin Reese
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
In perfect condition:
I purchased this, as well as another book at the same time. They both arrived securely and safely packaged, in a very timely fashion. There were no signs of wear on either book. Exactly as described.
Great end to a so-so series.:
This is definitely my favorite book in the series, though it does have problems. I won't go into them since they're all spoiler-rich, but I loved the ending, even if it feels like a big slap in the face. It was a good slap.
Anticipation Makes "VII" A Thrilling Read:
I have to sympathize with Stephen King regarding the writing of this book...how do you end a series that has been going on for so long? King has often been criticized (me included) for writing thrilling stories accompanied by unspectacular endings, and this book is no exception, as many readers do not appreciate an ending that they never could have seen coming. However, I think that King did a marvelous job in ending this book by playing on one factor: anticipation. While one would expect that the... more info
That was one long Jazz solo!:
Damn. I've been pondering what to write about this for days. Ok, lets git to it! (Jazz reference will be explained :P ) Here's your first clue that the Dark Tower is not going to please everyone (actually the clue is at the very end). He cautions the reader to not read the Coda chapter beause they might dislike it. As if, after reading 1000+ pages of the book, the reader wouldn't read right through! Second clue is in the Author's note at the end, when King says in advance not to email him to... more info
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