Customer Reviews

The Dark Tower, Books 1-3: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands

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For those of you who have read this series, as well as all of King's other books, you know that there are links in some of his other books back to the Dark Tower series. For those of you who don't know, here it is. Go buy Insomnia, and Hearts In Atlantis. I think you'll find the connections to the Dark Tower series rather interesting. They are somewhat more subtle in Insomnia, but are quite obvious in Hearts In Atlantis. Hearts In Atlantis is a must read for those who are hooked on The Dark Tower. Personally, I think it reveals where King is going with the Tower and the characters linked to it by revealing some of the things going on in Roland's world. Oh, and another one to check out is a book called Legends Volume I. It includes a short story about Roland, placed sometime before the first book in the series. A definite must read.

I usually read sci-fi/fantasy, but Stephen King's Dark Tower series is by far the greatest set of books I've ever read. The characters are realistic, the plot pulls you in, and of course it is extremely well written. I can easily compare it to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Herbert's Dune, and Asimov's Foundation series. If you're a Stephen King fan, get it; if you like sci-fi/fanasy, get it. Well worth your money.

I've just finished re-reading the DARK TOWER series for the second time and I found it even more engrossing. the first time I read it I read it out of order and not in series. This time However I was able to sit down and read it in order the way it should be(I also have WIZARD AND GLASS). This epic adventure begins with the words "The man in black entered the desert and the gunslinger followed" and that sets the tone for the story. the first book THE GUNSLINGER introduces us to a world that is "moving on", and to our hero Roland.We glimpse bits and pieces of Rolands world and our own (which is somehow related to rolands). I don't like to tell the story you have to read it so let's Move on to book two. In THE DRAWING OF THE THREE Roland meets up with the members of his KA-TET With whom he will share many great adventures on the way to find THE DARK TOWER.The third book of the seriesTHE WASTE LANDSis non stop adventure for our hero and his group of friends. Let's just say it will change the way you look at train travel! This series is by far Stephen Kings best work and it delves into a realm of science fiction that isn't usually written about.What is the earth going to be like 8000-10000 years after we finish ruining it.(That is my personal opinion of the setting. The books never reveal the exact time relationship)This is a story that can be read over and over and will leave you waiting on the edge of your seat for the next volumne. Also the art work is wonderful, although I preffer the third books the best. If you don't have any of the books yet then this set is the way to go because it will allow you to read them in order and straight through. The way you will want to once you have been DRAWN into this strange and wonderful world.

I have read over 40 of Stephen King's books since 1975 and nothing but The Stand compares to the scope and sheer wonder of Stephen's Dark Tower series. The characters and descriptions of Roland's world are beyond anything I have ever read before, and I have read thousands (really) of books in my 48 years. I would also like to recommend in addition to these books a short story he wrote called The Little Sisters of Eluria in a volume called Legends in October of 1998 that deals with Roland. It is exceptional. Please write more Stephen!

"The Dark Tower" series is the very core of Kings' work and it is plain to see that this is his best writing. This is not one of his typical horror storys, and even if your not a King fan, I'm sure you'll love this one. A story that is still yet to be complete (4 books so far) and leaves readers itching for the next part. It set in a mysterious world of fantasy but some how is so real like it will draw you in. This is the master's masterpeice. An absolute must...Join the quest for the elusive Dark Tower...

These are hands down King's best books in recent years. Previously if you wanted them, you had two choices: the (...) softcover editions or (...) limited-edition hardcovers. Not now--here's a great hardcover three-issue set of the first three Dark Tower books. Go for it. This is King at his absolute best!

Ever since i started reading these books, i was obsessed. I read all 4 of them in 2 and a half weeks. They are simply wonderful. With vivid descriptions, and living, breathing characters that seem real. These are easily the best books i've ever read. But it's simply driving me crazy waiting for the 5th one to come out. In each book, you learn a little bit more about the dark tower. There are no boring parts, at least not for me. There was never a time when i wanted not to read any of the books in this series. This may sound dumb, but... these books are the things i think about most! It's true! I can relate to the characters so much, i just love it! If there's such thing as a "must-read" this series is most definetly it.

I have been reading since I was in first grade, so it's nothing new to me when I get asked about my opinion on a book. Frankly, my mother never let me read Stephen King's works until I was 13. Ever since then, I have tried every book I could get my hands on. I have read all four of the Dark tower series... though not all from the same edition because the artwork was different. I find the stories intriguing and spellbinding. This is going to be an excellent series upon completion, not that it isn't now. I was surprised that the trademark horror aspect of his writing came out less, but it was still potent reading. The descriptions and details he puts into it are amazing and I would recommend this set of books for anyone who has doubted the power behind the man that is Stephen King.

Stephen King writes a brillant tale about a quest for understanding and freedom. He blends different characters and different worlds into a series that captures the reader and doesn't let go. This is a series that any fan of adventure, fantasy, or thrillers must read.

The first novel introduces Roland, the last of the Gunslingers, a relic from a time when all of his world was Light. This paradise that is descibed by Roland was destroyed by civil war and unnatural occurances. Roland has taken up a quest to find the Dark Tower, the vortex of all time and all universes, where he will find a way to help his world from moving on. In this novel, Roland is found crossing a desert after the man in black, whom Roland is pursuing in hopes that the man in black can give him the key to the Dark Tower. On his way across the desert, Roland comes upon a boy, Jake, who was killed in our world and transported to Roland's world. Jake becomes Roland's sacrifice and bargaining chip to finding the answers he needs, but the boy also becomes his burden.

In the second novel, Roland finds himself in a part of his world that he is ignorant of, which causes him make several mistakes that nearly cost him his life. Here Roland must "draw" three people from our world to accompany him on his quest. Each one has individual quests to overcome. The first one drawn is a heroin addict that must beat his own demons before he can aid Roland. The second is a handicapped woman with split personalities that must be melded into one. The last person to be drawn is the boy, whose death in novel one has haunted Roland and nearly driven him to insanity. These four set off on the quest for the Dark Tower.

The third novel finds the travelers in a land torn by unrest. They must battle a giant bear, a deranged ruler, and a monorail that has been alive so long that it has gone crazy. They find clues that they are nearing the Dark Tower, but it doesn't seem to come any closer. Their quest seems to get no shorter as they travel into the fourth novel in the series.

All in all, this a series that will have the readers cheering for Roland and his band to reach their destination. The end of each novel creates a craving only for the next. This series and all of its characters find places in our hearts and never leaves us.

I owned a copy of The Gunslinger for nearly four years before deciding to read it out of lack of anything better to read, and I found it to be terrific. I continued with the rest of the series, and I must say that I have read no finer work in my life. I also read the fourth installment, Wizard and Glass, and found that to be the best yet. i hope King lives long enough to complete the entire series, because I really want to find out if Roland, The Last Gunslinger--the best character ever--will make it to the all-powerful Dark Tower. I reccommend this to anyone that likes to read. It may not be worth the price for the special edition unless you are a collector such as I, but everyone should read this.