I'm on disc 6 of the unabridged Gunslinger and it's fantastic. The quality of the reading is right up there with Jim Dale's Harry Potter and the Outlander series.
What a story. I know there have been other threads on this book, but I'll just say that I'm definitely hooked. Additionally, the guy doing the reading does a fabulous job of personifying the Gunslinger.
I understand that the book has been re-editted by King for this latest release. I don't know what it was before, but it is wonderful now. The characters are crisp and fully-developed. The setting is vivid, though sparsely mentioned. For me, this is a classic travel tale that is more about the choices of the journeymen, than it is about reaching the end of the journey.
The writing fits so well with the timber of the reader's voice that I feel like I'm watching a movie.
Plaid, I thought I'd mention this because you posted today and if you haven't listened to it already, this will be a great holiday gift to yourself.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Welcome to the world of the Dark Tower addicts. At least YOU get to start now that he's finished writing all the books.
Remind me to tell you sometime about the decade-long gap between one of the meanest cliff-hangers of all time and the follow-up. *grin*
Posted by LadyDove (Member # 3000) on :
Timing is everything! Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
Hi LadyDove!
(looks at library catalog) cool, my library's got a copy of the revised edition on cassette
I listened to the first edition a few years ago... it was OK, but I had trouble getting enthused about it -- the rules of the Gunslinger's world seemed too arbitrary... then I started listening to the 2nd book, and it introduced a drug addict as a main character, and I have no sympathy for addicts so I didn't get any further than the start of the 2nd book...
but I keep hearing good things about the Dark Tower, so I'll give it another go sometime soon, thanks for the heads up!
Posted by LadyDove (Member # 3000) on :
I'm finished through Wolves of the Calla. Maybe I'm speaking from infatuation, but IMO, this series is fabulously consistent in quality of both writing and content.
I care about the characters and the Tower and the Rose. The characters continue to grow in a logical and positive fashion; the plot continues to twist and fold out of and into itself. It's always familiar, yet constantly fresh.
That said, I have one beef. It really bugs me that King seems to be advertising another of his books within the content of this series.
I don't mind the good Father making an appearance, but the push to read Salem's Lot seems a bit heavy handed. Likewise, I was a little miffed that King put his own name on the bookstore menu and named Roland's father after himself.
After thousands of pages, I just... I don't know. I thought this was a labor of love more than a commercial venture and ego trip.
Yes- I am revealing that my rose-colored glasses are firmly in place.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)