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There are some great moments in this story that shed some light on the proceedings, but just enough to wet your appetite. Admittedly, I felt lost on several occasions while reading this, the first book in the Dark Tower series. The last several pages alone were worth the read in my opinion. For me at least, that was most of the fun. Trying to figure out what this world of Roland Deshain's is, what happened that made it this way, and what the hell is the Dark Tower and this elusive Man in Black. This novel/series may not be for everyone, and to those that have tried to get through this book and have stopped for one reason or another, the writing definitely takes a turn for the better in the subsequent books. Give the Dark Tower and The Gunslinger a try, you won't be disappointed, but if you are, then I apologize.
I am a big Stephen King/Richard Bachman fan from way back when. I love his Gunslinger series. Of course you may not want to take my critique too seriously, because I just think that this author just can't go wrong. Even his early stuff was good and he has just gotten better and better at his craft.
"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." If you can resist an opening sentence like that, you have more willpower than I. I also would highly recommend George Guidall or Frank Muller's narrations. The Gunslinger begins The Dark Tower series, which follows Roland's quest to reach the nexus of all universes. Since King finished the seven volume series in 2004, it's safe to start reading. (Nota Bene: This is NOT a horror series or story. King may be best known for writing horror novels, but he is a masterful storyteller and writer in other genres too).
I've been told countless times to read the Dark Tower series, only hearing good things about it. I do have to say that I am glad I read the introduction to The Gunslinger. It helped me understand what I was to expect from the series and why this first book was so rough to read.Aside from the book being a little rough to understand, the actual story kept me wanting more. It did its job in making me want to read the next book in the series.
One of my greatest inspirations as a writer and an artist, The Gunslinger delivers hardcore. Fans of numerous genres (fantasy, gothic, western, sci fi, post-apocalyptic, steampunk) will thrill at this can't-put-down read, which is refreshingly short for Mr. This tale is a post-apocalyptic fantasy that is gleaned from a mishmash of genres, fusing such unexpected time periods and societies as the Old West, medieval feudalism, and sci-fi futuristic. Roland, the figure that is central to the tale (and those that follow) is a stoic but tormented figure, part fairy story hero, part gritty Clint Eastwood antihero via Pale Rider or High Plains Drifter. King (who has a tendency to pack a lot of unnecessary tangents and deadwood in with some of his novels). At under 250 pages, the book is a quick, but not too quick, adventure that will leave you thinking about the characters and their plight long after the last page has been turned.
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