Rating: 
Summary: A Ka-Tet Begins.
Review: "The Drawing of the Three" is the second book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series, and it triumphs over the first novel, "The Gunslinger," in every way. The writing is more sharp and pronounced, the characters are more likeable, and the dire straits seem more powerful. King is a great author, and his experience and confidence can be felt throughout this book.In "Drawing," we join Roland Deschain of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger, on his quest to find and remedy the illness that has struck the Dark Tower, the complete nexus of time and space. When "Gunslinger" ended, Roland had finally caught up with the Man in Black, who revealed a strange vision to Roland. A couple of pivotal characters are introduced who are both unique and still strong enough in their own right (without using their unique qualities as a sort of crutch). But more importantly, they're enjoyable. You'll feel for these people, root for them (maybe even aloud), and grow to hold them in the same regard you do as your other favorite, dearest literary characters. This book definitely delivers on everyone's expectations and wants for it. If "Gunslinger" had your jaw slack in entertainment, you'll love "Drawing" even more. But even if the first Dark Tower novel didn't impress you, the second will still change your mind about not finishing the series. Regardless of your opinions on "The Gunslinger," this is one story you need to pick up. Don't be left in the dark to this series' greatness; get yourself a copy of "The Drawing of the Three" and see for yourself why it's so critically acclaimed.
Rating:
Summary: This series got me through war
Review: No s*** there I was, in Afghanistan, bored out of my mind during my off time. Then a buddy of mine handed me The Gunslinger, I read it in one night and went to my friend the next day begging for the next book. He didn't have it, so I requested the next 3 books in the series in my next care package. This was one of the best things that happened to me over there. Trust me even if you don't like King, you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: 4 books in one
Review: This volume of the DT series is very different than the one preceding it. In this volume, Roland who is badly wounded manages to get inside the heads of three very different people. One is a heroin addict from the '70s the other is a handicap black woman from the '60s and the last one, I won't spoil. By getting into the heads of these characters their stories are almost separate books on to themselves. Through them King gets to address non fantasy themes like drug use, schizophrenia, racism, how handicap people are treated, etc. King then draws these desperate people into his world and makes it all compelling and believable. Now that King has Roland's fellowship formed, the Dark Tower should be closer!
Rating:
Summary: Cound't put it down
Review: The Dark Tower saga not only continues but really takes off with this follow-up to the Gunslinger. Roland's quest truly begins as he assembles or 'draws' three companions to aide him on his journey. The stroy-telling and writing are superb, King at his absolute best. There are a few answers to questions that come up in the Gunslinger but more questions are presented which will have to be answered later. A great thing about this book and series are the 'arguments' listed after the introduction. They are short summeries of the previous books in case it's been a while since you've read them. If you've never read any of Roland of Gilead's adventures, this is a must read. But, start with the Gunslinger and proceed in order, you'll be glad you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Dark Tower Two
Review: Stephen King's "Dark Tower 2 Drawing of the Three" is a lot better than the 1st, because it's a much more tightly constructed plot, and a more complete story as a whole. Roland wakes up a couple of hours after part 1 ends. He is attacked and injured, but contenues on his quest. He finds three doors, and someone in them that is destined to help him. Eddie Dean, a heroin addict; Detta Holmes, a cripple woman suffering from multiple personalities. And then a serial killer who is responsable for the boy Jake's origanal death. It get's very complicated. All doors goes to New York City, in the sixties, seventies, and eighties, and all these people are connected. Here is where King really raises the plot to an epic scale. This is very a good book, and get ready to get thye next book as well.
Rating:
Summary: Best one in the series so far
Review: It's true! I loved the feel of this one. The fact that Roland is sick...boggles the mind. I actually had to look at The Gunslinger to remember the cards. Nonetheless, it's my favorite King book, by far. I was a little shocked with the whole NYC thing, living there and all. But I got over it.
Rating:
Summary: The Dark Tower Edges Closer
Review: In "The Gunslinger" we were introduced to Roland and his search for The Dark Tower where, he believed, he would find the answers to why his world had moved on. The Gunslinger's landscape was stark and so were the words. In "The Drawing of the Three" we spend much of the novel back in "our world" (at least we spend it in 20th century New York) and the bleakness of the words is gone - replaced with a much warmer, easier to read, tone. Yet behind this we get the feeling of the bleakness of modern life too in the three (four?!) characters we see Roland tracking down. To some extent "The Gunslinger" is really a prologue and "The Drawing of the Three" is where the epic adventure really begins. Like all good quests our hero must first get his faithful warriors together and, at the end of "The Gunslinger", some cryptic clues have been revealed for the three in the shape of Tarot cards. As Roland slogs through the bleak landscape, he becomes almost fatally wounded by the local beachlife - huge Lobstrosities that become his (and his new friends') main source of fear and of food. Just as Roland has almost given up, he spies the glimmer of what turns out to be the first of three doors into our world. Where he emerges is into the body of someone specific - someone who must be brought back to help ... though, without giving any spoilers away, that view becomes murky with the third. Needless to say Roland is not plunged into the bodies of ready-made heroes. Instead we find Eddie, the adict - making his first drug run into the US; we find Odetta and Detta, two woman sharing, or perhaps co-habiting, the same body after suffering terrible abuses; we find Jack Mort (e.g. death), a pyschopath who finds pleasure in the anonymous killing of others. Of course we find links between all of these characters - not only connections but traits of abuse, of addiction and of crushing loneliness. King does a masterful job of setting these characters in a 20th century fictional world - references to both his works and to others such as The Terminator abound. These constant anchors to a fictional world provide this wonderfully grounded yet still free experience as we read the stories. Within the book, we really see the three tales of Roland inhabiting (and sometimes coming through himself) these characters in our world, with the backdrop of his illness back in his world and the interaction between the characters he has already brought through. These tales really are marvellous mini-stories in their own right. King keeps the tension high - particuarly with the first and the third as we really aren't sure how he is going to get back to his world in one piece. The second tale is almost a battle of inner conflict as he fights the twisted but very strong persona of Detta Walker who is living in the body of the lovely but rather weak character of Odetta Holmes - a conflict that doesn't get resolved until the end. And by the end of the book the three have been drawn and set off on their quest for The Dark Tower. It's a fractured friendship at best with Eddie particularly concerned that Roland's total desire for The Dark Tower will end in his sacrifice. And we too wonder whether Roland can hold it together on his journey. This is superb storytelling, wonderful writing and a classic tale that I can see being read and re-read. Read "The Gunslinger" first but realize it's just a prologue and a little different from the bulk of the series which really starts with this book.
Rating:
Summary: The second...and hardly disappointing....book in the series
Review: Ahhhh....the second in the series. What a wonderful continuation! Beginning where the first left off, the stort begins with tragedy. As it progresses we meet with some of the most screwed up and lovable characters: the addict extraordinaire Eddie Dean and the obviously schizophrenic Odetta Holmes/Detta Walker. The story continues as Roland "draws" these two from "present" day New York, all the while struggling with severe problems, both mental and physical. All together this was a wonderful installment...I only hope the series doesn't bomb near the end...HA right!
Rating:
Summary: The story continues in a different direction.
Review: The Gunslinger was basically an introduction to the Dark Tower series. The story of The Gunslinger was, as the man-in-black said, the beginning's end. Here the quest for the Dark Tower truly begins. Roland finds three doors, each one leading to 20th-century America in different times. From each of these doors Roland must draw a person who will aid him in his quest for the Dark Tower. But the doors aren't just portals to another world; what they actually open to is very creative and original. In this book Roland's humanity begins to be shown more clearly. Also, for the first time his mortality is shown as well. Something happens at the beginning of the book, and I mean the VERY beginning, that puts Roland in a desperate situation, which he isn't freed from until the very end. There's also plenty of action. This book is pretty much a roller-coaster ride from beginning to finish, and for that, Mr. King, I commend you. Coupled with the deep, well-drawn characters, this book is a winner. I do have a few gripes. This book takes place about half the time in our world, half the time in Roland's world. At first the scenes in New York were enjoyable, but later on our world became a little overused and bland compared to Roland's world. Towards the end I was just wanting Roland to hurry up and get back to his world where things were more interesting. This book focuses more on the three to be drawn than it does on Roland. The best element of The Gunslinger was the insights into Roland's character, and sadly there was none of that in this book. No flashbacks. Also, another thing that irritated me was King's over-elaboration of certain things. There's one brief scene where two cops talk to a guy who seems robotic to them. King goes on to say that years later the two cops would see the movie The Terminator and it would remind both men of the man they met that day. Unnecessary things like that just seemed to bog the story down. And, the last thing I didn't like about this book was the way that King would state that a certain thing would happen before it would happen in the book. This was also in The Gunslinger. I like to be surprised when I read books. Those problems listed above are what brought this book down to four stars. But the good points more than make up for the book's shortcomings. Roland's desperate situation really adds a lot of tension and suspense to the story. His interactions with the three from New York as well as the action-laced, roller-coaster-ride plot make this book a solid installment in the Dark Tower saga.
Rating:
Summary: Enthralling tale of Roland
Review: I picked up this book after I read The Gunslinger and I was hooked. The Prisoner and the Lady of Shadows were great additions to the group. The mini chapters kept me hanging on the edge of my seat sometimes reading 50 pages in a day. In 2 months it went from just a book to needing to know how it continues to the Waste Lands. Great book, not much horror though thankfully, King is the master of not only horror but a great spellbinding tale!
| 
