Rating: Summary: What a surreal place. Review: The tale of the Gunslinger has not even come close to nearing completion; this fourth work is said to be over 800 pages hardback. Either way, the tale of the Dark Tower and the Gunslinger is a mesmerizing one, a cerebral one, and one of discovery and humanity. Read it if the mood strikes you
Rating: Summary: Ever nearer the dark tower... Review: So long awaited... At last here...
Well I should not underestimate this novel by saying it has a nice story. The events depicted in dark tower are happening or has happened somewhere in our universe and I believe as I write this Roland and whats left of his companions are ever getting closer to the dark tower...
And a song comes to your ears... The Lullaby by Cure... This song perfectly fits the mood of the book.. (Advice) Read no... Live it at all costs...
Rating: Summary: Return to a world of extraordinary vision... Review: The epic journey of Roland the Gunslinger continues in this long-awaited fourth volume.
Find out what happens after Roland and his friends Susannah and Eddie begin their amazing ride out of the city and into the realms of a world still unexplored...
Rating: Summary: Who sent you west, maggot? Review: Wizard and Glass is the fourth installment of the Dark Tower series, and in my opinion, the most complete of the series up to date. This story picks up from the cliffhanger from The Waste Lands in which Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake and Oy are racing along Blaine the Mono's track. Blaine is insane and suicidal, planning on killing Roland and his Ka-Tet at the trains terminating point in Topeka. Blaine fails to kill the Gunslinger, or his crew, but ends up depositing them in a Topeka, Kansas that seems to have been emptied by some contagion. (At this point, The Stand is an exceptional book as well) Walking along the desolate land that is Topeka, Roland tells the tale of Susan Delgado, who was Rolands first love. There is some really excellent dialogue and overall great story telling as Roland retells the most painful part of his quest for the Dark Tower. Many of the mysteries of Rolands' dark past are revealed, making this the most entertaining read of the series. (This is, of course, my personal opinion again.) To this point, this is also the longest book of the series, which is another great reason to read it. The story compels the reader to continue reading. I was literally unable to put this particular one down.
Rating: Summary: A late start into a great thing. Review: So, sadly, I have finished Wizard and Glass, skipping ahead a couple of books in the Dark Tower series. I read The Gunslinger awhile back, and wasn't all that impressed. A friend told me that the Dark Tower books were good, but I didn't fully appreciate how A*M*A*Z*I*N*G they were by the first book. Anyway, I literally was unable to stop reading Wizard and Glass, and when I wasn't reading it, I was daydreaming about reading it. This book has Tolkien influences, mythology and characters from other King books including the STAND, an all-time favorite of mine, cowboy/western themes, WIZARD OF OZ references (brilliant!) and more. Stephen King truly is one of the most creative and brilliant writers of the 21st century. His characters become lasting memories. And now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and buy every other Dark Tower book, except the Gunslinger, which I already have, and obviously, W&G. I give this book an A+.
Rating: Summary: Review of Kings Dark Tower IV Review: King returns to the romantic world of Roland, the Gunslinger. This volume consists mostly of Roland's backstory. We learn of his first adventure (and in doing so re-visit some old "friends" from earlier in the series) accompanied by his orignial ka-tet, Cuthbert and Alain. King reveals the genesis of Roland's quest for the Dark Tower as well as the tragic death of Rolands mother. The book also tells the story of Rolands first encounter with love, in the form of Susan. Susan is a woman trapped in a desparate love triangle, and her love for Roland could bring ruin not only to herself, but to Roland and his ka-tet. The framing story tells of the advancement of the quest for the Dark Tower by Roland, Eddie, Suzanna, Jake, and Oy. They have escaped the suicide of Blaine the mono only to find themselves in the post-apocolypse of The Stand. It seems that Randall Flagg has plans for Roland and company, and this is not to their benefit. This is possibly King's finest work. It features some of his most richly developed characters. The backstory moves along with dream-like ease to it's final destructive showdown. Fans of Roland should enjoy the peek into his past and will, by the end of the tale, be much more informed as to his nature and his future.
Rating: Summary: Mostly fat, hardly any steak Review: Imagine a lean, well-told Western that industriously gets up and goes to work on every page. Now imagine that Western quits its job and sits around watching "A Clockwork Orange" for a year, eating Ben and Jerry's and pizza. What would you get? Wizard and Glass. The plot's unncessary and appallingly long. The heroes basically have two jobs -- foil the bad guys and retrieve yummy local chick Susan for Roland -- and they could have accomplished these ends just by going back to Gilead and taking Susan with them in the first hundred pages. But no... The language is appalling, the structure poor (550 page flashbacks don't sit well with me), and the few bits that actually relate to the real story of the series -- viz., the Dark Tower -- are lame -- especially a weak, slapped-together sequence involving the Wizard of Oz. Basically, this book was a waste of time and money for me, and I would recommend, reader, that if you want a long Western with a strong hero, and interesting romance, and a streak of mysticism, you buy Louis L'Amour's _Jubal Sackett_, which is also about a third the price.
Rating: Summary: The BEST in series Review: It`s no doubt the best book of Dark Tower and one of the best books ever written.
I would love, if Mr. King wrote couple more books on the Roland`s past (battle on Jericho Hill, what happened to other 2 ka-mates, etc.). 9 would be the appropriate # of DT books (19..99..), don' t ya ken it, sai King?
Rating: Summary: shoddy Review: for all of you King freaks - a little reality. King isn't anywhere near "literary" - his prose is passive and unimaginative (too many was's and is's, too much telling and not enough showing). Compared to horror kingpin's Poe and Lovecraft, King is shoddy - his novels are Pulp Fiction, nothing poetic about them. BUT - King does focus on character-based, rather than plot-based fiction - this is what makes him worthwhile to read - focusing on the characters of his stories.
I love his Dark Tower series - surrealistic and mysterious. This 4th one, though, Wizard and Gass, disappointed me - too much straight storytelling, and hackneyed characterization. Pulp and not enough mystery. Bleh..
Rating: Summary: The Wizard and Glass Review: I read the first sieres when I was in middle school and I was hooked, but who knew Stephen King could write a love story? And not some sloppy, sappy love story desperate housewives keep under thier mattresses, but an innocent, beatuiful and as one critic presicly stated earthy. I hate to say that is the one of the most beutifully written romance stories I have read. For the story itself, it was a needed addition in to the insight of the main characters story which until then had been very unknown. This alters the mood and feel of the story and continuing on from there the mood and feeling of the story changes with this new insight into the Roland. As for 800 pages being too long? Number one, that critic evidentually had not read many other Stephen King books, which 800 pages are normal and with a story like this it doesn't even matter.
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