Rating: 
Summary: The best creation of King's imagination takes time ....
Review: At under 300 pages, "The Gunslinger" -- the first book from Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series -- may seem oddly short, especially when compared to the latest volume from the epic, weighing in at around 700 pages. And still, Constant Reader, there are thousands more to go!According to the afterword from this volume, it took King twelve years to complete the writings. He wrote the opening line "The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed" while an undergrad, the middle portions when "'Salem's Lot" was going bad, and was inspired with another concurrent writing: "The Stand." For King to have kept the Gunslinger, the Man in Black, Jake, the other characters -- and really the entire world of the Dark Tower -- alive for so long in his mind is a testament to not only the power that this held over the author, but holds over us -- his Constant Readers. Moreover, since the first publishing of "The Gunslinger," around twenty years have passed, a number of newer volumes in this series have come and gone -- yet with this first, partially inspired by Robert Browning's poem "Childe Roland," and partially inspired by reams of green paper (read the afterword to the book), you know that it was a very special creation indeed. I am not a fan of King's horror fiction. But when he gets down to writing about "other worlds than these," such as "The Stand," "Insomnia," "The Green Mile," and "The Talisman" (co-authored with Peter Straub) -- there is no one better. His is an imagination to be jealous of. There is always a feeling that alternate universes exist, next to our own (or maybe, ours exists within a molecule in some other reality). King imbues his other worlds with just enough of our own so that we feel a tantalizing connection between our perceptions of reality, and those that he uses to entertain us with. "The Gunslinger," at under 300 pages, is just right to introduce us to the world of The Dark Tower, and keep us on course, with a desire to continue (and to wait, ever so patiently for the next volumes in the series) the journey that the Gunslinger started many years ago.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit disappointed, but still willing to give it a chance.
Review: The main problem with this book is that I have no idea what is going on. My best guess is the Gunslinger lives in some world that is half reality half dream. I am thinking King was doing his fair share of hallucinogenic drugs while he was writing this book. But here is what I THINK is going on. Roland, the gunslinger, is in pursuit of the man in black, who can help him to find the Tower, his true goal. Along the way, he meets Jake, a young boy who becomes his travelling companion. And they run into various adventures, misadventures, dream-like sequences, and the reader gets to flashback to Roland's youth. The main problem with this book is I have no idea when or where it is taking place. I am hoping that this becomes clearer in the second installment, although seeing how I didn't like this one too much, it may take me a while to get to "The Drawing of the Three." I have heard that perserverance in this series pays off. If you're looking for a quick, easy read, skip this book. If you want to read the whole series, be prepared for a slow start.
Rating:
Summary: The Begining to A Great Book
Review: The Gunslinger is one very good book. I really like the characters here because I really believe this is a story you will not be able to put down. Many people dont have time to read but when you pick this book up you will not be able to put it down. Make sure you have extra time on your hands or else youll become glued to the book.
Rating:
Summary: Rocky start to a good series
Review: I enjoy the Dark Tower series immensely BUT... The start of the Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger, is rocky, but interesting. The goal of reaching the Dark Tower doesn't come out until the end of the book; reaching the man in black seems to be the goal, the end, not the beginning. Though the book is absolutely necessary and introduces my favorite character, Jake, it just isn't as well written as the following books. That also means the series gets better, so if you like the first book you'll love the second. The dark and gritty overall style of King's writing is evident even at this early juncture, but the flow of the stories is broken due to the fact they were all short stories written to be read one at a time. In part the fantasy adventure story of the Gunslinger reflect a creativity King would use through out his later career (stories were written very early in his career). I have always thought that King was best when writing fantasy novels like The Stand and The Eyes of the Dragon. Part of these and other books he has written appear throughout out the series. I recommend reading this series, though it isn't as enthralling at the start, the series is first rate.
Rating: 
Summary: here we begin...
Review: Stephen King starts out his massive Dark Tower series with the words: "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." Quickly pulling you into this twisted world of fantasy and western and a great quest, you as Constant Reader chase the man in black, across the desert in a strange and frightening place in time. A little patience is necessary for getting into the story; it's not much like any King you've read before. As relentless as the gunslinger (who we come to know as Roland) is in his pursuit, it's also a little slow going. King does not give you much back story in this slim novel, although as you read the rest in the series you will learn the past of most characters revealed here (and many more). Roland follows the man in black through a small town, where he is forced to make a final, violent decision to save his own life. As he continues on his long journey, he meets a boy from Earth, Jake, who died in our world and has somehow appeared in this one. Roland and Jake continue on together, but somehow Roland knows he may have to lose the boy, as much as he has come to care for him, to finally meet the man in black. The Gunslinger is only the first of many in the Dark Tower series. It is not as long, as involved, or (in my opinion) as well written as the others. It introduces you to Roland's world, but you don't get to know much about it or him. Keep reading. The answers start unfolding, and the pace definitely picks up with the second in the series, The Drawing of the Three. It's a long journey, and a very fine and exciting one at that.
Rating:
Summary: Stephen King - The Gunslinger
Review: This book is very good. This book is the fist part of a series of books. Stephen King has written forty really goo books. He lives in Maine and Florida with his wife. She has written a couple of books herself. The book I read was, The Gunslinger. At the end of the book he wakes up to be ten years older and his hair is grey. Then he looks over at his fire an it was gone, the fire pit and everything. The he walks out to the ocean and screams out, "Jake, Jake I love you!" The he looks down at his waist and looks at his father guns and starts telling about how he got them from his father. The gunslinger went on a long journey.
"A real gem, a journey to go on..."
Rating:
Summary: A Book To Read Twice
Review: This book is a very good book. I really like it because it's has a compeling story that will keep you wanting to read the next line. If you are doing something important, do not start this book because you will not be ablt to put it down. This book has everything from sex, to viloence, to friendship. The gunslinger is great character, he doesn't really reveal his feelings and is trying to find the man in black. This book is really one of Stephen King's best works. If you ever want to read a good book pick the Gunslinger!
Rating:
Summary: The best creation of King's imagination takes time ....
Review: At under 300 pages, "The Gunslinger" -- the first book from Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series -- may seem oddly short, especially when compared to the latest volume from the epic, weighing in at around 700 pages. And still, Constant Reader, there are thousands more to go! According to the afterword from this volume, it took King twelve years to complete the writings. He wrote the opening line "The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed" while an undergrad, the middle portions when "'Salem's Lot" was going bad, and was inspired with another concurrent writing: "The Stand." For King to have kept the Gunslinger, the Man in Black, Jake, the other characters -- and really the entire world of the Dark Tower -- alive for so long in his mind is a testament to not only the power that this held over the author, but holds over us -- his Constant Readers. Moreover, since the first publishing of "The Gunslinger," around twenty years have passed, a number of newer volumes in this series have come and gone -- yet with this first, partially inspired by Robert Browning's poem "Childe Roland," and partially inspired by reams of green paper (read the afterword to the book), you know that it was a very special creation indeed. I am not a fan of King's horror fiction. But when he gets down to writing about "other worlds than these," such as "The Stand," "Insomnia," "The Green Mile," and "The Talisman" (co-authored with Peter Straub) -- there is no one better. His is an imagination to be jealous of. There is always a feeling that alternate universes exist, next to our own (or maybe, ours exists within a molecule in some other reality). King imbues his other worlds with just enough of our own so that we feel a tantalizing connection between our perceptions of reality, and those that he uses to entertain us with. "The Gunslinger," at under 300 pages, is just right to introduce us to the world of The Dark Tower, and keep us on course, with a desire to continue (and to wait, ever so patiently for the next volumes in the series) the journey that the Gunslinger started many years ago.
Rating: 
Summary: Overpriced
Review: As I was reading trough the introduction of this book, I found numerous cheers of readers which regarded this book as something greatest they have ever read.... Well, maybe it is true in their minds but in mine, things are going little different... Let us presume, for a chance that you don't know that this is the part of seven volume story, and let us suppose that you picked this book just 'cause you saw the King's name... after such suppositions you would expect that this is a roundabout book, which comprises all elements that good novel must have. Being what they like, you will not find them. Even the world that King built does not have it's Dark Majesty that you can find in his other books. Character Roland is presented in few sketchy lines and you do not feel drowned into his world and his toughts... King wrote lot of books, some of them are good, and some are not... This one isn't.
Rating:
Summary: The beginning of an amazing journey!!!!!!!
Review: This is the first installment of Stephen King's Amazing Dark Tower series. This book is brilliant from start to finish. If you haven't read it yet, please do. Even if you are not a fan of Stephen King's regular work, you will like this. Trust me.
|
