Rating: 
Summary: One of the best of the series - no I'm serious.
Review: After finishing the whole series via a three month audio-book journey I can say that DT5 stands as one of the best of the series. I was somewhat disappointed with the book the first time through (before I decided to re-listen to everything) and now put it all on expectations I guess. Nothing ever lives up to those do they?
Another read made me see it as the climax of Jake and Eddie's character growth. The ka-tet is strong and they are all according-to-hoyle gunslingers. No fear of the mid-world boogy-men, just of their own choices and judgment. So there is nowhere to go but down, right?
But if you did not like this book, I say reconsider the following: DT5 is probably King's best job at putting you into another world/time/culture. DT4 did this very well, and is still I think my favorite, but that work is surpassed here. The Calla feels real to me. The language, the town, the people all run deep.
This doesn't even include the extra story of Father Callahan, which I also found fascinating.
I've read some reviews where people got sick of the made up language and accents but I can say they work wonderfully well as an audiobook.
King says near the end of the series that the story of the journey is the point of the DT series, not the ending. If that be true then DT5 is, to me, one of the richest parts of that journey.
Rating: 
Summary: Horror, Intrigue
Review: Another DT book we cannot tear our eyes from. There are some pretty gruesome scenes here and there, but the underlying plot retains its cunning and keeps us reading. The love and disgust, cheer and horror, dreams and reality are all me3rged into this exciting story.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best installments so far...
Review: As a huge King fan, I've enjoyed all of his DT books so far. But I'd have to say if i was asked for a favourite, I'd pick the Drawing of the Three and Wolves of the Calla.
The only negative thing i'd have to say is that you can feel the story coming to an end after so many years.
Only two books to go.....
Rating:
Summary: Like many, I had some problems with this one
Review: As any true blue King fan can tell you, the Dark Tower is at the center of King's entire universe. It's not essential to read the DT novels to enjoy his other works, but for a King junkie, Roland's quest is like china white (ask Eddie if you don't know). Wolves of the Calla, fifth in the DT series, is in many ways the most complete story of the bunch. Not only does it have a self contained adventure that forms the crux of the novel, it weaves in elements of all 4 previous tales, not to mention Salem's Lot and Hearts in Atlantis. It most clearly resembles the flash back in Wizard and Glass (my personal favorite) in style and setting, but it revisits scenes and devices from books 1-3 as well. So, everything seems to be coming together splendidly...until the end. I won't ruin it for you (as others do below - so be forewarned), but let me just say that it feels like a cop out. Now, since it is a cliffhanger ending (well, actually its got a few loose threads hanging out there) I'm willing to give SK the benefit of the doubt, for now. But I really didn't like the turn this one took.
Rating:
Summary: "We Deal in Lead"
Review: Fans of The Seven Samurai (and its Westernized version The Magnificent Seven) will immediately recognize the opening situation of this book: a small farming village that is periodically raided, with its residents trying to figure out what to do about it that won't just result in their entire town being demolished. The raiders in this case are 'Wolves' who take one of each pair of twins born in the town (of which there are an inordinate number, nearly all births), but unlike most raiders, they return their booty at a later time - but by then the twin has been brain damaged (or 'roont') and have various physiological changes that turn them into short lived giants. The farmers' solution: hire a group of gunslingers (right out of the movie!). And of course the 'gunslingers' they get are none other than Roland, Eddie, Susannah, and Jake.
But why should Roland interrupt his quest for the Dark Tower to help these people? In answering this, King brings into play something that has not been greatly obvious (though certainly present) in the prior books, the standard of ethics ingrained within Roland, part of his original world, of not just chivalry and nobles-oblige, but a groping for an absolute standard of right and wrong. This thematic line actually runs through just about all of King's books, but within this book I think it comes into clear focus, and must be the underlying lynch-pin of the Tower itself. Also apparent is the new focus King has brought to this work. In the earlier four books, there was a tendency to wander, to bring in items that seemed to have little relevance to over-arching story line. Here, there is a taut plot line, and an explicit explanation for the hows, whys, and makeup of this fantasy universe, a universe that can now be seen as encompassing all worlds, both `real' and fictional. In this, he seems to be following in the footsteps of Robert Heinlein's last few works (and Heinlein is directly referenced a couple of times in this work), in which Heinlein effectively tied all of his works together in a multi-verse of alternate time lines and author-created worlds.
Jake and Eddie both come in for some strong character development here, something I felt had been somewhat lacking in books III and IV, and Roland himself exhibits some characteristics that are new but quite fitting. Father Callahan (from Salem's Lot) is introduced as a major player, and his story forms an important sub-plot to this work, though I did feel as if this story was overly drawn out, and could have used a little judicious pruning. Susannah becomes the foreshadow of the next book, as once more she seems to develop multiple personalities, and may be pregnant with the Red King's child.
There is pathos, humor, satire, sacrifice, and soul-searching abounding here. Perhaps a little on the wordy side, but as another step towards the Dark Tower, this book achieves its goals well. For anyone who has read the prior books and become hooked by Roland's world, I think this book will satisfy.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
Rating:
Summary: One of the better Dark Tower novels....
Review: Finally, after 5 years waiting for the next Dark Tower novel, it is here! We leave off with Roland and his Ka-tet getting closer to the Dark Tower. Now we then run into them again and now something is going on....Susannah has another personality; her name is Mia Daughter of None and now Roland expects the worst; (...) . So now, they run into a town called Calla Burynes and we meet again Father Callahan (the runaway Preist from Salems' Lot) and the towns folk. They then tell Roland that Wolves to the town every 25 years to take their children. So now the ka-tet get ready to fight the wolves and stop them taking their kids once and for all. Now Father Callahan tells his tale of getting out of Salems' Lot and coming to New York City. There he see's vampires there, and the Low Men wanting to get him (To see who the Low men are, read Hearts In Atlantis). So now we then come back to Calvin Tower; a book store owner who Jake brought a riddle book back in Dark Tower 3: The Wastelands. He is now in danger, and he has connections to the Tower, and he is being harrased about this empty lot where the rose lay's. So now the rose is in danger of being destroyed so now they have to get Calvin Tower out of New York City and somewhere safe away from men who want to convince Calvin to sell the lot. So now, we then come back to the ka-tet and now as the time gets closer to the Wolves, Jake then discovers a secret. One of the town's men and Andy; a robot the kids like to play with is involved with the Wolves taking their children. Then Eddie kills Andy and so now the time of the Wolves come and they kill the Wolves with plates and with the ka-tet's weapons.
Now when Susannah disappears, it is then that the demon-child is close to being born, and now he is taking control of her with Mia Daughter of None. If you want to understand the Dark Tower, dont start with this novel, go back to Dark Tower 1: The Gunslinger and work your way through. If you start here, you wont understand what the Dark Tower is about, and about Roland and how the ka-tet came to be. Now only a short little while until Dark Tower 6: Song Of Susannah. Oh I cannot wait.
Rating:
Summary: Still not shooting true...
Review: First the good news: yes, this book is better than the last one. Now the bad: it's still not as good as 'Drawing of the Three' or 'Wastelands'. Wolves of the Calla starts off good. You really think it's gonna get back to what you love about the Dark Tower. But, then it sort of falters a bit, and then kinda ends up in a ditch for awhile. It picks back up towards the end, but nowhere during the story did I feel that rush of excitement that I did when I was reading the first 3 books in the series. I'm really starting to pull back my expectations. By book 3 I would have told anybody this series was pure gold, but now even with a best case scenario (the next 2 books being AMAZING) it will always sag in the middle. Small blemishes on an otherwise wonderful series. Maybe I'm being too harsh. But, the first 3 books were so great. It's a shame. That's not to say that Wolves of the Calla isn't good. It is. But, it's not _great_, and that's disappointing. Overall, if you love the series you have to read this. Even if it was horrible you would have to. But, the story jumped the track with Blaine the Mono and, as of this book, hasn't managed to get back yet. Here's hoping the next two books put us back on the path of the beam. Ka willing.
Rating:
Summary: I'd give it 4 1/2 stars if I could
Review: For all of you, like me, who despised Wizard and Glass this book is for you. Finally we are getting somewhere. It has been YEARS since King has been this good. It is good to see him back. Don't listen to the reviews of people who don't like the fact that it seems King is going to include himself in the Dark Tower series. What is the difference between that and Eddie, Susannah, and Jake entering Roland's world. Obviously they don't understand the point King has been hinting at all along: the thinness of reality. He even goes into a beautiful aside about how the choices we make and how one side step can change the course of our history. This is King's oh so subtle way of letting us know that our perception of reality may not be the truth of the matter. I'm hooked again Mr. King. Bring me to the Dark Tower. It has been years and I am ready. As we all are. I'm sure you won't dissapoint.
Rating: 
Summary: Too wordy and long for the story given
Review: Having waited anxiously for this book, I was really irritated with the writing all the way through. Not to give anything away, but did that part of the story really take 600 pages??? For all the background, I have to say the creatures were not that inventive compared to other books. I am not going to dive into the next book as quickly.
Rating:
Summary: King's staggering imagination on full display
Review: I am a huge King fan, and a big fan of the DARK TOWER books. Although the books tend to allow the worst of King's writing habits to come into full bloom, all the best of his habits are also allowed to thrive, and pretty much choke out the faults. WOLVES OF CALLA absolutely requires that you have read the other 4 books. You can't dive into this series without it. I suppose reading the four page summary at the beginning gives you the rudimentary plot, but what you miss is all feeling of attachment to the characters, all the EMOTION you have invested in the story. The book is long, and it is as lanquidly paced as the others. King isn't zipping through one plot twist after another. He is slowly building suspense and mystery, as he also slowly grows our committment to seeing these characters through to the end. The travelers are diverted to the village of Calla Bryn Sturgis, to help them out of their troubles with the Wolves...I'll say no more about what that trouble is. We think we're just being diverted from the main track of getting to the tower, but we slowly see that the travelers MUST go through the village to meet key people and learn key things about the two worlds (or are there more?). King devotees will love the references to past books, particularly the enormous importance of Salem's Lot. Also, the Low Men in Yellow Jackets (from Hearts in Atlantis) are featured heavily. In some ways, we are somewhat jarred from enjoying the book but counting the ways King keeps knitting it all together. That's a small problem. On the other hand, his ability to stich all his many worlds from his past many decades of writing into one quilt begins to bring a unity of vision to ALL his work that is admirable. It doesn't all add up (kinda like the conspiracy in X-Files never added up) but it's fun and adds a richness to the overall experience of reading King. The book brilliantly shows King's gift for creating character and mood. Several times throughout the novel, new characters sorta sit down and tell us their life stories. It's a way of stretching the novel...an occasional problem King has with some of his lesser works...books like CUJO which are really novellas he stretches into novels (with CUJO it still works great...with THE DARK HALF...it doesn't). But the thing about the Dark Tower books is this...we WANT the epic scale. It's almost like THE LORD OF THE RINGS books. The backstory and "filler" is what makes it rich and emersive. We don't feel skimped on. I can't wait for the rest of the series. If you haven't tried THE DARK TOWER before, now is the time. It's a towering achievement!
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