Rating: 
Summary: Very helpful and informative.
Review: A lot of the negative reviews here don't know what the book is supposed to be. Its not going to give you any new information, nor is it something you read from start to finish. As one disappointed person stated, its a glossary. Its supposed to be one. If you'r expecting anything else, then of course you aren't going to like it.
If you're trying to find a certain page or scene, or you missed something and you are confused, then this book will help you out. Its helped me out a lot. It also has references to the Revised Gunslinger and how the two books differ.
I'm looking forward to the next volume.
Rating: 
Summary: Useful "Concordance"
Review: Apparently being a personal assistant to Stephen King has certain perks, especially when you're writing a concordance to his bestselling Dark Tower series. Robin Furth doesn't give us any new material, but fans and newcomers alike will probably want to check this out.
Furth includes plenty of data on the first four novels of the series, starting with an essay that refreshes the reader's memory. Furth starts the actual content with a list of characters with biographical info, from "Abigail" to "Zoltan." Then it's the areas of Mid-World, from the lair of the vampire nuns to Roland's long-lost homeland; the areas of our own world, and portals between the worlds.
The appendices are also quite solid. The first explains in detail the various terms and phrases used in the High Speech, Mid-World language ("graf" is apple beer) and sayings ("If it's ka, it will come like the wind") and a bit of the Sisters of Eluria's language. The second appendix explains different drugs, languages, dances, holidays, instruments, and so on. The third explains various cultural figures and items from our own world, ranging from Humphrey Bogart to the Hobbit. The fourth and final appendix is a series of maps -- not too complex, but detailed enough.
The Dark Tower series -- currently at six volume and a short story -- is enticingly complex and mysterious. It's also interlinked with other novels of King's, like "Insomnia" and "Eyes of the Dragon." And so it's inevitable that even the die-hard fans will forget this character or that fair-day; with Furth's book, they can refresh their memories and maybe have a few points clarified.
Furth does an excellent job organizing and annotating the book, including the books in which the items appear, and which pages are significant. She also maintains a calmly distant attitude in the book, without getting too gushy about King's work. But she does slip up occasionally; it's jarring to hear about "screwing" someone with a gun in a scholarly work.
Robin Furth's "Dark Tower Concordance Volume 1" is a good accompaniment to the Dark Tower series, and even those who have read the series many times will want to keep it at hand. Very useful.
Rating: 
Summary: Yeesh... this series wasn't good enough for this!
Review: But ... maybe this book is required after all. I mean, the last 3 books were written as if Stephen King threw in whatever ridiculous thought popped into his mind, so maybe we do need this to explain what the hell he was thinking! One reviewer wrote in his review that this book is NEEDED, not something that you just want, so I guess I may be on the right track after all. Now that I look closer, I see that this lofty Concordance was published in 2003, which means that it only focuses on the 1st 4 books. Ah, the good old days, when the Dark Tower series seemed so good and before King's creativity was knocked out of his head when he was hit by a van. It's true, you know - just compare the 1st four books to the last three and you'll se what I mean!
Rating: 
Summary: A concordance, not THE concordance
Review: I have been a hugh fan of the DT series since the early 80's, and have suffered along with Roland and his band as they diligently drudged ever onward. One of the most frightening days of my life was when Steve got knocked into that ditch, figuring that was it for Roland, and that I'd never know what was in the Tower. But dreams--and prayers--do come true, and quite soon we'll all come to that romantic evening, watching as Roland winds his horn. And believe me, there we'll ALL sing there names, Gunslinger. But before that moment, we can refresh our minds on all the myriad of connections leading to that fateful evening, with this concordance. Or, at least, that's what I imagined--having a complete, two volume, overview of EVERYTHING the Tower encompasses. Instead, what we got was basically a glossary, not a concordance. For those who have not noticed, in King's universe, the Tower is EVERYTHING. In almost every one of his books--and many of his shorts--there is some mention, some tiny connection, to the Tower. For example: "Coming of the White" in Needful Things; the Turtle in It (probably a portal site in Derry); the weird connection that the remaining gunslingers have, which is probably a form of The Shining; and finally, there is one qurky, strange page near the end of Salem's Lot in which a boy runs into a hospital and calls for assistance for an unseen pregnant woman (is this Susannah and the boy P. Danville?). These are some of the things I thought we'd get in this speicalized book; insights into the entire realm of the Tower, not just the gunslinger's part. And would it have killed anyone to reprint some of the amazing artwork that has been commissioned for this series. What a beautiful book that would make. I hope we don't have to wait for Steve to be long dead, a la Tolkien, before people start to notice that the DT series is THE epic series of our time, and King our Chaucer leading us on a weird, strange pilgramage to, of all places, Maine.
Rating:
Summary: Audio Edition Needed.
Review: I have not read the book but I have read all of the reviews. I have read all of the Dark Towers Series and have Volume V ordered. I prefer to have everything in audio cassette as my eyesight is not very good. I would like the Concordance, Vol I in unabridged format and every volume thereafter.
Rating:
Summary: Everything you need to catch up for Book 5
Review: I love the Dark Tower series, and I have to say I love this book almost as much. It is filled with all the information that a rabid fan of the series could ever want. It also included an introduction written by Stephen King and an excellent essay written by Robin Furth. Her essay - regarding the mythic structure of the series - is worth the price alone. The only suggestion I have would be to add some more photo's and illustrations from the series, and include more references to the novels that are tied into the series. These may be included in a future volume, of course. Great book!
Rating:
Summary: Not a want, but a NEED
Review: If you are at all interested in the Dark Tower Series, this book is a must-have. As I began reading the series over a decade ago, it was so helpful to have a guide to flip back to when I came across something I did not remember or understand. My only recommendation is that you not read this until you have read the first 4 books - there is too much info and it will ruin the surprises.
That being said, it is definitely worth re-reading the books, if only to recapture the magic that is The Dark Tower, and this book becomes indispensable when doing that. I am waiting anxiously for Vol. 2 of this concordance to be released!
Rating: 
Summary: Good but the map is Wrong
Review: In pag 566 in DT-III the Waste Lands, Blaines talk and said that his route follows the Beam South West. And in the map of this Book It said that Roland Ka-tet follows the Beam South East. So the autor did not make a very good verification before doing this map. so this make me think it could be another mistakes.
Rating:
Summary: RF?
Review: In the forewords of the latest editions of the Dark Tower Series, King states that he was influenced heavily by the likes of Tolkein and Leone. As with Tolkein's Ring series, there is a tremendous amount of story and huge number of characters and locations involved in these books. With huge gaps of time between the publishing of several volumes one of two things is required in order to keep everything straight. A fan must either start reading the series from the first volume all over again AND keep a notebook handy for jotting down anything you might have questions about later, or you can buy this book and refer to it when needed.Laid out in an easy to digest format the reader can either use it like a dictionary and look up specific terms, people and places or (like me) flip through it to get reaquainted before jumping into the final three books due out this year. People who have been reading my reviews know that I love books and film, but due to the arrival of twin boys have almost no time to enjoy either. This volume literally saved me weeks of reading and/or my hairline from being pulled out in frustration while I read Wolves of the Calla over the last couple of weeks. When Song of Susanah and The Dark Tower arrive over the next couple of months it will stay on my night stand keeping me company and sane.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent reference
Review: In the forewords of the latest editions of the Dark Tower Series, King states that he was influenced heavily by the likes of Tolkein and Leone. As with Tolkein's Ring series, there is a tremendous amount of story and huge number of characters and locations involved in these books. With huge gaps of time between the publishing of several volumes one of two things is required in order to keep everything straight. A fan must either start reading the series from the first volume all over again AND keep a notebook handy for jotting down anything you might have questions about later, or you can buy this book and refer to it when needed. Laid out in an easy to digest format the reader can either use it like a dictionary and look up specific terms, people and places or (like me) flip through it to get reaquainted before jumping into the final three books due out this year. People who have been reading my reviews know that I love books and film, but due to the arrival of twin boys have almost no time to enjoy either. This volume literally saved me weeks of reading and/or my hairline from being pulled out in frustration while I read Wolves of the Calla over the last couple of weeks. When Song of Susanah and The Dark Tower arrive over the next couple of months it will stay on my night stand keeping me company and sane.
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