It’s hard to talk about this series without spoilers, now that it’s done. It’s been a long time coming and many hours of reading, but overall, I’d have to say I’m satisfied with the way it turns out. I didn’t say happy about it, mind you, but I’m not incensed.
I can understand the rumours of Steve’s retirement after finishing the Dark Tower. I mean, really, how can he EVER top this work? Just about everything he’s ever written has threads into the Dark Tower! He did a nice job of tying up loose ends with many characters and it really felt like he was done with this type of writing for now, anyway. He talks about this in the notes at the end of DT 7.
Of course I would be heartbroken if he never wrote again, but I really don’t think that’s a possibility. It’s his life. His essence. His purpose on this Earth.
To prove that theory, I just saw in the paper today that he has written a book about the Red Sox with some other guy whose name I don’t recognize. I think we’ll continue to see things from Steve, but not what we’re used to. I’m good with that. After a magnum opus like the Dark Tower, I feel that he has given us his very best and he should relax and do whatever he feels like.
For those of you who have not, for whatever reason, read King’s Dark Tower series, I strongly recommend that you do. Don’t be thrown off – as I was – by the name or the fantasy feel of it. Yes, it’s more fantasy than horror, but trust me, there are plenty of horrific things to see, feel and do in this series. Plenty. If you’ve read his other work, then you owe it to yourself to read the DT series. You’ll find many of the characters from other stories here: Callahan, RF, Brautigan, to name a few. You may want to re-read ‘Salem’s Lot, The Stand, Insomnia, Hearts in Atlantis and Black House if you’re behind in your King or you haven’t read these yet. It’s not a prerequisite, but it will help you grasp just how all encompassing the Dark Tower really is to King’s work.
I don’t know if I can read the Dark Tower series again. The last book took too much out of me. It’s rare for anything to make me cry, especially written material, but DT7 had me sobbing several times. I mean UGLY, use-half-the-kleenex-box sobbing, not just sniffles. Of course, I can’t get into what made me react this way, that would be a MAJOR spoiler, but suffice it to say that this has cemented Steve King in my mind as one of the most important fiction writers of our time. He may be verbose, he may not even be that “good” of a writer, I don’t know, but he moves me and that has to count for something!
Read the Dark Tower I-VII. It’s worth the effort.
You are one woman who is hard to get a hold of! There’s no contact link on your site.(at least not that I could find) I have read the previous Gunslinger books and view it as his best work. I haven’t read the final book yet I am looking forward to it. My purposeful reason for mailing you is to compliment you on the photos you posted on Realm of Redheads. You are an exquisite woman and sometimes that needs to be said. So from a fellow redhead and an admirer of red hair I thank you.
ps- email me… we need to talk :)