In the first book of this brilliant series, Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which frighteningly mirrors our own, Roland pursues The Man in Black, encounters an alluring woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the Kid from Earth called Jake. Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, "The Gunslinger" leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
With 'The Dark Tower' coming to the big screen next month, I thought it was time I give the book series a chance. I read a lot of Stephen King books in my teens and early twenties, but somehow I missed this one. I had been told that the first book of the five was the hardest to get through and, having finished it, I think I understand why. Nonetheless, overall it was a fairly decent read. At times it didn't seem to be going anywhere, but in the end there was enough to make me want to continue this series. The last section, which was mainly dialogue between the two main characters, the Gunslinger and the Man in Black, was the part that drew me in the most and I'm interested to see where it goes next. I probably won't get the series read before the movie comes out, but at least I have an idea now of what it may be about.
