Stephen King's Dark Tower

[sunvalleylaw]

Well, at long last, I finally purchased the Dark Tower box set of the first four books. It has been a while since I read Gunslinger last year, so I am going to search on line for a summary to refresh before starting up again. Summer reading materials have arrived!

 

[R_of_G]

Glad to hear Steve. You know, The Gunslinger is such a fast and easy read that you could always just do a quick re-read of it before getting into Drawing of the Three. I always find when I re-read the series that I can get through The Gunslinger in a day or two at most. Either way, glad to hear you will be reading more of it soon.

 

[luvmyshiner]

I'm about halfway through Song of Susannah. Unfortunately this whole series is rather addictive.

 

[R_of_G]

It sure is Shiner, it sure is. Luckily for you after S.o.S. you only have one book left to go - of course it's the longest one of the series.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Well, finally started back up again on this series, and am getting into the second book. Much easier go than the first, and I am getting into the characters. I am also recognizing the things I like in King's writing more easily in this book. I don't always get to read every night, and so my progress is sporadic. Often, it is a choice between ending the evening playing/practicing or reading. That said, I am now in the Odetta/Detta section and seeing where that goes. I enjoyed the drug dealer story line quite a bit, and will look forward to checking back in with that character.

 

[Robert]

What a coincidence - I just started Wolves of the Calla! I have it on audiobook and I listen to it when I go running. I thought the 2nd and 3rd books were amazing.

 

[R_of_G]

Well, finally started back up again on this series, and am getting into the second book. Much easier go than the first, and I am getting into the characters. I am also recognizing the things I like in King's writing more easily in this book. I don't always get to read every night, and so my progress is sporadic. Often, it is a choice between ending the evening playing/practicing or reading. That said, I am now in the Odetta/Detta section and seeing where that goes. I enjoyed the drug dealer story line quite a bit, and will look forward to checking back in with that character.

Welcome further into the series Steve. From various polls and conversations at the Dark Tower forum I go to, it would seem The Drawing of the Three is the consensus pick for best book of the series. If The Gunlinger only mildly captures the attention, DT-2 pulls you right in. By the end of that book, you'll be set on continuing to the end. You won't be able to help yourself.

What a coincidence - I just started Wolves of the Calla! I have it on audiobook and I listen to it when I go running. I thought the 2nd and 3rd books were amazing.

Glad to hear Robert. I have the audiobooks and they've made for some pleasurable re-reads of the series for me. Now that you have gotten to the final three books, you may notice a major change in the pacing of the writing. After the long break from DT-4 to DT-5, which included King's near fatal accident, it was if he could see the finish line and started sprinting towards it. Things happen a lot faster than they did in the previous four books. Good stuff awaits you!

Glad to see people getting back into the series. Can't wait to hear what you think as things progress.

 

[Cottonwood King]

I have all of the books sitting on my shelf here in the apartment, and The Dark Tower series is my absolute favorite book series of all time. I know that I'm super late on this, but I pretty much flipped out that you guys were talking about this. Stephen King is one of my favorite authors, and just all around brilliant. I've got several of his other books, like cell, lisey's story, bag of bones, desperation, mostly later stuff. Reading his other, earlier works is on my to do list, but, being a graphic design student who is in the studio working until 1 or 2 am, I have the choice to get a few hours of sleep or read. For now I'm choosing sleep...

And yes, the first book is definitely the hardest to get through, but after #1, the build up just keeps coming and coming with each book. It's fantastic, welcome to the series. You will be so glad you read them.

 

[R_of_G]

Welcome to the discussion Cottonwood King. We are well met along the path of the Beam.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I am closing in on the end of the third book "The Wastelands", and Roland has just rescued Jake, and Susannah and Eddie are playing "Riddles" with Big Blaine. I am now fully hooked on the series. I even quoted something from the book, like a sci fi book nerd, when talking to a lawyer friend I had not seen in a while. We were discussing, and I commented, on how the world had "moved on" since we first met. LOL!

 

[Robert]

That book and the next one are fantastic. What a great story. My favourite from the series so far. I have 2.5 left to read. I think.

 

[R_of_G]

Glad you guys are still reading and enjoying it.

 

[Spudman]

Coming to the big screen soon and TV too.
http://screenrant.com/dark-tower-movie-trilogy-tv-series-ross-77542/

 

[Robert]

Yeah, I never thought they would actually do this on film! What a gargantuan task...

I finished the books a few months ago, and it was a fantastic journey. It will be very interesting to see how the movies and TV series turn out.

 

[Robert]

Movie coming

So, what's your thoughts on this? -> http://www.darktowermovies.com/

Bardem seems like a good fit in my book.

 

[R_of_G]

So, what's your thoughts on this? -> http://www.darktowermovies.com/

Bardem seems like a good fit in my book.

Bardem is agood choice. That said, the movie(s) will be a joke. The production team is so far wrong for this project. They only want to make it two movies whicj will eliminate about 80% of the material. Do it right or why bother.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Bardem is agood choice. That said, the movie(s) will be a joke. The production team is so far wrong for this project. They only want to make it two movies whicj will eliminate about 80% of the material. Do it right or why bother.

I don't know about this team so I can't say specifically. But yes, do it right or not at all. An analogy I suppose is the LOTR movies. Another big epic (and King said he drew inspiration and themes from those books). They did a decent job. I did not agree with some of the character portrayals, and with certain things left out in favor of extended portrayal of other things, but overall, they did a decent job.

With these books, if you over shorten it and leave too much out, it won't even be the same story. It will be just a lame shadow. Kind of like the movie version of the "Eragon" book I would predict. Not that the Eragon books are fine literature, but the movie was a lame shadow of those books such as they are.

 

[R_of_G]

I don't know about this team so I can't say specifically. But yes, do it right or not at all. An analogy I suppose is the LOTR movies. Another big epic (and King said he drew inspiration and themes from those books). They did a decent job. I did not agree with some of the character portrayals, and with certain things left out in favor of extended portrayal of other things, but overall, they did a decent job.

Thank you Steve. Do you know what a relief it is to finally hear someone else use LotR as a comparison and not say that Jackson got it perfect? In fact, I think he made some critical errors, particularly inserting his own material at the expense of source material and the absolute abomination of what they did to Faramir's character, but yes, they did a decent job.

As for this production team, I believe the director is responsible for several films later in franchise movie lines that were known as the worst in the bunch, like the Batman with George Clooney in the batsuit with nipples. The producer is Ron Howard whom I love when it comes to comedy, but with anything dramatic he's far too heavy handed.

Again, what most concerns me is how they intend to condense seven novels (most of which are over 400 pages) into two films without gutting essential story elements.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Thank you Steve. Do you know what a relief it is to finally hear someone else use LotR as a comparison and not say that Jackson got it perfect? In fact, I think he made some critical errors, particularly inserting his own material at the expense of source material and the absolute abomination of what they did to Faramir's character, . . .

Again, what most concerns me is how they intend to condense seven novels (most of which are over 400 pages) into two films without gutting essential story elements.

Agreed and double agreed. The Aragorn love story thing was overblown, and could have been ditched in favor of source material for example. And as you say, there are some changes that were made that did not make sense at all. Didn't seem to serve the story better, and ultimately changed the characters in ways that I thought were incorrect. I am blanking on a specific example I just read with my son, as I am reading them with my middle son now. Characterwise, Farimir, as you say, is a good example. But certain changes in flavor to the Frodo, Sam and Gollum trio in the last movie bothered me too.

I do NOT see how they can digest "Tower" into two books and do it any justice at all. If they do that, I might not even see them.

 

[R_of_G]

Agreed and double agreed. The Aragorn love story thing was overblown, and could have been ditched in favor of source material for example. And as you say, there are some changes that were made that did not make sense at all. Didn't seem to serve the story better, and ultimately changed the characters in ways that I thought were incorrect. I am blanking on a specific example I just read with my son, as I am reading them with my middle son now. Characterwise, Farimir, as you say, is a good example. But certain changes in flavor to the Frodo, Sam and Gollum trio in the last movie bothered me too.

I do NOT see how they can digest "Tower" into two books and do it any justice at all. If they do that, I might not even see them.

Agree entirely with your take on LotR. Aside from the way they changed Faramir (my fav character in the book) into little more than Boromir Jr., the Frodo/Sam/Gollum thing in RotK was painfully off, most specifically Frodo's trying to rescue Gollum after he fell off the ledge over the Cracks of Doom. That struck me as Peter Jackson's attempt to make Frodo seem less useless in the climactic sequence but I thought that was the heart of the book that Frodo was so overwhelmed by his struggle with the Ring that he was mentally/physically/emotionally exhausted by the end. Even in the battle back in the Shire (not deemed important enough for the movies) Frodo did little but tell everyone when to stop.

I'm also hesitant about seeing a DT movie when it comes out. It can never "ruin" it for me as I've been obsessed with this story since I first read the Gunslinger so so many years ago, but I'd rather not see it abused.