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A pilgrimage that began with one lone man's quest to save multiple
worlds from chaos and destruction unfolds into a tale of epic proportions.
While King saw some criticism for the slow pace of 1982's The
Gunslinger, the book that launched this series, The Drawing of the Three
(Book II, 1987), reeled in readers with its fantastical allure. And those
who have faithfully journeyed alongside Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake and
Oy ever since will find their loyalty toward the series' creator richly
rewarded.
The tangled web of the tower's multiple worlds has
manifested itself in many of King's other works- The Stand (1978),
Insomnia (1994) and Hearts in Atlantis (1999), to name a few. As one
character explains here, "From the spring of 1970, when he typed the line
The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed...
very few of the things Stephen King wrote were 'just stories.' He may not
believe that; we do." King, in fact, intertwines his own life story deeper
and deeper into the tale of Roland and his surrogate family of
gunslingers, and, in this final installment, playfully and seductively
suggests that it might not be the author who drives the story, but rather
the fictional characters that control the author.
This
philosophical exploration of free will and destiny may surprise those who
have viewed King as a prolific pop-fiction dispenser. But a closer look at
the brilliant complexity of his Dark Tower world should explain why this
bestselling author has finally been recognized for his contribution to the
contemporary literary canon.
With the conclusion of this tale,
ostensibly the last published work of his career, King has certainly
reached the top of his game. And as for who or what resides at the top of
the tower... The many readers dying to know will have to start at the
beginning and work their way up. 12 color illus. by Michael
Whelan.
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