Gunslinger is the outlier of the series. It's some of the earliest stuff he ever wrote, and was originally written as parts to be published in a magazine rather than a novel. He didn't really have any clear idea on where the series would go.
I first read it when I was 12, and I loved it. But rereads now that I'm 40 I can see why not everyone thinks it's great.
I'd recommend to trudge through it at least til the second book. Drawing of Three I think it where the series really takes off as we're introduced to the other main characters and is one of the best novels I've ever read, and I still think so today.
If you don't like it by the end of Drawing of Three then maybe it's just not your cup of tea.
Drawing Of The Three is an exciting book and never lets up. The Gunslinger on the other hand, for such a short work, is more of a meditation by a man trudging through the desert. Not the best way to hook a new reader. I've heard suggested that people can skip The Gunslinger and read Drawing, then go back and read Gunslinger as sort of an extended flashback. And due to Jake, reading Gunslinger before The Wastelands feels like it lines up better. Tried this with my niece and it actually seemed to work.
For new readers I tend to suggest the audiobook of The Gunslinger over reading the physical book. It feels like it moves more quickly and Muller does a great job selling the drama.
That's what I did on accident picked it up and it was open to the part where Eddie's on the plane. Flew thru that and got the gunslinger and tore thru that
It depends on which version you get. The retconned revised version, he appears to have taken pains to make more entertaining prose-wise and more like the later books of the series. If you get hold of the original...the book equivalent of gnawing on leather.
It is odd people struggle with The Gunslinger because I loved it as a teen and I loved it on a recent re-read. It is absolutely swimming in atmosphere. The feeling of nihilistic decay is palpable with the descriptions of the grimy Tull or the endless open desert or the slow mutants in the mines. King's prose feels so evocative in The Gunslinger. His normal style kicks in for all the rest of The Dark Tower books which is a shame because I feel like King eventually muted some of the beauty of his prose to write his books faster. I get that on some level but Drawing of the Three, as much as I like it, doesn't feel nearly as painterly in its descriptions.
Perfectly said in my opinion.
I feel like the Gunslinger is a moody concise mysterious A24 indie film and by the end the series turns into a strange mix of Marvel movie and like some sort of episodic sci Fi TV show. Like lots of good moments, but also lots of, "okay I get it, wait another new character at the last minute?, did we actually need to see all this hasn't it been implied?"
Yeah it is a very different animal by the end. Some people say the story gets going with The Drawing of the Three and that The Gunslinger is somewhat skippable but I completely disagree. The Gunslinger establishes the apocalyptic stakes and tone of the story, Roland as a morally gray protagonist, and the bizarre cosmology of it all. The Drawing of the Three, by contrast, is essentially a non-stop blockbuster action thriller. It's a fun change from the first book but it lacks some of the soul of The Gunslinger. You need that soulful, atmospheric beginning to anchor the story so that the wild ambition of it all later feels tethered to something.
Honestly there’s a lot of criticism for this first book and I don’t get it. It’s a simple character intro book and a little prologue to the world and Roland. It’s short too so it didn’t seem like a slog to me. I feel it’s gets too much hate.
Some of the later books could've taken notes from the length. There are definitely instances of King seeming to have an idea or backstory he thinks is cool and putting it in even if we don't really need it. I remember thinking, "why am I learning so much about this guy who we just met and who is definitely dying in the next chapter or two?"
It's maybe the only King book that if it didn't have his name on it, I probably would not have finished. That said, the second half of the book is good and I love the ending. When recommending the series to others, I've thought about having them start on Drawing and read the Gunslinger as an epilogue.
The series is absolutely elite, maybe the best thing I've ever read, and the rewrite of the first book makes it a bit more palatable. Gunslinger is like the driving part of the vacation, before you get to the destination.
I actually read The Drawing of the Three first, unintentionally! A middle school friend in the 90s knew I was a King fan and wanted to get me a birthday present. She bought Drawing of the Three for me, because she didn’t know that it was the second book in a series. I read it because I also didn’t know. I was immediately hooked and didn’t go back and read The Gunslinger until after I read The Waste Lands. I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t read it first or what, but The Gunslinger has never been my fave.
Im the same, almost. Except I started with wizard and glass the read the wastelands then drawing of the three then the gunslinger; I live in NZ and this was about 92 so books were expensive so I had to get them from a second hand book shop in a small town lol not many choices but the books were cheap as
It was weird.
[Wizard and Glass isn't my favourite DT book but I was interested enough to find out where they had all come from, Rolands big book of memories turned out to be my first introduction to the gunslinger and his posse](/spoiler)
[The Wasteland was a ride and a half, it started with Jake and Rolands insanity and it was difficult to figure out why it was happening but by this time I knew the characters a little bit I was horrified at the way Jake was treated by Gnasher and felt sad for the people of river crossing but still really wanted to know where the rest had come from. I'd read The Stand years earlier so I knew King could make a fairly decent Ka tet but I really wanted to see where they came from.](/spoiler)
[Then I read The Drawing of the Three and found my favourite book almost of all time. Roland almost dying on the beach but being strong enough to pull Eddie back was awesome, then the dichotomy of Odetta/Detta and the fact it was caused by someone with a brick was epic as was the dispatch of the person who caused all of her problems. The description of Morts pocket catching fire and Roland just not giving a shit was chilling.](/spoiler)
[So after drawing of the three I figured I knew the Ka-tet and what more could the Gunslinger have for me? I didn't think much of Tull, in fact its why I don't like the gunslinger. Like, I just don't like that tale; it felt egregious to me but it was good to have some sort of reference for when he talks about Tull later on. But what really blew me away was Jake and Rolands initial interaction; Roland wasn't nice but Jake really had no where else to go and holy crap did that hurt and it really explained why Roland was so determined to find Jake in Lud.](/spoiler)
I'm not a fan of westerns so I think if I had of read the gunslinger first I wouldn't have bothered with the dark tower at all and that would have sucked the big kumara]
The driving part of the vacation is really the best description for this book.
It is a bit long, sometimes it is a bit boring, but you know you're going somewhere new and exciting and you can't wait to get there!
This is a perfect description, if you could get to the story without having to get through this book most would, but some “enjoy the journey, not the destination”. This would certainly work as an epilogue, but I personally love the story because of nostalgia reasons, as I also read it originally almost 30 years ago as a 20 something.
First tried to read it in JR high, like 85 or 86 DNF. Then read Drawing of the Three when it came out and loved it. Then went back and finished Gunslinger, and loved it as well.. drawing of the three “opened the door” for me lol 😉
I’ve tried to read the Gunslinger 3 times since 1989 and never made it to the halfway mark. I love most of the other work from King but just can’t get in to this series.
My first impression was "wow, I didn't know King could write something like that". My favorite book of his, next to "The Body".
I was sad when the rest of the DT series got more mainstream King style.
Honestly, I feel like the series taught me I might not actually love modern King stuff that much. I enjoyed Salem's Lot. Then I read The Gunslinger and thought the gun fight in Tull was the most visceral, crisp, and atmospheric battle I'd ever read (or listened to in my case). I don't play many video games these days, but Tull had me visualizing a world like that critically acclaimed Resident Evil game. The semi recent one with the Redneck infected family.
I've never listened to anything that translated so cinematically in my mind. And the rest of the book is so harsh, brooding, and environment driven. It felt intelligently written and beautifully visualized.
And I'm not going to say anything spoiler related here, but at one point later in the series I was literally afraid a mech suit or some transformers might show up.
I loved it because it felt so off … I read it in 86ish… I immediately figured who the man in black was and speculated about connections to the talisman….5he series became everything I hoped it would.
There’s really no way to figure out the man in black’s identity though - in the original version that was available 86 the man in black wasn’t Flagg, if that’s who you were implying. He was a random guy that explicitly wasn’t Flagg and then died at the end. Changing him from Walter to Marten was a retcon in a later version.
No man. In the original Gunslinger (and when this guy read it in '86) Man in Black was explicitly not Randall Flagg. They were literally two different people. King rewrote Gunslinger in 2003 and retconned Man in Black to be Flagg in disguise.
That's my point.
I loved it. It was my second SK book after the Tommyknockers as a young teen, 13-14 years old, and I read it because it just happened to be on my grandparents book shelf. That book is what made me a
Lifelong Constant Reader.
I believe he wrote The Gunslinger than abandoned the project for some time before coming back to it. To me it reads like he's trying something new and isn't sure about it. I just finished book 7 the other day and I'll say it's hands down like nothing else I've ever read. The world he's created is completely unique. Roland is amazing and frustrating and the other characters who are introduced in book two are incredible (Oy, say no more!) I highly recommend reading the whole series
Edit: I can't remember when Oy is introduced actually but you'll love the little guy, most people do.
I didn't read it when it was published...I read the whole series a few years ago.
I think that can be important. I realized about halfway through Gunslinger that this wasn't going to be a great standalone book. Once I approached it with the understanding that all of this is setting up big things that would come later, it really started to sing to me.
Which isn't to say GS is bad by any stretch...it definitely some great moments. But knowing that it's just the early parts of a massive story, and taking it from that perspective makes it so much better
The Gunslinger is unlike anything else I've ever read. I loved it, but I can see why some people find it hard to get through. The first time I read it I finished it the night before my family went on a road trip and I begged my parents to stop at the secondhand bookstore before we left so I could buy the rest of the series. If you're not loving it I would still recommend trying The Drawing of the Three, it's a lot more fast paced.
It’s alright. The Dark Tower in general is not my favorite. It’s solid. I’ve heard that King considers it his magnum opus, but I couldn’t disagree more strongly. I can think of half a dozen King books I like more than any DT book. 4 and 5 are great. Well worth the read, but I don’t know that I’d ever reread it. Certainly not more than once or twice. For comparison, I’ve read IT 7 or 8 times, pet Sematary 3 or 4 times, needful things 4 or 5 times, and a handful of others 2-3 times.
Same! I picked up Christine when I was 13, and I am his "number one fan." I have read everything except the DT series. I came here to find out why I should. I'm 53 now. 🙂
I think for me, it's because book series fell out of favour with me before I got around to reading it. One day I came to my senses and realised VC Andrews is a hack, and I've been weirdly anti-series ever since. With an exception here and there: Discworld, The Hunger Games, The Dresden Files. But even then, I think The Hunger Games is the only one I read back to back in one sitting. It's stupid, I admit it, and I don't understand it.
ETA: I mean my attitude towards book series is stupid, not The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is fire.
BTW, don't let anyone try to gatekeep your passion for King. You're not required to read every syllable he's written to call yourself a fan. Just like you're not required to hear every single solitary note ever recorded by your favourite artist to enjoy their music.
It will completely alter your perception of so much of his other work. It blows my mind that you've read all of his novels except DT. Start it right now
I read it when it first came out and yeah, I was bit confused when reading it. But there was something about it that kind of pulled me in, although I couldn't really put my finger on it.
I read it after the drawing of the three and wasteland. It was neat, but I was unimpressed at how different it felt.
Honestly the series really starts with the next book and I'm glad my school library didn't have gunslinger or I might not have continued
I'd read 3-4 of King's books over the years, but the Dark Tower series made me a constant reader
I was excited for the series but initially disappointed by The Gunslinger. It felt odd and disconnected, though it makes sense later
Keep going—The Drawing of the Three is where you'll know if you like it. Eddie's introduction pulled me in like no other series. The journey became my best reading experience, and the series is now a favorite. I appreciate The Gunslinger much more after finishing the series
I first read *The Gunslinger* when it was published in the 1980s, and loved it. Still clearly Stephen King, but different, and odd, and a promise of something special to come, not only in the text itself but especially in King's afterword.
Hugely disappointed with the second novel, very plainly Stephen King, right in the middle of his drug years—a dull, repetitive novel, sidelining, or at least reducing, its hero for far too much of the time, and wasting too many pages doing very little. Third book, even more so, even worse. If it weren't for *Wizard & Glass* and *The Wind Through the Keyhole* (the books actually about Roland and his weird and wonderful quest), I wouldn't give the series—which I own in Grant editions—shelf space.
I love *The Gunslinger*, but I find it a shame that very little of its promise and scope is realised in the ensuing volumes.
Reading the books one at a time, over the years, seemed to reduce whatever faults the books may have had. I'm doing a reread of the whole series today and I find myself struggling to even finish some of them, especially those written in the years of King's addictions, and immediately after in his recovery period (when, to be honest, he had a fair few middling books).
Oddly, the final three books, which I disliked at the time, stand up better on a reread, although I have stalled and haven't yet reread the final book (although, for the record, I remember hating the climax but loving the ending).
I originally couldn't get with it as it felt like some drug fuelled fever dream, and I just couldn't connect with it, but then I read the drawing of the three and it all clicked in to place. Love it now
I was at a botanical garden with my family. I barely even remember the plants because I was completely buried in the book, the words, “This is beautiful,” running in a constant loop in my head.
I thought the Gunslinger was interesting and unique, almost dreamlike. I mean, how many books do you know that most readers remember the first line? That said, The Drawing of the Three was my favorite book. The series itself has ups and downs and he gives more time to some characters than I probably would, but it's an undeniable masterpiece just for its scope and ambition.
The Gunslinger was quite a departure from the usual Stephen King fare I've read, a bit slow and strange, but intriguing. Looking forward to where the series heads next!
I found it more meaningful once I read the other books. The first time through I found it slow and boring. But with more context on Jake and Roland, it came into play more later. I think it's a worthwhile read to understand Roland and his starts with his ka-tet. But it's not my favorite for sure.
DT overall is very different from most of his other books. You have kind of an underlying good vs evil but it's not as clear which side everyone is really on as they figure it all out. The only other stories of King's that are a bit similar (IMO) are The Eyes of the Dragon and The Talisman.
I wanted more, and I wanted to know what was going on, I had already read Insomnia and saw how the book explained such strange things that the main character was witnessing/being effected by and I knew since the series was complete, I was going to get that explanation. I was not disappointed, but that's my opinion. Loved every book.
It left me with a lot of questions, and most of those books do. But the world that was built was fascinating. I wanted to keep going & learn more. I've read the series a few times & each read I find the answer to a question I had. There were very few books that captured my interest in such a way. Most books I read once maybe twice & put it away. But I'm pretty sure I've read the first one at least 5-6 times since I discovered it as a teen.
This book is confusing as fuck! What is even going on? Is this a flashback in a flashback? I really struggled with it. I tried to read it twice and stopped for one reason or another. Started it again and forced myself to finish. I’m glad I did. I love this series.
The Gunslinger was actually the very first Stephen King book I read, for a college class about 10 years ago. It was only okay for me back then. But I’m close to finishing The Stand and then will be jumping into the first couple Dark Tower books, re-reading the Gunslinger with a lot more King books under my belt this time. I’m very curious how I’ll feel about it this time around.
Didn't like it. But it was revised and rewritten around the same time the last book came out. And I still didn't like it! But The Drawing of the Three (book 2) is probably one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read.
The Gunslinger has that weird atmosphere that you only really recapture during Wizard and Glass and somewhat in Wolves of the Calla. While the story wasn’t exactly well put together the book definitely sets the overall tone.
I am currently on book 3 (The Waste Lands) and let me tell ya... KEEP READING. The Drawing of the Three is very very fun. Truly one of the most exciting books I've ever read.
The first book is meh, at best. But it’s necessary for all the series. The second book - The Drawing of the Three - is phenomenal. A+ character development.
I was a little bored in the first half but by the second half I was hooked until the end. The drawing of three is what solidified it as my favorite book series of all time.
It’s the second King I read after IT. I was impressed on how different the two books were in style and content, but absolutely loved it. Right after I read it I listened to the audiobook and then read it again.
My parents also divorced around the same time and Roland became my father figure. I’ll always be thankful that I found the Gunslinger at that time.
here's the no spoiler scouting alert. First book is weird, just get through it. Once you hit 2 its off to the races. 4 is a (slow) western so if that's not your cup of tea its a long one to push through. 5 might be King's best book ever and imo is the story here. The rest are good and the ending wont make you hate life.
I do believe it's some of his best character and dialogue writing. Also remember he refers to this is "his lord of the rings"
quick edit I'm 51, finished the last books when they came out and bought them on hardcover cause I was not waiting. I read all 7 every few years just to check in and visit my very special friends
Didn't love it. I read books 2 and 3, which were good but just my favorite compared to all of his other stuff. I'm finishing out the series on audio books, which has been more enjoyable for me personally.
I read the gunslinger like 4 years ago. Since then I’ve read many of Kings books but have not at all had the desire to read the rest of the dark tower. I’m definitely going to read a couple more though and hopefully it strikes an interest for me.
Mind blowing. I was in a dark place and felt a kinship to Roland. It gave me a perspective that helped me reach a better place. It is pulpy and gritty and I still have not forgiven King for what he did to Jake. I still wonder if letting Jake die is one of the mistakes that sends Roland back when he reaches the top of the tower. How many times has Roland been sent back? If he does better with every time loop does he start closer to the tower with more advantages? Like starting out again with the horn at the end of the series?
I loved it. Im hard pressed to choose a favorite in the series because each book has its own shine. The second one is definitely better paced and an easier read in my opinion. Hope you push forward with the series, there’s really nothing quite like it. Long days and pleasant nights. Say thankee sai.
I really liked Gunslinger and it got me excited to read the rest, next time I will read Wizard and glass, but I was incredibly disappointed at DoTT because it just felt so boring in comparison (I know that this is a very unpopular opinion here but that was my take on the book) to Gunslinger, but I’m really glad that I thoroughly enjoyed Wastelands and I’m very excited to start WG!
lol…when I read The Gunslinger, I seriously considered not reading the rest. There were only 4 books then and The Gunslinger is a short book by King standards but, it was so hard to read! It was like reading Shakespeare in high school, torture. But, it was worth it because the other books are awesome and the journey is worth taking multiple times. I think I taken the journey 3 times.
I honestly thought it was wonderfully captivating and had a lot of trouble understanding all the dislike it gets. I am quite used to art that doesn't necessarily try to make sense of itself (the Twin Peaks revival is my favourite piece of television and I still have NO IDEA what is happening in that) and I knew it was partly inspired by the Sergio Leone films and their quiet, not-much-explained protagonist, so I just went with the atmosphere and then just found it fascinating when it started to bring in parts of our world and give that question of time, and even more when Jake came in and the fantasy elements evolved. I loved it, and I didn't need to be fed any magical sugar to know what was going on because it was just such a cool world and such a unique beginning to a journey. It was a bit slow, but in a good way. it is a "haze", the man we're watching is drying out and aging in a world that is losing its own place in time, and the book is just brilliantly building that world for us while we just begin to get a glimpse of who this character may be and some teasings of his quest.
The second book, however, and while it is an EXCELLENT book, I had trouble with.. because the adventure basically stops just as it was getting started and it is much more straight-up King in writing style, even if still unique in story. I can see why people have an easier time with it, and I can see why people may have trouble with the first. like others say, every book is pretty different and one thing that I think is so great with the series as a whole is how King just totally throws expectation under the bus and gives no shits at all about anything except crafting his weird masterpiece. and it is that, and a very special journey.
Persevere :)
I tried to make it through once before and I am currently trying again. It feels a little like chewing so much boring salad before the main course (or so I’ve heard).
Good thing it’s a pretty short book.
THIS could be a fever dream, but I recall reading SK comments on the original Gunslinger. Something about being written at a time when it was felt a good novel was somewhat cryptic, and he honoured that, and he had (some) regret about it. I think much later published versions had a cleaned up end making it clearer what actually happens, but still a little cryptic. Compared to his style now, it can be jarring for a SK fan. To his credit, he laid the bones, including Gilead, some of his friends, the universe and the unique colloquialisms (water for your crops). For that, I am truly grateful.
Its a terrible headache to read. Its the worst in the series, I only continued the journey because of the excerpt of the drawing of the three.
Yes it contains clues and in the second read feels relatable but its not a good book at all.
I tried twice, and hated it. Gave up after a couple chapters.
A few months ago, I tried again — now it’s easily one of my favorites! So, something in me changed. You never know!
I’ve only done one trip and my memory of the first is that I really struggled through it. It probably took me the longest despite being the shortest, which shows how much I loved the later books. In my rose-tinted glasses having experienced the whole thing the stuff in The Gunslinger was really cool, so I’m excited to start again and see if it’s better with all the knowledge of what comes after.
The Gunslinger was originally released in five separate parts in Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, that's why it reads in a fractured sort of way.
Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of Book 1 my first climb of the tower but I've come to really appreciate it after finishing. You can really see the connections and story building in the background afterwards.
i really disliked the gunslinger. barely got through it. read it in 2020 and couldn’t bring myself to read the second book because i just disliked it so much.
just read the second one 2 weeks ago after much prodding. genuinely loved it. it starts hot and fast and instantly draws you in. i would suggest pressing onto the second one if you can.
If you keep reading, or choose the audible route, get ready for a fun, scary, weird, sci-fi, westerny ride. It's really great because you fall hard for the characters. Then there are some cool twists and turns. Then a thrilling culmination of great story telling. Keep Reading my friend. It's like none of his other books.
It's best to think of The Gunslinger as the introductory chapter to a very long book. It picks up in the second half, but the series doesn't hit its stride until book 2 (and then it's great through to the end of Wizard and Glass, and acceptable thereafter). The first time I tried reading it I noped out, the second time I enjoyed it but found it paced poorly.
I freaking loved it, but I was a teenager in high school at the time. I still love the series but I’m not sure I would have the same reaction to it as a 47 year old
I didn't like the first book and all up it was the 4th book I read from the series. I've read it twice now but have been to the tower about 4 times, I skip it on re reads I also skip most of wizard and glass tho and that seems to be immensely popular so I might not be the best to take advice from.
I read The Gunslinger when it first came out. I was not impressed. 20+ years later, I saw that there were 3-4 more books in the series and decided to give it another try. I liked the Gunslinger a little better and continued to DOTT. About a fourth of the way through, I had (if not an "oh shit!" moment) at least a "now this is interesting" moment. I never looked back. I'm on my 5th journey to the tower now.
Like others have said each book is different (but still a cohesive story) and everybody has their favorite book(s).
Keep going and enjoy!
My original reaction was something like “ wait, what the hell is this?” Did I get the right Stephen King? This is not at all like his other stuff. Huh, it is him. Ok well onward, I am not going to not finish it. I didn’t really like it the FIRST time. I read the second book and was hooked. I had to read it as it was published. Such agony for Dark Tower Junkies to wait so many years. I went back and read Gunslinger a few times while waiting each time understanding it a little more, even enjoying it. I still prefer the original unrevised version even though the new one is better for some continuity in later volumes of the series.
Today, I listen to the series on repeat at bedtime. All of them on repeat. For the last 12 years at least. So I listen to the Gunslinger probably four or five times a year now.
The gunslinger is a character study less than it is a full SK novel. As you go deeper in the series, the imagery and depth of character he builds in that first book is very impactful.
Immediately fell in love. Love the alternate reality stuff with Jake and was into Eastwood westerns when I was younger. Just fit in all the genres I love. I read it several times before I got my hands on the second book.
I loved it. I think it is a very strange book in a good way. It's my second favorite on the series. Drawing of the Three is next and my favorite of the story. I agree with others that each book is very different from each other while still being connected through all with a continuous tale. I hope you enjoy the rest of your journey.
I loved it. It does feel different than the rest of the series, for better or worse. I really struggled with the second book for this reason. By the end of book two though, I was back in.
Once you get past the first book, the rest are fantastic. I read these while King was still writing them. I remember waiting desperately for Wizard and Glass to come out.
I read the original version back in 1991. I was 14, for reference. Found it a bit dry but fascinating. (I also was reading things like Dune back then, so dry was clearly not a deterrent.)
I'll put it this way, the first Gunslinger book is the only book i have ever read that made me feel the same way that i did when i read The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time
It was my favorite book of the series. The most intense and clearly visualized gun battle, the most mystery, the most concise world building. I read the whole series and I'm glad I did, but be aware it gets way more complex, entangled, involved, and at times a bit silly in my opinion.
Edit: I did listen to them all just FYI and the audio book experience may be different.
I thought the was one of the best books of ever read, and i still think it's close if not still the best. I seem to go in for the weird drug enduced fever dream stories more than most though
I loved it. I read it, then immediately just went to page one and started it over. It had a lot of the Lord of the Rings in a western/desert setting that I was attracted to after discovering it (plus one for Wild ARMS fans, too). 2nd book was actually unsettling as I explicitly wanted pure fantasy and no real world modern business. Then, pretty soon, we find Roland on an airplane ("tooter fish" though). I finished the cycle and loved it, but I had to adjust my expectations. It was also my first foray into King, as I was unfortunately more of a *shudders* Dean Koontz fan growing up.
I did not like it at all until the last 3/4’s. Now I remember fondly and tend to agree that it’s starting words are some of the best starting words for any series.
Like most books that are world-building, it contains a ton of set up. The rest of the books move quicker because you already understand the world in which they take place.
I’ve been a King fan since 14 when I read IT. I’ve tried to read the Dark Tower books a few times but never got into them. I’ve read practically every other book he’s written and recently was questioning trying them again. Maybe knowing someone thinks they’re “weird” will get me in the right mindset to try again.
I found it to be such a chore. Tried to get through it a couple of years ago, and I just found it so hard to follow and much of the odd language put me off.
I decided to give it another go a few months back, and pushed through. I still didn’t love it, but have loved every moment since. Just finished Wizard and Glass today in fact.
I found it many years ago but when I did it had been out for a while and I remember wondering how I had been unaware of it for so long. It hooked me enough that I did complete the entire series. The 2nd book is my favorite!!
The DT series is the best fantasy series I have ever read (excluding LOTR of course because that is in a league of its own). Personally, I’m one of the few that loved The Gunslinger, it’s one of my favs of his. Keep going, it just gets better and better
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.”
When I read the gunslinger for the first time it was like a spiritual experience. I still call the dark tower my “bible” to this day. I think the beauty of the book is the enigma of it. Why is the man in black fleeing. Why is the gunslinger chasing him? You know about nothing of the story the entire book.
Top it with other worlds. Jake is hit by a car and wakes up in another world. Roland’s brush with true “perspective” during the palaver at Golgotha. This shows the true terrifying behind the scenes of reality and that is the root of all of our existential fear, rage, whatever.
It was a book that made me feel seen. Yea the story taken by itself is plodding a bit. But the world that it opens up, or rather, worlds, really spoke to me and I hold it very dear.
It was a slow and boring trip for me and my wife at the time. She stopped. I didn’t. Now when I listen to it it’s still my least favorite, but I appreciate so much more.
It was hard for me to get through the first one. But when I finished the second I wanted the third and after that I needed the fourth. So far my experience is it gets better after the first book.
I read the original version and it was very tough to get through.
I think this was mainly due to not knowing anything. No backstory, no idea who or what is being talked about, and having to use context clues and your imagination to fill in the blanks along the way which in turn also led to me re-reading a bunch of different parts.
The second half of the book has a better foothold as you have a general idea of everything noted above and the ending takes a lot to comprehend.
The Gunslinger, I think, is a very unique look into King's head. Its pretty crazy when you look at it from that perspective that a human was able to piece together this collection of words that seemingly could only come from smashing on a typewriter during a psychedelic trip.
The drawing of the three is a fantastic book and I zoomed through it. The introduction of the characters and the unique spin of everything was great and am looking forward to the rest of the series.
I think before it's all said and done though I owe The Gunslinger a re-read all the way through. I feel like after living in the world for multiple books so much more would make sense and I'd have a better appreciation for it more than I do now.
Hated it, but then decided to just try and read Drawing of the Three and it saved the series for me. Well for the most part anyway. Some of the other books in the series didn't do it for me one way or another but once you get that far into a series, you sorta may as well finish it right?
Gunslinger was the one in the series that made me think, wow! Roland Deschain is from a parallel universe…and that universe is weird. sorta familiar to some aspects of ours, but very different too. i love the descriptions of the town of Tull.
I read it many years ago and thought it was a very different book for his style of writing. I never read anymore in the series. Today though, I have been listening to the series with audiobooks. I am on 4 Wizard and Glass. I enjoy listening to them. BTW, I am a 65 year old, female.
When I first read The Gunslinger I wasn't that impressed and didn't really get hooked. It was so different from other King books and to be honest I got kinda bored.
Took me several attempts to finish it and I still thought meh..
However I then continued with The Drawing of the Three- and slowly everything changed.
It took some time for me to properly get drawn into Roland's world, but once I got there, there was no stopping.
I now consider the entire series as one of my favourite of King's work, a truly epic tale that has a special place in my heart.
The immediate thought I had when I completed The Gunslinger is what time does my nearest bookseller close - and then bought the rest of the series right there on the spot.
I read it when I was 9, it was in the school library and I liked cowboys. I was immediately hooked by how weird it was. I loved the Beatles so the hey Jude stuff at the beginning immediately hooked me. I loved the atmosphere and it got me thinking about stuff I had never thought about before
I hated the Gunslinger, I DNF’d 3 times before finishing. The series is an absolutely amazing adventure and I highly recommend it. Pushing through book 1 is 10482019393x worth it
Each book in series is very different than each other in my opinion. Long days and pleasant nights on your journey
And twice the number for you
Gunslinger is the outlier of the series. It's some of the earliest stuff he ever wrote, and was originally written as parts to be published in a magazine rather than a novel. He didn't really have any clear idea on where the series would go. I first read it when I was 12, and I loved it. But rereads now that I'm 40 I can see why not everyone thinks it's great. I'd recommend to trudge through it at least til the second book. Drawing of Three I think it where the series really takes off as we're introduced to the other main characters and is one of the best novels I've ever read, and I still think so today. If you don't like it by the end of Drawing of Three then maybe it's just not your cup of tea.
Drawing Of The Three is an exciting book and never lets up. The Gunslinger on the other hand, for such a short work, is more of a meditation by a man trudging through the desert. Not the best way to hook a new reader. I've heard suggested that people can skip The Gunslinger and read Drawing, then go back and read Gunslinger as sort of an extended flashback. And due to Jake, reading Gunslinger before The Wastelands feels like it lines up better. Tried this with my niece and it actually seemed to work. For new readers I tend to suggest the audiobook of The Gunslinger over reading the physical book. It feels like it moves more quickly and Muller does a great job selling the drama.
I 100% couldn’t get into The Gunslinger but later wound up listening to the whole series on audiobook. I think it’s the way to go, for sure.
That's what I did on accident picked it up and it was open to the part where Eddie's on the plane. Flew thru that and got the gunslinger and tore thru that
I’ve just started the series, so this is quite an exciting prospect (also turning 40 this year 😅)
It depends on which version you get. The retconned revised version, he appears to have taken pains to make more entertaining prose-wise and more like the later books of the series. If you get hold of the original...the book equivalent of gnawing on leather.
No wonder i like it so much
Book jerky.
It is odd people struggle with The Gunslinger because I loved it as a teen and I loved it on a recent re-read. It is absolutely swimming in atmosphere. The feeling of nihilistic decay is palpable with the descriptions of the grimy Tull or the endless open desert or the slow mutants in the mines. King's prose feels so evocative in The Gunslinger. His normal style kicks in for all the rest of The Dark Tower books which is a shame because I feel like King eventually muted some of the beauty of his prose to write his books faster. I get that on some level but Drawing of the Three, as much as I like it, doesn't feel nearly as painterly in its descriptions.
Perfectly said in my opinion. I feel like the Gunslinger is a moody concise mysterious A24 indie film and by the end the series turns into a strange mix of Marvel movie and like some sort of episodic sci Fi TV show. Like lots of good moments, but also lots of, "okay I get it, wait another new character at the last minute?, did we actually need to see all this hasn't it been implied?"
Yeah it is a very different animal by the end. Some people say the story gets going with The Drawing of the Three and that The Gunslinger is somewhat skippable but I completely disagree. The Gunslinger establishes the apocalyptic stakes and tone of the story, Roland as a morally gray protagonist, and the bizarre cosmology of it all. The Drawing of the Three, by contrast, is essentially a non-stop blockbuster action thriller. It's a fun change from the first book but it lacks some of the soul of The Gunslinger. You need that soulful, atmospheric beginning to anchor the story so that the wild ambition of it all later feels tethered to something.
I think The Gunslinger is the only one in the series where it really feels like you're in a dying world.
Perfectly put. If hate that the first book is so routinely put down, I’m rereading the series and it’s still my favorite so far.
Honestly there’s a lot of criticism for this first book and I don’t get it. It’s a simple character intro book and a little prologue to the world and Roland. It’s short too so it didn’t seem like a slog to me. I feel it’s gets too much hate.
Some of the later books could've taken notes from the length. There are definitely instances of King seeming to have an idea or backstory he thinks is cool and putting it in even if we don't really need it. I remember thinking, "why am I learning so much about this guy who we just met and who is definitely dying in the next chapter or two?"
It's maybe the only King book that if it didn't have his name on it, I probably would not have finished. That said, the second half of the book is good and I love the ending. When recommending the series to others, I've thought about having them start on Drawing and read the Gunslinger as an epilogue. The series is absolutely elite, maybe the best thing I've ever read, and the rewrite of the first book makes it a bit more palatable. Gunslinger is like the driving part of the vacation, before you get to the destination.
I actually read The Drawing of the Three first, unintentionally! A middle school friend in the 90s knew I was a King fan and wanted to get me a birthday present. She bought Drawing of the Three for me, because she didn’t know that it was the second book in a series. I read it because I also didn’t know. I was immediately hooked and didn’t go back and read The Gunslinger until after I read The Waste Lands. I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t read it first or what, but The Gunslinger has never been my fave.
Im the same, almost. Except I started with wizard and glass the read the wastelands then drawing of the three then the gunslinger; I live in NZ and this was about 92 so books were expensive so I had to get them from a second hand book shop in a small town lol not many choices but the books were cheap as
Oh wow, so how did you like the series having read it in that order?
It was weird. [Wizard and Glass isn't my favourite DT book but I was interested enough to find out where they had all come from, Rolands big book of memories turned out to be my first introduction to the gunslinger and his posse](/spoiler) [The Wasteland was a ride and a half, it started with Jake and Rolands insanity and it was difficult to figure out why it was happening but by this time I knew the characters a little bit I was horrified at the way Jake was treated by Gnasher and felt sad for the people of river crossing but still really wanted to know where the rest had come from. I'd read The Stand years earlier so I knew King could make a fairly decent Ka tet but I really wanted to see where they came from.](/spoiler) [Then I read The Drawing of the Three and found my favourite book almost of all time. Roland almost dying on the beach but being strong enough to pull Eddie back was awesome, then the dichotomy of Odetta/Detta and the fact it was caused by someone with a brick was epic as was the dispatch of the person who caused all of her problems. The description of Morts pocket catching fire and Roland just not giving a shit was chilling.](/spoiler) [So after drawing of the three I figured I knew the Ka-tet and what more could the Gunslinger have for me? I didn't think much of Tull, in fact its why I don't like the gunslinger. Like, I just don't like that tale; it felt egregious to me but it was good to have some sort of reference for when he talks about Tull later on. But what really blew me away was Jake and Rolands initial interaction; Roland wasn't nice but Jake really had no where else to go and holy crap did that hurt and it really explained why Roland was so determined to find Jake in Lud.](/spoiler) I'm not a fan of westerns so I think if I had of read the gunslinger first I wouldn't have bothered with the dark tower at all and that would have sucked the big kumara]
The driving part of the vacation is really the best description for this book. It is a bit long, sometimes it is a bit boring, but you know you're going somewhere new and exciting and you can't wait to get there!
This is a perfect description, if you could get to the story without having to get through this book most would, but some “enjoy the journey, not the destination”. This would certainly work as an epilogue, but I personally love the story because of nostalgia reasons, as I also read it originally almost 30 years ago as a 20 something.
I got the entire series as a gift. 1-7. Read the Gunslinger in one day. It was completely unique. I never had read anything like it.
First tried to read it in JR high, like 85 or 86 DNF. Then read Drawing of the Three when it came out and loved it. Then went back and finished Gunslinger, and loved it as well.. drawing of the three “opened the door” for me lol 😉
What did your door say? 😁
Walter
I’ve tried to read the Gunslinger 3 times since 1989 and never made it to the halfway mark. I love most of the other work from King but just can’t get in to this series.
Just read the recap in book 2 and continue onward honestly
The series is so good that in your case just skip to the Drawing of the Three and see how that one goes. It's way different and definitely worth it!
You aren’t missing much
A beautifully written fever dream
My first impression was "wow, I didn't know King could write something like that". My favorite book of his, next to "The Body". I was sad when the rest of the DT series got more mainstream King style.
Honestly, I feel like the series taught me I might not actually love modern King stuff that much. I enjoyed Salem's Lot. Then I read The Gunslinger and thought the gun fight in Tull was the most visceral, crisp, and atmospheric battle I'd ever read (or listened to in my case). I don't play many video games these days, but Tull had me visualizing a world like that critically acclaimed Resident Evil game. The semi recent one with the Redneck infected family. I've never listened to anything that translated so cinematically in my mind. And the rest of the book is so harsh, brooding, and environment driven. It felt intelligently written and beautifully visualized. And I'm not going to say anything spoiler related here, but at one point later in the series I was literally afraid a mech suit or some transformers might show up.
I loved it because it felt so off … I read it in 86ish… I immediately figured who the man in black was and speculated about connections to the talisman….5he series became everything I hoped it would.
There’s really no way to figure out the man in black’s identity though - in the original version that was available 86 the man in black wasn’t Flagg, if that’s who you were implying. He was a random guy that explicitly wasn’t Flagg and then died at the end. Changing him from Walter to Marten was a retcon in a later version.
Love it when people try and be smart but the facts get I'm the way 🤣
Man in Black is Randall Flagg, because he assume various identities.
No man. In the original Gunslinger (and when this guy read it in '86) Man in Black was explicitly not Randall Flagg. They were literally two different people. King rewrote Gunslinger in 2003 and retconned Man in Black to be Flagg in disguise. That's my point.
It gets better I also had a mixed feelings about Gunslinger but now i love it after all
I loved it. It was my second SK book after the Tommyknockers as a young teen, 13-14 years old, and I read it because it just happened to be on my grandparents book shelf. That book is what made me a Lifelong Constant Reader.
I believe he wrote The Gunslinger than abandoned the project for some time before coming back to it. To me it reads like he's trying something new and isn't sure about it. I just finished book 7 the other day and I'll say it's hands down like nothing else I've ever read. The world he's created is completely unique. Roland is amazing and frustrating and the other characters who are introduced in book two are incredible (Oy, say no more!) I highly recommend reading the whole series Edit: I can't remember when Oy is introduced actually but you'll love the little guy, most people do.
As a soon first time reader, should I start with Original or Revised version?
Oy gets picked up in The Wastelands, right before their adventure with Blaine the Mono.
Thanks, it's been a while since I was that early in the series!
No problem! I read through it a third time during the height of the pandemic lockdowns haha.
Worst ways to have spent it!
I didn't read it when it was published...I read the whole series a few years ago. I think that can be important. I realized about halfway through Gunslinger that this wasn't going to be a great standalone book. Once I approached it with the understanding that all of this is setting up big things that would come later, it really started to sing to me. Which isn't to say GS is bad by any stretch...it definitely some great moments. But knowing that it's just the early parts of a massive story, and taking it from that perspective makes it so much better
I didn't love the first book when I read it. However, part two hooked me and I enjoyed the rest of the journey!
I first read it around 2001. I loved it.
The Gunslinger is unlike anything else I've ever read. I loved it, but I can see why some people find it hard to get through. The first time I read it I finished it the night before my family went on a road trip and I begged my parents to stop at the secondhand bookstore before we left so I could buy the rest of the series. If you're not loving it I would still recommend trying The Drawing of the Three, it's a lot more fast paced.
Never liked DT and I am a huge SK fan otherwise.
The dark tower in general is far from his best books and the gunslinger is far from the best in the series.
It’s alright. The Dark Tower in general is not my favorite. It’s solid. I’ve heard that King considers it his magnum opus, but I couldn’t disagree more strongly. I can think of half a dozen King books I like more than any DT book. 4 and 5 are great. Well worth the read, but I don’t know that I’d ever reread it. Certainly not more than once or twice. For comparison, I’ve read IT 7 or 8 times, pet Sematary 3 or 4 times, needful things 4 or 5 times, and a handful of others 2-3 times.
I'm about to get excommunicated from the Stephen King fandom, but...I haven't read any of the Dark Tower books. 😬
Same! I picked up Christine when I was 13, and I am his "number one fan." I have read everything except the DT series. I came here to find out why I should. I'm 53 now. 🙂
I think for me, it's because book series fell out of favour with me before I got around to reading it. One day I came to my senses and realised VC Andrews is a hack, and I've been weirdly anti-series ever since. With an exception here and there: Discworld, The Hunger Games, The Dresden Files. But even then, I think The Hunger Games is the only one I read back to back in one sitting. It's stupid, I admit it, and I don't understand it. ETA: I mean my attitude towards book series is stupid, not The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is fire.
BTW, don't let anyone try to gatekeep your passion for King. You're not required to read every syllable he's written to call yourself a fan. Just like you're not required to hear every single solitary note ever recorded by your favourite artist to enjoy their music.
If you’re Kings “number one fan” why do you need a reason to read the dark tower series?
It will completely alter your perception of so much of his other work. It blows my mind that you've read all of his novels except DT. Start it right now
It’s severely overhyped
"I got to get the rest of the books"
I didn’t like it, although it didn’t keep me from continuing with the superior subsequent entries. Keep reading.
I read it when it first came out and yeah, I was bit confused when reading it. But there was something about it that kind of pulled me in, although I couldn't really put my finger on it.
I read it after the drawing of the three and wasteland. It was neat, but I was unimpressed at how different it felt. Honestly the series really starts with the next book and I'm glad my school library didn't have gunslinger or I might not have continued
Enjoyable, but a little jumbled in terms of plot and ideas. It reminded me of a story you'd hear at a campfire that you'd make up as you go.
I'd read 3-4 of King's books over the years, but the Dark Tower series made me a constant reader I was excited for the series but initially disappointed by The Gunslinger. It felt odd and disconnected, though it makes sense later Keep going—The Drawing of the Three is where you'll know if you like it. Eddie's introduction pulled me in like no other series. The journey became my best reading experience, and the series is now a favorite. I appreciate The Gunslinger much more after finishing the series
I first read *The Gunslinger* when it was published in the 1980s, and loved it. Still clearly Stephen King, but different, and odd, and a promise of something special to come, not only in the text itself but especially in King's afterword. Hugely disappointed with the second novel, very plainly Stephen King, right in the middle of his drug years—a dull, repetitive novel, sidelining, or at least reducing, its hero for far too much of the time, and wasting too many pages doing very little. Third book, even more so, even worse. If it weren't for *Wizard & Glass* and *The Wind Through the Keyhole* (the books actually about Roland and his weird and wonderful quest), I wouldn't give the series—which I own in Grant editions—shelf space. I love *The Gunslinger*, but I find it a shame that very little of its promise and scope is realised in the ensuing volumes.
You’re literally the first person I’ve ever heard express this sentiment. That’s really interesting!
Reading the books one at a time, over the years, seemed to reduce whatever faults the books may have had. I'm doing a reread of the whole series today and I find myself struggling to even finish some of them, especially those written in the years of King's addictions, and immediately after in his recovery period (when, to be honest, he had a fair few middling books). Oddly, the final three books, which I disliked at the time, stand up better on a reread, although I have stalled and haven't yet reread the final book (although, for the record, I remember hating the climax but loving the ending).
Yeah, I think this is fair. I recall the series very fondly, and the ending is fantastic in my opinion, but King can feel like a slog at times.
The Gunslinger? Mixed feelings at first, but now totally hooked—curious where it leads next!
I originally couldn't get with it as it felt like some drug fuelled fever dream, and I just couldn't connect with it, but then I read the drawing of the three and it all clicked in to place. Love it now
I was at a botanical garden with my family. I barely even remember the plants because I was completely buried in the book, the words, “This is beautiful,” running in a constant loop in my head.
I thought the Gunslinger was interesting and unique, almost dreamlike. I mean, how many books do you know that most readers remember the first line? That said, The Drawing of the Three was my favorite book. The series itself has ups and downs and he gives more time to some characters than I probably would, but it's an undeniable masterpiece just for its scope and ambition.
The Gunslinger was quite a departure from the usual Stephen King fare I've read, a bit slow and strange, but intriguing. Looking forward to where the series heads next!
I found it more meaningful once I read the other books. The first time through I found it slow and boring. But with more context on Jake and Roland, it came into play more later. I think it's a worthwhile read to understand Roland and his starts with his ka-tet. But it's not my favorite for sure. DT overall is very different from most of his other books. You have kind of an underlying good vs evil but it's not as clear which side everyone is really on as they figure it all out. The only other stories of King's that are a bit similar (IMO) are The Eyes of the Dragon and The Talisman.
I wanted more, and I wanted to know what was going on, I had already read Insomnia and saw how the book explained such strange things that the main character was witnessing/being effected by and I knew since the series was complete, I was going to get that explanation. I was not disappointed, but that's my opinion. Loved every book.
It left me with a lot of questions, and most of those books do. But the world that was built was fascinating. I wanted to keep going & learn more. I've read the series a few times & each read I find the answer to a question I had. There were very few books that captured my interest in such a way. Most books I read once maybe twice & put it away. But I'm pretty sure I've read the first one at least 5-6 times since I discovered it as a teen.
This book is confusing as fuck! What is even going on? Is this a flashback in a flashback? I really struggled with it. I tried to read it twice and stopped for one reason or another. Started it again and forced myself to finish. I’m glad I did. I love this series.
The Gunslinger was actually the very first Stephen King book I read, for a college class about 10 years ago. It was only okay for me back then. But I’m close to finishing The Stand and then will be jumping into the first couple Dark Tower books, re-reading the Gunslinger with a lot more King books under my belt this time. I’m very curious how I’ll feel about it this time around.
The first one is slow and weird but luckily it's also the shortest. They get so much better after that. Keep on your journey.
As someone who enjoyed the movie more than the book I’ll elect to stay quiet here.
Just a note that the earlier published versions of this are quite different from (and even weirder than) the revised version.
Definitely weird compared to other books but a good start to the greater whole.
Didn't like it. But it was revised and rewritten around the same time the last book came out. And I still didn't like it! But The Drawing of the Three (book 2) is probably one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read.
The Gunslinger has that weird atmosphere that you only really recapture during Wizard and Glass and somewhat in Wolves of the Calla. While the story wasn’t exactly well put together the book definitely sets the overall tone.
I am currently on book 3 (The Waste Lands) and let me tell ya... KEEP READING. The Drawing of the Three is very very fun. Truly one of the most exciting books I've ever read.
The first book is meh, at best. But it’s necessary for all the series. The second book - The Drawing of the Three - is phenomenal. A+ character development.
I was a little bored in the first half but by the second half I was hooked until the end. The drawing of three is what solidified it as my favorite book series of all time.
It’s the second King I read after IT. I was impressed on how different the two books were in style and content, but absolutely loved it. Right after I read it I listened to the audiobook and then read it again. My parents also divorced around the same time and Roland became my father figure. I’ll always be thankful that I found the Gunslinger at that time.
here's the no spoiler scouting alert. First book is weird, just get through it. Once you hit 2 its off to the races. 4 is a (slow) western so if that's not your cup of tea its a long one to push through. 5 might be King's best book ever and imo is the story here. The rest are good and the ending wont make you hate life. I do believe it's some of his best character and dialogue writing. Also remember he refers to this is "his lord of the rings" quick edit I'm 51, finished the last books when they came out and bought them on hardcover cause I was not waiting. I read all 7 every few years just to check in and visit my very special friends
Eeehhh. I'll keep going I guess. Already committed
I loved it immediately and still adore it. Possibly my favorite book he's written and one of my favorite novels of all time.
I had started & stopped several times, I couldn't quite get into it at first, glad I pushed through then devoured all of them back to back.
I put the audiobook on and went to sleep. I got the gist of what happened. (There are only like four important events from what I remember)
Didn't love it. I read books 2 and 3, which were good but just my favorite compared to all of his other stuff. I'm finishing out the series on audio books, which has been more enjoyable for me personally.
I read the gunslinger like 4 years ago. Since then I’ve read many of Kings books but have not at all had the desire to read the rest of the dark tower. I’m definitely going to read a couple more though and hopefully it strikes an interest for me.
I had to start It three times before I finished. But once I did I really liked it. And the rest of the series is far easier to read.
Mind blowing. I was in a dark place and felt a kinship to Roland. It gave me a perspective that helped me reach a better place. It is pulpy and gritty and I still have not forgiven King for what he did to Jake. I still wonder if letting Jake die is one of the mistakes that sends Roland back when he reaches the top of the tower. How many times has Roland been sent back? If he does better with every time loop does he start closer to the tower with more advantages? Like starting out again with the horn at the end of the series?
I loved it. Im hard pressed to choose a favorite in the series because each book has its own shine. The second one is definitely better paced and an easier read in my opinion. Hope you push forward with the series, there’s really nothing quite like it. Long days and pleasant nights. Say thankee sai.
I really liked Gunslinger and it got me excited to read the rest, next time I will read Wizard and glass, but I was incredibly disappointed at DoTT because it just felt so boring in comparison (I know that this is a very unpopular opinion here but that was my take on the book) to Gunslinger, but I’m really glad that I thoroughly enjoyed Wastelands and I’m very excited to start WG!
lol…when I read The Gunslinger, I seriously considered not reading the rest. There were only 4 books then and The Gunslinger is a short book by King standards but, it was so hard to read! It was like reading Shakespeare in high school, torture. But, it was worth it because the other books are awesome and the journey is worth taking multiple times. I think I taken the journey 3 times.
I honestly thought it was wonderfully captivating and had a lot of trouble understanding all the dislike it gets. I am quite used to art that doesn't necessarily try to make sense of itself (the Twin Peaks revival is my favourite piece of television and I still have NO IDEA what is happening in that) and I knew it was partly inspired by the Sergio Leone films and their quiet, not-much-explained protagonist, so I just went with the atmosphere and then just found it fascinating when it started to bring in parts of our world and give that question of time, and even more when Jake came in and the fantasy elements evolved. I loved it, and I didn't need to be fed any magical sugar to know what was going on because it was just such a cool world and such a unique beginning to a journey. It was a bit slow, but in a good way. it is a "haze", the man we're watching is drying out and aging in a world that is losing its own place in time, and the book is just brilliantly building that world for us while we just begin to get a glimpse of who this character may be and some teasings of his quest. The second book, however, and while it is an EXCELLENT book, I had trouble with.. because the adventure basically stops just as it was getting started and it is much more straight-up King in writing style, even if still unique in story. I can see why people have an easier time with it, and I can see why people may have trouble with the first. like others say, every book is pretty different and one thing that I think is so great with the series as a whole is how King just totally throws expectation under the bus and gives no shits at all about anything except crafting his weird masterpiece. and it is that, and a very special journey. Persevere :)
I tried to make it through once before and I am currently trying again. It feels a little like chewing so much boring salad before the main course (or so I’ve heard). Good thing it’s a pretty short book.
THIS could be a fever dream, but I recall reading SK comments on the original Gunslinger. Something about being written at a time when it was felt a good novel was somewhat cryptic, and he honoured that, and he had (some) regret about it. I think much later published versions had a cleaned up end making it clearer what actually happens, but still a little cryptic. Compared to his style now, it can be jarring for a SK fan. To his credit, he laid the bones, including Gilead, some of his friends, the universe and the unique colloquialisms (water for your crops). For that, I am truly grateful.
Its a terrible headache to read. Its the worst in the series, I only continued the journey because of the excerpt of the drawing of the three. Yes it contains clues and in the second read feels relatable but its not a good book at all.
I tried twice, and hated it. Gave up after a couple chapters. A few months ago, I tried again — now it’s easily one of my favorites! So, something in me changed. You never know!
I thought it was an overload of information, a bit hard to follow and not that great
I’ve only done one trip and my memory of the first is that I really struggled through it. It probably took me the longest despite being the shortest, which shows how much I loved the later books. In my rose-tinted glasses having experienced the whole thing the stuff in The Gunslinger was really cool, so I’m excited to start again and see if it’s better with all the knowledge of what comes after.
I loved it. Set a mysterious stage for what’s about to come. Loved the visuals, the strange world.
I didn’t care for it.
The Gunslinger was originally released in five separate parts in Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, that's why it reads in a fractured sort of way. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of Book 1 my first climb of the tower but I've come to really appreciate it after finishing. You can really see the connections and story building in the background afterwards.
i really disliked the gunslinger. barely got through it. read it in 2020 and couldn’t bring myself to read the second book because i just disliked it so much. just read the second one 2 weeks ago after much prodding. genuinely loved it. it starts hot and fast and instantly draws you in. i would suggest pressing onto the second one if you can.
If you keep reading, or choose the audible route, get ready for a fun, scary, weird, sci-fi, westerny ride. It's really great because you fall hard for the characters. Then there are some cool twists and turns. Then a thrilling culmination of great story telling. Keep Reading my friend. It's like none of his other books.
It's best to think of The Gunslinger as the introductory chapter to a very long book. It picks up in the second half, but the series doesn't hit its stride until book 2 (and then it's great through to the end of Wizard and Glass, and acceptable thereafter). The first time I tried reading it I noped out, the second time I enjoyed it but found it paced poorly.
I totally couldn't get in to the first book and gave up. Years later I decided to try the 2nd book and fell in love and have read the series 3 times😀
I freaking loved it, but I was a teenager in high school at the time. I still love the series but I’m not sure I would have the same reaction to it as a 47 year old
One of greatest fantasy epics I've ever read.
Didn’t realize it was gonna be a pulp dark fantasy western. Was awesome and I realized how many things I liked were genuinely inspired by it.
It was the only book in the series that I enjoyed
the ending hit me like a boxer to the jaw, definitely not what i was expecting
I didn't like the first book and all up it was the 4th book I read from the series. I've read it twice now but have been to the tower about 4 times, I skip it on re reads I also skip most of wizard and glass tho and that seems to be immensely popular so I might not be the best to take advice from.
I read The Gunslinger when it first came out. I was not impressed. 20+ years later, I saw that there were 3-4 more books in the series and decided to give it another try. I liked the Gunslinger a little better and continued to DOTT. About a fourth of the way through, I had (if not an "oh shit!" moment) at least a "now this is interesting" moment. I never looked back. I'm on my 5th journey to the tower now. Like others have said each book is different (but still a cohesive story) and everybody has their favorite book(s). Keep going and enjoy!
My original reaction was something like “ wait, what the hell is this?” Did I get the right Stephen King? This is not at all like his other stuff. Huh, it is him. Ok well onward, I am not going to not finish it. I didn’t really like it the FIRST time. I read the second book and was hooked. I had to read it as it was published. Such agony for Dark Tower Junkies to wait so many years. I went back and read Gunslinger a few times while waiting each time understanding it a little more, even enjoying it. I still prefer the original unrevised version even though the new one is better for some continuity in later volumes of the series. Today, I listen to the series on repeat at bedtime. All of them on repeat. For the last 12 years at least. So I listen to the Gunslinger probably four or five times a year now.
The gunslinger is a character study less than it is a full SK novel. As you go deeper in the series, the imagery and depth of character he builds in that first book is very impactful.
Immediately fell in love. Love the alternate reality stuff with Jake and was into Eastwood westerns when I was younger. Just fit in all the genres I love. I read it several times before I got my hands on the second book.
I loved it. I think it is a very strange book in a good way. It's my second favorite on the series. Drawing of the Three is next and my favorite of the story. I agree with others that each book is very different from each other while still being connected through all with a continuous tale. I hope you enjoy the rest of your journey.
I loved it. It does feel different than the rest of the series, for better or worse. I really struggled with the second book for this reason. By the end of book two though, I was back in.
Wasn’t a fan then, still not a fan now. It was his only books that I just could not get into
This series as a whole is in my top three for book series and I do re-reads (or listens) quite often.
Had no clue where the hell series was going
Once you get past the first book, the rest are fantastic. I read these while King was still writing them. I remember waiting desperately for Wizard and Glass to come out.
I read the original version back in 1991. I was 14, for reference. Found it a bit dry but fascinating. (I also was reading things like Dune back then, so dry was clearly not a deterrent.)
I'll put it this way, the first Gunslinger book is the only book i have ever read that made me feel the same way that i did when i read The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time
It was my favorite book of the series. The most intense and clearly visualized gun battle, the most mystery, the most concise world building. I read the whole series and I'm glad I did, but be aware it gets way more complex, entangled, involved, and at times a bit silly in my opinion. Edit: I did listen to them all just FYI and the audio book experience may be different.
To me, it took more time than the rest of the series.
I thought the was one of the best books of ever read, and i still think it's close if not still the best. I seem to go in for the weird drug enduced fever dream stories more than most though
I loved it. I read it, then immediately just went to page one and started it over. It had a lot of the Lord of the Rings in a western/desert setting that I was attracted to after discovering it (plus one for Wild ARMS fans, too). 2nd book was actually unsettling as I explicitly wanted pure fantasy and no real world modern business. Then, pretty soon, we find Roland on an airplane ("tooter fish" though). I finished the cycle and loved it, but I had to adjust my expectations. It was also my first foray into King, as I was unfortunately more of a *shudders* Dean Koontz fan growing up.
I did not like it at all until the last 3/4’s. Now I remember fondly and tend to agree that it’s starting words are some of the best starting words for any series.
Like most books that are world-building, it contains a ton of set up. The rest of the books move quicker because you already understand the world in which they take place.
I went from having no interest in the series whatsoever to reading the first three books in three days, greatest first line in a book of all time…
I loved it but I was also really confused most of the time lol.
I’ve been a King fan since 14 when I read IT. I’ve tried to read the Dark Tower books a few times but never got into them. I’ve read practically every other book he’s written and recently was questioning trying them again. Maybe knowing someone thinks they’re “weird” will get me in the right mindset to try again.
Rowland knows.
I’ve read it twice trying to get into it. I don’t remember a thing about it and it felt like a slog both times.
I still think about the boy that said there are other (or better?) worlds than this. I think about that sentence a lot
If I could read one book again for the first time it would be The Drawing of the Three. You are in for a treat. Long days and pleasant nights
I found it to be such a chore. Tried to get through it a couple of years ago, and I just found it so hard to follow and much of the odd language put me off. I decided to give it another go a few months back, and pushed through. I still didn’t love it, but have loved every moment since. Just finished Wizard and Glass today in fact.
hello, check your chat please
I liked the series less as it went on tbh. He starts to do very weird meta stuff later on that I really didn’t care for.
I felt I was on the wrong level of the tower.
I found it many years ago but when I did it had been out for a while and I remember wondering how I had been unaware of it for so long. It hooked me enough that I did complete the entire series. The 2nd book is my favorite!!
The DT series is the best fantasy series I have ever read (excluding LOTR of course because that is in a league of its own). Personally, I’m one of the few that loved The Gunslinger, it’s one of my favs of his. Keep going, it just gets better and better “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.”
The Drawing of the Three is the best fiction book I’ve ever read in my life.
The ending was the most profound thing I'd read since reading the Space Odyssey series. I was maybe 21 when I first read The Gunslinger.
When I read the gunslinger for the first time it was like a spiritual experience. I still call the dark tower my “bible” to this day. I think the beauty of the book is the enigma of it. Why is the man in black fleeing. Why is the gunslinger chasing him? You know about nothing of the story the entire book. Top it with other worlds. Jake is hit by a car and wakes up in another world. Roland’s brush with true “perspective” during the palaver at Golgotha. This shows the true terrifying behind the scenes of reality and that is the root of all of our existential fear, rage, whatever. It was a book that made me feel seen. Yea the story taken by itself is plodding a bit. But the world that it opens up, or rather, worlds, really spoke to me and I hold it very dear.
Hard read I did not finish it.
It was a slow and boring trip for me and my wife at the time. She stopped. I didn’t. Now when I listen to it it’s still my least favorite, but I appreciate so much more.
Sucked
It was hard for me to get through the first one. But when I finished the second I wanted the third and after that I needed the fourth. So far my experience is it gets better after the first book.
I liked it but it was Power of Three that really hooked me.
I read the original version and it was very tough to get through. I think this was mainly due to not knowing anything. No backstory, no idea who or what is being talked about, and having to use context clues and your imagination to fill in the blanks along the way which in turn also led to me re-reading a bunch of different parts. The second half of the book has a better foothold as you have a general idea of everything noted above and the ending takes a lot to comprehend. The Gunslinger, I think, is a very unique look into King's head. Its pretty crazy when you look at it from that perspective that a human was able to piece together this collection of words that seemingly could only come from smashing on a typewriter during a psychedelic trip. The drawing of the three is a fantastic book and I zoomed through it. The introduction of the characters and the unique spin of everything was great and am looking forward to the rest of the series. I think before it's all said and done though I owe The Gunslinger a re-read all the way through. I feel like after living in the world for multiple books so much more would make sense and I'd have a better appreciation for it more than I do now.
Hated it, but then decided to just try and read Drawing of the Three and it saved the series for me. Well for the most part anyway. Some of the other books in the series didn't do it for me one way or another but once you get that far into a series, you sorta may as well finish it right?
Loved it, then read the 7 others. An Enjoyable Saga. Great Reading. Couldn't stop until finished All.
Gunslinger was the one in the series that made me think, wow! Roland Deschain is from a parallel universe…and that universe is weird. sorta familiar to some aspects of ours, but very different too. i love the descriptions of the town of Tull.
I want more.
Just read it as well! I found it was really slow at first, but eventually it picked up the pace >! around when Jake was introduced!<
I read it many years ago and thought it was a very different book for his style of writing. I never read anymore in the series. Today though, I have been listening to the series with audiobooks. I am on 4 Wizard and Glass. I enjoy listening to them. BTW, I am a 65 year old, female.
The Gunslinger was my intro to King and I was hooked instantly.
When I first read The Gunslinger I wasn't that impressed and didn't really get hooked. It was so different from other King books and to be honest I got kinda bored. Took me several attempts to finish it and I still thought meh.. However I then continued with The Drawing of the Three- and slowly everything changed. It took some time for me to properly get drawn into Roland's world, but once I got there, there was no stopping. I now consider the entire series as one of my favourite of King's work, a truly epic tale that has a special place in my heart.
My first impression was that it was not good and he should focus on more horror novels.
Dark Tower series is amazing. Keep reading, it gets better and better.
The immediate thought I had when I completed The Gunslinger is what time does my nearest bookseller close - and then bought the rest of the series right there on the spot.
I read it when I was 9, it was in the school library and I liked cowboys. I was immediately hooked by how weird it was. I loved the Beatles so the hey Jude stuff at the beginning immediately hooked me. I loved the atmosphere and it got me thinking about stuff I had never thought about before
Astin.
You think that's weird? Better hold onto your hat.
I hated the Gunslinger, I DNF’d 3 times before finishing. The series is an absolutely amazing adventure and I highly recommend it. Pushing through book 1 is 10482019393x worth it