King's Mangnum Opus (The Gunslinger: The Dark Tower - Stephen King)

Member Name: stevek181

Product:	The Gunslinger: The Dark Tower - Stephen King
Date:	17/09/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A beautifully written, intriguing scene-setter

Disadvantages: Only the first part of an epic story, so no satisfactory conclusion

First published in 1982, The Gunslinger is the first novel in the epic "Dark Tower" series by Stephen King.

Inspired by stories of the Wild West combined with Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings", the book follows the adventures of Roland Deshain as he chases his nemesis, the enigmatic man in black, across the barren desert wilderness of King's imagination.

King is often written off as a shlock-horror writer but that is to overlook his prowess as a story teller and as a builder of characters. This book sets the scene magnificently for the series that is to follow, revealing fragments of the plot fleetingly whilst giving an insight into the nature of Roland, the last Gunslinger of Gilead. The world he creates is vast in scope and remains strange and alien, whilst drawing parallels with our own, making the tale that much more believable.

Ultimately this is a book that cannot be read on it's own as it is only the first chapter in a truly epic tale, but it leaves the reader wanting to know more - what is the motivation of this strange, driven character, what further part will Jake Chambers have to play, and who or what is the mysterious Man In Black?

The seven novels in the series took King 20 years to write, so be prepared to be in it for the long haul. This is probably both the major strength and the major weakness of the book. Readers looking for a quick read and a satisfactory conclusion may be diasappointed, whilst reader's prepared to immerse themselves in King's strange Universe will be drawn in, and may find themselves reading this book for a second time after the series' unnerving and unexpected conclusion.

Summary: A fantastic read, setting the scene for an epic series to follow