Avis sur le produitDark Tower Ser.: The Gunslinger by Stephen King (1989, Mass Market, Reprint)

The Gunslinger (Dark Tower series), by Stephen King

I am not a fan of King, and by that, I mean that I have not read his works (not much of a horror fan). I am a huge sci fi and fantasy fan (Pohl, Dick, Farmer, Heinlein, Le Guin, to name a few). I have, though, always respected King as a writer for various reasons. Having said that, this work felt slow at times. Yet, King writes in a very detailed manner, though, almost as if painting a picture. There are smells and tastes along with the visual and felt senses. Description takes words, so I suppose there's a fine line between too many and two few words (and that distinction is relative, so...). Much of this book, though, is creating the Gunslinger, giving him form and substance, context and purpose. Understandably too, that's a lot of writing. And overall, I found the book quite good and am looking forward to reading the next in the series (as well as the whole series; I am a fan of multi-volume works, and in awe of writers who can create such large works). King's Afterword explains how this work was something that took years to complete and that the series was fuzzy in his thought at the time. Knowing this, I might reevaluate the Gunslinger and say that this work is a birth, a coming-of-age, if not into existence, of the Gunslinger, and of King's story. The story is dynamic in this sense, and if King writes in such a manner normally, that's quite a challenge as well as accomplishment.

In summary, the work is intriguing, is well-crafted, is dimly-lit (figuratively and often literally), and as noted in the critiques, pulls from various sources interestingly. It's solid sci-fi/fantasy, did not speak 'horror' to me at all, gets a bit metaphysical towards the end (happily so), and lays the groundwork for further works. I did not rate it excellent because those books/works are rare, as they should be. Good is high claim from this would-be critic.Lire l'avis complet...

Great first book of a series.

This was a very good introduction to what became a multiple book series. You really get a good feel for the main character of Roland (The Gunslinger) and get interested about this "Dark Man" that is seen as the antagonist to The Gunslinger Roland.

This might be my favorite book of The Dark Tower series for reasons I can't discuss without giving away what occurs in later books, so I'll just say it might be my favorite of the series.Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : judyno3

An epic adventure through the mind of Stephen King.

This book is the first book in a series. King began the story of The Dark Tower while in college. He wanted to create an epic work. When the story concludes, King has taken us through nearly 5,000 pages and given us nearly 30 years of his life. Written in true King fashion, this series holds your attention and leaves you wanting ro continue at the conclusion of every chapter. While not recommended for novice readers or even those new to reading King's works, I do highly recommend it to everyone who is ready for an epic adventure. Thank you Mr. King for leading us through this journey.Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : ladybir_93

Great Series!

I had never taken the time to read Stephen King's The Dark Tower series and I am loving every minute of it. Stephen King's beautiful writing requires the reader to stay attention to every detail. NO skimming here!Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : dhy2388

The First Installment of a Masterpiece

The enjoyment of this book/series truly depends on your personal interests in reading, so I have seperated my review into different categories relating to the audiences that it might appeal to.
>Traditional Stephen King Fans:
This isn't the standard horror that most associate with Stephen King. It's a much broader book, with a strong base in fantasy. If you're looking for a good scare, you won't find it here, but will still be able to enjoy the familar style of writing you come to expect from King.

Fantasy Reader:
Most fans of fantasy find this to be very enjoyable, but will also notice a bit of a departure from fantasy in the classical sense. It's not a book that's filled with your standard princes, dragons, or sorcery, but contains many parallel elements. The worlds in this book dip in and out of our own, creating a deep mystery sub-theme. Definitely Fan-fic material.

Stephen King Fantasy Fans:
In a nutshell, this is your book. The series is by far the best in King's arsenal of fantasy novels, and you will not be able to let go of the characters whom you'll get to know so well. Don't worry, you'll be a Tower Junkie in no time.

General Public:
Very, very interesting. The books are rich with plot, and the inclusion of the characters' personal histories adds to the empathy that you will inevitably feel for them. My only note of caution is that this series is a bit hard to get into. However, if you can hold out to the end of the first book, the feeling fades and there's no letting go.

((Extended Note: Another perk with this series is how most all of King's more prominent books have worked their way into the storyline, some more than others. For instance, there are strong links to Salem's Lot and Bag of Bones, and anyone who has read such can easily see and appreciate the connections.))Lire l'avis complet...

The Gunslinger

King gives us a story of Roland of Gilead-Gunfighter,Arbiter of law,the shining symbol of a class of society known as the white.This is not a race statement for to be sure there are gunslingers of many races,the white are therfore those above corruption.So this story is about a chase that has lasted many years,perhaps lifetimes from a certan point of veiw.Read on as THE GUNSLINGER must make a deal with his own inner demons to reach his ultimate goal;THE DARK TOWER..as far as Roland knows he is the last of the gunslingers,the last of a breed that were trained and selected from youth to be above and to be entightled to sit as judge and law over mankind.Roland is chaseing what apears to be or once was a man..this man travels time as a tool of the evil one ..the walking dude,the Demon,the Plague..a manipulater of events trying to bring man to its ultimate ruin on the many parallel plains in wich we coexist..the world of the dark tower is both old and new,for you see to simply explain it ..the world "has moved on" it had reached a technilogical peak perhaps thousands of years before.Now the technoligy is ancient it is not understod anymore and most all of Rolands world lives in what we would call "the old west" even though the artifacts of a vastly advanced civilisation is all around, the ability to use or even understand the purpose of these things has long been lost to the struggle of survival..the struggle of humanity to be above the beast both within and without the mortal self..so travel in the quest of the Dark Tower and stride the worlds with Roland as he developes beyond that wich was forgotten as perhaps a new cadre of travellers will join his "KATET" and join him in his journey to reveal the ROSE and to defeat the evil that has brought man to a reversion so complete as to be futile to dream of finding the tower,learning the secrets and bringing back hope bringing back the white,a symbol of mans highest reason and mans greatest dream..so part western ...part Science Fiction..this is the first of a series that has spanned Stephan Kings career..regaurded as his greatest work perhaps it is more likley his greatest truth..Seek the Tower.. walk with Roland of GileadLire l'avis complet...

Great and compelling read, but confusing

The first book of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King is nothing short of amazing. The characters are interesting and the story is one of epic proportions. The setting seems almost western as you follow the gunslinger in his quest. At first you're not quite sure what he is questing for but you'll find that out as you read on, and along the way he meets an interesting cast of characters. I must say though that the happenings in this story can be confusing. Really confusing. These questions will be answered as you read on through the book and the Dark Tower series itself. The great thing about it is, is that these questions don't even slow the story down. You just keep on reading because you want to know more. It keeps you engaged in the story. If you like mysterious epic quests with kind of a science fiction twist thrown in, then this not just this book, but the whole dark tower series is for you.Lire l'avis complet...

The Gunslinger

I first read this book almost twenty years ago. As is typical of Kings' work, parts of the story stay lodged in the back of your mind and take on a malignant life of their own, surfacing at odd moments over time until you are torn between finding a copy of the novel to read again or going batty trying to remember exactly what happened in the story. I have never yet found a King novel that wasn't worth re-reading and this one is no exception. A dark tale of good(?) vs. evil that will give you enjoyment long after you've read the last page.Lire l'avis complet...

The start of a great series

Been looking for this book awhile. Looking to get the whole set. I've read it and enjoyed it a lot.

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : thrift.books

The Gunslinger by Stephen King The Dark Tower 1

King's Magnum Opus was revised in 2003 so that it may be in sync with the later books in the series. From what I can remember, the book was like roving in a strange parallel universe where familiarity is something dead, like a strange dream world inhabited by ghosts of our world. Roland meets the boy Jake, who is from a different world and eventually sacrifices Jake to further pursue the man in black. This strange nightmare world is quite distinctive and I believe the novel's popularity is due to it's unique atmosphere. It is the reason we come to King, to see his strange universe that reminds us of the strangeness of our own. King's inspiration for "The Gunslinger" was "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Robert Browning. I can't help but think of "The Song of Roland" as well--the oldest major work of French literature. I believe I will purchase the revised edition and refresh myself to the world of the Gunslinger.Lire l'avis complet...