Book Review: The Dark Tower

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[5 stars]

The Dark Tower Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Stephen King
Class/Genre: Fiction Fantasy Horror
Series: The Dark Tower # 7
Scribner, Sep 2004, $35.00

In spite of shifting time and place, Roland the Last Gunfighter knows he is nearing his destination and thus the final confrontation of his quest. The center of the time-place continuum, THE DARK TOWER beckons just beyond the horizon. However, as he has learned through his dangerous journey time is not linear and his path still has detours and setbacks as Roland and his ka-tet battle vampires in New York City’s Dixie Pig.

That takes a bite out of his compatriots, but Roland knows the real adversary is Mordred, Mia's offspring from him and the were-spider Crimson King. Mordred, the essence of pure evil, confronts Roland to stop him from completing the mission besides expecting a tasty morsel. Though experienced with killing his own blood, Roland has no prayer against his superpowerful antagonist. As members of his ka-tet fall, Roland needs the help of a talented somewhat befuddled individual to attain any chance to defeat his son. Will Roland realize his necessity in time and will this being leave his personal tower to fight alongside the last gunfighter?

Over two decades in the making, the climax to thought-provoking THE DARK TOWER series is an exciting epic fantasy that ties together much of the previous novels in an intriguing ending that readers will either love or hate, but not feel indifferent toward. The key cast members remain consistent to their personalities, especially Roland as the silent hero (from the 1960s spaghetti westerns). The story line moves at a frantic pace still leaping about in time and place until “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” (Robert Browning’s poem) for the final unification of Stephen King’s opus.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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