The Gunslinger

Stephen King

10/28/2006

The Gunslinger, Roland, is chasing the Man in Black across the desert. The Man in Black holds secrets that he needs to know. He was destined to be a Gunslinger from his youth. All his training was for that end. But now he seeks the Dark Tower. In order to get the answers he needs there, he needs to know more about it. He is going to catch the Man in Black and get those answers. Then the Man in Black should die.

Along the way across the lifeless land he meets an odd youth, Jake. Jake isn't sure how he arrived in this arid country or what he is going to do. Jake joins the Gunslinger in his quest for the Man in Black. As they slowly get nearer to the Man in Black Jakes learns stories about Roland and his life. Roland hypnotizes Jake to discover what sent the youth to this desolate place. Yet all this time they keep following the Man in Black. What will happen when they catch up with him?

The Gunslinger is the first book of Stephen King's Dark Tower series. It was written over thirty years ago. King has only recently finished the series. Before it was re-released King rewrote this one to fit into his new notions of the land and to keep the Dark Tower books consistent within themselves. The Gunslinger is a teaser novel. It sets up a saga so has a lot of open questions at the end of the book. There is some resolution, for example with Jake, but there is much more for the reader to discover.

King's description of the land fascinating. This land is harsh, dry, and desolate. Yet the feeling of hope permeates the book, keeping the landscape from being depressing. Roland is a lonely figure and the Man in Black is a tantalizing tease. There is more to learn about them.

You can find more about this book at .

The Gunslinger
The Drawing of the Three
The Waste Lands
Wizard and Glass
Wolves of the Calla
Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower