#12 – The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger

Plot

In The Gunslinger (originally published in 1982), King introduces his most enigmatic hero, Roland Deschain of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting, solitary figure at first, on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own. Pursuing the man in black, an evil being who can bring the dead back to life, Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake.

Review

In my humble opinion, the opening line of The Gunslinger is the best beginning sentence of any novel in the history of the written word.  The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.  It’s simple.  It’s complex.  It’s perfect.  

The Gunslinger is not a perfect story.  It can be difficult to read and even harder to understand.  But what The Gunslinger does is introduce us to the best Stephen King character in his entire universe, Roland Deschain.

When it came time to name our child – the middle name was an easy choice, as we went with Roland.  Both my grandfather and my favorite Stephen King character shared the same first name.  It was a no brainer.

King not only introduces us to Roland – the last remaining gunslinger – but he introduces us to his entire fantasy world.  It’s part western, part science-fiction and part fantasy.  It has some unique terminology and incredible scene-setting.  

The final scene with Roland and the man in black reaffirmed my love with Stephen King.  It was my favorite part of the story by a mile because it was just two characters with a fire and a story to tell.  The dialogue and interaction between these two pivotal players completely set the table for the rest of The Dark Tower series. 

Details

Pages: 300

Dates Read: Pre-2012

Quote: “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.”

Best Part: The man in black and Roland palaver.

Hint for #11: If you visit Denver, Colorado for the first time, you might notice a change in this.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.