I don’t even know what to say about this book besides I loved it. Even more than I loved the first one. I love the characters, I love the plot, I loveI don’t even know what to say about this book besides I loved it. Even more than I loved the first one. I love the characters, I love the plot, I love the magic system—I typically hate anything that falls under the umbrella of necromancy (b/c dead things are gross), but I don’t even care.
When I finished, I immediately bought hard copies of the author’s other series to take to beach next week.
So yeah, in the haystack of terrible TikTok book recs, this is a good one....more
Even though one of my few legitimate phobias is anything Stephen King-related (I read one of his short story collections when I was far too young and have been unable to sleep in a room with an open door ever since #truestory), all the hype surrounding The Dark Tower movie, made me curious . . .
Of all of His work, it's always been THE DARK TOWER that I've been the most interested in. B/c fantasy.
BUT.
What does Stephen King fantasy look like?
I'd heard enough whispers to feel my hesitation was warranted, but curiosity and me . . . We're bffs.
And FYI, Stephen King curiosity + new(ish)found love of graphic novels = duh.
I figured it would be safer. I'd get the gist and some cool artwork without the dread and fear.
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I was right.
This is where my basic outline of the plot begins, so if you don't want to be spoiled, get thee gone. BUT. I'm just giving the gist, so I'd consider it safe--I'm not going to tell you anything that I wouldn't want to know.
Roland Deschain is a Gunslinger.
I don't know what that means beyond the obvious connotation and that it's kind of a Big Deal in this world. Also, this world is very chauvinistic, so be aware of that. Anyway, Roland and his peers are trained by an abusive drill sergeant-type, until the day they challenge their master to a duel.
If they win, they become Gunslingers in their own right.
If they lose, they're banished, ostracized, shunned, etc. They leave their families and their lives, never to return.
This is the first thing I learned.
The second is that Roland is being manipulated into throwing the gauntlet years before he'd be considered ready by his nemesis, the Man in Black.
Fortunately for Roland (and apparently everyone and everything Good in his world), he wins the challenge and isn't sent far, far away.
But his actions cause complications, so his father sends him and a couple of his friends to scout out a kind of in between area.
From there things get . . . more complicated.
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Were parts of it gross in the way I imagine all things Stephen King to be?
Yes.
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Were parts graphically violent?
Yes?
But in a manner most unsurprising (if you know me), I sped through those parts, not looking too closely at the images, and overall, I have to say this was an excellent compromise. Recommended unless you have a fragile digestive tract and/or are unfamiliar with the practices of ostriches.