The Dark Tower VII: First Impressions

**Spoilers Below! 

Lovely readers,

I am so excited to say that I have started the last book in The Dark Tower series! And, as this book is extremely long, I wanted to write a quick first impression (as I've just completed chapter one) and some of the things I'm expecting this book to reveal. Enjoy!

As for my first impressions of the book, it started out with a bang and I love it. The Dark Tower VII is a definite contrast to the first book in the series, The Gunslinger, simple because it starts off in the middle of the action and picks up also exactly where Song of Susannah left off. This is one of the first things I typically look for in a series: if the book before set the stage for the one after.
As for what I'm expecting... I'm expecting a collage of sadness, triumph, suspense, and a tearful goodbye to the series. In the words of King in the dust cover flap, "All good things must come to an end, constant reader." And I think he'll do us well by that. I don't expect anything less of an epic ending and a deep longing for more.
The only real hope I have for the ending is that King wraps up everything. Who will give their life? Will the ka-tet reach The Dark Tower? What will be in the top room? Will Roland finally defeat Walter and the Crimson King? Will he fulfill the journey that has killed all that he loved? We'll find out! Stay tuned for my next review: The Dark Tower VII!

With love and knowledge,
K

Book Review: Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower VI)

** Warning: This is a review series for The Dark Tower and contains spoilers about the series. Please do not continue if you do not want the plot/surprises undone for you. Can't say I didn't warn you, thanks! ** 


Lovely readers,

Despite being thoroughly behind on my reviews, today I'm very excited to be writing about Song of Susannah, the next book in The Dark Tower series! This book took me for the go-around, and there were a few points that fear got the better of me, but overall it was definitely another Stephen King adventure. Enjoy!

Pros:

• I don't think that this series would hold up without it's sixth book. That's how much I believe the readers learns after finishing Song of Susannah. Not only do you get the backstory of Mia and all that includes her, you also get information about the Dark Tower and the ka-tet. Major plot holes are filled in regard to how Susannah got pregnant, and how the low men come into play. This book just glues Wolves of the Calla and The Dark Tower VII together in a way that keeps giving the reader insight. That's my biggest pro. 
• Personally, I thought the way King used the characters in this book was genius. Typically Jake, Roland, Susannah, Eddie, and Oy are always together. Song of Susannah takes that and shakes it around: Roland and Eddie end up on their own as do Jake and Father Callahan. Susannah becomes somewhat of a damsel in distress and struggles with her own problem: her chap and Mia. It really proves that each member of the ka-tet can hold their own without their dinh. 
• I'm a horror kind of person, so I very much enjoyed the birth of the chap. King is usually known for his horror and plot twists, and the beginning of this book held up perfectly to that. I won't say too much about the chap, but I will say he gave me an extensive case of the creeps. 

Cons: 

• There was one part of this book that brought about quite a few tears, and I wasn't all that happy about the timing. Father Callahan and Jake, at the end of Song of Susannah, are prepared to die to rescue Susannah. They end up on their own in New York, in search of the Dixie Pig (the place Sayre tells Mia to come to have her chap) and find it relatively well. However, King leaves you on a cliff hanger into The Dark Tower VII and when you finally reach the next book, you're in for a sad moment. The spacing out of the death of a major character always makes the reader anxious. King achieved that anxiousness in this book with perfection. 
• Regarding the "lay out" of the book, I had my issues with the choppiness of the story. With all of the ka-tet separated from each other, some disconnect is likely and I think King handled it pretty well... with the story he wanted that is. 
• I won't say this is entirely a negative thing, but Song of Susannah had a dark cloud hanging over it. I'm not sure if it was for effect (the group is indeed getting closer to the tower with each page) or if the events themselves were just naturally morbid, but there was an uneasy feeling throughout the book... as if something big and terrible is coming, and fast. 

Overall this was the most important book so far, but not my favorite. King really amped up his creepiness in this one and I did love that. I honestly can't wait until the Dark Tower VII review is ready! Thanks again for reading! 

With love and knowledge, 

K 

Book Review: The Green Mile

Lovely readers,


I decided to take a little break from The Dark Tower (I haven't gotten my hands on the rest of it yet), and start reading some other books that have been on my list. I recently finished The Green Mile (Stephen King, 1996, Crime/Dark Fiction) and just had to write a review of it. Most people are familiar with the story of the The Green Mile, as it was made into a very popular movie starring Tom Hanks (1999). I personally loved this movie and was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy it held with the book. Anyway, I'll include my pros and cons below. Enjoy!

Pros:

• As always with Stephen King, this novel contains an amazing story that really touches you. There was a lot of emotion brought up for me reading this book, and I think King wanted it that way. 
• Obviously I've have to include the fact that The Green Mile and the movie it was based on are perfectly similar. The movie honestly captured just as much awe and emotion as the book did. I was not disappointed in the least. 
• Luckily I don't have to worry about giving anything away (most people have seen or heard about this novel), my biggest pro besides the storyline was the way that Percy went out. There was no better punishment but insanity fit for a man like that, in my opinion. I count what happened to him a triumph. 

Cons:

• This book isn't suitable for young readers. King has a tendency to be a bit more descriptive than some may necessarily want. There are examples of that in this book, for sure. 
• There is a bitter taste at the end of this novel. John Coffey is not acquitted or anything like that. He is, as planned, handed over to the electric chair. This book does a good job of reminding you that good doesn't always triumph over evil, and that sometimes you don't have control. It's not really a con, but to some people it may not sit well. 
• In my personal opinion, I thought the ending to the book was a bit anticlimactic. Maybe that was just me, but I felt myself reaching for more. 

Well, I definitely enjoyed this novel. I probably enjoyed it more than I ever did the movie (no matter how much I love Tom Hanks). I would highly recommend reading it even if you have seen the movie. It will give you greater detail and emotion than watching it on a screen ever could. 

Keep reading! 

Katie 

Book Review: Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower V)

** Warning: This is a review series for The Dark Tower and contains spoilers about the series. Please do not continue if you do not want the plot/surprises undone for you. Can't say I didn't warn you, thanks! **

It's been a little while since I last posted a review, simply because I haven't been able to get my hands on the last two books in The Dark Tower series (Songs of Susannah and The Dark Tower). But I did finish reading the fifth installment, Wolves of the Calla (2003, Western/Fantasy/Science Fiction). I must say that Stephen King has outdone himself with this book. I'll go ahead and tell you that my overall impression of the book was very positive. It may be my favorite one yet. However, for those of you who haven't yet dove into this 714-page monster, I'll place my pros and cons list below. 

Pros: 

• The sheer amount of creativity that went into this book is amazing. King paints a perfect picture of this time, of this place. As Roland and his ka-tet travel along the path to the Dark Tower, they stumble upon people from a different era... I won't go into too much detail, despite my spoiler alert above. I do enjoy letting the reader experience everything. But I will say, you will get lost in the storyline of this book. It sucks you in. 
• Those of you who haven't read Salem's Lot (Stephen King, 1975) or The Stand (1995) will not be able to fully appreciate this pro, but it may inspire you to dig a bit deeper. King brings so many of his other books in on The Dark Tower. Little whispers here and there throughout the series, but Wolves of the Calla was by far the biggest. Actively throughout the book you hear stories from Father Callahan, (the zombie slaying, former priest, former alcoholic) wise man of this particular Calla. He was the center of Salem's Lot. King has a way of weaving each story into another, and creating holes in the universes that makes up his tales to allow other in. It's truly remarkable.
• Honestly this book has some of the most badass fight scenes. Susannah and the women of the Calla happen to hold the record. I won't say much... but the Wolves aren't good, and they get what they deserve. 

Cons: 

• Again, this book was long. The only qualm I have with the length is that it took me forever to finish it. Short con. 
• I was a bit disappointed at how much the group veered off the path of the Beam in this book. The last installment, Wizard and Glass, did this a lot as well. However I can't complain too much, there were very valuable things in the Calla Bryn Sturgis. Father Callahan is now a member of the ka-tet. But for those of you enjoy a clear storyline, a dependable storyline, well... maybe even reading Stephen King isn't right for you. That man makes a living out of taking readers off their guards. 
• This will be the last time I mention this con in my reviews for this series: **This series is not for young adults/teenagers. It contains some graphic detail and can be quite disturbing. Be careful pursuing this series if you have a weak stomach.**

Overall I'm hungry to finish this series. There are, after all, only two books left. Stephen King has been and will always be one of my favorite writers. He just has a magic on the page, a sure way into your hearts and into your heads. If this book doesn't prove that to you, you're out of luck. 

As always, continue reading, 

Katie

Quick Thank You!

Readers,

I just wanted to thank anyone who has read my blog. Honestly, I really don't expect it to become anything that many people would check; it began as a way for my to catalog books I have read, but it slowly evolved into wanting to share the ideas in books with everyone. I wanted to start discussions on the wonderful literature that exists in the world, it is such a beautiful thing to me. My favorite thing.

So thank you for taking part in my world. Thank you for taking one moment to peer into someone else's mind and maybe see things a bit different than before. And, once again, thank you for reading and cultivating knowledge.

As always, with love,

K.

Book Review: Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower IV)

Hello readers~

** Warning: This is a review series for The Dark Tower and contains spoilers about the series. Please do not continue if you do not want the plot/surprises undone for you. Can't say I didn't warn you, thanks! ** 

Continuing the journey into the world of The Dark Tower! Completed Wizard and Glass by Stephen King (1997, Western/Horror Fiction) is very quickly rising to the top of my favorite series' list. Before I start rambling and give away any good parts, I'll go ahead with my pros and cons.

Im going to go ahead and add my personal opinion of the book: I had mixed feelings favoring the positive. This book hit a lot of things for me, and missed some things. More details below.

Pros:

• This book was a whirlwind of backstory. During the first four, Roland only hints at his long lost love Susan. He meets memories of her several times throughout The Dark Tower. Wizard and Glass gives us the entire story of their love; how they meet, how their love ends, Roland's entire purpose for being in Mejis. This book has it all, and if you're a fan of character development you'll very much enjoy the narrative in this book. 
• Along those same lines, you are introduced to more characters in Roland's life and how they were (before the world moved on, of course); from Cuthbert to Alain, Susan and a magic glass ball that can do incredible things. All of these tie into the story where it picks up. 
• I have to say this book had pretty much everything: love, revenge, suspense, humor, horror. It was a rollercoaster but one minute I was laughing, the next crying. Intense. 

Cons: 

• I mentioned this as a pro, but it can be flipped around. Wizard and Glass does not further the story of Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy along with Roland (until the end that is). This strictly details a piece of Roland's backstory. In fact, the story begins around 30 pages of the book and continues until almost 30 pages are left. If you love character development, you'll love it. If not (I prefer it to a point. Too much character development can be a bad thing), it can get tough to finish. This is just my personal opinion. 
• I don't know if it's just me, but I felt a twinge of regret at the ending of Roland's tale. I didn't exactly like Susan but I don't think she deserved the fate the got. The only reason I include this if because I know some enjoy endings wrapping up, and this could be a downfall. 
• After Roland tells his tale, there is a funny little bit at the end of Wizard and Glass. Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy find what is supposedly a strange rip off of The City of Oz. They also happen upon "The Wizard of Oz" and what was left of the Tick Tock Man after The Waste Lands. The ending is strange, and can throw people off. 

Overall, this was one of the weirder books in The Dark Tower series. I'm not saying by any means that I didn't enjoy it. I have loved every new installment of this series. I highly, and will always highly, recommend this series to anyone who loves science-fiction, Stephen King, and an amazing story. 

As always, keep reading. 

Katie 

Book Review - The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower III)

Lovely readers,

** Warning: This is a review series for The Dark Tower and contains spoilers about the series. Please do not continue if you do not want the plot/surprises undone for you. Can't say I didn't warn you, thanks! ** 

I'm slowly but surely moving along in my quest to finish The Dark Tower. Just this morning I completed The Waste Lands (1991, Fantasy/Western/Horror Fiction) by Stephen King, the next installment of the life of Roland, Eddie, Susannah, and Jake. Honestly, I've found myself getting more and more attached to this series each time I pick up the book. King naturally has a way of drawing you in, but this series in particular... it's so vivid and heart-wrenching. It's hard to ignore, hard to put down. (It helps that most printed versions of this series have gorgeous artwork included)
But anyway, I'll go ahead and begin with my pros and cons list!

Pros:

• Naturally this book is an incredible continuation of The Dark Tower series. The story lines doesn't get stale, and it constantly amazed me. Sometimes books like this can drag on but King does an awesome job of keeping the reader engaged. 
• This can be classified as a pro and a con, but this book (like the other three works in this series) mixes genres so well. I was a bit surprised after The Gunslinger honestly. The Drawing of the Three totally took me out of the comfort zone, as did The Waste Lands. The way that King blends fantasy, western, horror, and science fiction genres is very impressive. 
• My next pro is character development. Any true King fans know that he does an excellent job of attaching his readers to the characters. This book is no except. The Waste Lands makes the strings attached from your heart to the character 100 time stronger. You really feel their emotions, and understand their fears. 

Cons: 

• Like I've said throughout my books reviews of this series, The Dark Tower is not young adult, nor is it anything children should be reading. King lets horror seep into a lot of his works, especially this one. The Dark Tower can be truly disturbing. (I don't think children could really decipher what was being said anyway... nod to the High Speech) 
• The Waste Lands gives a truly horrific look at what the world could look like in a thousand years. In the same vein as Brave New World, King gives The Dark Tower a light dusting of apocalyptic fury. It's a startling look at where the world is headed. (Not to say that this puts a damper on this series at all for me, I'm still head over heels for it. But it does in a way limit the reading base. People with weak stomachs should be careful.) 
• I'm just throwing this con in here because I could see where it could discourage people from starting this book. The Waste Lands is not a short work. I very much enjoyed the length simply because it helps carry you through the story. However it does get confusing a little at moments. 

Overall, I can't wait to keep going with The Dark Tower. I've just recently obtained The Wizard Glass, so I'm jumping right in to the next book. Of course I'll be uploading a review of the next one once I've conquered it. 

And as always, 

Keep reading and with love. 

Katie