I have just finished listening to Song of Susannah by Stephen King, and I think the Dark Tower story is brilliant. It has also sold me on audio books, because although I am sure I could appreciate Midworld and the Ka-tet had I read it, this has been a great experience.
I also seem to have gotten over my initial disapointment infused with anger when I popped the earphones in and started listening to Wolves of the Calla and heard George Guidall instead of Frank Muller. Man was I pissed. After I researched the circumstances and found that Frank was in a motorcycle accident and can barely speak that my anger was directed toward Stephen King for taking so damn long to finish writing. I eventually came to realize since Iam so late to this Dark Tower party that George Guidall had narrated the version of The Gunslinger that I had listened to as well, and he is good, very good. But I really got into the world when Frank was doing the narrating, and it was irritating the way Eddie Dean’s inflections had changed, but all that has receded, because as I said George Guidall does a fine job, although it took a book and a half for me to get over that.
I am very anxious to get my ipod wrapped around the final volume of this work. I never thought much of Stephen King, I mean I knew he was successful so I had respect for that, but I just went with my tendency to assume something that everybody likes is probably sub par. (e.g. reality television, or most of television in general) But anyway I am blown away by the Dark Tower, and I suspect I will read quite a bit more of Mister King’s work now.
So any way to King: Hile wordslinger! Thank ye Sai, big big.
I loved the Dark Tower series. I think Frank Muller originally read The Gunslinger, but Stephen King released an revised version of it a few years ago and that’s when George Guidall read it.
I loved the very end of the last book (the ending). There is a point in the book where you are suggested to stop reading so the ending can be what you’ve always imagined it. But, I think the real ending is just such a fitting ending.
If you look at Stephen King’s website (or even here: http://www.thedarktower.net/connections/), you’ll see that SO many other books by Stephen King actually tie into The Dark Tower series. One of my favorites is Hearts In Atlantis. But, I am STILL reading through books that make a connection to The Dark Tower. There are just so many of them.
I’m glad that you like The Dark Tower series. I liked it ever since I first picked it up in Junior High School. And it’s been around even longer than that (since the 70′s). I’m glad that both he and I lived long enough to finish the entire series.
Yep you are right about the Gunslinger, I found all that out recently in my rage. Well the day I can get the 7th book is 8/17, then I will be listening away to that final one cruising toward the ending.
I figured if I were going to read some more King I would go after the books that tie into midworld somehow. I also plan someday to get the Tower books in dead tree format and read them, but I have to give myself 10 or 15 years to make it interesting again.