The Dark Tower [Archive]

Fish

02-28-2009, 12:32 PM

Stephen King began writing The gunslinger before he actually published anything...and finished the final book of the series literally decades later. For me, the Gunslinger was the first Stephen King book I ever read, and I can safely say that it inspired my love of King novels.

I love the connections he forges between previously written and yet-to-be-written stories and books. I really enjoy his engaging yet easily accessible writing style, and the frankness with which he deals with some of the hard subjects in his books (such is the talent of a horror writer).

But in the end, what I really like about these books is the story itself. Length of the series aside, the story feels both far-reachingly epic, and also densely fast-paced. The characters are at once loveable and anti-heroish, particularly Roland, who remains one of my favorite protagonists of all time.

Recently, JJ Abrams, the guy behind LOST, Cloverfield, and Alias, announced that he would be working with Damon Lindelof on a film adaptation of the series. I hope that turns out well.

But back on track: Who else loves these books?

Resign the King

03-01-2009, 05:13 AM

I haven't read them yet, but I'm going to look into it soon, I keep hearing they are amazing books.

sdmf_from_hell

03-01-2009, 06:09 AM

This series is absolutely brilliant!

Granted the first few 'old' books are better but the ending of the series is mind blowing. I've never come across such a unique and awesome ending in any media form.

Then when reading The Gunslinger (revised edition) again it ties in perfectly.

Goosebumps ensue.

Not only that but i still come across references to the series on a daily basis (finished the series a year ago).

BTW My favourite book of the series is Wizard And Glass and i'm looking into a tattoo that best depicts my feeling towards DT and its transference into daily life (of course making it somewhat psychedelic).

I'm not sure about the film/tv series though. I have a crystal clear image in my head of how every character/location looks like and what vibe they/it has. I'm afraid an adaption could spoil the atmosphere somewhat and be a detriment to it's iconic story (LoTR?).

Having said that i'm still very much looking forward to the adaption. I wish i could be a part of the process in some way. But i hope they put ALOT of time into making it. I will gladly wait a long time if the result is good, rather than a quick sub-par movie (like so many Stephen King adaptions are).

I'm actually looking a little more forward to George RR Martins - A Song Of Fire And Ice TV series just because it would be easier to pull off and i'll be less likely disappointed with it.

Thankee Sai.
Long days and pleasant nights.

Fish

03-01-2009, 06:23 AM

Having said that i'm still very much looking forward to the adaption. I wish i could be a part of the process in some way. But i hope they put ALOT of time into making it. I will gladly wait a long time if the result is good, rather than a quick sub-par movie (like so many Stephen King adaptions are).

I'm really hoping that JJ Abrams will give DT the same treatment that Peter Jackson gave LotR. I mean, obviously something of that scale would be a little less feasible for a lesser-known work, but I'd be willing to bet that there are producers out there willing to finance such an undertaking.

Here's to hoping!

sdmf_from_hell

03-01-2009, 10:42 AM

Just noticed that JJ Abrams has directed the upcoming new Star Trek movie (in post production).

Hopefully this will gauge his Sci Fi skills to see if he's up to the task.

Euda

03-01-2009, 02:15 PM

In these books, I see self-indulgence and an author having some fun with both himself and pop-culture. Being able to successfully draw on your own mythos, the additions to pop-culture that you've made, must be an amazing feeling. There are very few authors out there that can truly rest on their laurels and King is one of them.

That being said, I enjoyed the books. They were fun, engaging, and King was able to put more into building these characters than in any other work that he has done. I'm glad that he got to write his epic.

I don't see how a movie could take in a series of this scale. I think that the 'movie magic' might steal the 'grit' of the series, but King loves to see his works translated to film; regardless of how badly they may turn out. Has anybody seen Thinner? The story that it's based on is top notch, but it falls apart with the translation to film. From a couple of years ago, 1408 was a great adaptation; Apt Pupil is another one that stands out to me. King's body of work includes a wide variety of movies and television that spans the past 30 years; hell, Carrie has even been remade already. I don't have much confidence that a Dark Tower movie would be good, but it would doubtlessly be entertaining.

I'm sure that it won't be difficult to find actors or production money, depending on their vision.

ants in my poptarts

03-01-2009, 07:52 PM

my solutions to the movie maybe sucking ass is to see it absurdly stoned. Like really fucking bad. I'll know if i liked it or not, but i won't remember it. If its good i'll see it again.

Lao Tzu

03-01-2009, 11:42 PM

It's a great series, I loved it.

Proots

03-04-2009, 07:48 PM

I don't care what the literary snobs say about Stephen King. I love him - and I love his work.

It and The Stand are the most memorable books I have ever read. I read each one once a year. Yes. I read them both every year. I adore them that much.

I just started reading the Dark Tower series yesterday! I'm loving it! No spoilers, please!

EDIT : Euda, while some Stephen King movies do turn out splendidly - why is it that most fall hideously short? Especially, when the books are brilliant? Any theories? I've always felt that his books don't translate well into film, because when you sit down and read Stephen King, Mr. King is sitting with you and telling you a story. You just can't capture the magic of that in film. Did I make sense?

Fish

03-05-2009, 01:33 AM

I don't care what the literary snobs say about Stephen King. I love him - and I love his work.

King himself once said "I am the literary equivalent of a Bic Mac and Fries." I always found that to be endlessly amusing.

Euda

03-05-2009, 02:01 AM

King himself once said "I am the literary equivalent of a Bic Mac and Fries." I always found that to be endlessly amusing.

"I’m a salami writer. I try to write good salami, but salami is salami. You can’t sell it as caviar". - King

That's one of my favourite quotes from King on his writing.

It's the interpretation that rips into King's works; they aren't exactly technical or complicated stories. The less interpretation that takes place, the better off the film. King has conversational writing with excellent grammar and it just doesn't translate well when there's too much direction. You made sense, Midge.

pfk

03-26-2009, 02:10 PM

what king did in the sixth book in maine blew my mind.

sdmf_from_hell

03-26-2009, 02:23 PM

what king did in the sixth book in maine blew my mind.

Alot of people condemn him for writing himself into the story but i think is was fantastically done.

When King saw Roland and Eddie for the first time, i got goosebumps.. it was so oddly believable.

My only complaint (and it's not much of a complaint at all) is The Drawer in the final book just seemed way too literal in a series driven by such mystique.

Dfg

03-26-2009, 02:44 PM

In the story, Roland is the last living member of a knightly order known as gunslingers. The world he lives in is quite different from our own, yet it bears striking similarities to it. Politically organized along the lines of a feudal society, it shares technological and social characteristics with the American Old West, as well as being magical. While the magical aspects are largely gone from Mid-World, some vestiges of them remain, along with the relics of a highly advanced, but long vanished, society. Roland's quest is to find the Dark Tower, a fabled building said to be the nexus of all universes. Roland's world is said to have "moved on", and indeed it appears to be coming apart at the seams — mighty nations have been torn apart by war, entire cities and regions vanish from the face of the earth without a trace, time does not flow in an orderly fashion. Even the Sun sometimes rises in the north and sets in the east. As the series opens, Roland's motives, goals, and his age are unclear, though later installments shed light on these mysteries.

Guess who is going to start downloading the Audio book :).

Yumiko Amaya

04-06-2009, 08:04 PM

I started reading the books and only got to book 4.
The Gunslinger was kind of boring for me though.

sdmf_from_hell

04-07-2009, 09:11 AM

I started reading the books and only got to book 4.
The Gunslinger was kind of boring for me though.

Ahh Wizard And Glass was my favourite!

My mate that got me into the series in the first place only made it part through that book as well.. such a shame.

I've been getting into the linking books lately too. Recently saw The Mist (with the glorious painting of Roland at the opening credits) and it blew me away just thinking about it afterward (military opening a portal to another world, which brought the todash beasts into ours).

I still get fucking goosebumps with this series.

If it were a religion, i would be a devout mid-worldist.

Yumiko Amaya

04-07-2009, 07:12 PM

If it were a religion, i would be a devout mid-worldist.

Ha! I agree!

The book with the three doors was my favorite. It's been so long, I can't even remember the name.

Shrike

04-17-2009, 05:37 PM

I read the first one a while ago. I can't really say I liked it that much, it was kind of weird. And a bit too slow-paced.

Yumiko Amaya

04-17-2009, 07:28 PM

I read the first one a while ago. I can't really say I liked it that much, it was kind of weird. And a bit too slow-paced.

Yeah, it took me awhile to get through the first one because it was a little boring.

constantinople

04-19-2009, 04:07 AM

I like how Stephen King has people write his books for him now.

Dog

05-10-2009, 01:36 PM

I finally started reading this series. Well, listening to the audiobooks. I've got a few minutes left of Book 1 and then I'm going to start Book 2 right after.

I honestly did not like Book 1 very much...there were just way too many times where I had to say "What the fuck is he talking about?" and "Get on with it". I DO like the story, but you can tell this was written when King lacked experience...I get the feeling he was trying to prove himself.

Anyways, I hear that the later books are better written and more exciting. Can't wait.

sdmf_from_hell

05-11-2009, 10:40 AM

The beauty of the first book is that once you read it again after reading the whole series it makes total sense.

The first chapter sent shivers down my spine when reading it the second time. It did feel like he was going for an elite imaginative depth, but this isn't the case as you'll soon discover.

I was hungover and had a scattered mind when reading the first book for the first time and i think it catapulted me into the series as my mind was in a perfect space to accept the abstract.

It's been more than a year since finishing this series and i'm still obsessed with it.

Dog

05-11-2009, 06:08 PM

Update: I'm really liking Book 2. The part where he's in the airplane bathroom had me on the edge of my seat. :D I love when books do that.

Launchpad

05-11-2009, 06:25 PM

Yeah The Drawing is sweet - I'd say my favorite were 3 and 4 -so you've still got the best to come (although book 7 was awesome too...maybe cause I had to wait like 10 years to finally figure out how it all ended).

Eddie is def one of the best characters.

Launchpad

05-11-2009, 06:32 PM

sdmf_from_hell

05-12-2009, 10:38 AM

Also - any of you see the Mist? Loved the Tower reference at the beginning where he was painting a picture of Roland...sadly none of my friends are King fans an an effort to try and explain this homage would have come off making me sound like a ridiculous fanboy : (

I also like how the Tower series ties into tons of his other books throughout his career - specifically I remember Tower shit in It, Rose Madder, and the one about the eclipse/beaten wife...also the Stand and Eyes of the Dragon - I'm sure there are more too..but it always struck me as a nice little surprise when I'd find a tower reference when reading through some of his other works.

The Mist was a great movie. It had me thinking for a week after watching it.

My theory is that the military didn't make it all the way through to another world but only made it into the todash darkness and they squeezed through (Half-Life Combine style). Simple and somewhat obvious theory but i spoiler'd it for those who haven't seen it

I also loved the ending. Best ending of a film in a long time. So many people hate it but those are the people who love the 5 endings of LOTR

Bane

05-12-2009, 10:40 AM

The book where Roland talks about how his quest begins...is by far one of the most amazing books I have ever read in my life. It almost made me cry.

Dog

05-12-2009, 11:27 AM

Gotta say, The Mist's ending was hands-down the worst movie ending I've ever seen. Darabont should be shot for that bullshit.

Launchpad

05-12-2009, 11:40 AM

I too must say I was a little disappointed w/ the mist. I read skeleton screw when I was way younger, probably like 13 or so and it was my favorite story. I was on Kings website and I heard it was coming out, but wasn't sure when - I remember I even went to see that piece of shit John Carpenter movie the Fog when it came out, thinking it was Kings The Mist. But I guess when you wait that long for a movie it's never as good as the book and never as good as you imagine.

sdmf_from_hell

05-12-2009, 12:35 PM

Gotta say, The Mist's ending was hands-down the worst movie ending I've ever seen. Darabont should be shot for that bullshit.

Why is that?

I understand different strokes for different folks, but if the movie had of ended in the classic Hollywood 'good time' finisher it would have made the whole experience shit. Don't tell me you didn't chuckle and shout "Oh, snap!" when you saw it :D, plus the lady and her kids was the salt in the wounds.

I loved it. I'm fed up with happy, predictable endings.

Fish

05-12-2009, 12:38 PM

Why is that?

I understand different strokes for different folks, but if the movie had of ended in the classic Hollywood 'good time' finisher it would have made the whole experience shit. Don't tell me you didn't chuckle and shout "Oh, snap!" when you saw it :D.

I loved it. I'm fed up with happy, predictable endings.

I have to say, I appreciated the darkness of it. I agree that fairytale endings grow tiresome after a while, and it's nice to see a movie that's not afraid of tackling that one head-on. I was a little disappointed, however, that it felt like the movie was trying just a bit too hard to be depressing...

Launchpad

05-12-2009, 12:39 PM

I think most people who complain about the ending would have rathered the ending fo the actual short story where they keep driving and never find the way out of the mist - when it ends they're holed up in a motel and he's searching the radio for any sign of humanity..he thinks he hears the words Hartford and Hope among the static but can't be sure.

sdmf_from_hell

05-12-2009, 12:42 PM

Ah gotcha. So the novella had a kind of 'Salems Lot ending.

I can dig that.

Dog

05-12-2009, 04:48 PM

Why is that?

I understand different strokes for different folks, but if the movie had of ended in the classic Hollywood 'good time' finisher it would have made the whole experience shit. Don't tell me you didn't chuckle and shout "Oh, snap!" when you saw it :D, plus the lady and her kids was the salt in the wounds.

I loved it. I'm fed up with happy, predictable endings.

I didn't mind that it was dark, but the stupid twist that occurred right after was so tasteless. It literally seemed like a joke or parody...

Some people seem to like it just because it was "anti-Hollywood", but that doesn't do it for me.

Dog

05-13-2009, 01:24 AM

Fish

05-13-2009, 08:14 AM

So, I'm nearing the end of the Drawing of the Three, and I just got to an awesome line about how we lived in a "place of wonder" (or something like that), yet people walked around in such a dull and lifeless manner. It's when he's in the drug store. That's a pretty damn insightful idea...how we take all of the amazing shit in our society for granted.

yeah - that's one of my favorites in the series for that very reason - King does a fantastic job of realistically depicting Roland's reaction to our world. He pics up on a lot of details that I wouldn't have thought of.

cb'

05-13-2009, 11:05 PM

The series will always hold a cherished place on my shelves, but King started slipping badly by the time the 5th book rolled around. Prevalent in the first four was a sense of arcane and unknowable doom, but when he got to the fifth, he started trying to explain the bad guys. Fucked it right up, in my opinion.

Launchpad

05-13-2009, 11:15 PM