[Gunslinger19]

I have a story to tell: The story of how I got my name.
When I was younger, around the time I was still getting good grades in high school, my reading selection was pretty few. I had every Harry Potter book out at the time, I had a few short novels pilfered from school like "Of Mice And Men", and I had whatever my brothers had, which wasn't much. More often I played my XBOX 360.
Of course, there were authors I had heard of, which I had an interest in. I once tried to read Moby Dick, and though I never got past the first chapter (does moby dick have chapters? I don't remember) I still want to finish it some day. Other major authors I had heard of at the time were Tolkien - I read his works - and King.
I was initially skeptical of King's works, and thought that I would never read them. Then, one day, my brother came to visit, and gave me book 1, 2 and 3 of King's series, The Dark Tower. I was low on reading material (You can only re-read Harry Potter so many times), so I figured what the hell. I popped open the first one, titled "The Gunslinger".
The starting was slow, and moderately confusing. I stopped reading after the first chapter, and continued reading the new Potter book I had gotten for Christmas. However, my brother pestered me about my progress on The Gunslinger, and so I continued reading.

I fell in love.

Perhaps that's an exaggeration, but I enjoyed reading the series more than anything else I've ever read. The style was different from what I was used to, and I had to read more carefully to understand precisely what was going on. In this way, I was able to visualize more clearly the story played out before me. The characters were complex, the protagonist someone who would give up anything and everything for his quest.
From then on, I read all seven books of King's "The Dark Tower" series. I also read Salem's Lot, Duma Key, Just After Sunset, and am currently in the middle of The Stand. I plan to buy some more of his works soon.

Well, that's my story. Anyone who's read the series will know where the "19" in my name is from.

Anyone else read the series? Or have recommendations for other books I could get?

[Alchymist]

The starting was slow, and moderately confusing. I stopped reading after the first chapter....

I'm literally at this point right now, I started reading the book a couple days ago and its so slow in starting and the way the dialogue is, it is pretty confusing... I've put it down and my sister was like 'Keep on reading and you'll get to the point where you'll know'

[Gunslinger19]

Yeah, I know exactly what she means. Just keep going, you'll get used to the lingo.

[Moloch]

Same here Alchymist, keep reading. It just takes getting used to. I myself started reading it when I was eighteen, and finished it when I was twenty-four.... when the last book came out. I was actually a bit disappointed by the ending, not because it sucked or anything, but because it was over. That's something I never experienced with any other author before, nor since.

Gun, try "Lisey's Story". It's low on the mindf*cks, but high on the creativity and is, in my opinion, one of his greatest works ever. In fact, it may one day soon replace "The Stand" as my favorite work by him.

"Did-a-chick? Dad-a-chum?" (Only those who have read these books know where the quote is from.)

This post has been edited by Moloch: 25 September 2009 - 07:02 AM

[Toreshi]

I have yet to read any of the Dark Tower books, but hubby read the first one (which is rare...he just DOESN'T read), and said it was great. He also said, however, that as soon as he finds the first few books in hardcover (for some reason around here we can only find the last two in hardcover and the rest are in a really ugly white paperback) he's going to buy them all for me. For this reason alone I have been waiting before I read them.

I love King though. I've read several of his anthologies (Nightmares and Dreamscapes, 1804, Just After Sunset) as well as a bunch of both newer and older ones including Cell, The Mist, Pet Sematary, IT, The Shining, and I'm currently reading Carrie. I have a ton of his books that I haven't read yet too...hubby and I have been collecting them at yard sales and the like.

[Sicc_Ness]

The Dark Tower is perhaps my favorite book series period. Though I often feel Stephen King rushed the ending in the final books the series has never failed With that said I can't say I've ever read any other books that caught me in the same way the Dark Tower did.

The Disc World books however come close.

[Gunslinger19]

@ Moloch: Hmm, I did consider Lisey's Story last time I was at Coles. Instead, I picked up Dreamcatcher and a copy of Drawing of the Three. The former, I picked up because it's a different subject matter than King's usual stuff; the latter, I got because I never actually finished it. My brother lost DT 2 while I was half-way through. Anyway, I'll make a mental note to pick Lisey's Story up next.

@ Toreshi: There's only one hardcover King book I own, and that's Just After Sunset, which I got for Xmas last year. I have not seen any other King book in hardcover, but then again, I only shop at Coles. I'd put more effort into trying to find hardcover copies of his work if I didn't like the cover art so much.






Couldn't find the Duma Key one, but you get the idea. I'm trying to find more - particularly DT 1-4 - but so far, no luck.

[He_Who_is_Steve]

Before I read this series, I thought re-reading books was stupid. "Oh, look, the same words are still there," I used to think. I've re-read this series 4 times and it keeps getting better every single time.

So hasn't J.J. Abrahms optioned this for 19 dollars? I'm both intrigued and frightened to see what he'd do with it.