The Dark Tower

[childroland]

I know his writting is awsome and inspirational. Even his movies are great.

[DK]

There is an Actor or Musician who I can't figure out what his name is, but I see his face in my head every time I read this series because to ME, that is EXACTLY how I picture Eddie Dean to look. But I can't for the life of me remember who it is, and it makes me weep.

[RSL]

Danny Devito?

[childroland]

I dunno but let us know when you remember.

[Ishin Ookami]

So far I've read everything but Song of Susannah (couldnt find it in stores, but the mass market paperback edition is due out this month, I'll read it then), and personally I thought it WAS a great story. The ending was not half assed, the dutch translations for Rolands loast name is "In Chains". Roland is every bit a prisoner of fate as Eddie once was with his drug addiction. He is so obsessed that he can shrug off despicable acts such as allowing jake to fall or remaining in a town he knows is a death trap for him, and thus putting himself in a situation where he has to kill EVERYONE there, all for the sake of his quest. He calls it Ka, while everyone else see's it for what it is, obsession. That's why the ending is so bitter sweet. Susannah is tired of bloodshed and death, and opts out of that mess and lives happily ever after. Roland however cannot, will not due to how much a prisoner of Ka he is. And thus the ending, it's his simultaneous reward and punishment. A chance to be better, a chance at redemption, a chance to free himself. But he must also face the same choices and choose differently, which this time it appears he has, and does, and will.

And for those dissatisfied... Um, hello. King himself chimed in before the climax and says "STOP!" Dont go into the tower if you want a happy ending. just put down the book, and walk away. He states that the book cannot have ended any other way, that this is how it was meant to be.

as for the confrontations, I thought they all worked fine. I loved how Crimson King went down, very inventive. The showdown with the breakers worked out fine. And yes, I did see the confrontation with the wolves of the Calla coming. And if you couldnt see the literary connections, implications, and connotations coming by book three, then you just wern't paying attention.