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Author Topic: The Dark Tower  (Read 4568 times)

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Pedro Picasso

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The Dark Tower
« Reply #15 on: October 18, 2004, 10:21:22 pm »
Quote from: "slink"
I have no real idea what this whole Dark Tower thing is all about...


The Dark Tower series is roughly about a Knight-errant-Cowboy (later accompanied by jive-talking New York friends) and his lifelong journey through a dying world to see if there really is a God.

Think of a gun-slinging Jedi knight that looks like a grisled Clint Eastwood.  That's pretty much what the books are about.

And you know that movie trick where a person runs across a bridge or flight of stairs that's falling apart, and every time their foot leaves a step that step falls off into the darkness?  That's what this guy's world is like.  Every time he leaves a town, it always falls all to hell just as he skips out.  As if it was teetering and his passing through was enough to tip it.  The first four books are like that.
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AugustWest

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The Dark Tower
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2004, 03:48:36 am »
Quote from: "slink"
I have never really liked King, mainly because while I think he has great ideas, I don't like his delivery.


That's pretty much exactly my position.  Great concepts, some pretty lousy execution.  I haven't read a ton of King because I get frustrated with him.  I think I'd like him better if his characters weren't so two dimensional and predictable.

I loved On Writing.  It made me admire him as a man and a writer.  But his stuff just doesn't click for me.
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wombat

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The Dark Tower
« Reply #17 on: October 19, 2004, 01:05:33 pm »
The first thing I ever read by Stephen King was a short story that I happened on in an anthology.  I was fascinated and totally gripped by it - something about a small town in Maine invaded by a strange fog.  And then, it had no end.  I can't remember exactly but it was as bad as 'it was all a dream' - I think it ended saying that this whole description was, like,  being written by this person who was now going to leave the papers there where he was writing and try to get out of the town.

I was so angry that I swore never to read anything of his again.  I made an exception for On Writing when JL recommended it to me, and it was worth reading.  But I will never read the fiction of someone who would do such a thing to a reader.
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« Reply #18 on: October 19, 2004, 01:40:54 pm »
Quote from: "sailor"
except for thing problem i have is that i don't want to be seen reading a king book in public. i know, i know....shut up, i don't want to hear about it. i think i'd rather try to flirt with my current crush while wearing a magic the gathering t shirt. but really, when you see somebody reading D. steele or j. grisham on the bus or whatever what does that tell you about that person? do you do all your book shopping in the fuck*ng airport?

I hear you. I had to take the jacket off of Gardens of the Moon because I didn't want to be seen with anything that trite looking.

I get the same feeling whenever I read something that's too popular or has won a major award. As if people are staring at me thinking, "he's only reading that because it's on the Booker Prize shortlist. How original."

Of course I had no problem carrying the Liberty Meadows book around for a day or two so I guess my geek threshold is variable.
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jough

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The Dark Tower
« Reply #19 on: October 19, 2004, 07:29:41 pm »
So I guess I'm the only one who reads whatever the fuck he wants WHEREVER the fuck he wants?

Anyway, people who read Grisham anywhere are pretty much just saying "I don't really like to read books, but if I MUST read something I'm going to choose something that will not force me to consider any ideas that I did not have before reading this book."
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AugustWest

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« Reply #20 on: October 19, 2004, 08:10:50 pm »
Quote from: "jough"
So I guess I'm the only one who reads whatever the fuck he wants WHEREVER the fuck he wants?


Yes.  You are the only person in the whole entire world who does such a courageous and notable thing.  You god among men!
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wombat

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« Reply #21 on: October 19, 2004, 09:52:06 pm »
Quote from: "Asherdan"

Quote from: "wombat"
The first thing I ever read by Stephen King was a short story that I happened on in an anthology.

Sounds like you're describing 'The Mist'.  King seemed to take a perverse pleasure in these type of ambiguous endings.  Of course, they kinda fit in with the market he was trying to publish in, too.


This was not an 'ambiguous ending,' this was a total ripoff!  A complete breach of the contract between author and audience! 'Ambigious' means there's more than one way to interpret something.  This was just nothing with no way to interpret it!  No ending at all!  He just gave up and stopped writing!  It was WRONG and EVIL!

What I can't figure out is, what possessed anyone to publish such a thing?  Is there really a market for stories with endings worthy of the writing of a twelve year old?

As you can see, it made a deep and lasting impression on me.  I suppose that's what every author is striving for, but I don't think they usually want the impression to be 'I will never spend another dime of my money on this person's books!"
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If you're going to change your life then you have to change it every day, not just the days the world isn't taking a shit on you. -Doc

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« Reply #22 on: October 20, 2004, 01:07:44 am »
That sounds like a perfectly accurate analysis of the story as I remember.  And to me, that is just cheating and you should get to ask for your money back.  I admit that reasonable people could differ on this and given his success they obviously do.

The thing is that it wasn't just the fate of the characters we didn't get to know.  It was any explanation of the whole creepy phenomenon.   That seems wrong.  Maybe this is why I read murder mysteries now and not Stephen King.  I want answers, dammit, and I want them by the end of the book.
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What is this, the fuckin' Algonquin Round Table or some shit?  - Nabu

If you're going to change your life then you have to change it every day, not just the days the world isn't taking a shit on you. -Doc

Va

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The Dark Tower
« Reply #23 on: October 20, 2004, 04:48:29 pm »
Quote from: "jough"
So I guess I'm the only one who reads whatever the fuck he wants WHEREVER the fuck he wants?


Nope.
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sailor

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« Reply #24 on: October 21, 2004, 05:32:38 am »
Quote from: "Va"
Quote from: "jough"
So I guess I'm the only one who reads whatever the fuck he wants WHEREVER the fuck he wants?


Nope.


well, i did manage to tote around the da vinci code w/o too much shame, and thought it was pretty good, btw. this did not mean i didn't have to defend/expalin myself a few times to certain well-read friends.
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Pedro Picasso

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« Reply #25 on: October 25, 2004, 03:57:02 pm »
Quote from: "sailor"
well, i did manage to tote around the da vinci code w/o too much shame, and thought it was pretty good, btw. this did not mean i didn't have to defend/expalin myself a few times to certain well-read friends.


I would never attack you for reading something.  But you do get two on the shoulder for thinking Da Vinci Code was pretty good.  I've read worse, but not since I passed the eighth grade reading level.
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CortJstr

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« Reply #26 on: October 25, 2004, 04:31:25 pm »
Quote from: "Pedro Picasso"
Quote from: "sailor"
well, i did manage to tote around the da vinci code w/o too much shame, and thought it was pretty good, btw. this did not mean i didn't have to defend/expalin myself a few times to certain well-read friends.

I would never attack you for reading something.  But you do get two on the shoulder for thinking Da Vinci Code was pretty good.  I've read worse, but not since I passed the eighth grade reading level.

Da Vinci Code was a decent enough concept it just needed a skilled author. James Swain is the same way. He comes up with an interesting plot and interesting side-facts (if you're into casinos and cheating) but as a writer he blows.

I read his books anyway but the whole time I'm thinking, "I wonder what this would've been like if he gave the draft to a good author."
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