by Phil Mcdonald

Created on: November 21, 2009

Many authors have embarked on what they see as their ultimate works, usually in the form of a lengthy tale, a saga of epic and memorable proportions. One of the most renowned authors in the literary world, who usually writes in the field of horror, is Stephen King, and for many years he plotted his ultimate works, which we now know as The Dark Tower. Publication of these works was completed in 2004, as the seventh episode was published, but for us, it started in 1982 with the limited edition copy of the first book in the series: The Gunslinger.

Upon release of the mass market paperback of The Gunslinger in 1988, King's works started an immediate cult following. The book had experienced a hubbub of interest throughout the middle part of the 80s, but is considered to be a bit of an anti-climactic start of what turns out to be a fantastic series of books. The Gunslinger first introduces us to Roland of Gilead, the gunslinger of the title, and we soon learn of quest to reach the Dark Tower. As part of his overall quest, which is further explained in the later books, Roland is pursuing a character known only as The Man In Black across a desert, ever in the distance, following his trail as he trecks past a Way Station and the sinister town of Tull.

It is important to be careful when reading this book, and allow yourself to just accept what is being presented to you. If you start expecting a conclusion and an explanation to the events in this book, then you will most likely be disappointed at the conclusion. It must be noted that the book is the first in a carefully plotted and very long saga, and as a result it must be treated as such.

As we follow Roland's path across the desert, in harrowing conditions, excellently explained and detailed by King, we get a true feel of the character before us: a determined man, the last gunslinger. To give us a picture of the man, he is likely a cross between Clint Eastwood's The Man With No Name, and Viggo Mortenson's portrayal of Tolkien's Aragorn. And indeed, it is important to note where King's inspiration for writing the series comes from. A foreword in the more recent updated version of The Gunslinger explains how a young Stephen King was so enamoured with Tolkien's Middle Earth saga in The Lord of the Rings, that he wanted to write his signature saga almost immediately. The patient side of him held back for a number of years, waiting for maturity and a clear mind from Tolkien before doing so.

The result seems to project patience

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