MovieChat Forums > The Dark Tower (2017) Discussion > Book four sucks...

Book four sucks...

posted 9 years ago by brett_md
54 replies | jump to latest

...there, I said it.
We know what happens before the book even starts as it's explained in previous books. So dragging it out for several million pages just makes it painful. I gain little from Wizard and Glass, same goes for Wind Through the Keyhole (which was a fine story, but should have just been it's own book, minus the first 20 pages and the last 5 pages). These two books could be removed from the series and we would be left with a fast paced, action packed, mind blasting adventure.
I'm trying my best to leave spoilers out of this for new readers, but I skip book four on each read through now. My gf said the same about four. The whole time she was just waiting to get out of the world of four and move on to five. I suggested to her that she should skip 4.5 and just read it alone some day if she wants to. She skipped it.
Of course, this is just my opinion.

Side note. I'm fine with the casting so far. I'm confused about the characters though. Sayre and Tirana in the first movie (assuming there will be more than one)?? This leads me to believe that they are not planning on more than one. Sadface.

That's my ramble for now.

"Mother Father, Chinese Dentist!"

[–] rabidbeaver-17250 9 years ago

This movie is going to suck dead donkey balls even harder than the last three books suck.

[–] Herreken 9 years ago

It's all down hill from there. I stopped near the beginning of the last book. It seemed like King rushed it and was making it up as he went along. One day, I'll re-read the whole thing again and actually finish it.

DISPLAY thy breasts, my Julia!

[–] The_Shatner_Principle 9 years ago

I think one of the lessons to take away from the DT series is to "enjoy the journey". Book 4 is all about that. It does not move the tale forward at all (practically). In my opinion the whole journey IS the book, not the end. The end is just the underwhelming "spurt at the climax" (as King says)] to that effect

[–] wiseowl103 9 years ago

I generally agree with this, although I thought the showdown between Roland's (original) Ka-Tet and The Big Coffin Hunters was about as satisfying a climax as any Dark Tower novel. And actually, if you combine that with the Blaine sequence, I'd say there's quite a bit of pay-off in Wizard and Glass.

I like the idea that The Dark Tower is really all about "the journey", I think that's one of the reasons Song of Susannah worked so well for me. Seeing the characters deal with the separation, most of all Jake and Callahan - because they ended up in the wrong "when", and therefore the business in the Dixie Pig fell on their shoulders. I liked the pacing and the fantastic build-up at the end - Callahan giving Jake his Last Rites was a particularly effective moment, imo.

"Long days and pleasant nights!"

[–] The_Shatner_Principle 9 years ago

Good point! There are actually two climaxes in W&G! And in many ways the "endings" are more satisfying than the final book for sure.

[–] I_Guard_Tanelorn 9 years ago

I hated book 4. It's where I bailed on the series. I think I was 20 when it came out. I eagerly anticipated its arrival, especially after the cliffhanger of Wastelands, and this was probably the height of my reading fervor, voraciously devouring all sorts of exciting work. This novel was not what I was waiting for, and young me couldn't even remotely relate to it. I hate Wizard of Oz and was insulted he would tie into it. The resolution of Blaine was just terrible. And the way he wrapped up the rest of the story elements was simply terrible. I mean, you could virtually see King swinging a huge eraser through all that he set up so far so he could push forward with a clean slate.

Which isn't to say it was a bad book. And I don't think the series jumped the shark with this book. It's just where it lost me as a fan. I think the book is actually quite good, and some of King's best writing. It just bores me to tears. Lots of long running series have flashback novels, or put their main narrative on hold sometimes for a whole string of novels before finally, if ever, getting back on track. So I didn't find it particularly out of line. Though it was obvious King had no idea how to move the story forward and so decided to flesh out one he was familiar with. It's not a bad thing, but it's certainly a warning sign, I think.

The events of the flashback prove to be important for the quest, but since I didn't care a lick for where King too things later on the path to the Tower, it's meaningless to me, and I felt the story of the Gunsligner worked better as one of mystery than things spelled out. It's just baggage. That said, I quite adore what the comics did when they adapted all that origin story, and it's only in those pages that I appreciated it for what King intended. So that's my take on all that.

"I said no camels, that's five camels, can't you count?"

[–] Nux3000 9 years ago

Book four is easily my favorite. It's the only one I'll actually sit down and read on its own, without reading the entire series.

There. I said it.

[–] Sawyer_Lost 9 years ago

Book 3 and 4 have always been my favorites. Not just of the Dark Tower series but all of King's books. Unbelievable writing!

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - Carl Sagan

[–] resmat-1 9 years ago

I gain little from [...] Wind Through the Keyhole (which was a fine story, but should have just been it's own book, minus the first 20 pages and the last 5 pages).

I don't know about everybody else but I don't consider Wind Through the Keyhole part of the main numbered series, so it seems unfair to me that you're saying it ruins the pacing. Did you read it inbetween two of the numbered books?

[–] brett_md 8 years ago

I was just rereading the series again. I hadn't read WTtK before. I thought that I would read it after W&G as King suggests.
Since W&G bores me so much, I only went about a quarter of the way into it before deciding to move on. I wanted to get back to the main storyline. I then found (while reading it) that WTtK was yet another flashback book which has nothing to do with the quest for the tower.
That is two books back to back that took me out of the story, or at least the story that interests me.
After that, I had lost interest. I haven't moved forward with Wolves. W&G and WTtK just took me out of it.

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

While Wizard and Glass has not elevated itself to the top of my "favorite The Dark Tower novels" list, it has become an entry that I appreciate more as I slowly gain more wisdom.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .