Pros: Ending is satisfying, when King is good, he's very good. And he's good here.
Cons: Rough start, but don't give up if you've invested time in the series.
The Bottom Line: The Dark Tower series concludes with this final chapter. If you have followed the story, read it. If you haven't start at the beginning and work your way through.
lynnzop's Full Review: Stephen King - The Dark Tower
The ending is not perfect, but it's right.
After investing over 20 years of my life in the plot, places and people that make up the tale of Roland Deschain's quest for the Dark Tower, I've finally read the concluding chapter.
And, unlike some reviewers, I'm satisfied with the ending.
You see, I began my own quest for The Dark Tower in 1984, when I first read the "Also By Stephen King" page in Pet Sematary and much to my dismay, found a book listed that I'd never read, never even heard of. Being Constant Reader way back then, I searched and even wrote a letter to King, (answered by Stephanie Leonard, publisher of Castle Rock Newsletter) and finally picked up a used copy of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction which had an excerpt from The Gunslinger. Since that time, I have eagerly devoured every chapter of Roland's journey, rereading the novels until some have been reduced to tatters.
But I digress.
The last Dark Tower book, The Dark Tower VII (DT7), was released in 2004 and I received it for a Christmas present that year. I picked it up, I started it, I put it down. Several times. Part of the reason was that I felt the beginning of the book was slow and difficult to get into. Part of it was that I was starting several other projects and didn't have time to read. But the main reason for my reluctance to get going, to immerse myself back in Roland's world was simply this: I didn't want it to end. I didn't want the threads between all of King's different books to be concluded. I didn't want to know who would survive to see the final battle with the Crimson King and enter the Tower.
But I needed to know. And finally, the need to know became more urgent than not wanting to know, so I plodded through the first chapters, and soon fell back into the dialog and rhythm of the worlds of Roland Deschain, will it do ya?
Brief Plot Synopsis
Main characters are scattered between EndWorld and the United States…Susannah, having given birth to Mordred (the son of Roland, the Crimson King, and Mia) is rescued by Jake and Oy after they battle monsters at the Dixie Pig in New York City. Roland and Eddie travel to Maine to set up Tet Corporation and ensure the future of the Rose. They also pay a visit to writer Stephen King to “encourage” him to get back to writing their story.
When the ka-tet is one again, the four Gunslingers (plus Oy) travel along the Path of the Beam. Their intent is to stop the Breakers from destroying the last Beam that holds all worlds together, and finally, to destroy the Crimson King and culminate the journey that has consumed Roland from the beginning of the series. Along the way, they are followed by Mordred, intent upon killing his White Father (Roland) and the rest of the ka-tet, and meet additional characters from King’s other works.
I won't go into more detail, if you have followed the story, you won't need them and they are available on other reviews. Suffice to say that King ties up loose ends, including why he wrote himself into the series, why so many of his books have the same themes and characters interwoven, who lives, who dies, and are there other worlds than this, Gunslinger?
If you as Constant Reader, are expecting a happy ending to the story, I'll ask ye, what are ye thinking? King doesn't write happy endings. He writes good endings (well, except for Tommyknockers, and I'm not reviewing that monstrosity here ;-)) There is no happy ending, unless you stop at the point that you are told to stop if you want a happy ending. For the sake of your father, don't do it. That ending doesn't work. Those who have read to the end and "wished they hadn't" can go cry their babby tears elsewhere...this is gritty, this is real, this is the world of the Gunslinger. Buck up and read to the last page.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that this final novel put me through the emotional ringer, but I’ve invested over 20 years into this story. Yes, I know King kills off his characters. "That's what he does" a non-King fan friend of mine (who I will probably never convert) stated. There was one point that I had to take off my glasses (I didn't have to wear those when I started this series!) and stop reading because I was sobbing so hard that I literally could not see.
Yet when it was all said and done, when the last page had been turned, when the last line had been read, I was satisfied. A few hours after finishing the novel, I went back and reread the last chapter, smiling to myself as I did so. It was right.
If you have not read the entire Dark Tower series, don't bother picking up this last installment unless you are doing so to read at a later date. The novel does not stand on its own. The Dark Tower series does, however...don't feel that you need to read every Stephen King novel or story that ties into it (there are dozens), but you may be drawn to do so after finishing the series. ;-)
Bottom line...if you've been following the series, you need to read DT7. If you haven't, while this isn't a good place to start, it's the right time to start...you know King isn't going to kick off before it's all over.
Creating "true narrative magic" (The Washington Post) at every revelatory turn, Stephen King surpasses all expectation in the stunning final volume of...More at HotBookSale
Perhaps the most anticipated book in King s legendary career, the final volume in the New York Times bestselling Dark Tower epic is breathtakingly ima...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.