The Gunslinger By Stephen King

The Book: The Gunslinger, Dark Tower Series Book #1

The Author: The Grand Master, His Lordship Stephen King

The Publisher: Signet, 2003 (first published in 1983)

The Acquiring: Bought at Chapters for regular price for a mass paper copy, 9.99$

My Thoughts: I could not put this book down. I kept telling myself, just one more chapter, just one more chapter, just one more chapter (or rather sub-chapter). Then three hours later I was still reading.

After I finished reading The Gunslinger, I mentally beat myself up for not picking up this series before now. I know many people claim all kinds of different books as Harry Potter for adults and they just never measure up but this is the true Harry Potter for adults. Actually, it is more like Harry Potter is the Dark Tower Series for the youngins.

This is the first book I have read in the series. I am a self proclaim Stephen King addict and yes, I had never read the Dark Tower Series  I always thought that I would one day find it as a complete box set and begin that way. Well, it doesn’t seem like that day is ever coming because I have never found it as a box set so I slowly came  to the realization that I just had to accept it will never be in a box.  It was published in the 80s so …. yeah I’m going to have to settle for buying the same cover series.

 

I must confess it would pain me to give Stephen King anything less that 5 stars. I first read Pet Sematary as an 11 year old and I have loved everything about his novels ever since. If I had to chose only one author to read  for the rest of my life… and I am really being honest with myself… I would chose Stephen King.

The only thing I dislike about this book is that fact that I will never be able to read it again for the first time…

The Lowdown: The book is so odd and weird ... and fantastic that I’m not even sure I can give it an accurate lowdown. It’s basically the story of The Gunslinger is the last of his kind in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world. The Gunslinger has sets out in pursuit of “The Man in Black”, who is apparently some sort of wizard, across what appears to be post apocalyptic Mid-West of the United States. The why kind of gradually gets explained through the book. We also get glimpses of the Gunslinger’s upbring and life prior to this pursuit when there was more than just him. He chases the Man in Black through the deserts and towns, where we meet a variety of different characters like a woman named Alice and a small boy named Jake… gawd I loved Jake…. I can’t give you more than that without giving away the story. You need to read this book.

The Goodreads Rating: I gave it 5 stars… it was everything I’ve ever wanted in a book.