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The demon rape sequence seems so out of place and not needed, does anyone think it adds anything to the book?

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Camila
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Amanda Sweden Ugh this was the only part of the series that made me uncomfortable so far. Technically it wasn't rape since Suzannah grabbed the demon's attention with the intention of seducing it. It was consensual, just really unpleasant. Like in the first book...when Jake wandered into that ring, Roland had to encounter that female demon. To avoid sex with the demon in THIS book would be somewhat inconsistent given previous happenings. This being said...it was very uncomfortable to read, but that is who Stephen King is. He is a writer who does not believe in writing happy endings for the sake of pleasing his readers. Despite writing fiction, the results of his stories are realistic in the sense that there is no balance between good and bad in the world. Good is possible but so is bad and sometimes no matter what you do, a negative outcome occurs. Think about it...he kills children mercilessly in so many of his stories...to him rape, or pressured sex in this case is just another realistic negative thing that takes place in the real world, so to him it should exist in his books. He is a twisted individual which is why he is so successful as a writer.
István I myself was OK with the demon raping Susannah-sequence (but I'm very biased when it comes to the writings of Stephen King). It was quite intense but honestly what isn't in the Dark Tower-series? I've just finished reading Waste Lands so please don't write any spoilers about the sequels in your answers.
King's imagination is so unique that one can either love or hate his writing. I myself love it, so I accept everything he creates, especially in the DT. He thought it was essential, so I accept it. It wasn't even the ugliest, most horrifying thing he has ever written. And I have to add that I've always loved how King wrote about sex and/or erotica. There's - so far - not very much sex in the story, so I could have a little more even, but it's fine as it is. That's just my opinion of course.
Brian Can someone please mark this question as a spoiler. I was marking this book as currently reading and—BOOM—this crap.
Jordan Rock That was probably my least favorite part of the series thus far, especially out of the "action" scenes.
Saurio Saurio Well, more unnecesary is the annoying Oy. Really, I find it like the mascots of gangs of kids in Hanna-Barbera toons (Scooby Doo, the big walking shark, the talking buggy) or, I don't know, Pikachu.

I think the series doesn't need a Pikachu prancing around echoing whatever the other characters say in a "cute" talk.

The sex part? Fine with me. Weird, maybe, perhaps contradicting the first tome of the series, I don't know. Yes, I guess that the situation could have been handled in another way but maybe future books give us a reason of this gratuitous sexual encounter.
Camille Siddartha It was meant to be...to show what demons are really made of...greed...and how to trick them...and to get into the doorway...otherwise they would have had to fight a losing battle...
Pulse Old question, but this book struck me with its Stephen Kingisms. You have the rape ghosts and the psychic connections. It's so damn weird.
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by Stephen King (Goodreads Author)
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