Stephen King Fans discussion
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Wizard and Glass
Dark Tower Buddy Read 2017-18
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Dark Tower #4- Wizard & Glass Dec 2017
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Chris , The Hardcase
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rated it 5 stars
Dec 22, 2017 07:55AM
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I'm in on this whenever it gets going. Not sure I'll give it a detailed 5th read. But I'm sticking with my story that it is simply King's best work.
Let the fun begin i'm 200 pages in
BTW: I also went on record as saying that parts of this are among King's worst. Best and worst in one book, how can you go wrong?
I wish I was as good as his worst LOL
I'm almost finished with this one and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This one is on my 2018 list to read and I hope I will enjoy as much as the wastelands
I’m sorry to be so far behind. I hope to catch up soon.
Rhea of the Coos is chillingly depicted and I fell in love with this story of the town of Hambry and Roland's time there. "Bird and bear and hare and fish, Give my love her fondest wish"
Kellie wrote: "I’m sorry to be so far behind. I hope to catch up soon."Don’t worry, I am behind as well.
Nancy wrote: "Kellie wrote: "I’m sorry to be so far behind. I hope to catch up soon."Don’t worry, I am behind as well."
Thanks Nancy!
I’m starting this today.
I found a boo boo in Wizard ad Glass. In Ch 5 Welcome To Town in Part 2 Susan: Roland tells Cuthbert to get rid of the bird skull that is on his saddle’s horn. Cuthbert stuffs the skull into his saddle bag. When they are leaving the Sheriff and getting on their horses the skull is back on the saddle horn!
I am at page 600 and I realized why I gave this 3 stars the last time I read it in 2012. This whole section on Susan is soooooo long. It’s kilking me.
Nancy I agree!! I enjoyed most of W&G but really for the other characters we come to know such as Rhea, Eldred, Sheemie, the Thorin family. While their love story was sweet and suspenseful enough I was more interested in the progress of Good Man and the thinny. And Roland’s first mission as a young gunslinger. I feel like W&G and The Wind Through the Keyhole are the intermission novels of the series. They allow you to savor the series and tAke peeks into Roland’s complicated past but it’s def a major detour from the ka-tet’s current journey to the Tower.
It only gets interesting at the end when Roland gets the glam. Surely we could have gotten here quicker.
But this is where Roland tells His newest Ka-tet of his past information they need to know bout his first Ka-tet. It explains his feelings and his one and only love Susan Delgado.
But it’s soooooooooooooooooooooo long.Also why did we have to re-read parts of The Waste Lands and the ending to The Waste Lands?
I do not remember being this irritated the first three times reading these. LOL
Yes it is long but a life as long as Roland's can't be counted in pages. I hear you on how it can be irritating,, more so because you have already read it once through and feel this information is unnecessary to the story. Think back to your first read when Susan and Roland or should I say Will Dearborn are first meeting did it seem so long then? or d it seem to fly by with hardly a thought o a blink of the eye?
I can’t remember back to 1997.
I frankly loved that part of the book. I did find it a bit long but I felt it went a long way to explaining Roland.
When I first read this, it was definitely jarring. We’re cruising along on a well-established plot and then, hey, let’s randomly break for a really extended flashback that seemingly has nothing to do with what’s going on! I think it goes a long way toward humanizing Roland and on later reads W&G became my favorite in the series, but on first reading there was a lot of WTF in my reaction. And to be fair, I mostly love this book because I absolutely adore Cuthbert. He’s one of my favorite characters of all time and if weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have enjoyed W&G even half as much.
This story tells so much about Roland's character and his underlying sadness that it had to be told. Coming into it I knew we were going to get an epoch tragedy that explained Roland's attitude toward everything. I didn't think King could deliver a story powerful enough to explain the man that Roland had become. And then the Will/Susan story hit like an earthquake... okay a long earthquake but what could be worse. I've never been so terrified, concerned, frantic, and finally heartbroken before or since. King delivered more than I ever thought he could. I'll never sell him short again.
It seems a lot of people under estimate Kings books. I have learned to never take anything he writes for granted Sai King is the master of surprise.
mrbooks wrote: "It seems a lot of people under estimate Kings books. I have learned to never take anything he writes for granted Sai King is the master of surprise."Amazingly unpredictable. and those ominous forebodings that predict the tragidies to come (often on the very next page), they are so unexpected that I often deny them. "It was the last time he'd ever see her alive." And I'm: "No! That can't be happening."
I hear you King is a master at dropping an emotional bomb on you. Most people don't see it as he is a horror writer how could he be the master of the emotional bomb. The again most people I talk to about books don't even realize the Sai King wrote the Green mile. Even worse, I mention Rita Heyworth and the Shawshank redemption and the give me a strange look. Until I mention the Shawshank redemption then they say I love that movie but they don't realize Stephen King wrote the Story.
Nick wrote: "mrbooks wrote: "It seems a lot of people under estimate Kings books. I have learned to never take anything he writes for granted Sai King is the master of surprise."Amazingly unpredictable. and t..."
I know! He does that foreboding very well.
mrbooks wrote: "I hear you King is a master at dropping an emotional bomb on you. Most people don't see it as he is a horror writer how could he be the master of the emotional bomb. The again most people I talk to..."That’s always a problem. People assume he only writes horror. Some of his best Books and stories aren’t horror or the horror is just small piece of the story.
Nancy wrote: "mrbooks wrote: "I hear you King is a master at dropping an emotional bomb on you. Most people don't see it as he is a horror writer how could he be the master of the emotional bomb. The again most ..."I think of King like I think of J. K. Rowling: they're not very good technical writers (sweet bippity, get them an editor with cajones enough to make some cuts!) but they tell a great story. Some writers can do both, some writers can only do one, and King tells damn good story.
King and J.K. Rowling both have enough cajones to tell editors to leave there works alone. Cuts ruin the story, they have both proven themselves in there ability to write a story that will hold you. So there is occasionally some extra material that is not prevalent to the story, but does it hurt or detract from the story? I don't think so well not in my eyes anyway LOL.
mrbooks wrote: "King and J.K. Rowling both have enough cajones to tell editors to leave there works alone. Cuts ruin the story, they have both proven themselves in there ability to write a story that will hold you..."Eh, I love me some Uncle Steve, but even he admits he has diarrhea of the word processor. And it’s a pretty common opinion that his endings can be...well, “shits the bed” is the phrase that comes to mind. I still enjoy and read their work, but like all writers I think there’s definitely room for improvement.
Summer wrote: "When I first read this, it was definitely jarring. We’re cruising along on a well-established plot and then, hey, let’s randomly break for a really extended flashback that seemingly has nothing to ..."I agree completely, Summer. I thoroughly enjoyed the backstory to Roland. It had everything: adventure, romance, suspense, horror, and great characters. It was much needed for the mysterious Roland and definitely humanized him a lot. But there were several times where I thought this portion was dragging on and I got annoyed because I wanted to get back to the main story. I just wanted to get to the Tower already! And I was again annoyed when I picked up The Wind Through the Keyhole and realized it was another flashback! It was definitely jarring at the time and took me out of the main story, but I am grateful that we got that awesome insight into Roland's past.
Summer wrote: "When I first read this, it was definitely jarring. We’re cruising along on a well-established plot and then, hey, let’s randomly break for a really extended flashback that seemingly has nothing to ..."When I first read it I was not a fan on this book because I wanted then to just get to the tower already! But on my second read through this one became one of my favorite books of all time. Rhea is written so well as the wicked witch, such a horrid, despicable character! And we finally get to know Cuthbert and he is wonderful.
Hi!! New to the group and discussion. I've been making my way through the Dark Tower series again. I'm about 1/2 through Wizard, and loving being back in this world. I'll try to keep up with everyone, but have recently joined a local book club and am diverted for that book. But I'll be back soon :)I'm enjoying reading the story of Susan again. I had forgotten far too much of this. Rhea is a great witch, and quite chilling.
Just finished my third read of this book - read it for the first time in 2000 and a second time right before WofC came out. I forgot about 90% of what happens, so it was great to read it again. Like, I forgot how much I loved Sheemie, how much I hated Rhea, how much the grapefruit messed things up, how much Roland messed things up, etc. Still love this book, and didn't feel like a second of it was superfluous. Obviously, doesn't have quite the emotional impact of the first time,
Rebecca wrote: "Hi!! New to the group and discussion. I've been making my way through the Dark Tower series again. I'm about 1/2 through Wizard, and loving being back in this world. I'll try to keep up with everyo..."I think Roland would call Rhea of Coos something more then just a witch. More like an interfering meddling witch with the w replaced by a B.
One thing about the last part, after the Kansas story resumes that I didn't care for was (view spoiler) Curious on others' thoughts.
Are you folks going to read Dark Tower 4.5, Wind through the Keyhole?
Does anyone mind if I set up a thread for Wind Through the Keyhole? January is almost over.
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Hey Nancy. I went ahead and set it up. Also set up one for Wolves of the Calla while I was at it.
Sorry for the delay, guys.
No problem! I was going to do both books as well!
I'm so far behind in this series! I just finished this book today. Wow. I loved it. I'm disappointed that I had to leave Eddie and the ka-tet, but the back story was amazing, It certainly showed why Roland is the way he is. He has hardened after all the trauma. (view spoiler)
Tracy wrote: "I'm so far behind in this series! I just finished this book today. Wow. I loved it. I'm disappointed that I had to leave Eddie and the ka-tet, but the back story was amazing, It certainly showed wh..."Hell, I haven't gotten over it yet.
Chris wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Does anyone mind if I set up a thread for Wind Through the Keyhole? January is almost over."Hey Nancy. I went ahead and set it up. Also set up one for Wolves of the Calla while I wa..."
I was wondering how to get to the discussion fo Wolves of the Calla. Really enjoying it but can't find the thread again.
It's almost Halloween. I should be reading Halloween books but this is the book that has really drawn my interest back into the Dark Tower series. Absolutely loved it. At least I have Rhea this Halloween and Frank Mueller doing her voice.
Brandon wrote: "It's almost Halloween. I should be reading Halloween books but this is the book that has really drawn my interest back into the Dark Tower series. Absolutely loved it. At least I have Rhea this Hal..."I'm reading the final book but I keep remembering scenes from W & G now that Sheeme has shown up.
Nick wrote: "Brandon wrote: "It's almost Halloween. I should be reading Halloween books but this is the book that has really drawn my interest back into the Dark Tower series. Absolutely loved it. At least I ha..."I’m still behind and haven’t gotten to the last book.
Nancy wrote: "Nick wrote: "Brandon wrote: "It's almost Halloween. I should be reading Halloween books but this is the book that has really drawn my interest back into the Dark Tower series. Absolutely loved it. ..."Not sure anyone else is in on this read except you and me, Nancy... and I'm taking the last book very slowly. It's really long, but something I can just stay with and enjoy as all the details appear slowly.
