Dark Tower #5- Wolves of the Calla - Feb 2018

[Jerry]

Clearly, if King had dwelt on Blaine much more than he did, this book (or was that Wizard and Glass?) might have been Roont.

[Jerry]

Weird ... I thought I posted a comment here, but it appears to be gone. Or maybe just "Roont"(!)

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

I REALLY liked King's OWN narration in Needful Things but then again, 'Needful Things' is in my Top 5 King Books Ever List so it is a biased opinion...but if you have a free Audible book credit, I would give this one a 'read'...

OH, RIZA! Man, I LOVED DT5 so very much that I am jealous of anyone getting to read it for the 1st time...--Jen from Quebec :0)

[Linda]

I really liked it. So much so that I don't want it to end.

[mrbooks]

The plates are out and good old Susannah is going to be learning to toss a plate a for special blue. Meanwhile Mia and the chap are getting really hungry.

[Tammira]

I've just begun the final act/part of this book and i'm terrified of the wolves coming...22 days left...

and yes, mr.brooks i'm even more terrified of Mia's chap. WotC has been favorite book of the series other than the Wastelands so far. For me, this is the current standing but i've enjoyed them all

1. The Wastelands
2. Wolves of the Calla
3. Drawing of the Three
4. Wizard and Glass
5. The Gunslinger

[Nick]

I'm starting to think I should shortcut some of my other readings and concentrate on Wolves since I remember liking it so much the first time I read it. We'll see.

[mrbooks]

I did Nick, I cut out two books so I could finish Wolves of the Calla mind you with the size of the wolves I had to LOL.

[Tammira]

The delicate and introspective way S.K. continually touches on the loss of Jake’s childhood is so moving. He really comes of age and steps into his ka of being a gunslinger in this book. So many times we forget how young he is and then we’re reminded in scenes where he gets be an adolescent boy again for brief moments.

[mrbooks]

Tammira wrote: "The delicate and introspective way S.K. continually touches on the loss of Jake’s childhood is so moving. He really comes of age and steps into his ka of being a gunslinger in this book. So many ti..."

You are right Tammira he gets to be a boy, but even when being a boy he can't forget his training he is still seeing even when he isn't looking. He is a boy but he is what he was always destined to be a gunslinger.

[Nick]

Tammira wrote: "The delicate and introspective way S.K. continually touches on the loss of Jake’s childhood is so moving. He really comes of age and steps into his ka of being a gunslinger in this book. So many ti..."

Nice observation Tammira.

[Nancy]

I am starting this one tonight. I know, I am behind.

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "I am starting this one tonight. I know, I am behind."

I'm about 1/3 of the way through and really enjoying it. I only read at night before I go to bed for an hour or so... but it's amazing how I look forward to reading this. Looking forward to discussing the book here. So far no big surprises, but a great story including Fr. Callahan's account of what happened to him after leaving Salem's Lot.

[Nancy]

I do the same thing Nick. I only read in the evenings unless we are on a trip like a long car ride or airplane.

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "I do the same thing Nick. I only read in the evenings unless we are on a trip like a long car ride or airplane."

Right I have the audiobooks for trips or just driving around. I usually have a different book going on audio, but I have used both together and that really moves the read along.

[Nancy]

I just can’t do audiobooks. So I am the passenger on those long car rides! LOL

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "I just can’t do audiobooks. So I am the passenger on those long car rides! LOL"

Got it... so you read on the ride. Not everyone can read and ride. It makes me sick. So, in that case, you're lucky.

[Nancy]

Yep, I can read in the car.

[mrbooks]

I can read and ride, the only problem is I am the driver and it has a tendency to distract me.

[Nancy]

mrbooks wrote: "I can read and ride, the only problem is I am the driver and it has a tendency to distract me."

Bwahahahaha

[mrbooks]

Oh no, no, no I can't listen to Sai King on audio book. I don't listen to his works in the car as I don't have a modern car with internet. I am limited on my download so I won't listen to him on my phone. That just leaves work and with his not so delicate choice of words it is a no no at work as well.

[Nancy]

So, I have read the Wolves of the Calla twice already. But this is my first re-read of all the books since I read the final book. I just got to ch 1 of part 2 and (view spoiler)[ Eddie says he realized he didn’t need to ask how to shorten the stirrups. Once he saw the stirrup flipped revealing the leather tug, he knew how to do it, He understood how everything worked . Just like the first time he strapped on Roland’s guns. Then he goes on and talks about Jake asking for a poncho for Oy, as if he’s done it thousands of times before. That gave me a ‘whoa’ moment and it felt like a hint to the end of the series. I never thought much about it during my other re-reads since I didn’t know how it ended. (hide spoiler)]

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "So, I have read the Wolves of the Calla twice already. But this is my first re-read of all the books since I read the final book. I just got to ch 1 of part 2 and [spoilers removed]"

Great insight Nancy... of course King maintained all along that as he was writing it he had no idea how the series would end... wouldn't even tell people who were terminally ill who asked him. But if you're right... some part of him must have known something.

[Murray]

Just started the Wolves of the Calla tonight, i'm in the prologue and I'm digging the magnificent seven vibe. I think this might be fun.

[Nancy]

So this was interesting (Callahan’s story and Ben etc) (view spoiler)[So at the end of ‘Salem’s Lot, Ben and the boy leave Mexico to go back to The Lot and kill the vampires (this is in the epilogue) but Callahan went to Mexico and it was Ben’s funeral. So they went back to Mexico? That to me, isn’t really adding to Ben’s story. (hide spoiler)]

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "So this was interesting (Callahan’s story and Ben etc) [spoilers removed]"

Where is that... I don't even remember it. I'm about 2/3 through. You're obviously reading much faster than I am.

[Nancy]

I am on Part Three The Woves now. I will check which ch that was in and post it.

[Nancy]

It’s in Part Two Telling Tales at the end of Ch 19. (view spoiler)[Callahan says that Black 13 took him todash to Los Zapatos, Mexico. It was a funeral. The writer’s funeral. The boy was in his young manhood. From that And the way he spoke of Ben - “There was a time when I thought 59 was old” is how he began his eulogy...

Obviously when I read this book the other two times, it had been a loooong time since I read ‘Salem’s Lot so I forgot about the epilogue. So it is disappointing to hear they went back to Mexico and no info on how it their trip back to The Lot went and if they destroyed the vampires there. (hide spoiler)]

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "It’s in Part Two Telling Tales at the end of Ch 19. Callahan says that Black 13 took him todash to Los Zapatos, Mexico. It was a funeral. The writer’s funeral. The boy was in his young manhood. Fro..."

Thanks, I haven't quite gotten there yet... standby.

[Nancy]

I was at 70% last night, so you should be close.

[Nancy]

Five more days until the wolves come...

[mrbooks]

I can hear the distant rumble of the hooves...

[Nancy]

I finished last night.

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "I finished last night."

Oh oh... I'm way behind. Just getting into Part Three... doing too many other things, like writing. BTW: Nice little preview of 11/22/63 in this book that was published in 2003.

[Nancy]

Nick wrote: " BTW: Nice little preview of 11/22/63 in this book that was..."

I picked up on that as well!

According to Wikipedia, King says he got the idea for 11/22/63 in 1971.

Every time we read these books we find new Easter Eggs!

[Nancy]

Michael wrote: "Nancy wrote: "According to Wikipedia, King says he got the idea for 11/22/63 in 1971."

Good thing he didn't get it in 1961. Then we'd have a whole new conspiracy theory."

Bwahahahahaha

[mrbooks]

It's a good thing he didn't get it in 61 if he did he would have been a time traveler indeed

[Nick]

Still haven't quite gotten to the wolves, but I have to admire King's ability to build tension. The business about Roland lying to the people of the Calla - we know he's doing it but they definitely don't - really has me trying to figure out what the plan is and who the wolves really are... I'll find out tonight, I know.

[mrbooks]

He is having a howling time playing the town folks Andy is not going to be happy about it either.

[Murray]

I agree Nick,we must be about the same part Roland has had his talk to the people of the Calla. I think this might be my favorite book of the series.

[mrbooks]

it is Jake and Benny are my favorites.

[Nick]

Ben wrote: "mrbooks wrote: "it is Jake and Benny are my favorites."

Oy might take offense to that."

I think Oy is a great character... a great creation. King wanted to create his own world and now he's even creating new animals. Great!!

[Jerry]

I loved King's Wolves of the "Cow-a" even though, disappointingly, there were no cows.

[Murray]

Oy is great,he helps break some the tension in the stories.

[Murray]

I just finished reading the wolves, wow what a great read. It has now became my favorite of the dark tower series. To me it was like the magnificent seven meets the twilight zone.

[Nick]

Finished last night at 13:30 AM. Great book. But I'm surprised that no one has commented on the uniqueness of the ending. King (famous for his bad endings) has done something I don't think any other author in all the multiple universes has done before (view spoiler)[he's put one of his other books into this novel and had one of the characters (who is in both books) comment on the first book, it's very existence, and it's possible effect on the story. (hide spoiler)] Pretty amazing feat! And, with such skillful chapter-ending cliffhangers, I can't wait to get into the next novel in the series and see how it pans out.

[Murray]

Yeah I can't wait to read the next book. I really enjoyed this one. I might have to give Salem's Lot another try, I've started it a couple of times but it always give me the creeps, so far it's the only King book I've read that really scared me, but reading Pere Callahan's story I want to read Salem's Lot.

[Nancy]

Nick wrote: "Finished last night at 13:30 AM. Great book. But I'm surprised that no one has commented on the uniqueness of the ending. King (famous for his bad endings) has done something I don't think any othe..."

Do you mean the reference to (view spoiler)[ ‘Salem’s Lot? I thought that was another instance that there are multiple universes. That they aren’t going back and forth between our world and Roland’s. They are going back and forth between multiple variations. Just like when they were in Kansas (Wizard and Glass) and the world was over from Captain Trips. But the universe they were in was not the same universe as The Stand. They had the Nozz Ala soda and the different brand of auto.

It was funny (ha ha) that Callahan was a fictional character in another universe and the story was supposedly fiction but his universe it was real and he is real. Talk about a mind blowing realization for Callahan. (hide spoiler)]

[Nick]

Ben wrote: "Nick wrote: "Finished last night at 13:30 AM. Great book. But I'm surprised that no one has commented on the uniqueness of the ending. King (famous for his bad endings) has done something I don't t..."

Mind-bending.

[Nick]

Nancy wrote: "Nick wrote: "Finished last night at 13:30 AM. Great book. But I'm surprised that no one has commented on the uniqueness of the ending. King (famous for his bad endings) has done something I don't t..."

I really caught the confusion and terror that gripped Callahan when he started to ask if he was real or not. But how about another universe where YOU are just a character in a book. I guess it would depend on the book. But for Callahan, he can't be too happy with the way he's portrayed in Salem's Lot, a totally alcoholic priest who loses his faith during a confrontation with a vampire.