King, Stephen - The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower #2) - Informal Buddy Read; Start December 3, 2014

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

This topic is open for discussion about The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King




Book synopsis:
In 1978, Stephen King introduced the world to the last gunslinger, Roland of Gilead. Nothing has been the same since. More than twenty years later, the quest for the Dark Tower continues to take readers on a wildly epic ride. Through parallel worlds and across time, Roland must brave desolate wastelands and endless deserts, drifting into the unimaginable and the familiar. A classic tale of colossal scope—crossing over terrain from The Stand, The Eyes of the Dragon, Insomnia, The Talisman, Black House, Hearts in Atlantis, ’Salem’s Lot, and other familiar King haunts—the adventure takes hold with the turn of each page.

And the tower awaits....

The Second Volume in the Epic Dark Tower Series…

The Drawing of the Three

While pursuing his quest for the Dark Tower through a world that is a nightmarishly distorted mirror image of our own, Roland is drawn through a mysterious door that brings him into contemporary America.

Here he links forces with the defiant young Eddie Dean, and with the beautiful, brilliant, and brave Odetta Holmes, in a savage struggle against underworld evil and otherworldly enemies.

Once again, Stephen King has masterfully interwoven dark, evocative fantasy and icy realism.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Reserved

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Reserved

[Greta]

Thank you, I'm in for this!!

[Steven]

Mods, I have a question about this one... I couldn't wait and went ahead and read this before I knew there was going to be a buddy read. My finish date is 13 November 2014, within the Tower Teams challenge timeframe... if I discuss it, do I get the buddy read points?

[Anita Reads]

Yay. I reserved it at the library and should be able to get it on Monday I think, maybe Tuesday.

[Sarah]

Steven, yes you will.

[Steven]

Awesome, thanks! I have loads more interest in discussing this one bc it was way better than book one!

[Sarah]

I have started the third book, but so far The Drawing of the Three was the best.

[Ange]

Im in for this too.

[Jonathan]

Woo - Hoo! I am glad to be here.

Dee-a-Chum?

[Elena]

So glad you're doing this! I read The Gunslinger a couple of months ago and was hoping to join for this one. Read it once before many years ago and remember loving it. Can't wait to do it again!

[Vicki]

I've started this on Audible but will wait until Dec to really get listening time in.

[Jonathan]

How many times have all of you read this series?

[Greta]

This is my first time.

[Vicki]

Never went past the Gunslinger before.

[RachelvlehcaR]

I am in!

[Wishbear]

I'm in

[Steven]

Jonathan wrote: "How many times have all of you read this series?"

My first time

[Steven]

Excited for everyone to read this one. It was so much better than the first one... :)

I really like the new characters that were introduced, and am totally looking forward to how the story progresses going into book three.

Jonathan, those lobstrosities were creepy as heck!

[Jonathan]

I am fond of Eddie, I think you will like him too

[Jonathan]

“Dad-a-chum? Dum-a-chum? Ded-a-chek? Did-a-chick?”

[Cynthia]

This will be my 2nd time through the series, but I've never read it with other people before this.

[Alanna]

Hoping joining a discussion will help encourage me to finally finish this one. Does it speed up a bit after the airplane scene near the beginning?

[Jonathan]

Yeah. You just have to keep plowing on. It definitely picks up a lot.

I had the same problem with the fourth book.

[Allison Ann]

I read the first three a long time ago then stopped. I disliked The Gunslinger MORE this time around, so I'm hoping that won't happen with The Drawing of the Three. I remember liking it best back in the day.

[Cynthia]

I definitely have to be in the right head space to read this series. It's so unlike most of my other reading. I love it, though. Even plodding through the slow parts!

[Jonathan]

Me too. i had to take several breaks from the fourth book. It's hard to plow through it all in one week.

[Steven]

So, I read this right after Gunslinger but still want to discuss it before I move on to book three.

What a ride. SO very different from book one. New and intriguing characters. Better storytelling -- more like King but still different from his normal stuff. And creepy lobstrosities! :)

[Anita Reads]

I'm ready to start this, tomorrow.

[Jonathan]

Steven wrote: "So, I read this right after Gunslinger but still want to discuss it before I move on to book three..."

I don't know how you do it Steven, the fourth book took me over a month to get through.

[Steven]

Well, this one was way easier to tear through because it was actually entertaining and the characters somewhat relatable. Book one, which was really short, took longer because it's ridiculously boring to me. LOL

[Jonathan]

I can understand that. I think all of the mid-world speech killed it for me. I would start to daydream during some of the flashbacks. Not all of it was boring but some scenes where hard for me.

I know some people love the fourth book but it is not my favorite at all. The second and third are my favorite so far.

[Ghost in the Stacks]

I am in, totally missed the sign up, better late then never...

[Steven]

It's a "your own pace" thing anyways. I read it two weeks ago lol. Just discussing now before moving on to book three

[Jonathan]

Yeah. Some will take a few months and some will take a few weeks to finish one Dark Tower book. It depends on what level you are comfortable with. If you try to cram in too much in one week then it will burn you out. My advice is to read as much that is fun to you.

[Justin]

Roland's modern day interactions were great in this one. The writing was definitely back to what we are used to from Stephen King, too.

The books only get longer which isn't surprising since it seems like he dropped his editor at some point in his career I would say definitely read at a good pace and don't go too crazy trying to read through the books.

The fourth book is my favorite. It's not just the best of the series, it's one of King's best novels in my opinion.

[Ange]

Just started this today but not sure how far I will get this week as I have another book I want to get finished first.

6% in (view spoiler)[ I was surprised to see Roland's gun fingers get eaten, definitely not a direction I would have seen coming. (hide spoiler)] Those lobostrosities are definitely creepy. Im guessing its not the last we will see them either.

[Steven]

I didn't see your spoiler coming either, Ange. Wonder how that's going to affect him in future books, ya know???

[Cynthia]

I'm so ready to get back to this book. I was just picking it up when I started listening to on a long drive. It's killing me to finish it, but I wasted my free audible credit on it so I'm not giving up yet.

Hopefully back to dum-a-chum this weekend.

[Greta]

I hope to get started with this tomorrow...why do all my buddy reads seem to happen right at the beginning of the month?!?!

[[deleted user]]

Greta wrote: "I hope to get started with this tomorrow...why do all my buddy reads seem to happen right at the beginning of the month?!?!"

LOL mine too! I swear I will get to this one. But good god...I am struggling to keep up at the moment.

[Anita Reads]

I'm about 1/3 into this book now. I really like how the pace of this one goes (view spoiler)[It's really interesting the way the gunslinger can think for the junkie. What's supposedly going to happen next is that the Gunslinger will go back with Eddie to help him with Balazar. (hide spoiler)]. I definitely like this book a lot better than the first one.

[Steven]

Yeah, Anita, I loved it... and hated the first one!

[[deleted user]]

lol I don't get all the hate for The Gunslinger. I thought it was pretty awesome.

[Jonathan]

It is probably because Roland was a single minded jerk. It is hard for most to relate to any of the characters.

[Cynthia]

Taryn wrote: "lol I don't get all the hate for The Gunslinger. I thought it was pretty awesome."

I did, too. But I'm a spaghetti western kind of girl, and throw a little SF in and it only gets better.

[[deleted user]]

I think I'm just a big fan of anti-heroes because they cut through the bullshit and do what they think they have to do. Whether it's right or not well....life's complicated. Especially in a fantasy world lol

[Ange]

I didnt dislike Roland in the first book but I didnt think he was that interesting and I think that stems more from King's writing style in the first book. The second book is a lot easier to read, with better character development in my opinion.

[Greta]

Ange wrote: "Just started this today but not sure how far I will get this week as I have another book I want to get finished first.

6% in [spoilers removed] Those lobostrosities are definitely creepy. Im gu..."

I thought for sure that was going to be a dream...(view spoiler)[ it seems like it will limit him greatly in the future. I had a hard time visualizing those things so I enjoyed those pictures! (hide spoiler)]