The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower #7)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss The Dark Tower by Stephen King, the seventh book of the The Dark Tower series.


Pages: 1050 pages


Length: 1 Month (July)


Participants: Trisha, Bailey, Alison, Alekhya .


Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

[Alekhya]

Hello everyone! Cheers to us all. This is the last installment of The Dark Tower.
I just went back and checked, I finished The Gunslinger on June 29 of last year. It has been a journey of either longs breaks or obsessive reading since then.
I'm glad to be here but also a little sad. Ever since I started the series I always had something to read even when I was too fickle-minded to choose my next read.
Hopefully, I'll continue with you guys and read The Talisman series!

[bailey, Challenges]

Excited and nervous to start the final book of the series. This may be on the back burner for me at the moment because my audiobook hold hasn’t come through yet unfortunately. So I may start The Talisman while I wait for The Dark Tower to be ready for me. I’m about 100 pages into #7 but it’s starting to drag so I definitely want to wait for that audiobook to give me the burst of energy needed to get back into it.

Alekhya, I definitely agree that it feels like a lot of long breaks and obsessive reading! I can feel the lulls in the story by my motivation to read versus pick up something different. Hoping you can join us for The Talisman, too!!

[bailey, Challenges]

I'm ~20% into this one and I am struggling. (view spoiler)[ The beginning felt so slow which--combined with my busy schedule--has me struggling to push forward. I did enjoy the scene where Mordred killed Walter finally. This seemed like a long time coming and it was great to see him get outsmarted once and for all. I kind of can't believe that he died so soon in this book though because it seemed like he was being built up to do more for the ending but I guess not. It was also nice to have this book link back to The Gunslinger and explain how Walter seemingly died then but actually didn't. And for him to mention how he thought he'd left Roland behind but then noticed him tailing him in that desert from so long ago. I just finished the chapter where Mordred murdered Walter and then lays down for a nap so we'll see how the story plays out. Hoping for the best for our beloved Ka-tet. 🤞 (hide spoiler)]

I was also wondering how people are feeling about reading The Dark Tower and The Talisman this month? Does it look like everyone (who wants to) will be able to finish both or should we extend The Talisman to encompass July and August and then do Black House in August and September? Then read Insomnia in October instead of September? Let me know what you think!! I'm going to try and keep on track with our original schedule but we'll see how my reading motivation goes this month!

[Alison]

Well, between traveling in June (so not able to start this early) to struggling to read this (is this hangover from reading the whole series back to back or just me or is the book slow in parts??), I am starting Part 4 today! My Thoughts below!

@Alekhya...Yes...the Final Book of this Series!! It is a bit bittersweet! Hope that you do continue onto The Talisman with us...we are a pretty good group to compare notes/comments!! :)

@Bailey...I should be finishing this book by Sunday but will need a light, fluffy palate cleanser before The Talisman (LOL...my husband says that it is un-put-downable but The Dark Tower 7 has been a struggle for me in parts ;) My palate cleanser should take a couple days so I will probably start The Talisman by mid to late next week! I am open to moving the Buddy Reads if you want to but I think I can stay on track like it is!! Let me know...I am open to anything! :)

My Thoughts on The Dark Tower so far:
Part 1: (view spoiler)[ Well, this started out with a BANG...Poor Pere Callahan (!!) however he saved Jake and OY! Those Vampires..Ugh...I do not like Vampires!! Then the book starts to get Slow in parts for me although I liked Susannah taking control and shooting everyone once Mordred is born! Jake navigates "the Mind Trap" (I didn't know he was scared of dinosaurs) and I liked when he and Oy switched places and Oy was trying to walk on 2 feet! Jake gets to the door behind which Susannah is waiting for him!
Mordred is half human/half spider! I, also, liked when he killed Walter...although can Walter ever truly die?! He seems to be able to come back to life although this death seems very real!! I also liked the link back to The Gunslinger, Bailey, and how he left human bones to fool Roland into thinking he was dead!

I liked Nigel and the way he twitched when he was lying...he was a bit of comic relief for me.

Chassit = Nineteen in High Speech...how clever is King to make up a language!

John Cullum is a great character and I liked Roland and Eddie planning with him to set up the Tet Corporation to protect the Rose! You know this happens because Susannah, in 1999 New York, was outside the tall skyscraper owned by the Tet Corporation but it was nice to read about the thoughts behind the formation of that corporation!

The Ka-Tet gets reunited by Roland and Eddie going through the Fedic Door! But I am scared for them...
(hide spoiler)]

General: (view spoiler)[ There are a lot of "Tets", "Tetes" words in this book and I get confused sometimes!! At one point in the book, I think while Stephen King is walking along the road towards his accident, he is thinking that he has a lot of foreign words in his books but the editor will just cut them....:) (hide spoiler)]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[ Interesting that there were a lot of Stephen King novels on the bookshelves in Nigel's study but NOT The Dark Tower books...it shows that King is struggling to write them??

The Ka-Tet go to Algul Siento to set the Breakers free/stop them from eroding the Beam of the Turtle/Bear. Ted Brantigan, Dinky...and Scheemie from Mejis (Roland's old friend...it is so so good to see him)!! I could have done without the long section on Ted's backstory...I have to admit that I skimmed most of that...but did pick out the parts that Ted is a Facilitator and enhances the telepaths as they work on the Beam. My husband tells me that Ted is in the book Hearts in Atlantis.

The Battle against the Breakers was a good part to read...And Eddie...OH NOOOO!! I am Sooo Sad!! Eddie leaves Jake with one last warning: to protect Roland/Susannah/Oy from Dandelo...what the heck is that?? I guess we will find out!! ;)
Poor Susannah in her grief...and the Ka-Tet is now Broken!!
Notice that Sheemie cut his foot on a piece of broken glass during the Battle and that "will lead to his death...Oh Discordia!"
(hide spoiler)]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[ Roland, Jake and Oy jump to 1999 to save the life of Stephen King, who, unbeknownst to him, is the guardian of the remaining Beam of Gan.

I liked how they go through Scheemie's opening right into the store where the shootout between Roland/Eddie and Andolini occurred! The store owner recognizes them and they take off in his truck with Mrs. Tassenbaum at the wheel (what a badass she is, unbeknownst to her!!:) to save King!

King does not write a good description of the Van driver that ultimate hits him! I wonder what the real van driver was like? **Edit: I looked it up and here is a link with a description of what happened...apparently the real van driver (name Bryan Smith) was distracted by his dogs while driving when he hit King...
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/...

OHHH NOOO...Jake!! I almost cried during this section while Roland was burying him in the woods and Oy was howling/laying by Jake's side...I was so sad!! I like that Mrs. Tassenbaum promised to come back to the grave and plant a rose!!

Mrs. Tassenbaum drives Roland to NY and Roland goes into the Tet building and meets with Moses Carver/his granddaughter/Nancy Depeneau, niece of Aaron Depeneau. The Tet Corporation was successfully formed and protects the Rose!! They tell Roland that both beams are healthy and his work in the matter of the Beams is done. Roland says that "the Beams were no more than a means to an end"...he wants to go to the Tower and climb it! I asked my husband why Roland wants the Tower so badly and he said that Roland promised so many people he would get to the Tower that it became his final goal....

Moses/his granddaughter/Nancy give Roland gifts...a watch and an envelope. The envelope is important because it contains the book Insomnia! Nancy says "Stephen King has written nearly 40 books...an amazing number of them touch on the Dark Tower in one way or another...if King ever wrote a keystone book, outside the Dark Tower series itself, this is the one (Insomnia)". They want Roland to read it...but he blows it off and gives the book to Mrs. Tassenbaum!! Arrrggghhh...I have a feeling that is going to be a big mistake for him in the latter half of this book!
(hide spoiler)]

[bailey, Challenges]

Alison wrote: "Well, between traveling in June (so not able to start this early) to struggling to read this (is this hangover from reading the whole series back to back or just me or is the book slow in parts??),..."

I can't believe your husband loves it so much that he can't put it down!! I am also really struggling to want to read this one and I can't decide if it's because of how we've read the series or just me not liking the content as much. I kind of feel like I'm going to be let down by this one if it keeps going the way it is. That's why I'm thinking I may not stay on track with this one LOL. Hopeful to though because I do have the audiobook now and it'll auto-return in 13 days.

Also, @Alison, has your husband read The Talisman already? Or will he be reading that along with us? Wondering what his thoughts are on it and whether it's a quick read or not (but I guess since we disagree on The Dark Tower he may not be the best point-of-reference for The Talisman either LOL.

[Alison]

Bailey ✰ wrote: "Alison wrote: "Well, between traveling in June (so not able to start this early) to struggling to read this (is this hangover from reading the whole series back to back or just me or is the book sl..."

Bailey...I went back and reread what I typed and realize that I misrepresented my husband! I was meaning to type that he could not put The Talisman down :):) He said that we will love it and I have read that reviews that say it is one of King's best books! He recently reread the Talisman so won't read along with us although in fact, he is, because I discuss the book as I read with him and he gives me feedback ;) He is going to read Black House and Insomnia with us...

He also struggled in some parts with The Dark Tower although he has finished it.

P.S: I am skimming parts of The Dark Tower that I am feeling bogged down in! No Shame in That!! :):)

[bailey, Challenges]

Alison wrote: "Bailey ✰ wrote: "Alison wrote: "Well, between traveling in June (so not able to start this early) to struggling to read this (is this hangover from reading the whole series back to back or just me ..."

Whew, that’s good to hear that so many people love The Talisman! I’m moving a bit quicker in this one now and committing myself to 2 chapters a day so I can stay on track with you! I’m definitely not listening as closely during certain parts though because the level of detail adds too much unnecessary info IMO at times.

Little note for part 2, chapter 8: (view spoiler)[ This has been a theme throughout but I just think it’s funny that 1999 happens to be my birth year and it’s been such an important aspect of this story. :) (hide spoiler)]

[Alison]

Part 4: (view spoiler)[ Roland, Oy and Susannah trek through the passage under Castle Discordia (this is where Mia and Susannah had their palaver on top of this castle). They are chased by some kind of monster who doesn't like light, etc, etc...I kind of skimmed through this section :):)

They then go through the very cold Badlands without sufficient clothing to keep them warm. Susannah has had a couple dreams with Eddie and Jake in them (in one of the dreams they were wearing Christmas Hats and keep trying to give her hot chocolate). I think these dreams are going to play a role in the story later on but I don't know how....

They meet the Red King's Minister of State at the Red Castle and he tries to trick them! There are actually 3 of them (Mimics) who look like Stephen King. I thought it was interesting that they said they could have chosen to look like Eddie but thought that would have been too painful...
Mordred has been following them the whole time and Roland knows it...I think there is going to be a showdown between Roland and Mordred eventually!

They come to a village where the roads have been plowed and meet Joe Collins and his nag (Lippy...poor, poor Horse)!! So this was one of my husband's favorite sections of the book and I liked it too!! Joe Collins is actually Dandelo that Eddie was telling Jake to warn Roland and Susannah about! He is sort of a vampire (??) but feeds on emotions instead of blood. For some reason, Roland doesn't suspect him at all but Susannah had niggling little doubts in her mind about his appearance, etc. She goes to the bathroom to take care of her face after that awful sore on it bleeds (the description of this was kind of gross to me ;) and there is a note in the bathroom under the towels
..from Who?? I think it was actually from Stephen King...the writer saves his characters!! It says Deux ex Machina...I had to look that up and the meaning is: "an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel". Where does King come up with this stuff???
Susannah reads the note, realizes that Joe Collins is actually Dandelo and goes out and shoots him!! Gooo Susannah!!

The cries Susannah had been hearing that she was thinking was the wind is actually Patrick Danville in the basement! Joe Collins/Dandelo had imprisoned him and was feeding on his emotions...Danville is in terrible shape and can't talk because Dandelo took his tongue. He can communicate to Roland and Susannah by drawing pictures, however. He uses Paper and Pencils that have had their erasers removed (why??) Roland found to draw his pictures. My husband says that Patrick Danville is the main character in Insomnia ;) I think he will continue on to the Dark Tower with Roland and Susannah...

At the end of this section, Roland and group meet Stuttering Bill, the robot who plows the roads....AND Mordred comes behind them after they have left and eats the food and also something that is going to make him regret eating (Lippy the horse, I believe, that Roland shot). I think this horse was in such bad condition that it makes Mordred sick...

So in this Part, there were sections that I skimmed but I did enjoy the Dandelo section!! I think King could have cut the length of this book by not writing so much about Roland, Susannah and Oy's journey under the castle and through the cold in the Badlands....it just seemed too much to me!
I am starting Part 5 on my Kindle edition and it is telling me I am at 82% :0 Poor Roland...I hope he gains his Tower soon because he sure has been through Hell trying to get there!!!
(hide spoiler)]

[Alison]

I finished!! AHHHHHH.....
Here are my thoughts:

Part 5: (view spoiler)[ Roland decides to continue on foot to the Dark Tower (if I had been offered a ride, I would have taken it in a heartbeat!! ;) and I think he wanted to walk because he wasn't quite ready to confront his end goal quite yet!

Susannah and her dreams do mean something!! She figures out Patrick's magic talent...No wonder Insomnia, according to King, is the most important book related to the Dark Tower Series!!
Patrick draws Susannah a door and she goes through to be with Eddie and Jake who exist in an alternate world as brothers...however, Eddie knows as soon as he sees Susannah that he loves her even thought he doesn't recognize her! I loved that ending for the 3 of them!! I hope for a lifetime of happiness for them...King does indicate there is happiness along with bumps along the road but what life isn't like that?!!

Mordred vs Roland: OHHHH NOOOO...OYYYYY!! This was perhaps the saddest death of the Ka-Tet for me!! He does protect Roland, however, and Roland kills Mordred (thank you, Lippy, for making Mordred sick and weakening him!! )

I loved the fact that Patrick can erase things in real life with his eraser...no wonder Dandelo had cut off all of the pencil erasers!! Ultimately Patrick is the KEY to the downfall of The Crimson King...he just erases him!! Patrick turns back down the road to continue on with his life and Roland goes toward his destiny, The Tower, shouting the names of all of his friends on the way....
(hide spoiler)]

Coda: (view spoiler)[ So my husband said originally there was no Coda in the book...that the story continued on with Roland's entering the Dark Tower and what happens to him in the process. However, there was such an outcry and hatred about that ending that King adds the Coda and says "You can stop here (meaning with Susannah meeting Eddie and Jake...and eventually a version of Oy, according to King) or you can continue on with Roland and the Dark Tower if you want to."

I, personally, felt that continuing on with the ending (Beginning?? ;) of Roland's story was a great ending for King to have written!! Basically, KA is a WHEEL and the final door of the Dark Tower sends Roland back to where we met him in the first place in The Gunslinger...in the desert!! :0 :0 :0

My husband and I have been talking about this ending...and isn't that the sign of a great writer when one discusses what the ending means?? King left it open for interpretation and there are plenty of theories out there about what the ending means for Roland!! I can't wait to hear what you all think!! :)

The only difference in Roland when he is sent back to the desert to start his quest all over again is the fact that this time, he has the Horn of Eld whereas when we first read the Gunslinger, he did not! What does that mean?? IMHOP, I think it is just one of the many things Roland is going to have to get right before he actually completes his quest. Until he begins to break away from all he thinks he knows, he will repeat the quest for eternity! Another of the things he must do differently, I believe, is not sacrifice Jake and his Ka-Tet for the sake of the Tower!

I think that King is saying the small choices we make matter and the decision to do one action over the other can change the course of your life! I think King's accident had a lot to do with this ending. My husband told me the first 3 books (The Gunslinger...of course, because King was only 19 at the time; The Drawing of the 3; and Wastelands) were written before his accident. He took a long time off from writing the series after Wastelands and then the number 19, 1999, etc and the saving of King's life got written into the series. Perhaps the ending has to do with his choices before/after the accident??

I guess we can speculate all we want to and everyone is going to have a different opinion about what the ending means! I, personally, loved the openness of it and the fact that my husband and I are having a lively discussion about it!! Hopefully Roland eventually ends up getting everything right and he can lie down and rest....:)
(hide spoiler)]

[Alison]

I forgot to add that I will probably just move on into The Talisman starting either tonight or tomorrow...Trisha started this yesterday and said it is really good so far!

[bailey, Challenges]

I just finished part 2: (view spoiler)[ I AM NOT OKAY 😭 If I was of sound mind I would DNF this book right here but alas, Constant Readers must continue. I knew that we weren't going to see all of our beloved characters make it out of this story alive but still I'm not happy with this. Susannah is so strong and I'm hoping that her grief doesn't cause her to go to the clearing at the end of the path, too (for lack of a clear mind). Hoping that whatever happens when Roland and Jake go to save SK, Susannah is able to meet back up with them safely.

I'm really enjoying seeing Jake come into his own and hone his (mind reading? Can't remember what they call it) skills. This is super interesting and it makes the connection between Roland/Cuthbert/Alain and Roland/Eddie/Jake so parallel.

Alison, I also did not care for Ted's backstory since I haven't read Hearts in Atlantis yet. Maybe once I get to that one I'll go back to this portion of Dark Tower and it'll make more sense. That's something I'm looking forward to with the rest of SK's related books, understanding some of the references we've seen but haven't read the source material to fully understand yet.

And of course I'm not happy to hear that Sheemie will meet his end at some point in this book, too. O, Discordia! (hide spoiler)]

[bailey, Challenges]

This book really does pick up about midway through part 2, thank god and the man jesus. (My vocabulary is forever changed after this series) LOL

Part 3: (view spoiler)[ Okay well clearly I spoke too soon because now the parallel between Roland/Cuthbert/Alain and Roland/Eddie/Jake is complete with Cuthbert, Alain, Eddie, and Jake all having gone into the clearing at the end of the path. :( I AM NOT OKAY.

I did like how Mrs. Tassenbaum's role played out though and how the whole sequence of part 3 flowed. Also the connection between Roland's pain and SK's injuries was really interesting and I'm glad that Roland is no longer dealing with a pain that isn't his.

I didn't love the part where Roland went to the Ten Corporation and spoke to all of the people there because it was a little dull in my opinion. But I did enjoy the banter he had with Susannah's dad. And the abrupt insertion of Insomnia seems so sudden that I couldn't help but not take it seriously (similarly to Roland). It literally came out of left field but I'm looking forward to reading it now.

My boyfriend just finished The Gunslinger today and simply asked me, "Did Roland just kill Jake?" after the fateful scene in that chasm. My favorite quote from that book, "Go then, there are other worlds than these." UGH, so much wisdom beyond his years. (hide spoiler)]

[Alekhya]

I've had a crazy month. I don't think I'll be able to finish The Dark Tower this month. I'm still at the ending of Part 1. I haven't had the time to touch the book for a while. I'll continue to post what I think in this discussion though when I make progress eventually

[bailey, Challenges]

Alekhya wrote: "I've had a crazy month. I don't think I'll be able to finish The Dark Tower this month. I'm still at the ending of Part 1. I haven't had the time to touch the book for a while. I'll continue to pos..."

No worries, Alekhya! Everyone works at their own pace! My personal tip is that it does pick up the pace after part 2 chapter 8. Which is a lot to work through but it was worth it in my opinion now. And as Alison said you can skim/skip the parts that are not the most interesting. Hope you enjoy it when you do get to it!!

[bailey, Challenges]

Alison wrote: "I finished!! AHHHHHH.....
Here are my thoughts:

Part 5: "

Your interpretation of the ending is so good and helped me see it from a different POV which I definitely needed! (view spoiler)[ It's neat to hear how the coda wasn't originally in the book when it was published. I'm not surprised that there was backlash for the original version, too. While I would've been fine with the ending before the coda, I still enjoyed hearing what was inside the Tower that we'd been reading about for the past 7 months! Ka is a wheel and the ending was with us from basically the start!! And each time Roland's age was come into question he didn't really know how old he was. Looking back at all the hints that I didn't pick up on is so crazy. Who knows how long Roland has been repeating this pattern for and which number we just so happen to join him for (mayhap 19?).

In my mind, Roland will eventually complete his quest for good and ever and the ka-tet will have a happy (for the most part) life post-Tower. But like you said, we all interpret things differently and it's up to each reader to decide how the story truly ends. (hide spoiler)]

THANK YOU to everyone who joined us on our quest to read The Dark Tower series this year, especially @Alison and @Trisha for livening up the discussions so much! Sad to see this part of our journey come to an end but excited to move onto The Talisman and Insomnia now. Like we talked about before, please feel free to message me if you ever need a parter to buddy read SK with because I really loved having discussions with everyone!!

[Trisha]

Bailey and Alison, I've bookmarked all the Dark Tower threads so that I can come back and read all of your comments. Despite leaving the series in between, I enjoyed reading the first four books with you ladies so much. I will slide in your inbox whenever I decide to read the next books and rant with you both. Thank you for leaving that door open for me! :) Onto The Talisman now!!

Alekhya, we didn't get to talk much about the books but I'll look forward to reading with you too. :)

[Alison]

Alekhya wrote: "I've had a crazy month. I don't think I'll be able to finish The Dark Tower this month. I'm still at the ending of Part 1. I haven't had the time to touch the book for a while. I'll continue to pos..."

I second what Bailey said...No Worries, Alekhya!! Post your thoughts when you have time to read the book...I would love to hear what you think!! :)

[Alison]

Bailey ✰ wrote: "This book really does pick up about midway through part 2, thank god and the man jesus. (My vocabulary is forever changed after this series) LOL

Part 3: Okay well clearly I spoke too soon because..."

Bailey...I love your comment "I AM NOT OKAY" I also love how your quote the language in the book! My husband and I say to each other now: "If Ka Wills It..." LOL

(view spoiler)[ I also think that the insertion of "Insomnia" and Patrick was a bit abrupt and did seem to come out of Left Field! Almost like King all of a sudden got this idea of how to end the book and it wasn't brewing in his head for very long!

I forgot to add that it was a great storyline to have Roland experiencing King's pain from his injuries and then to have it taken away!

Did your boyfriend just start the series?? If he did, he is lucky to have you, who has just finished the series, to discuss it with!! My husband and I talked about it and bounced ideas off of one another (he had more ideas than me:) when we were reading the books! It was a reread for him and he said he enjoyed it so much more this time around!!
**My husband said he doesn't like the fact that the Crimson King was not a spider! :D

I love what you said about the ending of the series being right in front of our eyes and us not seeing all the clues! I also wonder how many times Roland has been through this cycle and also feel he will find his ending when he does everything right (and may be on is way because he has picked up the Horn of Eld this time so maybe that is a hint that this is the last cycle for him??) Fingers Crossed....
(hide spoiler)]

[Alison]

Trisha wrote: "Bailey and Alison, I've bookmarked all the Dark Tower threads so that I can come back and read all of your comments. Despite leaving the series in between, I enjoyed reading the first four books wi..."

:):):):)