The Gunslinger - November 1st Start

[Rachel]

Bonus read - I find it fun to read Charlie the Choo-Choo by Beryl Evans when I get to that part of the story. If you have it, I encourage you to pull it out and read it.

[Rachel]

I finished last night, I just couldn't stop reading.

[Stevo]

Have you spotted anything that gives you new appreciation of the characters or story so far on this cycle, Rachel?

[Sharifah]

Finished it! Yeay!! Quite fast paced at the end. Can’t wait to read the next one!
Although I’ve read this book a while back, I completely do not remember it at all. So it was completely like reading a new book…

[Rachel]

Steven wrote: "Have you spotted anything that gives you new appreciation of the characters or story so far on this cycle, Rachel?"

Not necessarily a new appreciation but a perspective shift. I was in my 20s when I picked the series up for the first time and actually had to wait for the last 3 books as they were published. I'm now almost 50 and have read the series several times since that first reading.
As I've gained life experience, how I see a character or event has changed over the years. Court is not just a drunken bully, he may still be that but he is also tasked with teaching these brash kids what they need to know to stay alive in a world that is becoming exceedingly dangerous year over year. He knows their enemies won't stop to consider feelings and will exploit every weakness to their advantage, he needs to stomp that out of them.
How I experience the books has changed. It's more than a good story, there are nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout, there are passages that make me stop and think. I also have paid more attention to all the Easter eggs over the years. When I read it the first time and maybe the second, I didn't care as much but by my third reading, I fell down the rabbit hole.

[Shannon]

73% done and my library loan expires in 2 days! I’ve got some work to do! I am thoroughly enjoying this one, probably my favorite of the 3! They got to Lud and it’s giving some serious Fairytale vibes, which is one of my fav SK books! Although, I spose Fairytale really gives Wastelands vibes, since it was written first 😂

[Shannon]

I finished! Very abruptly, because my ebook said I was at 95% but the last 5% was book club questions and a preview of Wizard & Glass. I have some spoiler questions! This is the first time I’ve done the bracket thing, so I hope it works! (view spoiler)[ Okay so, at one point (maybe in Drawing of the Three?) the man in black/Walter/Marten was referred to as The Walking Dude (Randall Flagg), which the internet says is also The Ageless Stranger/Richard Fannan. But I thought that Fannan was a manifestation of the computer gone insane? That he was the reason Blaine was getting the hell out of dodge, because he knew this other AI was waking up? Or did I totally get that wrong? My second question, more of a speculation, I’m starting to wonder if Roland’s world is really our world, just thousands of years into the future? Getting to Lud really made me start to wonder. I spose it is possible that there were once more doors into our world and things (like the Nazi plane) came through (Blaine did say all the doors to NY are closed now), but there are just so many similarities that seem to big to be just artifacts brought over from another world. Like I can’t stop thinking about people singing Hey Jude in The Gunslinger. How?? What do you all think? (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Shannon wrote: "I finished! Very abruptly, because my ebook said I was at 95% but the last 5% was book club questions and a preview of Wizard & Glass. I have some spoiler questions! This is the first time I’ve don..."
(view spoiler)[ In regards to Richard Fannan, I remember he reveals himself to Ticky after Jake shoots him and he and Roland "escape". Fannan no longer is content to let Blaine handle things and will give Ticky a chance to kill Jake and friends. Now whether Fannan is a manifestation of the AI, I don't remember. I thought it was a nameless AI that had gone insane along the years as there was no one to service it. That the recent activity had awoken and was preparing to cause more chaos and that's why Blaine was getting the hell out of dodge. As to your speculation, I go back and forth all the time. Right now, I think Roland's world is his own, that there are doors that have been used for hundreds or thousands of years and that there has been bleed over from other worlds to his. (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Today's the day to start the big chunker, Wizard and Glass. Enjoy!

[Sharifah]

Yess!! Getting stuck in already! 😁

[Sharifah]

I finished it today. Couldn’t put it down. Just…wow. I now need time to reflect!

Question - is the next book Wind through the keyhole? Or as published timeline, Wolves of the Calla?

[Rachel]

Sharifah wrote: "I finished it today. Couldn’t put it down. Just…wow. I now need time to reflect!

Question - is the next book Wind through the keyhole? Or as published timeline, Wolves of the Calla?"

Wow, you are a fast reader! I'm done too but only because I skipped Roland telling his Ka-tet about his past. It's my least favorite part of the series and I've read it several times before.

We will start Wolves of the Calla March first. You are welcome to read Wind Through the Keyhole before that.

[Rachel]

I can't believe I forgot to post on the first to start reading Wolves of the Calla. I hope everyone started and are enjoying it!

[Rachel]

It's time for Song of Susannah. Not sure if anyone is still following along but I'm determined to finish.

[Sharifah]

I’m still following along! About halfway through Song of Susannah at the moment. Have to admit, I never really warmed to Susannah throughout the previous books. I like Jake and Oy (reminds me of Fairy Tale a little bit), and Roland obviously… but Susannah is my least favourite of the group. So this book is not ‘grabbing’ me at the moment. ☹️🤷🏻‍♀️ Just going through the motions to finish the book.

[Bob]

Just finished Wolves of Calla but decided to read Salem’s Lot to fill in any back stories I might have missed. I also read somewhere I should read Insomnia before starting Song of Susannah

[Shannon]

I got stuck on Wizard & Glass - I unexpectedly lost my dog in February and I’ve been having a hard time getting back to reading again.

[Christine]

Hello. Would love to start this book on 11/1. Can’t wait to reread, it’s been a while. Thank you 🙌

[April]

Christine wrote: "Hello. Would love to start this book on 11/1. Can’t wait to reread, it’s been a while. Thank you 🙌"

Did you read it? I only just heard about this series like this month, but want to read it. Had i gotten here just a bit earlier and not already scheduled like a million other books first (ok exaggerating a bit), we could have buddied up!

[April]

Still interested. I got a copy of Gunslinger.