Stephen King's the Dark Tower Series

[Dry then Catch]

I'm not going to write a whole lot if no one has read it....Has anyone?

Let's just say I read books I through 6 in about one month.

[eo000]

Did your cable go out?

[Gamplayerx]

Yes, I read them.

[BigDun]

We downloaded the first book from Audible and tried to listen to it. I don't know about the entire book, but the first few chapters don't make for riveting listening material.

[Gamplayerx]

The first book was hard to get into.  They get better.

[Dry then Catch]

Gamp,

hold up i just woke up i'll write more when i get to work, but i pretty much just had a nightmare influenced by that book.  considering i forgot to take some of my meds (thats why my dreams get sort of intensifed, though i've been told the opposite), i almost felt as if i went TODASH.   it had to do with the vampires of Salem's lot.  ok i'm going to stop reading that book right before I go to bed. 

the odd thing is everyone, its not reallly a horror per se.


BD, i don't know if i would have enjoyed it audio either.  pick up a copy if you are still interested the mood seems to work better the other way.  the first one was written when he was 19. 

[Gamplayerx]

I'm holding up, sai catchr.

[Dry then Catch]

awesome

thankee sai

First, I assume you liked the overall series.
I'm not so certain if its so much a set of books I'll read over and over again, but its very capitvating its defintely put its "glam" on me.

I've mid way through Song of Susannah....
Which was your favorite thus far?  I liked the "flashback" book of when Roland was a young gunslinger.
I haven't read much king, though I've seen a few movies. Am I missing out on a lot of the references?

I'll spare everyone my dream, needless to say it was scary as shiat, and pretty much nonsensical.  though there was flying, death, vampires, clones, muppets, heights, trucks, rapists, militant homosexual, satanic priests posing as common people and firemen involved.

[Beefy]

I read the first book.  It was decent.

[Dry then Catch]

like Gamp said the first book doesnt do the rest of the series justice.

other than its weird, creepy atmosphere, which i have to say hasn't been matched.  its inevitable as we learn more about the characters and the world though. 

[Gamplayerx]

The flashbacks to young Roland with Susan Delgado is my favorite part of the series.  My least favorite is when Stephen King puts himself in the book.

[Beefy]

The flashbacks to young Roland with Susan Delgado is my favorite part of the series.  My least favorite is when Stephen King puts himself in the book.

Clive Cussler does that crap with every Dirk Pitt novel.

[Alice]

The flashbacks to young Roland with Susan Delgado is my favorite part of the series.  My least favorite is when Stephen King puts himself in the book.

Waldo does that crap with every Where's Waldo novel.

Talk about megalomania.     Fuck him.

[Dry then Catch]

The flashbacks to young Roland with Susan Delgado is my favorite part of the series.  My least favorite is when Stephen King puts himself in the book.

i concur 100% on both counts.  I am sad that probably the agreed upon best part is over.  i haven't seen "King" yet, but its being alluded to and I'm about to cringe. 

do you think it would be a good movie?

[Gamplayerx]

It would have to be like a 20 hour movie.  But I'd watch it. 

[Dry then Catch]

did you see the Stand?  wasn't that like a 20hr movie.  Good, but still mini-series cheesy.

who would you cast?  NO obvious Roland by a young Clint Eastwood. 

[Gamplayerx]

Of course I saw The Stand.

Eww.  Don't put Clint Eastwood's name anywhere near Roland.

[ReBurn]

Clint Roland Eastwood.

It's like a Clint sandwich.

[Gamplayerx]

And to think I used to like ReBurn so much.

[ReBurn]

At least I didn't say Clint Gamp Eastwood in the same context.

You might not have liked that.

[Gamplayerx]

Thanks for the restraint on that bit.  I know it must have been tough for you.

[ReBurn]

You have no idea.

[Dry then Catch]

what about Hugh jackman as roland.  Roland is more the lanky strong type though, than the overtly buff.

[Alice]

William H. Macy as Roland.

[Dry then Catch]

William H. Macy as Roland.

Queen Latifah as Susannah

[Gamplayerx]

Hugh Jackman isn't old enough to play old Roland or young enough to play young Roland. 

[Dry then Catch]

ok what about mel gibson

[Alice]

What about Steve Zahn?

[Gamplayerx]

Steve Zahn for who?  Eddie?

[Alice]

Steve Zahn for who?  Eddie?

Eddie?  No way!  Marten Broadclark.

Eddie should be Ben Vereen.

[Gamplayerx]

Ben Vereen?  Are you insane??

[Alice]

Ben Vereen?  Are you insane??

No.  I've just never read the books.

[Gamplayerx]

You should read the books. 

[Alice]

You should read the books. 

I've got so many books to read.  I've been out of my King phase - but maybe someday in the future I'll read them.

I like Ben Vereen.

[Gamplayerx]

Nothing wrong with Ben Vereen.  He's just not Eddie.

[ignom]

Keen Eddie was a cool TV show that they just didn't give a chance.

[cnamon]

Keen Eddie was a cool TV show that NBC just didn't give a chance.

I thought it was on Fox?

[ignom]

Keen Eddie was a cool TV show that NBC just didn't give a chance.

I thought it was on Fox?

Whatever I changed it anyway. I didn't watch it til it was on Bravo or somewhere.

[eo000]

Keen Eddie was a cool TV show that NBC just didn't give a chance.

I thought it was on Fox?

Whatever I changed it anyway. I didn't watch it til it was on Bravo or somewhere.

loved that show.

[Dry then Catch]

What about Steve Zahn?

actually steve zahn for eddie wouldn't be a bad idea.  how the heck did you know to say Marten

[Alice]

What about Steve Zahn?

actually steve zahn for eddie wouldn't be a bad idea.  how the heck did you know to say Marten

I did a google search for Dark Tower characters.

[DownSouth]

Keen Eddie was a cool TV show that NBC just didn't give a chance.

I thought it was on Fox?

Whatever I changed it anyway. I didn't watch it til it was on Bravo or somewhere.

loved that show.

Same here.  It was hilarious.

[Beefy]

I've never even heard of Keen Eddie.

[Dry then Catch]

What about Steve Zahn?

actually steve zahn for eddie wouldn't be a bad idea.  how the heck did you know to say Marten

I did a google search for Dark Tower characters.

out googled.

i never went through a King phase as this is his first novel I read.  Does it have the same feel to the rest Gamp?

[Jessie]

I've read lots of his books, but not those.

I hated Rose Madder and I think that was the last one I read.

[Gamplayerx]

What about Steve Zahn?

actually steve zahn for eddie wouldn't be a bad idea.  how the heck did you know to say Marten

I did a google search for Dark Tower characters.

out googled.

i never went through a King phase as this is his first novel I read.  Does it have the same feel to the rest Gamp?

The Dark Tower series is different from most Stephen King.  It has a decidedly Tolkien feel.

[Dry then Catch]

What about Steve Zahn?

actually steve zahn for eddie wouldn't be a bad idea.  how the heck did you know to say Marten

I did a google search for Dark Tower characters.

out googled.

i never went through a King phase as this is his first novel I read.  Does it have the same feel to the rest Gamp?

The Dark Tower series is different from most Stephen King.  It has a decidedly Tolkien feel.

Tolkien with cowboys.... mistake, i did read part of Tommyknockers but I couldn't get into it

[Dry then Catch]

What about Steve Zahn?

actually steve zahn for eddie wouldn't be a bad idea.  how the heck did you know to say Marten

I did a google search for Dark Tower characters.

out googled.

i never went through a King phase as this is his first novel I read.  Does it have the same feel to the rest Gamp?

The Dark Tower series is different from most Stephen King.  It has a decidedly Tolkien feel.

I just finished it all.

FYI Marvel is writing a gigantic graphic novel of all 7 books.  And King may write other books (chronologically set before all the books, in the Wizard and Glass flashback scenes!  AWESOME.)




SPOILERS


I think I am in line with most of the readers saying that from Wizard and Glass onward was sort of a slow let down.  THough it was still great, it hardly met expectations.

First,
Walter ie Randal Flagg, dying in such a pedestrian manner?  To Mordred?  Who died even easier?  Dandelo?  All 3 of those seemed like a huge buildup to not much of a ending.  Unless it was King's intention to underscore the relative ease of defeating evil or something.  I know Flagg and Roland were suppposed to be at eternal standoff...but to die from a baby spider so carelessly?  After he has had 1000s of years of lie and 1000s of parallel lives? 

Don't even get me started on the Crimson King. 

At least King explained his use of himself in the fiction (I know there is a clever latin or Greek literary phrase for this). 

[Dry then Catch]

GAMP your attention is needed

[DownSouth]

GAMP your attention is needed

May be a problem.

[Dry then Catch]

where is she

[cnamon]

where is she

She is in a better place.












On a cruise.

[Jessie]

where is she

She is in a better place.












On a cruise.

haha

[Dry then Catch]

I thought I had pissed her off, or maybe she found all those pictures I took

[Gamplayerx]

Sorry.  I was away.  Sometimes people need vacations!  Gosh.

[Mr. Ubiquity]

hAS ANY STEPHEN KING STORY BEEN TURNED INTO A GOOD MOVIE?

whoops... sorry bout the caps..



I would like to see Eye of the Needle made into a movie, but what annoyed me was all the  "but first, let me tell a story" stuff he did through out that book.

or was it called eye of the dragon?

[Gamplayerx]

Yes, but most unfortunately aren't.  I think it's perhaps because his books are so visually and conceptually driven, that they don't lend themselves well to a dialog driven medium.  I liked Hearts In Atlantis the movie much better than the book.  And Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption were excellent - not necessarily in order of quality.

[Mr. Ubiquity]

Yes, but most unfortunately aren't.  I think it's perhaps because his books are so visually and conceptually driven, that they don't lend themselves well to a dialog driven medium.  I liked Hearts In Atlantis the movie much better than the book.  And Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption were excellent - not necessarily in order of quality.

thats right.   i forgot he wrote shawshank...   TOPS is my book.  i doubt any movie make will out do that one for him.

[Gamplayerx]

Whoa.  I just checked out his IMDB page and The Talisman is in the works.  Or maybe not.  That page is confusing.  It's one of my most favorite books ever.  If they do do it, I really hope they do it right.  Too bad that kid from Maximum Overdrive isn't a kid anymore - he'd be perfect.

[ignom]

A couple of weeks ago I spent one night watching all of Salem's Lot and the next night watching all of The Stand. It was the Rob Lowe version of Salem's Lot. I rented the original but never watched it.

[Gamplayerx]

Salem's Lot is one I've never read.  I've also never read The Eyes of the Dragon - but I want to read to, the library just doesn't carry it.

[Jessie]

Stand by Me was a good movie based on a King short story.

[Gamplayerx]

Yes.  It was.

Running Man was also a not terribly horrible film based on a Stephen King story - or, at least, based on the title of a Stephen King story.

Who was just asking if there was another film based on a book that followed the book not at all?  I found it!  Running Man.

[Jessie]

Yes.  It was.

Running Man was also a not terribly horrible film based on a Stephen King story - or, at least, based on the title of a Stephen King story.

Who was just asking if there was another film based on a book that followed the book not at all?  I found it!  Running Man.

ignom.

[Dry then Catch]

Yes.  It was.

Running Man was also a not terribly horrible film based on a Stephen King story - or, at least, based on the title of a Stephen King story.

Who was just asking if there was another film based on a book that followed the book not at all?  I found it!  Running Man.

HAY
so did you agree with my feelings on the Dark Tower 8?

[Gamplayerx]

Oh.  I didn't read your feelings on Dark Tower 8.

Okay.  I just did.  Baby Mordred was weird.

[Dry then Catch]

Oh.  I didn't read your feelings on Dark Tower 8.

Okay.  I just did.  Baby Mordred was weird.

not just weird, i felt it was sort of pointless to have him.  Sure he had to kill Oy to leave Roland alone for his destiny.  The series seemed to get slightier more sacchrine from Wolves on. 

I am very excited for the "pre-quel" books that are supposedly coming out

[Gamplayerx]

After Song of Susannah, I wasn't all that happy with the books until the very ending.  Which pissed me off heartily at first, but now I like it.  And I hated, hated, hated King putting himself in the books - especially so much.

[ReBurn]

I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee
I'm going to Louisiana,
My true love for to see

It rained all night
The day I left
The weather it was dry
The sun so hot,
I froze to death
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I had a dream the other night
When everything was still
I thought I saw Susanna
A-coming down the hill

The buckwheat cake
Was in her mouth
The tear was
In her eye
Says I, I'm coming from the south
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

[sapphirehart]

I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee
I'm going to Louisiana,
My true love for to see

It rained all night
The day I left
The weather it was dry
The sun so hot,
I froze to death
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I had a dream the other night
When everything was still
I thought I saw Susanna
A-coming down the hill

The buckwheat cake
Was in her mouth
The tear was
In her eye
Says I, I'm coming from the south
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I don't think that's what she was referring to.

[BigDun]

I finished listening to the final book of the entire series today (well, yesterday since it's past midnight).

It was good. I liked it.

[Beefy]

I gave up reading the books after the first one.

A good King movie.  Shawshank is a good movie.  Not the GREATEST FILM EVAR people like to proclaim it to be, but it's solid.

Carrie, I think, is considered a good King movie.  Cujo knew exactly what to do and how to do it, despite a slight story.  Hmmm.

What was the one with the aliens and the four friends a couple of years ago?  It was probably the most incomprehensible horror film I've ever seen.

Oh!  Misery was a good movie!  Quite possibly Reiner's last good movie.  And Dolores Clairborne was really good, too.  Put Kathy Bates in your King movie and you're set.

I always thought Desperation was really cinematic.  That would have been a fun movie.

[Gamplayerx]

Aliens and 4 friends?  Dreamcatcher?  That was absolutely awful.

The first of the Dark Tower books I felt was the weakest in terms of entertainment.  Probably because it was one of his early endeavors.

And Pet Semetary freaked me out.  Tasha Yar's sister gives me nightmares.

[Beefy]

Aliens and 4 friends?  Dreamcatcher?  That was absolutely awful.

The first of the Dark Tower books I felt was the weakest in terms of entertainment.  Probably because it was one of his early endeavors.

And Pet Semetary freaked me out.  Tasha Yar's sister gives me nightmares.

Dreamcatcher!  It was so bad I had to watch the beginning of it again the following night just to prove to myself that Lawrence Kasdan had made that crap.

[Gamplayerx]

With the shit weasels.  That was just bad, bad, bad.

The book was a tiny bit better - still crap, but a bit better.

[Gamplayerx]

Hey, Catchr!  http://www.blish.com/Product/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=15649  There's a part two for the rest of the series, too.

[Dry then Catch]

I wish it was a "real" book.  have you ever gone to the dark tower message board?  Some interesting content, so much bad erotic fan fic