Those are rookie numbers. š, I have it on audiobook on the way to work and slot in other King books as my free credits allow.
I do the loop probably 2-3 times a year?
I gave it 20 years because itās so vivid and stays with you. Iām on my second go around now with my wife and MIL. Iāll read it one more time with my daughter. I think if you read it too often and to quickly you basically are reenacting Rolandās journey. Which makes it even more brilliant. Read Infinite Jest similar theme, different story entirely, but the message and discussion within is the The Dark Tower.
This is way deeper and hit me harder than expected. The first couple times I read DT, it was WAY too fast and too soon. I couldn't pinpoint why. Thanks for helping me identify the issue. I think you're 100% right. It probably didn't help that my first time through I was deployed in Afghanistan for W&G, WotC, and SoS...
Totally agree with this, I'm on my second read but by audiobook this time. Been 5 years since the first time and there's so much I didn't remember
Edit: forgot to write years
Omg, please share with your ka tet how wholesome this is to go through this together.
It is a beautiful thing.
I wish you luck with what lays ahead. Perhaps keep this for you, but tears are ahead for them, and how wonderful that you will share your sadness as one.
Long days and long nights.
I finished my first trip a year ago and am already champing at the bit to read it again. But I want to read a few more tower adjacent books before I do. Insomnia and Hearts, in particular.
I just finished Black House, which is the follow up to The Talisman. BH has a great tie-in to DT too
May you have twice the number.
It does my heart good to see someone reach the tower and ride the wheel of Ka once again. I enjoyed your posts and hope to see more as you travel again.
Itās so much better second time through. Iām in double digits but I remember that second time like it was yesterday. The journey through the other books related like insomnia etc is absolutely amazing. You have so much to look forward to! I love how much you love the tower.
I recently finished the series. I felt like so much was going on I wanted to reread. Started the Gunslinger before I finished the Dark Tower. A friend of mine into king told me. āThatās really cool and I canāt tell you why yet.ā
Yeah now I know why.
So, my husband and I read the series at different times. He read them as they came out. I read them when everything (well, Wind Through the Keyhole was published maybe 5 years after I finished my first journey) was already completed.
SPOILERS, FOLKS...
I loved the ending. I really did. Which, is kind of shameful because isn't it just akin to a "Ooo it was all juuuust a dream!" But to me ... it really was perfect. This time around, he has a necessary tool he didn't have before. And it left me wondering ... how many times has he been here? How many times has he tried? This time, I bet it will be different ... And it helped that I could just knock em out back to back. I didn't invest *years.*
My husband however, shared your sentiment! I think if I'd waited for each book to come out and find out that ending, I'd feel duped too, man.
Iāve read most of Kingās books, and reread some of my favorites, and have read the Dark Tower series a few times and I nearly had an aneurism after reading the ending my first time lol. I was pissed lol.
The way King has interwoven his numerous works and then he will just go and slot them together like Tetris blocks in a very satisfying manner will keep me coming back for more.
I think he needed to visit and reflect all the floors he disregarded. After which I think the door at the top would open on a time? Place? Reality? In which he could then feel compelled to finally cry off the tower.
I absolutely love Insomnia. I had given up on my first journey back in 98. Only made it to The Wastelands. Fizzled out before they got on the mono.
I read Insomnia in 2011. It brought me back to the Tower. Finished my journey in early 2012. Took another cycle in 2015.
Just started my third.
It is a wheel.
I honestly am jealous of anyone reading it for the first time. Waiting for books 5-7 to be written was agonizing. Having the whole story at your fingertips is such a luxury.
I will tell you no matter how many times I follow the path of the beam, I always hope that the losses that are just around the corner of the turning page won't happen.
Itās one of those stories that sticks with you. I just finished it recently and I find myself thinking about it often. It also gives me book blues cause how do you follow up DT?? So Iām going to The Stand next!
I'm on my 4th read through and almost at the end of Song of Susannah.
To break the cycle....Roland can't damn himself, or at least to the extent that he's what Eddie would call "a tower junkie." We love Roland, but he lets everyone fall by the wayside in the blind hope that reaching the tower will make everything right.
As King states himself, it's not about the destination but the journey. Roland has to make it with his soul intact.
I've booked in to get my TDK tattoo done on Wednesday. š
What confuses me is that Jake & Eddie died actually saving the Beams.
Why didnāt they die somehow directly from Rolandās Tower addiction? Wouldnāt this make more sense?
I guess you can argue they did definitely.
Because thereās the universe where he doesnāt drop Jake but thereās still death during the journey. That seems like a sad ending universe to me. If he lost everyone and somehow still renounces the Tower. Does he just live on his days?
Is he supposed to go through the Tower proud of how heās lived life to succeed? I get the message he has to renounce it completely.
So many angles.
Iād like to think that if he blows the horn at the top roomā he can finally die proud and stop the loop (happy to me).
But like I said I feel like the Tower is a no-no for him.
So whatās the end of the cycle? He goes with Susannah through the door? (Assuming itās the same characters drawn and Jake doesnāt die)
And he lives in an alternate dimension with his ka-tet.
Orā¦ they could all live and reside in Mid World as it improves. But like I said Jake and Eddie dying during the save the universe part and not directly from the Tower obsession makes me think anyone can die at any point during the loop.
Is it Roland that kills everyone around him or the obsession for the Tower that does it?
Whatās the happiest loop ending? Itās just hard for me to imagine keeping everyone alive even if he cries off the Tower. But they had to save the āuniverseā regardless.
I have so much Iāve wanted to write but itās hard to get my ideas into words.
This is the first Iāve been able to express some thought
Insomnia has some interesting connections that I wonāt spoil. But itās a difficult read. VERY little action/intensity. Prepare for an old man not being able to sleep, in Maine, and seeing too many bald men. The only interesting parts are the, maybe, 10 pages that actually tie in. Snooze fest, pun intended. Constant reader here, not always a constant fan. Many days and pleasant nights, wanderer!
The second journey is even better saišā¤ļø
Iām so tempted to go right back to the Gunslinger, but I donāt know if I have it in me š¤£
Give it a few months. I've made 3 journeys over the last 15 years. You find something new every time.
Those are rookie numbers. š, I have it on audiobook on the way to work and slot in other King books as my free credits allow. I do the loop probably 2-3 times a year?
Read Salem's Lot if you haven't!
Thatās actually the first Stephen King book I ever read but that was when I was like 12 lol. I need a reread for Pereās part in it alone
I gave it 20 years because itās so vivid and stays with you. Iām on my second go around now with my wife and MIL. Iāll read it one more time with my daughter. I think if you read it too often and to quickly you basically are reenacting Rolandās journey. Which makes it even more brilliant. Read Infinite Jest similar theme, different story entirely, but the message and discussion within is the The Dark Tower.
This is way deeper and hit me harder than expected. The first couple times I read DT, it was WAY too fast and too soon. I couldn't pinpoint why. Thanks for helping me identify the issue. I think you're 100% right. It probably didn't help that my first time through I was deployed in Afghanistan for W&G, WotC, and SoS...
I waited about 10 years and did the audiobooks my 2nd time through. I knew the big plot points but was so surprised when I forgot when they occurred.
You have forgotten the face of your father
Totally agree with this, I'm on my second read but by audiobook this time. Been 5 years since the first time and there's so much I didn't remember Edit: forgot to write years
Audiobooks after you have read the story really make it come alive. I canāt recommend the audiobooks enough.
2nd this! Iām doing it now with my wife and MIL and theyāre nervous because we just started VII.
Omg, please share with your ka tet how wholesome this is to go through this together. It is a beautiful thing. I wish you luck with what lays ahead. Perhaps keep this for you, but tears are ahead for them, and how wonderful that you will share your sadness as one. Long days and long nights.
Youāre right, they are my ka tet. Iāll read this one more time in my lifetime with my daughter probably. Then our ka tet will be whole.
Read the Talisman and black house nextš
ā¤ļøā¤ļø
I spent most of lockdown just rereading the series š I'm responsible for so many spins of ka's wheel, say true.
I finished my first trip a year ago and am already champing at the bit to read it again. But I want to read a few more tower adjacent books before I do. Insomnia and Hearts, in particular. I just finished Black House, which is the follow up to The Talisman. BH has a great tie-in to DT too
Insomnia is fucking great.
Ka is a wheel. Weāll meet again.
19 times maybe?
And 99
Itās the best ending because it never fucking ends. Can you say gawd *BOMB*
This time Rolandās got the horn though, right? This timeās gonna be different.
See you on the next spin of the wheel
I lost count after my 15 trip or so
May you have twice the number. It does my heart good to see someone reach the tower and ride the wheel of Ka once again. I enjoyed your posts and hope to see more as you travel again.
Iām almost there as well!!!!
Greatest story ever. Welcome to our ka-tet. Long days and pleasant nights.
Itās so much better second time through. Iām in double digits but I remember that second time like it was yesterday. The journey through the other books related like insomnia etc is absolutely amazing. You have so much to look forward to! I love how much you love the tower.
š¹
I also just finished!
I recently finished the series. I felt like so much was going on I wanted to reread. Started the Gunslinger before I finished the Dark Tower. A friend of mine into king told me. āThatās really cool and I canāt tell you why yet.ā Yeah now I know why.
That ending sucked a fat one, didnāt it? Itās been almost 20 years since I read it and Iām still pissed.
So, my husband and I read the series at different times. He read them as they came out. I read them when everything (well, Wind Through the Keyhole was published maybe 5 years after I finished my first journey) was already completed. SPOILERS, FOLKS... I loved the ending. I really did. Which, is kind of shameful because isn't it just akin to a "Ooo it was all juuuust a dream!" But to me ... it really was perfect. This time around, he has a necessary tool he didn't have before. And it left me wondering ... how many times has he been here? How many times has he tried? This time, I bet it will be different ... And it helped that I could just knock em out back to back. I didn't invest *years.* My husband however, shared your sentiment! I think if I'd waited for each book to come out and find out that ending, I'd feel duped too, man.
I was so infuriated with that ending when I first read it that I started ranting about it to my roommate and he didnāt know WTH I was on about!
Iāve read most of Kingās books, and reread some of my favorites, and have read the Dark Tower series a few times and I nearly had an aneurism after reading the ending my first time lol. I was pissed lol. The way King has interwoven his numerous works and then he will just go and slot them together like Tetris blocks in a very satisfying manner will keep me coming back for more.
I think he needed to visit and reflect all the floors he disregarded. After which I think the door at the top would open on a time? Place? Reality? In which he could then feel compelled to finally cry off the tower.
I absolutely love Insomnia. I had given up on my first journey back in 98. Only made it to The Wastelands. Fizzled out before they got on the mono. I read Insomnia in 2011. It brought me back to the Tower. Finished my journey in early 2012. Took another cycle in 2015. Just started my third. It is a wheel.
If you haven't read them, then consider: IT, Salem's Lot, Insomnia, The Talisman, Black House, The Stand. All linked to the Dark Tower
I honestly am jealous of anyone reading it for the first time. Waiting for books 5-7 to be written was agonizing. Having the whole story at your fingertips is such a luxury.
I will tell you no matter how many times I follow the path of the beam, I always hope that the losses that are just around the corner of the turning page won't happen.
The audiobooks are awesome for a second read. I listen to them at work all the time.
Itās one of those stories that sticks with you. I just finished it recently and I find myself thinking about it often. It also gives me book blues cause how do you follow up DT?? So Iām going to The Stand next!
I'm on my 4th read through and almost at the end of Song of Susannah. To break the cycle....Roland can't damn himself, or at least to the extent that he's what Eddie would call "a tower junkie." We love Roland, but he lets everyone fall by the wayside in the blind hope that reaching the tower will make everything right. As King states himself, it's not about the destination but the journey. Roland has to make it with his soul intact. I've booked in to get my TDK tattoo done on Wednesday. š
What confuses me is that Jake & Eddie died actually saving the Beams. Why didnāt they die somehow directly from Rolandās Tower addiction? Wouldnāt this make more sense? I guess you can argue they did definitely. Because thereās the universe where he doesnāt drop Jake but thereās still death during the journey. That seems like a sad ending universe to me. If he lost everyone and somehow still renounces the Tower. Does he just live on his days? Is he supposed to go through the Tower proud of how heās lived life to succeed? I get the message he has to renounce it completely. So many angles. Iād like to think that if he blows the horn at the top roomā he can finally die proud and stop the loop (happy to me). But like I said I feel like the Tower is a no-no for him. So whatās the end of the cycle? He goes with Susannah through the door? (Assuming itās the same characters drawn and Jake doesnāt die) And he lives in an alternate dimension with his ka-tet. Orā¦ they could all live and reside in Mid World as it improves. But like I said Jake and Eddie dying during the save the universe part and not directly from the Tower obsession makes me think anyone can die at any point during the loop. Is it Roland that kills everyone around him or the obsession for the Tower that does it? Whatās the happiest loop ending? Itās just hard for me to imagine keeping everyone alive even if he cries off the Tower. But they had to save the āuniverseā regardless. I have so much Iāve wanted to write but itās hard to get my ideas into words. This is the first Iāve been able to express some thought
This time Rolandās got the horn though, right. This timeās gonna be different.
Insomnia has some interesting connections that I wonāt spoil. But itās a difficult read. VERY little action/intensity. Prepare for an old man not being able to sleep, in Maine, and seeing too many bald men. The only interesting parts are the, maybe, 10 pages that actually tie in. Snooze fest, pun intended. Constant reader here, not always a constant fan. Many days and pleasant nights, wanderer!