It’s not because of his money, and it’s not because of his worldwide fame. It’s not even because he’s a writer whose skills and dedication to his craft I admire deeply. All of these things are true, in my case, but I’ve gotten over them for the most part.
No, I’m jealous of our Constant Writer because of one simple reason: HE KNOWS HOW THE DARK TOWER SERIES ENDS.
In his new introduction to the revised version of The Gunslinger (which is very much worth reading, by the way), King states pretty unequivocally that, short of some revisions on the last two volumes, he has finished writing the Dark Tower books, and even says that, bad or good, he had “a hell of a time” writing them. This means that he knows what happens to Eddie, Susannah, and Roland. He knows how they get to the Tower, or if they get to it at all. He knows who the Ageless Stranger is, and what Roland must do to slay him. He knows who lives and who dies. He knows how the story ends.
The rest of us common folk have to wait for over a year to find out how it ends, but King knows. He may well be the only one who knows, though I expect his editor and possibly his agent know as well.
I’m re-reading the whole series (so far) in preparation for the end… but nevertheless, I am sooo jealous.
I am hating myself for not yet buying his last novel (name? is it good…anyone?). There was a day when I’d buy his latest book, and read it in a five-hour marathon.
If he stops writing them I’ll fly to Bangor and beat down his door. I don’t have the time to enjoy a full-length King book (maybe it’s just me, but it’s hard to pick up the plot) – oh, what I would give for another short story collection – he put out some great stories a decade ago.
The fourth one is called Wizard and Glass, Blonde. In my opinion, it’s not good as the ones previous, but it’s still a very good read, though a bit lenghty. Very interesting if you like Roland as a character, as it’s all about his first love/growing up. I liked it a lot.
And regarding the OP…I hear you. But I bet his wife, Tabitha knows as well. In fact, I’d bet she’s already read the rough drafts.
You might be aware of this, Blonde, but SK did (winter before last, I think) put out another short story collection…Everything’s Eventual. There’s some good ones in there.
The last full novel he published was From a Buick 8. It was a different sort of book for King, but I really enjoyed it.
Everything’s Eventual is a collection he recently published, and I was very impressed by the variety of stories in it. You might give that a shot; I think it’s out in paperback by now.
And supposedly, after the last Dark Tower books are published, there’s not to be anything new from King for us Constant Readers. Better get it while you can.
Stephen was interviewed on radio last week. He said that after his near-death from the van crash, he realized he was going to die someday, and he did not want to die without finishing the Dark Tower series. He has finished it, and the final books are scheduled for release in 2004, 2005 & 2007 (I think).
I will read them the same way I will read the Harry Potter series: When the last book comes out, I will buy the entire series and take a week off of work to read them.
Speaking of wife Tabitha, her books are excellent. The “One on One,” “Pearl” and “The Story of Reuben” are great reads. I’ve always thought she’d be better known if she were still Tabitha Spruce, or Tabitha-anything-but-wife-of-Stephen King
I’m a diehard Stephen King fan and I’ve read almost every book he’s published. The only books I haven’t read were The Dark Tower series. After reading Everything’s Eventual, I loved “The Little Sisters of Eluria” which had the character of Roland in it. I also knew that King has alluded to the Dark Tower series in many of his other works, so I decided to give it a try. I attempted to read The Gunslinger but just could not get through it! I found it to be SOO boring! Does the series get better? Should I give book two a try?
Maryangel, King himself says that he often finds himself “apologizing” for the first Dark Tower book. He says it was written by a very young writer, and it shows. The series, as he put it, really “finds its voice” in the second book, and in the succeeding volumes.
While I largely agree with what he says (the second book is probably my favorite of the series so far), I also find that the recent revision of The Gunslinger is a much stronger entry into the series. The revisions and additions aren’t major, but the new version definitely feels more like a Dark Tower book. I’d recommend reading that version, and at least giving the second book, The Drawing of the Three, a shot as well. If you’re not into it by then, then you probably wouldn’t enjoy the rest of the series.
As for King “quitting,” I think ivylass has the right of it. King will probably always be writing, but my impression is that he plans to stop publishing his work. I’ve heard him say such things before, but this time he seems fairly serious about it. I tend to believe him this time round.
By the way, this week’s Entertainment Weekly has the first of a series of monthly columns written by King. I don’t normally read EW, but I might just do in this case. This line alone is priceless:
The Dark Tower is a series Stephen King started writing over 20 years ago. There are currently 4 books out in the series, and a fifth due out near the end of this year. The series, when finished, will be 7 books long.
The story, briefly, is about the last Gunslinger (a sort of knight, but with guns) travelling through a world that has “moved on.” His goal is to reach a Dark Tower, a sort of nexus at the center of all worlds, and (I think) preserve it from those who are attempting to destroy it. The series is, in my opinion, King’s most ambitious work, and his most compelling.
There’s a Dark Tower story by King in … I can’t remember the exact title, something like “McSweeney’s Collection of Thrilling Tales” or something to that effect. It’s a short story anthology that just came out, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the King story in it was a Gunslinger story.
I want to agree on the difficulty of getting through The Gunslinger- I did not pick up the second book for several years after I read the first because I HATED the first book. But after I read The Drawing of the Three, I was hooked and I went out and got the last two and inhaled them :). I also am getting ready to re-read everything- maybe I will get the revised version of Gunslinger too.
Blaine the Train is insane… (shiver).
Blaine the Train in the Wastelands was just creepy- one of the more disturbing King inventions IMHO. Totally unreal but still creepy.
I really like Wizard & the Glass- reminded me a little of The Princess Bride (but not funny LOL). There’s a parallel- a beautiful heroine who likes to ride her horses and screw around with true love.
