The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.

With that, King opens his seven-part Dark Tower series–an undertaking he originally hoped would create “the largest work of popular fiction in history.” I’m unsure as to what I expected with this one, but I received something else. Perhaps I looked for Tolkien or Lewis or McCaffrey or Herbert or Rothfuss or Martin or something.

I should have known better…

You regulars know my fascination with King’s nonfiction articles, criticism, On Writing and now Danse Macabre. Halfway through Danse Macabre, I realized that I had yet to read any of King’s fiction. Even though I consider screenplays to qualify as “literature” (Maximum Overdrive, 1408, The Shining, Firestarter, The Green Mile, Shawshank, etc) — Shame. On. Me.

The bleak environment of this first world did what he set out to do–it demonstrated the sheer size of the universe. In scope alone, this series already feels epic and the mere concept of gunslingers, of an order of fighters who work their way up to earning guns, fits Americana. We are not a people of samurai, ninjas or knights. We’re a nation of cowboys, indians and pirates. Gunslingers fit our soul.

I can’t recommend this story to your teenager, but I could rec it to you if you like fantasy, epics and can stomach violence, terror and crass moments in stories. If not, stay away from this one. It’s cleaner than Martin, but that doesn’t make Gunslinger fluffy like Winnie the Pooh. It’s a fun read, especially for raining Saturday mornings.

As for where they are in this desert, I have my hunches (Pergatory, Hell, some other dimension, post-apocalyptic Earth), but I’m ready to dig into The Drawing of the Three which is on reserve at the Library. I’d better go pick it up this afternoon before I get charged again. Probably a 3.9 out of 5 for this (rounded up to 4 on Goodreads).

The “Good News” is I was SLAMMED all day yesterday with work from my literary jubilee. People sent in their work for consults and edits and diagnostics and I cranked from start to finish. I loved every second of it, so thanks to all of you who participated. I had enough fun that I might do it again in the future, maybe even on a Third Thursday to coincide with 9art’s photo booth or something.

Until then, The Drawing of Three…