The Dark Tower I
The Gunslinger
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4.3 • 1.5K Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“An impressive work of mythic magnitude that may turn out to be Stephen King’s greatest literary achievement” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), The Gunslinger is the first volume in the epic Dark Tower Series.
A #1 national bestseller, The Gunslinger introduces readers to one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations, Roland of Gilead: The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which mirrors our own in frightening ways, Roland tracks The Man in Black, encounters an enticing woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the boy from New York named Jake.
Inspired in part by the Robert Browning narrative poem, “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came,” The Gunslinger is “a compelling whirlpool of a story that draws one irretrievable to its center” (Milwaukee Sentinel). It is “brilliant and fresh…and will leave you panting for more” (Booklist).
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The first installment of Stephen King’s beloved fantasy series introduces gunslinger Roland Deschain as he embarks on a bleak quest to find the Dark Tower and kill the mysterious “man in black.” As the haunting and determined Deschain traverses apocalyptic landscapes, King pulls us in with cryptic breadcrumbs of surreal philosophies and mystical observations. It’s King’s veiled hints and enigmatic foreshadowing—along with his sharp depiction of his complex, flawed hero—that make this such a knuckle-biting read, with appeal that reaches way beyond his diehard fans. By the last page, we were hungering for more.
Customer Reviews
Grit in the Pearl: My First Journey with Roland
By the end of The Gunslinger, I felt Roland’s deep disorientation so vividly I could almost taste the grit in his mouth as he wakes in the desert after his Rip Van Winkle–level nap—but more than that, it felt like the story had settled into me.
There’s a moment where Roland lights a fire with devil grass, and the smoke seeps into his dreams, changing them—like grit in an oyster becoming a pearl. That’s what this book does. It’s harsh, disorienting, and strange, but it lingers, reshaping how you think about the journey—and how much of the person who began it remains at the end.
I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without reading this series. Stephen King’s worldbuilding is immersive, his dialogue sharp and understated, and his storytelling quietly powerful. I can’t wait to keep going—if this is only the beginning, I know it’s going to leave its mark.
Confusingly interesting...
This book was confusing but interesting. I want to see it through to the end of the gunslinger's long journey, but I had some trouble keeping up with what was going on and why in this book. I've read that the second book is much better so I will read it. This book took some effort to continue till the end.
The Non Sample
WORST SAMPLE EVER!! Why do I want to read a forward, I want to read what the book is about!