⚔️ Stephen King "The Gunslinger" (The Dark Tower series, Book 1)
So, I’ve finally read the first book in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series — and I’m absolutely blown away! Honestly, I’m kind of mad at myself for not reading it sooner, especially since it’s one of my husband’s all-time favorite books.
The Gunslinger follows Roland, a lone gunslinger crossing a vast desert in pursuit of a mysterious man in black. As we go, we learn that this man is supposed to lead Roland to the Dark Tower — whatever that might be. The Tower gets mentioned often, but never fully explained. Along the way, Roland meets a boy named Jake, who somehow ended up in Roland’s world from a place very much like our own. The two journey together.
Bit by bit, we learn about Roland’s past — his childhood and youth, his family and friends, and the tragic events that led him to this desert path. We also start to understand that this world has “moved on” — something’s deeply wrong, off-balance, broken.
First of all, I was completely taken with the atmosphere and the world King created. I’ve read various works of his — both short stories and novels — but in The Gunslinger (which he wrote ages ago), he really goes all-in with the descriptions, metaphors, rich language, and — most of all — mystery.
Second, the mystery itself! I don’t read much fantasy or adventure, so this felt like a breath of fresh air. That sensation of not understanding anything but still being hooked — that’s exactly what I got. The world has “moved on,” so nothing works the way we expect, but instead of trying to solve the puzzle, you just keep going, observing, and hoping that it will all eventually click.
I really liked the characters — even though I still don’t understand them or their motivations yet. I’m hoping I’ll connect more deeply with them as I keep reading. It’s only the beginning of a long journey, after all, and King wrote this series over many years. I’m sure his style will evolve along the way, just like he did. But this first book — it’s classic fantasy, mysterious and entrancing.
Obviously, King doesn’t promise any romance here. What you do get is a hard look at the darker sides of human nature — enough to make sure you don’t fall in love with any of the characters. He makes it clear: there are no perfect people here. Every single one of them is a walking red flag.
So yes, I definitely recommend it. But if you’re in the mood for unicorns, love triangles, or happy endings — this ain’t it.
Spoiler section (yes, I’m about to yell, skip if you don't wanna spoil anything):
What do you mean he didn’t choose the boy?! I know Jake comes back later in the series, but still — he let him fall?! I mean, okay, taking Roland’s past into account, and the fact that he’s been chasing the man in black for who knows how many years, I get it. But I really thought he wouldn’t go through with it!!!
Also — who on earth thought it was a good idea to cast Matthew McConaughey as the man in black?! He’d make a much better Roland — world-weary, beaten down, scorched by life. But laughing, slightly unhinged man in black? No way.