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Average Rating: Rating: - It Just Gets Better and Better Wizard and Glass is not only the best book in the Dark Tower series, it may well be the best Stephen King book I've ever read. It is grand, operatic, vivid, a story worthy of Tolkien, throbbing with atmosphere, and aching with the shattered soul and broken heart of the story's principal character, Roland Deschain, the last Gunslinger. This tale of first love, and that love's tragic loss, forms the centerpiece of the novel, which begins where The Waste Lands left off, with Roland and co. trapped on Blaine (the Pain), engaged in a riddling contest (shades of Bilbo and Gollum!) for their very lives. They defeat Blaine (how I won't say, but it's a moment that beats hell out of every time Captain Kirk ever overloaded a mad computer), and soon discover they've somehow jumped dimensions (another side effect of the Tower's failing), and have wound up in the world . of The Stand -- a moment so chilling I got goosepimples. Really! Of course, given that rambunctious Randy Flagg has now become the villain of this piece, this bit of dimension switching should hardly come as a surprise -- but it's nevertheless fascinating. Roland and co. travel on in this deserted world, finding evidence of both Mother Abigail and the Dark Man (as well as the Crimson King from Insomnia), and soon encounter a "thinny" -- a warp between dimensions that is like a mosquito with a thousand-watt amplifier buzzing in one's ear. This triggers in Roland a flashback -- and most of the next 550 pages are spent in the days of Roland's youth, just after he defeated Cort. He is sent by his father -- along with companions Cuthbert and Alain -- to the sleepy sea community of Mejis. Here they discover the conspiracies of John Farson (aka the Good Man, aka Marten Broadcloak, aka Richard Fannin, aka Randall Flagg) are hard at work, involving the theft of oil from a still (though barley) working refinery, which Farson intends to refine for use as gasoline, and, possibly, napalm. While evidence of this is slowly being uncovered, Roland meets Susan, the horse-drover's daughter alluded to in the first Dark Tower book, who is betrothed to the greedy mayor, Thorin (also the name of the greedy Dwarf in The Hobbit!). There begins between Susan and Roland a forbidden love. Much more happens, involving Farson's lackies, Susan's half-crazed aunt, and Rhea, the witch of the Coos, who holds in her hand an all-seeing crystal ball which is consuming her from the inside out...but it is the love between Susan and Roland which is the soul of this book. Every moment of it is sweetly, adoringly, even frighteningly realistic -- such as the moment when Roland kisses her with such force, her mouth bleeds, or Susan's mingled fear and excitement, even arousal, at being in such a precarious situation, or the jealousy and impatience of Cuthbert and Alain, who have Farson more on their minds (they think) than Roland does. I could go on -- about the marvelous depiction of Mejis, and its quaint (though dangerous) denizens, the evil Coffin Killers (I always picture Jason Robards as their leader for some reason), or the lyrical language King uses during this narrative -- a lyricism that is present, it seems, only in this series and early novels such as Salem's Lot and The Stand, although Rose Madder has a lot of it, too. I could speak of the richly-depicted characters, or the numerous Tolkien parallels -- I've mentioned two, and here's another: the Wizard's Grapefruit, which is in appearance and its effect on Rhea eerily like the Palantirs in the Rings saga. I could go on and on (if the good people at Amazon.com would allow me) -- but in the end, I'll mention this one thing, and leave it at that: Wizard and Glass is a work of boundless heart and imagination, chilling and warm all at once, a wholly-successful melding of the Wild West, the journey of the Ringbearer, and Arthurian myth that King hinted at in the previous three novels. There is not a moment when there is not something of interest going on, when you are not amused or unsettled or in love or in fear; King is a writer of immeasurable talent, and this novel proves it. As to the Wizard of Oz riff that provides much of the framing story -- it is, to quote King's description of the Marsten house in Salem's Lot, "a literary curlicue, there to provide mood...and not much else". Of course it also sets the stage for what is to come in the next three books -- the true quest for the Dark Tower (where Sauron lived in Tolkien's story!) which promises to be every bit as enthralling and entertaining as what has come before. Dorothy was on a quest, too; she wanted nothing more than to go home, much as each of our characters does (except possibly young Jake), the difference being that not only do our heroes know they can never go home again (as Thomas Wolfe would no doubt tell them), there is not even a guarantee they will reach their destination alive. Using the Oz parallel is simply King's way of reminding us (and possibly himself) that all roads have endings, and that all quests much sooner or later reach their fruition. If Wizard and Glass is any indication, I can't wait for what is at the end of Roland's long, hard-traveled road. Rating: - You like/You hate it It isn't Faulkner, it isn't Twain, it isn't Tolkien, it isn't Lewis, it isn't L'Amour. It's King. And if there is ONE thing we KNOW about Stephen King, it is that we NEVER know quite what to expect. And so it was with the fourth installment of the Dark Tower series. We just weren't quite sure what to expect. Therefore, we aren't quite sure how to react. I liked this book. It didn't change my way of thinking or my way of life (hence-- no 10). But I found it to be a well crafted story set in a semi-western/sci-fi world. I liked the characters, the action (little though it was, which was fine) but most of all I liked the vividness of the imagery used. Now, that sounds artsy, and I'm not much of an artsy person, but King's use of words in this is amazing. The love story is compellingly romantic without seeming trivial. And then there is the sense of foreboding doom. Inevitably, we know that most of the characters will die (a la the Stand, et al) but that Roland lives and endures much pain. I think some people are wrong when they think this didn't shed any light on the main story (oh, yeah, that whole quest thing). If anything we can realize the importance of this Dark Tower (whatever and wherever it may be). If you dislike love stories and westerns, skip the middle 500 pages. I don't think King will mind. It seems to me that this series is more for him than it is for the reader. I'm right there with him cheering him on, whether he knows it or not. This is an excellent book. If you just want the quest, stick with the first 100 pages and the last 75 pages. That is the minimum requirement. If you do decide to read the middle part, don't just read-- experience it. It is the story that is willing to draw you in and make you a part of it. Be a part of it. Rating: - A fabulous addition to a specatular epic As an addition to a previous review I again applaud Mr. King in a well written and addictive novel. This novel answers many questions readers could (and probably did) ask after reading The Gunslinger. I can't imagine the pressure put upon Mr. King to publish the continuing saga of Roland and party, but having ransoms against a poor teddy bear sent to him (from Mr. King's forewards) must show the popularity of this series. I have always been proud of saying that I am a contant reader of Mr. King and hope that my children will enjoy his imagination as I have. Without spoiling the book, I think the plot was well thought out and that character development was superb. Roland's character is the focus in this installment and in my opinion is the most well defined character in fiction to date. We also see his long lost friends Cuthbert and Alain better described. I think the Dark Tower series is most important because it was derived from a poem by Robert Downing. To any person interested in The Dark Tower series I humbly suggest that they read Browning's To The Dark Tower Childe Roland Came before starting The Gunslinger. This will give the reader an idea of where Mr. King got his inspiration.

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