Hands Up! Who had trouble with Gunslinger?

**bryantburnette** · March 18th, 2013

The Gunslinger is my favorite Tower novel, one of my favorite King novels, and one of my favorite novels by any author.

**Kati33** · March 18th, 2013

I started with Wizard (it was in the high school library), then backtracked to Wastelands... eventually bought the first 4 and read them in order. Approaching it that way, I enjoyed Gunslinger quite a bit. But I had a peak into the future. I then found the final 3 books on sale ($5/hardback, yes please!) and read the entire series from start to finish (and have since gone back to do that 2.5 more times). My best friend/co-King lover has never read the series. I think it is because she keeps starting with Gunslinger and can't get into it. Maybe I'll have her try it out of order- it kills me that we talk King all the time but she hasn't read THE books!

**Evil Queen** · March 19th, 2013

When I first started The Gunslinger, it was a bit strange, but a pleasurable strange and I had to keep going to see what happened, by the end, I was hooked!...I'm on Wolves of the Calla now.......I LOVED Wizard and Glass!! At first, I loved The Gunslinger, but after reading W&G, THAT one is my favorite so far....I hope Wolves is just as great.

**Ragan** · March 19th, 2013

I liked it, but I think I may have quit reading it for a few months the first time. It wasn't really gripping me then. When I did actually read it, I loved it because the world it showed was so interesting. I never had too hard a time with it, sometimes I start books and the time isn't right. I think that's what happened with The Gunslinger. It did get amazing after that, but I thought it was a good start. The people I've gotten to read the books said they wanted to quit at The Gunslinger, but enjoyed the series after getting through it.

The interesting thing about the book is if you don't enjoy the first read, you will love the second reading.

**moonbeam66** · March 19th, 2013

I hesitated for a long time before I decided to read Gunslinger. I am NOT a fan of the fantasy genre. I prefer horror creeping into the world I know and "bad things" happening to people I can identify with. I have never in my life read a fantasy novel (I even gave up on Harry Potter). But I felt I had to read DT because of the significance it has for all of SK's work - so it was a "must".

So far I have only read Gunslinger. I didn't love it. lol. But I also trust that the series will get better with the next few parts. SK himself said in the introduction that Roland found his voice by the third book (if I recall the quote somehow correctly).

**Ragan** · March 19th, 2013

Originally Posted by moonbeam66

I hesitated for a long time before I decided to read Gunslinger. I am NOT a fan of the fantasy genre. I prefer horror creeping into the world I know and "bad things" happening to people I can identify with. I have never in my life read a fantasy novel (I even gave up on Harry Potter). But I felt I had to read DT because of the significance it has for all of SK's work - so it was a "must".

So far I have only read Gunslinger. I didn't love it. lol. But I also trust that the series will get better with the next few parts. SK himself said in the introduction that Roland found his voice by the third book (if I recall the quote somehow correctly).

I'm willing to bet you're going to love The Drawing of The Three.

**kingricefan** · March 19th, 2013

I will never forget reading the Gunslinger for the 1st time. I was a big SK fan, had been for years, and was disappointed when Pet Sematary came out in hardback and it showed 'The Gunslinger' in the list of books by SK in the front and found out that it was already sold out from the publisher. When I did finally manage to snag a copy on the secondary market (which wasn't easy or cheap!- this was before everyone had a computer!) and it arrived in the mail and I started to read it, I was so taken with the story and the sparse writing style! It was unlike anything I'd ever read before! I'm not a fan of fantasy at all, but this story left me wanting more! When the second volume was published (this time I was on the mailing list from Donald M. Grant!) I couldn't wait for it to arrive in the mail and start reading it! There is something downright magical about the second volume. I think it's the one that gets everyone 'hooked' on the series. All of you folken who are just now starting the series are so-o lucky, you don't know what it was like for the rest of us who had to wait years for the next installment to come out!! It was pure agony!! I've re-read the series probably five times now and am halfway thru the 6th journey and each time I come away with something new.

**Cowboy** · March 19th, 2013

Personally, I loved it from the first sentence. I had walked into a bookstore looking for something to read and was already a fan of SK. I had no idea that it was coming out and had not heard a thing about it. I looked at the display and couldn't believe it....why was my favorite Horror writer doing westerns. I admired the cover and thought it wasn't fully a western by the looks of the cover. I opened it up and read the first sentence..."The man in black fled across the desert and the gunsllinger followed"... I think I may of ran to the counter to pay for it and get home as quickly as possible so I could start reading it. I devoured the book within hours and was instantly waiting as patiently as possible for the next installment.
A friend of mine that I worked with was also an SK fan and he finally read it and loved it. We actually started writing a parody involving us and the people we worked with. He would write a chapter, give me the book and I would write a chapter. This went on for months and we would just laugh our butts off at what each other wrote. When I moved away, he kept the book and said he would make a copy for me some day. We lost contact over the years and I tracked him down a few months back and couldn't believe that he had destroyed the book! It seems that he had read the Dark Half, had issues that involved severe counseling, and had destroyed everything SK related.....grrrrrrrrrrrr. I would love to have our version back.

**nate_watkins** · March 19th, 2013

I plan on taking my 2nd journey with the DT this year. My first was about five years ago, and I've been playing catch up, trying to read all the related books. Maybe after I finish UTD, but then I might read roadwork first. Perhaps 'Salem's lot as well. Far too much time has passed since my first DT read.

**kingricefan** · March 19th, 2013

Originally Posted by nate_watkins

I plan on taking my 2nd journey with the DT this year. My first was about five years ago, and I've been playing catch up, trying to read all the related books. Maybe after I finish UTD, but then I might read roadwork first. Perhaps 'Salem's lot as well. Far too much time has passed since my first DT read.

Do it!! Do it!! DO IT!!!! You will be amazed at how much more you're going to discover in those books. It's like reading them for the first time all over again.