The Dark Tower Ending - I HATED IT! **SPOILERS**

[tenngolfer]

I read the Gunslinger when it was first published, then read none of the rest of the series because I did not like the first book. On and off through the years, I would continue to read other SK books as time permitted. After reading 11 22 63, I found this board in late April. After reading many Tower posts, decided I had been premature on judging the series, and gave it a try, starting back with the Gunslinger. I just finished the Dark Tower last night. As with good SK books, like the Stand, I had a hard time putting the book down and letting go of the characters, that somehow seem to become friends. Having read enough SK books,

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I did NOT expect "rainbows and gumdrops" at the end. The books had plenty of forshadowing that Roland made his own choices and would live with his choices, as we all have to do.

I prefer look back on these books I read this summer and think about the things that I am thankful for:

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1. I learned a new language and some new expressions I'll never forget, dad-a-chum!
2. Having lived through desperate situations in earlier parts of my life, I appreciate SK's letting me relive the emotional bonding and close connections of the Ka-tet, without the personal danger.
3. That Susannah found Eddie and Jake again.
4. That Roland made it to the Tower.
5. That Good conquered Evil, once again.
6. And although I do not know much about Gann or Beams or the Tower, God is good.
7. I was reminded, if I ever forgot; life is a journey, make the most out of it; help those God brings into your circle of influence. When we look back, what will mean the most to you, possesions or relationships?

I forgot at least one additional:

8. Special thanks to Mr. King for bringing back Shimmee. I'm not sure why I like this character, but I do. I have been very blessed those around me have not had special needs, but I believe we should all help these individuals as God puts them in our path. I always appreciate when businesses hire the learning or physically challenged.

[SharkGunslinger1999]

Stephen's ending wasn't really about ending the story, or creating a resolution. It was about putting down the right ending. As he said, he wasn't exactly thrilled about it either. Most fantasy series have a happily-ever-after ending, but Dark Tower is much more unpredictable than them. And the nexus of all reality is something kind of too big to just give a fairy tale ending. Also, Roland let Jake die and murdered his mom. It's kind of like Hinduism; he needs to learn from his mistakes.

[DUHockey9]

So I had to register just to share my thoughts. I read the DT series a couple years ago (my first exposure to King) and absolutely loved it. I recently convinced 3 different friend's to read the series, and I love engaging in conversation with them as they read.

I absolutely loved the ending. Admittedly, I haven't done too much research into other people's thoughts and opinions but I always viewed the ending in a way that I have yet to see anyone else express. When I mentioned my thoughts to my friend (who convinced ME to read the series) it totally changed her thoughts on it all.

I'm sure someone has had the same thought as me though. I'm not so naive that I think this is original (I just haven't come across it elsewhere yet!).

I want to quote 2 posts from this thread which I think help illustrate my thoughts.

Via marjorie

It left me with just enough questions to keep me thinking; to keep me using my own imagination. Was Roland the hero of the piece, or the anti-hero, cleverly disguised? Is he in Hell, or Purgatory? And when he retraces his steps yet again, will he again draw Susannah, Eddie, and Jake, or will it be someone else? Not only did his ending prove thought provoking, but it also provided closure; there is no need for more Roland, because we KNOW what he'll be doing from here on in. It will just go on as it always has for him. We've been there, done that. The ending was magnificent, in my humble opinion, a fitting end to a masterpiece; a magnum opus.

Simply put, I agree with the post above, as far as WHAT the ending was, and HOW it makes us feel as readers afterwards. However, my though is related to the HOW, but rather HOW Stephen King structured and wrote his ending. It has nothing to do with what the ending actually was, but his method in conveying it. And I thought it was brilliant.

Via terrain:

I also held my breath towards the end of the journey, especially after reading Stephen's warning to turn back, to not read the ending, but I doubt ANY Constant Reader could have stopped there. We had to know, after so many years of following this incredible story. And I put the last book down completely satisfied. No other ending was possible.

The bolded from terrain's post above is the key to my point.

Completely ignoring what actually occurred in the ending. King's "2 ending" approach, complete with a warning to stop reading and end it after the "first" ending, I thought was completely and utterly brilliant.

We spent 7 books (and for many people, decades) of reading chasing after the Tower right along with Roland. Roland's entire being was (and will continue to be) getting to that Tower. He was simply obsessed. King's double ending served to relate us directly to Roland in that regard. By telling us to turn back, and yet have the mystery of the Tower in "ending 2" shortly thereafter, he managed to prove that we were all just as driven, and just as obsessed as Roland was.

I loved it. I loved what the ending was from a plot and closure perspective, but I love Stephen King's method of writing it infinitely more. I've never been able to relate more to a main character than Roland.

[Jim Robison]

Here’s an alternative ending that some may find interesting.

Roland gazed through the open door on the top floor of the Dark Tower. The room contained a circular ironwood bench with nineteen seats facing outward to nineteen open windows. A common armrest separated each seat. Eighteen of the seats were occupied, and Roland recognized the occupants not for who they were, but for what they were. They were all gunslingers.

There was a Japanese Samurai, a Zulu tribesman, a Native American brave, a medieval knight, and an Amazon warrior. An American president sat next to a convicted serial killer; a British secret agent sat next to a Jedi knight.

Without a spoken word, Roland sensed “Hile Roland of Gilead, son of Steven and Gabrielle, descendent of Arthur Eld. We have been expecting you. Please take your seat.” Roland, the last gunslinger, stepped into the room and sat in the nineteenth seat, between a World War Two fighter pilot and a Mayan princess.

The gunslingers joined hands, completing a circuit. The beams had done what they were meant to do; the Circle of Gunfighters would now support and defend the Dark Tower forevermore, and we say thankya.

[AchtungBaby]

I love the ending just as it is and wouldn't want it to be any different. Simply magnificent.

[Born In Sin]

I just finished this epic story! I actually loved it! It took me along time to get into the story and a long time to finish, but I am so happy I did. WOW not what I expected at all, but I was not disappointed!

[Vose]

Wow, Jim - cool ending that you've imagined up, and I do say thankya. To me, that's the glory of how Stephen King ended the book. Not necessarily that he will return again and again to his journey, finding himself at the beginning forever, but rather that any of those future endings could be possible. Perhaps the next time he comes to the top of the tower he will have made the choices that would lead him to an ending like you mentioned!

[tenngolfer]

I could see this being an attractive alternate ending for a movie.

Here’s an alternative ending that some may find interesting.

Roland gazed through the open door on the top floor of the Dark Tower. The room contained a circular ironwood bench with nineteen seats facing outward to nineteen open windows. A common armrest separated each seat. Eighteen of the seats were occupied, and Roland recognized the occupants not for who they were, but for what they were. They were all gunslingers.

There was a Japanese Samurai, a Zulu tribesman, a Native American brave, a medieval knight, and an Amazon warrior. An American president sat next to a convicted serial killer; a British secret agent sat next to a Jedi knight.

Without a spoken word, Roland sensed “Hile Roland of Gilead, son of Steven and Gabrielle, descendent of Arthur Eld. We have been expecting you. Please take your seat.” Roland, the last gunslinger, stepped into the room and sat in the nineteenth seat, between a World War Two fighter pilot and a Mayan princess.

The gunslingers joined hands, completing a circuit. The beams had done what they were meant to do; the Circle of Gunfighters would now support and defend the Dark Tower forevermore, and we say thankya.

[All Hail The Crimson King]

I love the ending just as it is and wouldn't want it to be any different. Simply magnificent.

Exactly how I feel. I know of one person that has chosen not to go beyond the point where King gives you the option to not go. To this day as far as I know he still hasn't read the rest of ending.

[Phil Dark, No Stars]

I like to believe that there are two endings to the Dark Tower, one for the novel and one for the story.

The first, the ending to the novel, where Roland (and we as Constant Readers) discover the loop and are thrust back to the beginning, forcing us to either re-read from the beginning and enjoy the story all over again.

The second ending is the ending to the Dark Tower story. Didn't it mention somewhere that the Tower would eventually fall? The beams can't last forever, although they might not expire for years and years. I suppose I am waxing philosophical here, but nothing can last forever, right? Roland's circuit can't last indefinitely, at some point there will be no more Tower to which Roland can return? What will happen then?

I started the first book with the question ever-present in my mind, What is at the top floor of the Tower? Thus I was initially and thoroughly disappointed to find that question was not answered. However, I now believe that the ending to the novel was a perfect fit, but I also believe that there is an ending to the story to which we are not, and probably never will be, privy to.

The ending to the novel (the author's responsibility) and the ending to the story (the reader's responsibility) can co-exist harmoniously. No one can tell you that what you decide happened after the novel ended is incorrect, just as we as readers shouldn't say that the ending in print was not appropriate.

My hope is that the wheel of Ka will turn S.K. back to this matter in the future so that we can read what his own ending to the story is. All things serve the beam.