From the book jacket:
Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, The Dark Tower series is King's most visionary feat of storytelling, a magical mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that may well be his crowning achievement. In November 2003, the fifth installment, Wolves of the Calla, will be published under the imprint of Donald M. Grant, with distribution and major promotion provided by Scribner. Song of Susannah, Book VI, and The Dark Tower, Book VII, will follow under the same arrangement in 2004. With these last three volumes finally on the horizon, readers-countless King readers who have yet to delve into The Dark Tower and a multitude of new and old fantasy fans-can now look forward to reading the series straight through to its stunning conclusion. Viking's elegant reissue of the first four books ensures that for the first time The Dark Tower will be widely available in hardcover editions for this eager readership.
Moe's Review
The Waste Lands is the third of seven books in the Dark Tower series which was inspired by Robert Browning's Poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came." The book grabs you right from the begining with a gripping plot line and amazingly well written characters, it is easily as good as the first two books in the series.
Roland, the gunslinger, who is now traveling with Eddie Dean, an ex junkie and drug mule from New York and Susannah Dean, formerly the schizophrenic Odetta Susannah Holmes, heads out in search of the Dark Tower. They get their first real clue to the location of the tower when they defeat a giant mechanical bear named Mir. Mir guides one of the beams of the tower, and since all beams point to the tower all they need to do is follow the beam. Easier said than done.
Roland is losing his mind. In the previous book, the Drawing of the Three, Roland killed serial murder Jack Mort which unknowingly led to a paradox. Jack Mort was supposed to kill Jake and in Jake's afterlife Roland was to sacrifice him as he chased the man in black. Since Roland killed Jakes murderer Jake continues to live and this tears at Roland's mind as his brain trys to deal with two conflicting memories of two realities. Jake is also having the same problem, for the same reason. Half of his mind thinks he died while the other half knows that he is alive. They are able to save themselves, and each other, by pulling Jake into Roland's world in a scene that is both touching and horrifying. Shortly after Jake arrives in Roland's world he befriends a talking billy-bumbler (sort of like a dog mixed with a racoon) who is named Oy. Now the group, five strong, continue on the path of the beam towards the Dark Tower.
Along the way Roland teaches his companions to be gunlslingers and we start to learn a little more about Roland's tortured past and all that he has sacrificed in his search for the Dark Tower. It is here where King's ability to write deep characters and to develop them fully really shines. His creates characters that are so real and true that they can almost step of the page. King also teases us with enough information to get our juices flowing but keeps us hungry for more.
Roland and his Ka-Tet arive in a town named Lud, once a giant city, now a city left in ruin and over run with gangs. During their stay Jake is captured but with the help of Roland and his new pet Oy he is able to escape. They are able to make their way to an aritifically intelligent monorail capable of traveling at supersonic speeds. The monorail is named Blaine, and Blaine has a great affinity for riddles, he also happens to be insane. Blaine agree to take the Ka-tet as far as he can, on one condition. If they can stump Blaine with a riddle that he cannot solve he will let them live, if they can't he will kill them all. The book ends with a cliffhanger that will drive you nuts and very eager to start reading the next installment.
King's Dark Tower story gets richer and deeper the more he tells it. While I find the Drawing of the Three to be a more enjoyable read, The Waste Lands isn't far behind. This is a great book in part of a series of great books. I highly recommend this one. |
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