From the book jacket:
Roland and his band have narrowly escaped the city of Lud and boarded Blaine, a train that will take them to, of all places, Kansas, where the ghost city of Topeka has been depopulated by a superflu and where, alongside Interstate 70, an emerald palace rises enchantingly. Before Roland and the companions of his ka-tet continue along the Path of the Bean, Roland must tell his companions the tale that defines him both as a man and hero, a long-ago romance of witchery and evil, of the beautiful, unforgettable Susan Delgado, of the Big Coffin Hunters and Reah of the Coos. And when his tale is finished, Roland confronts a man who goes by many names, a man who "darkles and tincts" and who holds perhaps the key to the Dark Tower.
Moe's Review
Wizard & Glass, the fourth novel in Stephen King's Dark Tower epic begins right where Wasteland ends, with Roland and his companions in Blaine, the insane monorail. Blaine is traveling a supersonic speeds on a suicide run that will kill our heroes unless they can stump Blaine in a game of riddles. All of Roland's attempts fail, as do all of the riddles contained in the book that Jake brought with him from. Finally Eddie is able to stump Blaine saving the Ka-Tet from certain death. They then begin a journey across a superflu ravaged Kansas.
When they stop to travel Roland's decides that he must tell the others about his past, where he came from and how got to be where he is today. The party has a very long palaver as Roland tells them his tale.
Roland's tale begins with his old teacher, Cort, and how he defeated him to become a gunslinger. Roland's father then sent him off, with two of his beloved friends, Cuthbert and Alain, to keep them safe from the Wizard Marten. The boys are sent from Gilead to the barony of Mejis on the pretext of counting taxable goods and property. Although this is just a cover story and they aren't expected to find anything of any importance, they end up learning of a great conspiracy. They find oil in large tankers, large number of horses all of which is meant for the "Good man", who is anything but good. It is also in Mejis that Roland meets Susan, a woman that he falls deeply in love with and she with him. Unfortunately, Susan has been promised to the lecherous Mayor to bear him children. His wife of forty years had been unable to bear children for him and Susan was coerced into a deal with them that would save her poor family.
The book is filled with wonderful and rich characters who make this book a vibrant read. There is Roland's two companions; Alain, a noble and serious young man who is gifted with the Sight; Cuthbert, the joker who is very much like Eddie Dean; Sheemie, who, after having his life saved by Cuthbert, is entirely devoted to the young man, and will play a key role to the Ka-Tet. There is also an evil witch who is holding something very special for Farson, the "Good man", which ends up consuming her, and her hatred for Susan which will have tremendous affect on Roland and his Ka-Tet. Then there is Jonas, one of the Big Coffin Hunters, who is also a failed gunslinger.
This is amongst the strongest of the books in the series, I loved learning about Roland's past, it allows us to see how he ended up the cold hearted, ruthless killer who will stop at nothing in his search for the Dark Tower. Although Roland will never be a sympathetic character you do learn to understand why he is the way that he is. The only place I was disappointed with this book is the very end. I don't want to give too much away but the whole Wizard of Oz theme just did not work for me. Still, an amazing book and one that you shouldn't miss. |
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