The Gunslinger
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- Create Date：2021-04-17 13:55:38
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Stephen King
- ISBN：1444723448
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Summary
Beginning with a short story appearing in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1978， the publication of Stephen King's epic work of fantasy -- what he considers to be a single long novel and his magnum opus -- has spanned a quarter of a century。
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。
Book I
In The Gunslinger （originally published in 1982）， King introduces his most enigmatic hero， Roland Deschain of Gilead， the Last Gunslinger。 He is a haunting， solitary figure at first， on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own。 Pursuing the man in black， an evil being who can bring the dead back to life， Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake。
This new edition of The Gunslinger has been revised and expanded throughout by King， with new story material， in addition to a new introduction and foreword。
Reviews
Nyim Edwards
，
Wow。 Where to start。 This may be the best book series I've read in my life。 （Not that it's been a long one， I'm only 15）。 Most book series I've enjoyed， because of the fact that I know which to continue after the first book and which to run away screaming from because of the sheer uniformity and lack of creativity。 This book had more than creativity。 It put a little superscript 100 on the right hand side of the word。 And then it added mastery， connection， and awesomeness to that sentence。 All I Wow。 Where to start。 This may be the best book series I've read in my life。 （Not that it's been a long one， I'm only 15）。 Most book series I've enjoyed， because of the fact that I know which to continue after the first book and which to run away screaming from because of the sheer uniformity and lack of creativity。 This book had more than creativity。 It put a little superscript 100 on the right hand side of the word。 And then it added mastery， connection， and awesomeness to that sentence。 All I can say is， Stephen is a real one。 Trust me on that， if not anything else。 。。。more
Goodie1857
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This book took up way too much brainpower and was so convoluted at parts I had no idea what I was reading。 I'm sure this is because of some massive foreshadowing in this epic tale of Stephen King but I just wished it was done in a manner more suitable to readers。 It's not too enjoyable to pick through the same paragraph or page 2 or 3 times and still have trouble getting it。 However， I think the cave scene wasn't too bad， I hope to maybe see more of Jake in the future but we'll see。 Also I think This book took up way too much brainpower and was so convoluted at parts I had no idea what I was reading。 I'm sure this is because of some massive foreshadowing in this epic tale of Stephen King but I just wished it was done in a manner more suitable to readers。 It's not too enjoyable to pick through the same paragraph or page 2 or 3 times and still have trouble getting it。 However， I think the cave scene wasn't too bad， I hope to maybe see more of Jake in the future but we'll see。 Also I think that the last part was pretty nice， always great to get some clear indication of the future direction of the series， it was also actually pleasing to read as opposed to some of the earlier parts。 All in all， the last part pretty much is the deciding factor for me continuing this series and I hope I don't waste my time。 If the rest of the series is as hard to read as this one， I'm gonna give up。 。。。more
Lee Cudworth
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Couldn't get into it Couldn't get into it 。。。more
Luke Ryan
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3。5 stars。 A bit weird and confusing。 What was happening became apparent as I went along （with the help of the Gunslingers podcast）。Keen to dive into book 2。
Mcf1nder_sk
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As I begin my trek to the Dark Tower， I still feel the awe I felt the first time I read this book a a sophomore in high school （yes， I was in high school in 1982）。 The Gunslinger had just come out， and I couldn't believe the author of Carrie， The Stand and Night Shift had gone so far as to write what was first believed to be a supernatural western。 Back in 1982， nobody knew where this story was going。This first book in the Dark Tower series is not usually among reader's favorites， but based on K As I begin my trek to the Dark Tower， I still feel the awe I felt the first time I read this book a a sophomore in high school （yes， I was in high school in 1982）。 The Gunslinger had just come out， and I couldn't believe the author of Carrie， The Stand and Night Shift had gone so far as to write what was first believed to be a supernatural western。 Back in 1982， nobody knew where this story was going。This first book in the Dark Tower series is not usually among reader's favorites， but based on King's previous works， I was very impressed with his willingness to step outside his normal genre。 The Gunslinger will always remain one of my favorite King novels， if only for the journey to follow。My Rating: 4。5/5 stars 。。。more
Shade
，
It's a lot of fun and an exciting read！ It's a lot of fun and an exciting read！ 。。。more
Annie Oke
，
The last 20 pages were okay， the rest was almost entirely awful。 Boring， confusing， and oddly sexual， while still attempting some kind of religious undertone。。。 it just didn’t work。
Sonja Tyson
，
Really good。 Not sure if I'll read more of the series。 I kind of wish it had been a stand alone book with some sort of resolution。 Not that the poem had resolution。 Really good。 Not sure if I'll read more of the series。 I kind of wish it had been a stand alone book with some sort of resolution。 Not that the poem had resolution。 。。。more
Zack
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It has been some time since I've read any of King's Dark Tower series， but for whatever reason this year felt like the right time for a revisit。 Returning to the world is incredible because it still feels remarkably fresh， even as the point in this first volume is that everything in the world has grown old and stale。 This is such an unusual King work that reads so unfamiliarly for anyone immersed in the rest of his writing， but with an incredible power to evoke mysteries and worlds that feel lik It has been some time since I've read any of King's Dark Tower series， but for whatever reason this year felt like the right time for a revisit。 Returning to the world is incredible because it still feels remarkably fresh， even as the point in this first volume is that everything in the world has grown old and stale。 This is such an unusual King work that reads so unfamiliarly for anyone immersed in the rest of his writing， but with an incredible power to evoke mysteries and worlds that feel like they're just waiting to be revealed right beyond the edge of the page。 There's a fun and a depth of history to these initial chapters in the cycle that remind me of Star Wars: A New Hope in that they feel so real， so lived in， and so close to being true。 My one complaint with this opening volume of the series it that at times there are possibly too many references to events unseen and unknown， so that certain passages are essentially incomprehensible until you've read later volumes， and only then if you remember specific details。 That adds to the aura of the thing， perhaps， but can also make for some frustrating reading。 Still， Roland is incredible， and the wheels that are set in motion in this first book are stunning。 。。。more
Migs Fiel
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It says in the cover that this book's complete， but really it was written to start a series。 Good thing I have the next two books， because I certainly want to read them。 It says in the cover that this book's complete， but really it was written to start a series。 Good thing I have the next two books， because I certainly want to read them。 。。。more
Rip Riyria
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 This book was gory， raw， bland， boring， stereotypical， underwhelming， and if you can't tell， not my favorite by any means whatsoever。 Also， I think Stephen King wrote this on crack so that'd explain all the "going into the light" moments maybe。 This book was gory， raw， bland， boring， stereotypical， underwhelming， and if you can't tell， not my favorite by any means whatsoever。 Also， I think Stephen King wrote this on crack so that'd explain all the "going into the light" moments maybe。 。。。more
Lauren Cao
，
This was a slow read at first， very slow。 Had to re-start it about three times before I lazily fell into the story。 But it picked up and before I knew it， I was completely hooked and squeezing it into every free moment。 I started this book knowing it was the first of many in the series， and while it leaves off at the start of the larger story， at no time did I feel this was uncomplete on its own。 Its a short read。 I listened to the audiobook version read by George Guidall （who was fantastic and This was a slow read at first， very slow。 Had to re-start it about three times before I lazily fell into the story。 But it picked up and before I knew it， I was completely hooked and squeezing it into every free moment。 I started this book knowing it was the first of many in the series， and while it leaves off at the start of the larger story， at no time did I feel this was uncomplete on its own。 Its a short read。 I listened to the audiobook version read by George Guidall （who was fantastic and intriguing in every way）。 Its a comfortable listen at 1。4x， and about 7 hours in length。 As many have said before this is certainly a western， but don't let that disuade you: its a very layered tale and never falls to the flatness other western stories may have。All in all， a great read worthy of your time。 。。。more
Yasmin
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It pains me to write this since I love SK so much， but here it goes:What a terrible book
Shane Delmolino
，
3。5⭐️
Ammy Dollete
，
Author's way of storytelling is so good， i suggest you join novelstar's writing competition on april。 Author's way of storytelling is so good， i suggest you join novelstar's writing competition on april。 。。。more
NicholeReadsWithCats
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I first read the Gunslinger at the end of 2020。 I was a little disappointed at the pacing， found it a tad boring， and just didn't understand what all the fuss was about。 Having completed the Dark Tower series， I went back to the beginning to read The Gunslinger again。 Woah！ Totally different experience now after knowing the world and its inhabitants。 There's so much foreshadowing and hints at future/past events happening it's hard to imagine that this was written prior to all the others。 Stephen I first read the Gunslinger at the end of 2020。 I was a little disappointed at the pacing， found it a tad boring， and just didn't understand what all the fuss was about。 Having completed the Dark Tower series， I went back to the beginning to read The Gunslinger again。 Woah！ Totally different experience now after knowing the world and its inhabitants。 There's so much foreshadowing and hints at future/past events happening it's hard to imagine that this was written prior to all the others。 Stephen King is nothing short of amazing。 “Yet suppose further。 Suppose that all worlds， all universes， met at a single nexus， a single pylon， a Tower。 And within it， a stairway， perhaps rising to the Godhead itself。 Would you dare climb to the top， gunslinger？ Could it be that somewhere above all of endless reality， there exists a room？。。。'You dare not。'And in the gunslinger's mind， those words echoed: You dare not。” 。。。more
Rachel
，
I reserve the right to come back to update this once I reread， but this first book is a slog。 I was accurately advised by a friend that if I can get through this one， the rest of the series is a big payoff。 That's 100% true for me。 I reserve the right to come back to update this once I reread， but this first book is a slog。 I was accurately advised by a friend that if I can get through this one， the rest of the series is a big payoff。 That's 100% true for me。 。。。more
Nikhil
，
Although i feel in love with the writing style very early on in the book i ended up having mixed feelings about this book after completing it（may be because this is my first read in the fantasy genre） but the ending wasn't what i quite expected it to be and not necessarily made me intrigue to pick the next book of this series。 But like i said i feel in love with Stephen King's writing in this book。 Although i feel in love with the writing style very early on in the book i ended up having mixed feelings about this book after completing it（may be because this is my first read in the fantasy genre） but the ending wasn't what i quite expected it to be and not necessarily made me intrigue to pick the next book of this series。 But like i said i feel in love with Stephen King's writing in this book。 。。。more
Moriquen
，
This book reads like one really big introduction to a world I want to know more about。 I really want to know what happens to Roland， so naturally I'll have to read the rest of the series。 #bookwormproblems 😂 This book reads like one really big introduction to a world I want to know more about。 I really want to know what happens to Roland， so naturally I'll have to read the rest of the series。 #bookwormproblems 😂 。。。more
Juan Rios Monsalve
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"El hombre de negro huía a través del desierto y el pistolero iba en pos de él"Sinopsis: Cuenta el viaje y evolución de Roland Deschain el último pistolero quién es el último de de su orden y que va tras el hombre de negro una especie de hechicero al servicio de un ente maligno llamado El Rey Carmesí， su objetivo， cobrar venganza y encontrar el secreto hacia La torre oscura。 La historia se desarrolla en un mundo especie de viejo Oeste， un mundo al parecer paralelo al nuestro y en los que La torr "El hombre de negro huía a través del desierto y el pistolero iba en pos de él"Sinopsis: Cuenta el viaje y evolución de Roland Deschain el último pistolero quién es el último de de su orden y que va tras el hombre de negro una especie de hechicero al servicio de un ente maligno llamado El Rey Carmesí， su objetivo， cobrar venganza y encontrar el secreto hacia La torre oscura。 La historia se desarrolla en un mundo especie de viejo Oeste， un mundo al parecer paralelo al nuestro y en los que La torre oscura de algún modo tiene influencia。 En su viaje el pistolero se encontrará con personajes que influirán en su viaje y se presentarán varios flashblack que darán un poco comprensión de quién es ，como se convirtió en pistolero y por qué su obsesión con el hombre de negro。Apreciación: La historia al ser poco común y mezclar tantos aspectos hace que no quieras soltarla a pesar de que a momentos pueda ser quizá un poco confusa y lenta a momentos pero sus dos personajes principales （el pistolero y el hombre de negro） y la intriga que ellos generan hace que no quieras dejarla de lado y al final quieres llega la continuación de su siguiente historia de la saga。 。。。more
Elgin
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OK I guess， but I am still do not have an idea of what might be the aim of this book。 Seems a bit of post-apocalypse/fantasy/mystical all rolled into one， Evidently this book is set in the （or a） future earth。 However there seem to be additional forces that can play with or manipulate reality。 The story made me think of Gene Wolfe's Books of the New Sun （strange， distant future）， Brandon Sanderson's Rhythms of War series （with the man in black as Wit？）， and The Lord of the Rings （quest to an obj OK I guess， but I am still do not have an idea of what might be the aim of this book。 Seems a bit of post-apocalypse/fantasy/mystical all rolled into one， Evidently this book is set in the （or a） future earth。 However there seem to be additional forces that can play with or manipulate reality。 The story made me think of Gene Wolfe's Books of the New Sun （strange， distant future）， Brandon Sanderson's Rhythms of War series （with the man in black as Wit？）， and The Lord of the Rings （quest to an objective that will destroy the questor， with a Kazad-Dum moment near the tunnel exit。）Not sure I will read the rest of the series， but if I do I maybe I will be more elightened。BTW。。。I was an avid Stephen King fan 30 years ago and really did enjoy his books。 。。。more
David
，
Oh great。 Now I have to read just over 1。3 million more words to figure this out。 And I bet I will， too。 I tried to read this book a long time ago， when I was a kid and this was just coming out in book form。 I had read all of Kings stuff up until then and liked them。 This book reads so much differently than Kings other books。 I had a hard time then and never finished it， but I really liked it this time around。Thanks， Damon， for your insistence that I read this book; I think I'm kinda hooked。 Oh great。 Now I have to read just over 1。3 million more words to figure this out。 And I bet I will， too。 I tried to read this book a long time ago， when I was a kid and this was just coming out in book form。 I had read all of Kings stuff up until then and liked them。 This book reads so much differently than Kings other books。 I had a hard time then and never finished it， but I really liked it this time around。Thanks， Damon， for your insistence that I read this book; I think I'm kinda hooked。 。。。more
Queenbusick
，
First book - a little hard to get into - but keep going！ It makes sense in light of the series！
Cory Winterberg
，
This book is all over the place and nowhere at the same time。 You can definitely tell it is one of Kings earlier works。 It is however very short and easy to get through， worth reading if you plan on reading the series。
Merritt
，
Overall enjoyed the book it had an interesting concept， a great way of getting you sucked， and an enjoyable plot even when it got murky。 I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy， and I would rate this book 6/10。
Francie Ott
，
I enjoyed it， but it is a introduction of Roland and to some may seem slow。 But I liked it。 The books following this one definitely are more intense。
angelos
，
An honest review。 It was really difficult for me to follow this story。
Maureen
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Very confusing！！
Shawn Durham
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 As Roland travels across the desert in search of the man in black， whom he knows as Walter， he encounters a farmer named Brown and Zoltan， Brown's crow。 Roland spends the night there and recalls his time spent in Tull， a small town Roland passed through not long before the start of the novel。 The man in black had also stayed in the town; he brought a dead man stricken by addiction to the opiate-like "devil grass" back to life and left a trap for Roland。 Roland meets the leader of the local churc As Roland travels across the desert in search of the man in black， whom he knows as Walter， he encounters a farmer named Brown and Zoltan， Brown's crow。 Roland spends the night there and recalls his time spent in Tull， a small town Roland passed through not long before the start of the novel。 The man in black had also stayed in the town; he brought a dead man stricken by addiction to the opiate-like "devil grass" back to life and left a trap for Roland。 Roland meets the leader of the local church， who reveals to him that the man in black has impregnated her with a demon。 She turns the entire town against Roland， and Roland is forced to kill every resident of the town。 When he awakens the next day， his mule is dead， forcing him to proceed on foot。Roland arrives at an abandoned way station and first encounters Jake Chambers， a young boy。 Roland collapses from dehydration， and Jake brings him water。 Jake knows neither how long he has been at the way station nor exactly how he got there， and he hid when Walter passed through。 Roland hypnotizes Jake to determine the details of his death and discovers he died in a different universe that appears much closer in nature to our own。 He was pushed in front of a car while walking to school in Manhattan。 Before they leave， Roland and Jake search for food in a cellar and encounter a demon。 Roland masters the demon and takes a jawbone from the hole from which it spoke to him。Roland and Jake eventually make their way out of the desert。 Roland rescues Jake from an encounter with a succubus and tells him to hold on to the jawbone as a protective charm。 Roland couples with the succubus， who is also an oracle， to learn more about his fate and the path to the Dark Tower。 In a flashback， it is revealed that Roland is the son of Steven Deschain， a Gunslinger and lord of Gilead。 The flashback also recalls the brutal training Roland received at the hand of his teacher， Cort。 Roland reveals how he was tricked into a premature test of manhood by dueling with Cort at age 14， earlier than any other apprentice。 He was provoked by Marten， who served as Steven's wizard and seduced Roland's mother， Gabrielle Deschain。 It is established that this was a time of instability and revolution。 Roland defeated Cort in battle through weapon selection， sacrificing his hawk， David， to distract Cort。Jake and Roland see the man in black at the mountain， and he tells them he will meet just one of them on the other side， which aggravates Jake's fears that Roland will either kill or abandon him。 Roland and Jake make their way into the twisting tunnels within the mountain， traveling on an old railway handcar。 They are attacked by monstrous subterranean creatures called "Slow Mutants。" At the tunnel's exit， as the track on which they are traveling begins to break， Roland lets Jake fall into an abyss and continues his quest。After sacrificing Jake in the mountain， Roland makes his way down to speak with Walter。 Walter reads Roland's fate from a pack of cards， which includes such omens as "the sailor，" "the prisoner，" "the lady of shadows，" "death，" and the Tower itself。 Walter states that he is a pawn of Roland's true enemy， who now controls the Dark Tower itself。 The man in black also reveals that he was Marten。 He then sends Roland a vision of the universe， zooming out past a red planet covered in canals， a ring of rocks， a large stormy planet， a ringed planet， and then to galaxies and beyond， attempting to frighten Roland by showing him how truly insignificant he is。 Walter then asks Roland to renounce his quest。 Roland refuses， and the man in black tells him to go west before putting him to sleep。 When Roland awakens， ten years have passed， and there is a skeleton next to him that he assumes to be Walter's。 Roland takes the jawbone from the skeleton before traveling to the shore of the Western Sea。 。。。more
Christie
，
B- because it’s pretty slow， but I’ll definitely read the whole series， as I love King and hear this one gets better。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Gunslinger
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Gunslinger&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Gunslinger&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0