The Dark Tower Boxed Set (Books 1-4)
by Stephen King
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Book Summary Information
Author: Stephen KingEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Box set
Published: 2003-10-07
ISBN: 0451211243
Publisher: Signet
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780451211248
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of The Dark Tower Boxed Set (Books 1-4)
Book Review: Where is Roland going?
Summary: 1 Stars
I have a question about the Dark Tower series, which mainly ties into books I and II.
My question is this; Why does the sense of cardinal direction seem to be all messed up in these two books? Here's what I mean...
In Book 1: The Gunslinger, Roland, is on a southeast course after the Man in Black. His southeastern route is referenced to more than once during the story. It is also noted at the end of Book 1 that he has just crossed the Mohaine Desert, which is also odd, because earlier in Book 1, there is a reference made that the Mohaine Desert is west of Gilead, where Roland grew up. In fact, it's when he is describing the possibility of being sent west if he fails to best Cort, that he describes what lies to the west, and the Mohaine Desert is listed among those things that lie to the west. Yet, on his southeastern route from Gilead in Book 1, he crossed the Mohaine Desert to get to the mountains while chasing the Man in Black. How can the Mohaine Desert be to the east and west of Gilead unless it wraps around the south side of the region in a half circle and is huge?
Additionally, while Roland and Jake are crossing the desert along there southeast course, there is a reference made to the setting sun off to their left turning every sweat tear into a painful prism. This also doesn't make sense. If you're walking southeast, the setting sun would not be to your left. It would be to your right and to the rear, unless the sun sets in the northeast - which we know it does not, because at the beginning of book 2, after having his fingers and toe cut off while getting ready to move on, Roland looks back toward the "east from which he had come" and sees the rising sun over the mountains. This makes no sense also, because he didn't come from the east. He came from the west, or the north west, and was travelling to the southeast. So even though the sun is rising in the east as Roland begins to move on in the beginning of book two, it should be rising out over the sea somewhere, and not over the mountains behind him.
Which brings the next contradiction, the fact that he calls the sea the western sea. Again, if you're travelling southeast all though book 1, how do you reach the western sea?
So, he's on the beach, and he decides to turn North along the beach to pursue the tower. Fine, except on page 33 of book 2, as Roland begins his northern walk, it is narrated "the sea to his right and mountains to his left." If he is going north, that means west is to his left and east is to his right. This would be alright if not for the statements about the sun. If the sun comes up in the east, as he previously said, then again, it would be coming up over the water, not the mountains. If he is going north, and the mountains are on his left, then he did indeed come from the west, and not the east like the beginning of book 2 says.
Also keep in your mind that the Man in Black had told Roland to strike west and that the sea was 20 short miles. If Roland did do this, the direction of travel makes even less sense because; He came from the Northwest, traveled southeast, and then struck due west only to go north along the beach again... that's be like going back the way you came to find out a sea suddenly appeared where you just were.
So what's the deal? Why is King's direction all messed up? Are these just mistakes or am I missing something? I have the unfortunate ability to pay attention to what I read, and these issues to me, reflect poor editing, and they make me mad as I read. For me, they take enjoyment away from the story.
Summary of The Dark Tower Boxed Set (Books 1-4)
Set in a world of ominous landscape and macabre menace, The Dark Tower features one of Stephen King?s most powerful creations?The Gunslinger, a haunting figure who embodies the qualities of the lone hero through the ages, from ancient myth to frontier Western legend. As Roland crosses a desert of damnation in a macabre world that is a twisted image of our own, he moves ever closer to the Dark Tower of his dreams?and nightmares.
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