Wizard and Glass--Bracket 8 Runner-Up!

[Aaron]

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/510/medium/W_G_trade_face.jpg
Wizard and Glass
Donald M. Grant, 1997


Bracket #8

Voting for this Book is Closed

Final Average Score:
4.360360360

Bracket Runner-Up!
Wizard and Glass will advance to Round 2

[jayson]

Let me go ahead and give it a 5 before the routine trashing of this book begins in earnest.

I will never understand why people hate this book. I've explained before in the thread for this book how I don't consider the Mejis story a "flashback" or a distraction from the "real story".

Ok, trash away.

[Tiffany]

A 4 for me. If I'd voted on this four years ago, or so, it would have been a 5. My first read of the DT books, this was my favorite. On my second go at it, I think The Drawing of the Three was my fave with this book being on par with The Wastelands. From what I can remember, anyway.

Who knows? Maybe on my third read, it'll be something else.

[Sam]

This is my favorite of the Dark Tower series, but the last to get a five from me unfortunately. The stories were still good, but the whole side story with Mia really irked me for some reason and colored the rest of the series.

[fernandito]

A 5, I love this book.

[Hannah]

I gave it a 3. It paled in comparison to the other DT books, and was my least favorite. I didn't mind Roland's backstory, but I just couldn't get into it.

[alinda]

I really dreaded this one ...I couldn't think of how to describe my
feelings about it, but Hannah just about summed it up perfectly.
This was my least favorite in the series, I gave it a 3.

Thanks Hannah :rose:

[mae]

I gave this one a big fat 2. Probably the lowest I'll rate a King book. I wrote a lot about my feelings in the Baronies section, so I won't repeat myself here. I'm just hoping this book won't make it out of this bracket, and so I've done my part. :nope:

[Letti]

I love this book as it is. 5

[Daghain]

A definite 3 for me. Love it because it's part of the DT series, could have totally lived without Susan Delgao. Just sayin'.

[John_and_Yoko]

This is the first DT volume I didn't like more than the previous one. I still recognized it as having greatness, and so I still voted it a 4 (plus it is still The Dark Tower), but I didn't like it as much as some other volumes. The backstory in particular was hard to get into, and I even read The Gunslinger Born BEFORE I read this.

[sarah]

It was good. The first time I read this book I was freaking out about how much I loved it. I talked about it with anyone that would listen. It didn't hold up too good for me on reread. *shrug* I've probably read this book cover to cover twice and skimmed about three to four times and it has never been as good as it was the first time.

[Matt]

I like it very much as it stands outside the loop

5 for me. :clap:

[mae]

Ooh, another 2 and even a 1! :nana:

[Heather19]

That 2 is from me. The only thing that saved it from being a 1 was the beginning with Blaine, and the end with the emerald city. Also coming off of The Wastelands which is my favorite of the series, this was a huge letdown.

[Pasiuk57]

one of the best in the DT series...

[at_one]

5* WnG ftw!!!

[mae]

Fully agree, Heather. Afterwards I've come to appreciate the so-called flashback portion a bit more, but taking the novel as a standalone work, which is what we're supposed to do when we rate these books, that was a very jarring and overlong section.

[Jean]

That 2 is from me. The only thing that saved it from being a 1 was the beginning with Blaine, and the end with the emerald city. Also coming off of The Wastelands which is my favorite of the series, this was a huge letdown.
Almost the same - although there was also that big battle near the end, and some more nice things (although not too many), so 3 from me

[pickle]

I really liked it, not as much as some of the others, but it was still good and important for the story.

[B Rag]

I didn't care for this one too much. I probably would have enjoyed Roland's backstory, but I was trying to rush through it, because I knew that my favorite character, the Tick Tock Man, would be returning at some point. When he actually did, it was a pretty big letdown.

[Girlystevedave]

If I had voted right after my first read of this book I probably wouldn't have given it more than a 3. For some reason, it just didn't grab me.
But since I've reread it at least 4 times since finishing the DT series, I love it.
I give it a 5.
:)

[ksmithcats]

5 from me. I thought it was just wonderful. But then, I don't think I could give any SK story a bad review....it's a sickness of mine.

[IWasSentWest]

That 2 is from me. The only thing that saved it from being a 1 was the beginning with Blaine, and the end with the emerald city. Also coming off of The Wastelands which is my favorite of the series, this was a huge letdown.

same thoughts as myself

the middle just really draaaaaggged along. i couldnt give a rats ass about susan delgado. i liked the book, loved how it gave alot more history on john farson and all that, but man the love story part just didn't float my boat

4 for me (merely bc it IS the dark tower series) as a stand alone, i'd prob. rate it a 3

[mae]

IWasSentWest, that's how you should've rated it, as a standalone work, solely on its own merit.

[IWasSentWest]

too late now bud, and u dont gotta spell out my long ass sn everytime. just call me west, or pbyrd (patrick byrd's the name, heh)

[MrQuint]

Best of the series. 5

[Matt of Gilead]

I didn't realize how much I loved Wizard and Glass until I reread it. The first time through, I enjoyed the story, and I considered it the best DT book so far. However, when I reread the book, I got most of the way through very quickly, and then found that my reading had slowed way down. After a bit of pondering I realized that I didn't want to keep reading because I would have to read about Susan being burned again, and it made me sad. It honestly caught me by surprise.

[ManOfWesternesse]

5......5.....5.....5 !

[Darkthoughts]

It was good. The first time I read this book I was freaking out about how much I loved it. I talked about it with anyone that would listen. It didn't hold up too good for me on reread. *shrug* I've probably read this book cover to cover twice and skimmed about three to four times and it has never been as good as it was the first time.

I have to quote Maer, because this is exactly what I was going to say!

I'm not a fan of romances, but this is without a doubt the best romance I've read...yet, it lost a bit of it's magic on the reread. Which is why I've given a 4 - anything worthy of 5 needs to have staying power as well as that initial wow factor.

[Brainslinger]

This is my favorite of the Dark Tower series, but the last to get a five from me unfortunately. The stories were still good, but the whole side story with Mia really irked me for some reason and colored the rest of the series.

Concerning Mia:

She doesn't appear until the next book. Wolves of the Calla.

[Brainslinger]

I did love this book overall, but I chose 4. Mainly because I found the Roland/Susan relationship stuff a bit irritating. I understand it needs to be there though, it's just not quite my cup of tea.

[Empath of the White]

I rated it as a 5. My reason is that I really liked all the world-building King accomplished through Roland's tale. It also seems like a part of the Tower story that really deserved a place in the main series because of how well it matches up with Browning's poem in regards to the stanza about "a call to past to set all to rights" (rough paraphrase there). I regarded it as Roland basically warning his ka-tet before the last stretch of their journey. I also think I might be in the minority who wasn't confused by the ending. Finally, I really liked the artwork in the book as well.

And that brief palaver with Roland and the Turtle at the end really got me excited for the endgame of the series and almost immediately started filling my head with all kinds of theories.

EDIT: Some of Susan and Roland's hanky panky did get tiresome. Thankfully Cuthbert knocked some sense into Roland.

[Sam]

This is my favorite of the Dark Tower series, but the last to get a five from me unfortunately. The stories were still good, but the whole side story with Mia really irked me for some reason and colored the rest of the series.

Concerning Mia:

She doesn't appear until the next book. Wolves of the Calla.

True Brainslinger. Very true. Which is why I said W&G was the last of the series that will get a grade of 5 from me. Because they have her side story.

[SpaceMaN]

5. The flashback is great when it all culminates, and all you Susan Delgado haters, you know she dies, and horribly. It's part of Roland and his life and his story, and therefore deserves the appreciation of such. How did you think he got the way he became? Wery interesting to me, indeed.

[tippy4]

I knew that my favorite character, the Tick Tock Man, would be returning at some point. When he actually did, it was a pretty big letdown.


Agreed. I really liked the story a lot....but there were several parts that sucked the big one. The encounter with The Tick Tock Man....Blaine passing into the world of The Stand. I could have done without Rhea feeling-up Susan too.

Still I gave it a FIVE because the parts that didn't suck were really good.

[BillyxRansom]

A definite 3 for me. Love it because it's part of the DT series, could have totally lived without Susan Delgao. Just sayin'.

WAT


And as for why i say that...


5. The flashback is great when it all culminates, and all you Susan Delgado haters, you know she dies, and horribly. It's part of Roland and his life and his story, and therefore deserves the appreciation of such. How did you think he got the way he became? Wery interesting to me, indeed.

[Jean]

It has been discussed in the W&G subforum. To basically sum it up, we - who are not happy with W&G - have nothing against Roland's backstory, but we were dissatisfied with how it was done; saying very little of Roland and his development, and very much about a trivial romance and a girl who hardly differs from thousands "romantic" females from countless romances written by female authors. No story deserves appreciation solely for its intention if it is inadequately told.

And no, very few of us are "Susan haters" - so the inside of the spoiler isn't quite relevant. She was so annoying that for some readers nothing about her could rise to a real tragedy. I was a tear-jerking moment, but giving her overall artificialness and cliched-ness, not very touching.

(the above was brief and, I hope, correct summary of many views expressed in W&G subforum. If any deep discussion is to be continued or resumed, I beg to do it where it belongs.)

[Mianjo]

This is my favorite of the series. Well, right now it is...it vacillates between this and DotT. I loved the "side trip" to Mejis. I loved meeting Cuthbert (again) and Alain. It expanded Roland's world a bit. It was a Western and a Romance and a Fairy Tale all in one. And Roland as a boy...not quite grown, but almost, and his first love.

I remember finishing it and being delighted that Stephen King could write a book that was so different from his norm, yet keeping within the Dark Tower universe. I was a little disappointed that we didn't get too much further along the line toward the Tower, but my satisfaction with the entire tone of the book far, far outweighed that.

5--no question.

[blueoccult]

I gave it a 4, mostly because I haven't read it in years, but what I remember of it I loved. I'm currently re-reading the series again, because I haven't read it in ages and things are a bit fuzzy, so maybe after I re-read it I might vote differently. I noticed that some of you didn't like how Susan was cliched and all, but you have to remember, Roland is telling the story. It's told how he remembers it, and she was his first love. Maybe the reason she is this way is because that is how he remembers it? Anyways, 4 out of 5, W&G is a great book.

[Aaron]

100 VOTES!!

:dance:

[mae]

I feel like such a minority (5%) with my vote of 2. :(

[Hannah]

I saw that this morning and thought "Aaron is going to be so happy when he sees we have 100 votes!" :lol:

[Matt]

That is one hell of a turn out to be sure. Very cool. :clap:

[cozener]

5. My favorite of the DT series. I think one of the reasons I like this one so much because of the time period of Midworld it was set in. Then, of course, there was the story itself.

[mae]

The turnout is thanks to the new notices feature. Makes me wish it was implemented at the start of the CRAs.

[Matt]

Yep, me too. But I am glad it is at least working.

Hard to find a solution to a problem before it presents itself. :lol:

The second tier of this thing is going to be amazing. I think, for the most part, votes trended towards what they would have been with a higher amount of votes...however, I really love the large amount we are getting now.

[jakjak]

A 2, just didn't hold my interest much. I think the present ka-tet of Eddie, Susannah, Jake, Oy and Roland is so much more interesting than the one with the boys. I guess it's because their characters are so much more developed than Alain and Cuthbert's. The book reads more like an old western romance novel than a sci-fi/fantasy one, and that's what I read King for.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

my favorite DT, without a doubt. 5

[B Rag]

I could have done without Rhea feeling-up Susan too.

I thought that part made up for the rest of it. :drool:

:unsure: