Reading Order (DT & related)

[lextune]

Hi, I just found this site while searching for the "perfect" reading order for the Dark Tower books and it's most important connected novels/short stories.

I tried searching around a bit for this topic, (I am certain that it has been discussed here at some point or another), but to no avail. I hope I can be forgiven for treading this ground again....

....anyway....

I am interested in putting together a suggested reading order for a friend of mine and welcome some input from other fans of the series. I have read all of King's works and of course see the connections nearly everywhere, but since the 7 DT books are themselves a long read I am trying to limit the non-DT books as much as possible (i.e. - only the most essential).

Here are the books, and ordering, that I have so far:

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
Eyes of the Dragon
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria (short story)
Salem's Lot
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
Black House
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
Insomnia
Everything's Eventual (short story)
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

I look forward to some interesting replies.

Thanks,
-Lex

[John_and_Yoko]

Hi, I just found this site while searching for the "perfect" reading order for the Dark Tower books and it's most important connected novels/short stories.

I tried searching around a bit for this topic, (I am certain that it has been discussed here at some point or another), but to no avail. I hope I can be forgiven for treading this ground again....

....anyway....

I am interested in putting together a suggested reading order for a friend of mine and welcome some input from other fans of the series. I have read all of King's works and of course see the connections nearly everywhere, but since the 7 DT books are themselves a long read I am trying to limit the non-DT books as much as possible (i.e. - only the most essential).

Here are the books, and ordering, that I have so far:

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
Eyes of the Dragon
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria (short story)
Salem's Lot
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
Black House
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
Insomnia
Everything's Eventual (short story)
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

I look forward to some interesting replies.

Thanks,
-Lex

There was indeed another thread for this, but regardless....

It sounds very similar to the order in which I read it, but with a few differences:

I read The Talisman (the predecessor to Black House) between DT III and IV (you don't seem to have that up there), and I read Insomnia, Hearts in Atlantis (which you also don't seem to have up there) and Black House in that order between DT V and VI.

Therefore I'm curious as to why you made those particular choices--as I said, other than those, your list is EXACTLY the order in which I read the books myself.

[lextune]

I suppose I need to work in "Low Men in Yellow Coats" somewhere, even though I didn't really love it. Where would you suggest placing it?

As for The Talisman, (which incidentally I absolutely love), I did not include it because it's connection is not very direct, other than being the prequel to Black House. If I felt that reading it was a necessity to understanding Black House (a must read in this sequence), I would have included it, but I think Black House works as a stand alone well enough.

[John_and_Yoko]

I suppose I need to work in "Low Men in Yellow Coats" somewhere, even though I didn't really love it. Where would you suggest placing it?

As for The Talisman, (which incidentally I absolutely love), I did not include it because it's connection is not very direct, other than being the prequel to Black House. If I felt that reading it was a necessity to understanding Black House (a must read in this sequence), I would have included it, but I think Black House works as a stand alone well enough.

Well, I told you where I read it--at the very least it should be read before DT VII, and it should also be read before Black House because Ted Brautigan from "Low Men in Yellow Coats" is mentioned in the latter and appears in the former.

I read all of Hearts in Atlantis cover to cover, myself, since I figured "Low Men in Yellow Coats" would make more sense in context, but I suppose you don't need to read beyond that.

[pathoftheturtle]

As the Hearts in Atlantis film proved, I think, the story is rather limp when detached. The whole collection is great in its autobiographical elements. Compare "Low Men in Yellow Coats" with other characteristic Stephen K works like "The Body," and "Gramma."
Further, I hold that HiA's sixties themes, subtly, really are essential to TDT as a whole.

I'm bugged by this pragmatic formula. King's work is more organic than taking an express to TDT plot lucidity.
For example, I doubt that Eyes of the Dragon would have impressed me as much without having previously read The Stand.
You've left out It entirely, which I always highly recommend, preferably at some point before The Waste Lands, and, experientially, TDT is much different if there's no pause between that latter volume and Wizard and Glass.
I'd advise reading 'Salem's Lot for the first time well before one gets to Wolves of the Calla: That slot just before it would be a great place to insert Desperation, though. There's just more real meaning in, and quality to, a book like that than one like Insomnia, regardless of the fact that only the one is directly mentioned in-series.
Patrick is totally different anyway, so what's the big deal? If you insist, however, I think that it's more enjoyable for itself if one has already read Pet Sematary.

Still not that complicated, really, considering the unmentioned T.S. Eliot.

[lextune]

Hehee....as I feared there really is no way to keep it minimized, lol.

I must say that I don't see how It, (easily one of my top three favorite King books by the way), is essential to the Dark Tower at all. It's connections are tenuous at best.

The Dark Tower books alone are nearly 4000 pages long, I don't think I am going to be able to convince my friend to read an additional 12 to 14 other novels. I imagine that he will end up just reading the 7 books, that much I've talked him into, but I was hoping to work in the most relevant others.

I do like the idea of putting something in between DT III & IV (I had to wait six years after all, lol), but I find it hard to imagine someone waiting if they already have the novel in hand after the cliffhanger ending of III.

[Jean]

Hehee....as I feared there really is no way to keep it minimized, lol. No, there isn't; not only because of the number of books, but also because of the number of readings. There's no single perfect order - you can make amazing discoveries in the books you've already read when you read it one more time after you read one of those other books, and I don't think this process ever stops, it goes in circles and the circles vary.

[pathoftheturtle]

Exactly. Your goal appears to be to reach the ending as quickly as possible, and in that case, what a disappointment it would be.

The prosaic elements of It may not directly contribute much to following the plot of TDT, but, as I've been saying, the work is organic, and the impressionistic experience makes a better guide than a rush to a future point which will turn out to be empty. To comprehend It is to comprehend the author, and thus Hearts in Atlantis, and thus Jake Chambers, and so, forth.

[Jean]

and so forth, yes... rinse, repeat - no sarcasm implied. I remember thinking how good it would be to read Dolores Claiborne - then Gerald's Game - then Dolores Claiborne - then Gerald's Game - then Dolores Claiborne etc... getting to understand both fuller and fuller, deeper and deeper... Even if my example isn't apparently related to the Dark Tower, - it is, of course, anyway, as Mike so well said in the post above.

[John_and_Yoko]

Exactly. Your goal appears to be to reach the ending as quickly as possible, and in that case, what a disappointment it would be.

The prosaic elements of It may not directly contribute much to following the plot of TDT, but, as I've been saying, the work is organic, and the impressionistic experience makes a better guide than a rush to a future point which will turn out to be empty. To comprehend It is to comprehend the author, and thus Hearts in Atlantis, and thus Jake Chambers, and so, forth.

Sorry to off-topic, and this is a genuine question out of curiosity, but have you written about that in one of the IT threads? If so, could you direct me to it? As I'd be interested to read such--that was my second favorite of the King works I've read (you know what's first).

[pathoftheturtle]

No, not really, JaY, but since you ask, I'll certainly put that on my to-do list.

The more SK you read, tho, the more these parallels speak for themselves. Right, Jean?

[John_and_Yoko]

No, not really, JaY, but since you ask, I'll certainly put that on my to-do list.

The more SK you read, tho, the more these parallels speak for themselves. Right, Jean?

Sounds great! :D

I think I kind of have a feel for the nonliteral parallels, but I'm not as articulate as I'd like to be, and I would like to see it explained at length.

[Jean]

The more SK you read, tho, the more these parallels speak for themselves. Right, Jean? The more SK you read, the better you understand that he doesn't force them in any way, either... he just follows what exists, and with every reread the reader's eye and ear gets more finely attuned to those signals and signs it is Sai King's unparalleled gift to see and hear.

[lextune]

Exactly. Your goal appears to be to reach the ending as quickly as possible, and in that case, what a disappointment it would be.
Not my goal.....

As I said in the opening post, I've read all of King's works.

What I was trying to do was consolidate the most pertinent non-DT books in an effort to get a friend of mine to read more than just the 7 Tower books.

[pathoftheturtle]

Yeah, I understood. Nothing personal was intended.
How about this: just advise your friend to read The Stand first. I wouldn't be surprised if that was all it took to get him reading all the King that he can find. :lol:

[lextune]

That's actually pretty good advice. :idea: :lol:

[Aki]

Oh my, this is troublesome.

I have loved King all my life - saw the films since age of seven or so, read my first book (The Dead Zone) at eleven. I read Everything's Eventual (including Eluria's Little Sisters) in 2007. I read The Gunslinger for the first time as late as 2008, and then I didn't pick up the next book until this July. July to yesterday I read the remaining six parts of The Dark Tower. To me the connections were obvious, since I'm such a great Stephen King fan. I don't think DT is the same for someone who's never read any King and then suddenly picks up The Gunslinger. I don't know. I think the perfect reading order is simply chronological, and all of King's work that is (I haven't read all myself, but perhaps 3/4 or so). But in a way only the seven DT volumes is enough, maybe 'Salem's Lot added.

[John_and_Yoko]

That's actually pretty good advice. :idea: :lol:

I disagree, but that's just me personally--I didn't care for The Stand that much. I had trouble following it.

[lowdown]

i ending up reading hearts in atlantis between 3 and 4 anyway but i read salems lot before i read the gunslinger....i just kinda just chalked it up as a vamp book but .....i was young......14 years old so if i read it now at 31 it might mean more but......fuck it i wont because.... i already read wollves of calla and they kinda summarize salems lot in that book anyway..............black house almost seems forced to me and the talisman was grandfathered in to the DT series but i still loved both of them respectively......that why its cool to be writer ....you control all of our imaginations.....readers that is

thank you sai King

[pathoftheturtle]

That's actually pretty good advice. :idea: :lol:

I disagree, but that's just me personally--I didn't care for The Stand that much. I had trouble following it.Yar.

I myself am more of a fan of It, too, JaY, but The Stand consistently tops popularity lists, and is more obviously related to TDT.

Nevertheless, it's certainly of interest that, even though you did have problems with it, you still can be as much of a King fan as you are. :orely: All of these are good points to keep in mind, I wot.

[John_and_Yoko]

True. Anyway, I didn't HATE The Stand (I hated reading The Talisman, although I concede it had its good points), I just had trouble following and thus enjoying it. I might have an easier time of it if I read it again, but for that reason I'm kind of waiting for the entire comic adaptation to come out.

And with works like TDT, IT, and Insomnia it's very easy to be a King fan. ;)

Anyway--what happened to the first post in this thread? :scared:

[lowdown]

Oh my, this is troublesome.

I have loved King all my life - saw the films since age of seven or so, read my first book (The Dead Zone) at eleven. I read Everything's Eventual (including Eluria's Little Sisters) in 2007. I read The Gunslinger for the first time as late as 2008, and then I didn't pick up the next book until this July. July to yesterday I read the remaining six parts of The Dark Tower. To me the connections were obvious, since I'm such a great Stephen King fan. I don't think DT is the same for someone who's never read any King and then suddenly picks up The Gunslinger. I don't know. I think the perfect reading order is simply chronological, and all of King's work that is (I haven't read all myself, but perhaps 3/4 or so). But in a way only the seven DT volumes is enough, maybe 'Salem's Lot added.

yes i agree with this .....but being 32 i read them in kinda chronological order
by no choice of my own ....it depended on Sai King .....what he was inspired to write ........if i had a clean slate and had to read everything over .......DT is the best of his work .....in my opinion (hence me being on this site)so i would follow your own heart on reading order ....everybody should know about most connections by now so you can get a good jist ...without spoiling it for yourself

[ConstanToweReader]

I've read his books as they came out except for one or two. Usually when I have reread the nonDT books that I've picked up on the connections. With the Black House the connections were obvious.

[Sickrose]

I read almost everything else by King before picking up the Dark Tower and only becaise someone bought me the entire serie for Christmas. As Alifelong reader I love seeing how it all connects a well as the other non DT connections in King's work which I love to spot!

Lextune - has you friend read any of King's work? I think it's lovely what you are doing though :) Your friend is going to spend the next few months so immersed in Midworld!

Maybe if your friend reads DT then all the other stuff afterwards and enjoy pulling out the references so things like IT etc can be incorporated.

[Sam]

I'm going to make some changes to your existing list. I'll be reordering it some and adding one or two titles. As for your friend, I would suggest that the Dartk Tower series is not the place to start them. Start them with some easy reads to that end my list starts with:

Salem's Lot
The Stand (Uncut edition)
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
Eyes of the Dragon
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
Insomnia
Hearts In Atlantis (Low Men in Yellow Coats though I DO recommend the entire book)
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria (short story)
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
Everything's Eventual (the short story)
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

(The Talisman and Black House): I have not read these two as of this point and honestly haven't missed anything yet. I wouldn't consider these two titles "essential" to reading the DT series, but they are certainly on my "to do" list.


Again, I don't recommend starting with The Gunslinger. Start with Salem's Lot then move to The Stand. Make sure that is the UNCUT The Stand.

This IS just my recommendation mind you, but the DT series encompasses much of King's workwhen you look at the results of his work. Many of his novels blend into each other and can still be read as stand alone books. The DT series isn't like this, Insomnia isn't like this. Start your friend off easy. Mostly though tell him to strap in and enjoy the ride.

[Sickrose]

That's good advice 'The Gunslinger' is an odd one to start with I think an introduction to King via 'Salem's Lot' (which is one of my favs) will give a flavour of King's stuff.

Your frind has a lot to look forward to!

[Bloodsoup]

I was just reading both version of the book order, by lextune and sam respectively, and I had my own thoughts on different ways to order the books based on which elements of the story you want to emphasize and when.

Eyes of the Dragon (this is a good as an introduction to All-World)
DT I: The Gunslinger
DT II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand
DT II: The Waste Lands
DT IV: Wizard & Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria
'Salem's Lot
DT V: Wolves of the Calla
Hearts in Atlantis (the whole thing, damn right!)
DT VI: Song of Susannah
Everything's Eventual
Insomnia
Black House
DT VII: The Dark Tower

I'd also include a list of optional books that could be read at any point, including after. You could read IT, Desperation and The Regulators, to see some villians of the same species (or whatever) as the Crimson King. You could read Rose Madder for a visit to All-World and From a Buick 8 for a look at a Low Man's car.

[CurtSeattle]

Not sure which of these I agree/disagree with yet, but I see that I CAN start my girl off with The Talisman which was my original plan as it isn't really related other than being the precursor to Black House, so just need to be before that!

Cool!

I feel like more time should be spent on dialing in the "ideal" order of King's works in regards to The Dark Tower series.

Some of you gurus should jump in and let's get as close to an official order as we can!

[Kronz]

I'm in the boat with people who've been more at the mercy of King to release the books, so pretty much everything for the last 20 years I've just read as it was made available. Before Wizard and Glass came out, there wasn't much indication that we needed to be organizing and re-ordering all the other books to get the big picture, so I just read the non-Tower books in whatever order I felt like. With the revelations of W&G and its afterword, it became clear it was time to re-read a fair chunk of the back catalog King for a second or third time.

To me, it seems that It is severely understated in its relationship to TDT by most, including the authors of the wonderful DT guide books. Probably the main reason it's hard to connect it tangibly is the lack of explicit language tying the worlds together. Maturin is in the book for sure, and though never mentioned by name, it seems very clear that The Prim exists in (outside?) the world of Derry. By proxy of course it all fits, Derry is definitely tied in. We don't even know for sure yet to what extent It really fits, but I just re-read it after a speed-run re-read through all seven DT books and, to me at least, the relation of Derry to Mid-World is far more tangible than tenuous. Even the basics of ka-tet seem to be laid in rough blueprints throughout the entire novel, not to mention explicit connections to Itself in the final sections of DT7.

[pathoftheturtle]

I quite agree. Good insights.

I've heard a few people say that they started reading other SK books after finishing all 7 TDT volumes, and that does kind of stagger me. It laid the basis for many of his major concepts. (I'm unsure about spoiler policy for this thread.) I really think it's better to have read it and The Stand before getting far into the TDT series. However, I'm not so sure that there is an "ideal" order for every work, because there's really no single goal of reading TDT which trumps all others. No one has yet listed Bag of Bones, or the novella "The Mist" here, despite SK himself listing these as "tower-related." Folken have tended to focus on literal, prosaic connections... yet those of us who grew up following King's work also take interest in the writer's development.
I still say that a strictly linear definition isn't relevant.

[Kronz]

It is hard to imagine a non-fan picking up TDT books and just reading them in sequence. That almost seems to miss the point entirely of why the seven novels exist. If a renowned fantasy author with forty or fifty classics of his genre had a half dozen horror novels in a series, would it be fit to judge the author by the exceptions to his known style? I don't think it would at all. Conversely I just can't see a Fantasy or SF fan just picking up TDT because they love long epics, and truly getting what we King fans get. It's not even that I am trying to be a snob, you literally get more out of the books if you are familiar with the context. What must someone think when a strange new character is introduced shouting "Bobby Garfield?!" for no apparent reason? The series is inevitably filled with countless non-sequiters that almost all make perfect sense and fill us with warm-fuzzies because we understand them.

Another problem is people trying to force everything together as though it was a jigsaw puzzle that will fit nicely. It just isn't. Maybe it's a bag full of pieces from a lot of similar puzzles but you have to accept it's never going to be possible to put it together. Using one's imagination is something King has always asked of his readers in all but his lamest stories and it's that personal connection, the worlds the reader fills in between what we are told, that makes King so great. Many great books by other authors tell you absolutely everything and can bear heavy scrutiny and show extreme attention to detail. Because King isn't like that, I like him better.

Anyway I could editorialize for hours and end up just sounding like a dork who has spent too much time thinking about make believe. :D

[Jean]

Another problem is people trying to force everything together as though it was a jigsaw puzzle that will fit nicely. It just isn't. Maybe it's a bag full of pieces from a lot of similar puzzles but you have to accept it's never going to be possible to put it together. Using one's imagination is something King has always asked of his readers in all but his lamest stories and it's that personal connection, the worlds the reader fills in between what we are told, that makes King so great. Many great books by other authors tell you absolutely everything and can bear heavy scrutiny and show extreme attention to detail. Because King isn't like that, I like him better.
Couldn't agree more. The ultimate puzzle behind the pieces we see is really too big to fit into an assortment of books, or into an assortment of minds; it embraces both the created world and anything that transcends it, whatever a particular reader is inclined to call it. I love King because the big picture is [almost] never reduced to a small working model, not even for the sake of logic or consistence.

[mae]

I think the plain ol' order of publication is best.

[pathoftheturtle]

Generally speaking, I think so. I mean, all types of orders could be justified under differing conditions... it kind of depends on what specifically a person needs to get out of his experience. Taking all the common motives together, tho, I reckon pablo's right. Not to mention the factor of King writing more TDT stuff, and more books related to some of his other older stuff. Who knows what else might end up being connected to the series? There are still lots of loose ends.

[Kronz]

I am not concerned much with anyone's reading order (pablo's post is very sensible though), more what I was trying to get at is that some books are more connected than given credit for, but most especially It. I guess it would just break my heart to find out a King fan was turned away from It, or given the impression it has little bearing on the DT books. You'd get the impression that it barely connects at all from many people.

[WeDealInLead]

It is hard to imagine a non-fan picking up TDT books and just reading them in sequence. That almost seems to miss the point entirely of why the seven novels exist.

I did this. It made perfect sense to me. I've read his books on and off and watched the movies but TDT books really got me into SK. This is how I see it in architectural terms and to me this made sense at the time: I've read interviews and found out that a lot of SK's body of work is related to TDT series and instead of reading 'Salem's Lot, It etc first I wanted to have a solid foundation so I started with the TDT series. Now I'm building walls, brick by brick: Salem's Lot, It, The Stand etc. It's like drawing or writing music too. You start with an outline or a catchy riff, not with shading or a solo. This works for me and clearly, it doesn't for everyone.

[Riostar]

I was a SK fan 1st, picking up my 1st SK book when I was about 11. I had read It and The Stand, Salem's Lot and Eyes of the Dragon before I had even discovered TDT. When I came across the series and started reading it was like having all these little surprises. After I had finished the series I read other related books like Everything's Eventual and have a list of other related books to read like Insomnia and hearts of Atlantis. I think it was cool having the tie in but didnt take anything away from the series by not having it, and I cant wait to read the new books and have the same "I know where that fits in TDT series!" moments.

[JRM]

Thank you all so much for this! :excited::clap:

I feel a little strange posting here since I have not yet read the Dark Tower novels, but I created this account not too long ago to prepare for my inevitable fandom of these novels. I'm really looking forward to begin but I couldn't figure out a good recommended reading order, so I decided to begin reading ALL of Stephen King's books before beginning DT. I'm some-what of a new Stephen King fan (converted after reading Bag of Bones, my first SK book, early last year), so I've only read 15 of his books so far. Now it seems like I would be starting very soon.

[JRM]

I was just reading both version of the book order, by lextune and sam respectively, and I had my own thoughts on different ways to order the books based on which elements of the story you want to emphasize and when.

Eyes of the Dragon (this is a good as an introduction to All-World)
DT I: The Gunslinger
DT II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand
DT II: The Waste Lands
DT IV: Wizard & Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria
'Salem's Lot
DT V: Wolves of the Calla
Hearts in Atlantis (the whole thing, damn right!)
DT VI: Song of Susannah
Everything's Eventual
Insomnia
Black House
DT VII: The Dark Tower

I'd also include a list of optional books that could be read at any point, including after. You could read IT, Desperation and The Regulators, to see some villians of the same species (or whatever) as the Crimson King. You could read Rose Madder for a visit to All-World and From a Buick 8 for a look at a Low Man's car.

I noticed you didn't name The Talisman. I'm currently reading that one as I've heard it's strongly connected to The Dark Tower series in some way. :orely:

[John_and_Yoko]

I was just reading both version of the book order, by lextune and sam respectively, and I had my own thoughts on different ways to order the books based on which elements of the story you want to emphasize and when.

Eyes of the Dragon (this is a good as an introduction to All-World)
DT I: The Gunslinger
DT II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand
DT II: The Waste Lands
DT IV: Wizard & Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria
'Salem's Lot
DT V: Wolves of the Calla
Hearts in Atlantis (the whole thing, damn right!)
DT VI: Song of Susannah
Everything's Eventual
Insomnia
Black House
DT VII: The Dark Tower

I'd also include a list of optional books that could be read at any point, including after. You could read IT, Desperation and The Regulators, to see some villians of the same species (or whatever) as the Crimson King. You could read Rose Madder for a visit to All-World and From a Buick 8 for a look at a Low Man's car.

I noticed you didn't name The Talisman. I'm currently reading that one as I've heard it's strongly connected to The Dark Tower series in some way. :orely:

Well, primarily it's the predecessor to Black House (the latter being a sequel).

[John_and_Yoko]

I'm thinking that maybe, now that I've read every DT-related work (so far), when I read the series again I'll read it along with 'Salem's Lot, The Stand, IT, and Insomnia, and read all the books (those four and the DT volumes alike) in chronological order.

Just to see. Unless I miss my guess, those are of primary significance....

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

Low Men in Yellow Coats has alot of significance, moreso than It or Insomnia IMO.

[John_and_Yoko]

Low Men in Yellow Coats has alot of significance, moreso than It or Insomnia IMO.

I don't know.... "Low Men in Yellow Coats" seems considerably more tangential to The Dark Tower series than the ones I mentioned. (MORE than INSOMNIA? Seriously? :wtf: ) I can't see reading that without reading Hearts in Atlantis in its entirety, which doesn't strike me as being a "DT volume except in name"....

I could maybe understand Black House being spoken of thus (doesn't it expand on elements from "Low Men in Yellow Coats"?), but even that seems to happen "off-screen" as far as The Dark Tower series is concerned.... Again, unless I miss my guess (and please refresh my memory if I have) it doesn't influence the main DT storyline that much....

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

Of all the non-dark tower books, Low Men in Yellow Coats is one of the few that has one of the major DT characters as its main character. I think that makes it pretty significant.
Also, there is some room for argument that Bobby could be Jake on another level of the tower.

From Wikipedia:
Insofar as The Dark Tower series' overall plot is concerned, it is revealed in the seventh book that Ted is essential to the Crimson King's quest to break the beams that hold the Dark Tower up, in turn, holding the universe together. Roses are repeatedly mentioned in the Dark Tower novels.

Carol's reference to a man teaching her how to be "dim", and taking in "confused, angry kids," is an implied reference to Randall Flagg, the Dark Tower series' main villain. The man's name - "Raymond Fiegler" - follows King's pattern of giving Flagg aliases with the initials "RF". The act of being "dim" is a trait shared by Flagg in The Eyes of the Dragon.

When Bobby and Ted encounter a car and sense the low men that have been chasing Ted, Bobby describes feeling "his heart spin as a top did, with its lines rising and disappearing into other worlds. Other worlds than these." In The Gunslinger, Jake Chambers says "Go, then, there are other worlds than these" to Roland as he falls to his death. The two characters are also roughly the same age, and play similar adopted-son roles in their respective novels. This connection is further explored in the seventh Dark Tower novel.

Low men actually appear in King's novella, Ur, published for Amazon's Kindle in 2009. There are also clear references to the Dark Tower and the Rose.

When Bobby first sees the low men, he is reminded of the fictional film The Regulators, which is prominent in the Richard Bachman novel of the same name. In the Dark Tower novel Wolves of the Calla, Pere Callahan refers to female Low Men as "Regulators".

In Hearts in Atlantis, the proctor of Pete Riley's dorm is named David Dearborn. He shares his last name with Will Dearborn, the alias Roland Deschain used in his adventures in Hambry featured in the The Wizard and Glass and the Dark Tower prequel comics.

[John_and_Yoko]

In regards to your first point:

Insomnia has THE CRIMSON KING in it. 'Nuff said.

As for your wikipedia connections, well yeah, I'm not denying any of that. I'm primarily talking in terms of would the DT series suffer without having read it? I don't think it would.

Most of Ted Brautigan's backstory in The Dark Tower VII has little to do with what goes on in "Low Men in Yellow Coats." All it is is that he's hiding from the Low Men, but from the perspective of the latter tale that's off the point, which is focusing on Bobby Garfield. It's not like with Father Callahan and 'Salem's Lot.

The DT references to The Stand, 'Salem's Lot, and Insomnia are too big to ignore. Even in the case of IT....

The Dark Tower VII has a line in the narration that clearly references a line from the narration of IT that those who haven't read IT may not know about. Not to mention the Turtle being common to both, plus Dandelo in the last volume being similar to Pennywise, and the overall mythological bent to both stories.

Anyway, you still haven't addressed my comment on Black House.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

First of all, I havent addressed your point from Black House because I have yet to read it.

Moreover, as to all other points. I don't think that the Dark Tower series would suffer from the disregarding of ALL other SK books. The series stands alone.

Insomnia and It, though the characters that are mentioned are big, they are still only mentioned in the books. That said, it has been a long time since I read Insomina, I cant honestly remember how extensively that The Crimson King is referenced, but I'm sure that it is not for the ENTIRE length of the story.

And It:
Though there is clear mention of the turtle of enormous girth, it is still only a mentioning, and the rest of the story has very little to do with DT.

[John_and_Yoko]

My apologies then about Black House.

Much as I'd like to agree with your assessment that The Dark Tower series stands alone, I can't. At the very least it needs Insomnia. Without Insomnia....

Patrick Danville entering the story in The Dark Tower VII and destroying the Crimson King looks like a deus ex machina cop-out, the brief summary of the book in that DT volume notwithstanding.

The others are arguably not AS necessary but I think that at least the references to those will get new readers curious about those books (and Insomnia is ALMOST a sequel to IT, set in the same city and all).

The Crimson King is referenced fairly early on, and Ralph Roberts actually confronts him in person. If you want to split hairs, The Crimson King isn't referenced for the entire length of The Dark Tower series.

As for IT, my primary reason for mentioning IT is that IT seems to be The Dark Tower on a smaller scale, mythology-wise. What's more, if I'm not mistaken, IT was the novel that led Stephen King to the realization that there was a place in The Dark Tower series for elements from his mainstream work in the first place. And of course Insomnia led him to the conclusion that it could go both ways, starting a ten-year trend of DT references in much of his mainstream fiction between then and the completion of the series.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

This has made me decide that I need to do a reread of Insomnia. I haven't even opened the book since a few weeks after it was released.

I honestly can't make sense of your last point, as the two books with perhaps the strongest link to the DT series come before IT. (The Stand and Salems Lot)

[John_and_Yoko]

This has made me decide that I need to do a reread of Insomnia. I haven't even opened the book since a few weeks after it was released.

I honestly can't make sense of your last point, as the two books with perhaps the strongest link to the DT series come before IT. (The Stand and Salems Lot)

Please do. :D Contrary to popular opinion, Insomnia is my third favorite of King's fiction (after TDT and IT).

Well.... :blush: The truth is that I can't either--I'm repeating what I've heard before, and I'd like to have it explained myself. But I've read (if I recall correctly) that while writing IT, King realized that the Turtle could enter into The Dark Tower series as well, and I guess this opened up the doorway into referencing his mainstream fiction in later volumes of the series.

Again, I don't know exactly how it went, but I want to find out myself. (I also want to find out how he was inspired to write Insomnia--I STILL don't know, and I should....)

But I think you'll find as you reread Insomnia that your last comment is wrong--that has a stronger link than the other two.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

I've been needing to reread Insomnia for a long time.:orely:

Now is as good of a time as ever.:thumbsup:

[pathoftheturtle]

... "Low Men in Yellow Coats" seems considerably more tangential to The Dark Tower series than the ones I mentioned. (MORE than INSOMNIA? Seriously? :wtf: ) I can't see reading that without reading Hearts in Atlantis in its entirety, which doesn't strike me as being a "DT volume except in name"...I completely disagree. I think that the Vietnam experience is a major theme in the background of TDT.

[John_and_Yoko]

... "Low Men in Yellow Coats" seems considerably more tangential to The Dark Tower series than the ones I mentioned. (MORE than INSOMNIA? Seriously? :wtf: ) I can't see reading that without reading Hearts in Atlantis in its entirety, which doesn't strike me as being a "DT volume except in name"...I completely disagree. I think that the Vietnam experience is a major theme in the background of TDT.

How so?

[pathoftheturtle]

Oh, goodness, what a loaded question! I could write a whole paper, with dozens of relevant quotes from the DT novels... and maybe I will, if I get time. To begin with, tho, I don't think it was an accident that Roland drew the three that he did, from the time periods that they came from. TDoTT is very much connected to King's feelings as reflected throughout HiA.

[John_and_Yoko]

Oh, goodness, what a loaded question! I could write a whole paper, with dozens of relevant quotes from the DT novels... and maybe I will, if I get time. To begin with, tho, I don't think it was an accident that Roland drew the three that he did, from the time periods that they came from. TDoTT is very much connected to King's feelings as reflected throughout HiA.

:wtf:

"How so?" is a loaded question...? Okay, whatever....

I hope you do write that because right now it sounds like you're avoiding answering it, and if I were more green I might think it was because you couldn't--I might think it was simply your own interpretation that didn't necessarily have merit.

Seriously, though, I am curious as to what you think those time periods and those three have to do with the Vietnam War and Hearts In Atlantis....

[pathoftheturtle]

:arg: Well, of course. It couldn't possibly be because I have a real life, and other demands on my attention. Eh, well, think what you want. Don't forget, though -- America has seen the passing of the world's last gunslinger.

[John_and_Yoko]

:arg: Well, of course. It couldn't possibly be because I have a real life, and other demands on my attention. Eh, well, think what you want. Don't forget, though -- America has seen the passing of the world's last gunslinger.

Whoa, hey, calm down.... :scared:

I said "if." And I also said I wanted to see what you had to say (I'm still waiting for what you have to say on IT).

(And yes, I am still envious of those of you who can say they have a real life.... :( )

[pathoftheturtle]

...I'm still waiting for what you have to say on IT).:blush: Yes, sorry. I'll move that back up on the ol' to-do list, as well. *SIGH*


(And yes, I am still envious of those of you who can say they have a real life.... :( )Don't be. Real life ain't nothing but stress. >< No offense meant, JaY; I just happen to be under pressure.

[JRM]

Can I read Black House before I begin reading DT?? My friend read Black House already (before DT) and he suspects that book doesn't just have connections but spoilers to the DT. :unsure:

[pathoftheturtle]

Yeah, it does, kind of. Read "The Little Sisters of Eluria" first. Might not hurt too much to read BH before any other DT, but I probably would recommend that you put it off until you've read... oh... maybe just to the end of DT4. Black House after reading all 7 TDT volumes would also work okay, I think.

[JRM]

Thanks. :)

One more question, I have Dark Tower I, II, and IV in my collection (need to get III still, lol), but neither are the revised versions (I hear King revised the first and the revised one is more recommended). Do you think it matters??

[pathoftheturtle]

I basically prefer the original version of The Gunslinger to the revised, but we'll get off-topic for this thread if we go there. It does certainly have some points about it worth recommending. But anyway, if you're trying to save for The Waste Lands, please don't worry about trying to buy the other edition of DT1 right away. Just remember that King was not as experienced a writer when he first wrote it: Don't expect real smooth prose, and you should be fine to not read the revised version until far in the future. (Many of us were, after all.)

[candy]

I was just reading both version of the book order, by lextune and sam respectively, and I had my own thoughts on different ways to order the books based on which elements of the story you want to emphasize and when.

Eyes of the Dragon (this is a good as an introduction to All-World)
DT I: The Gunslinger
DT II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand
DT II: The Waste Lands
DT IV: Wizard & Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria
'Salem's Lot
DT V: Wolves of the Calla
Hearts in Atlantis (the whole thing, damn right!)
DT VI: Song of Susannah
Everything's Eventual
Insomnia
Black House
DT VII: The Dark Tower

I'd also include a list of optional books that could be read at any point, including after. You could read IT, Desperation and The Regulators, to see some villians of the same species (or whatever) as the Crimson King. You could read Rose Madder for a visit to All-World and From a Buick 8 for a look at a Low Man's car.

okey dokey, i read the full thread on this, and i understand that some you say that you should just go with the flow and read the books either in the order that you find them or in the published order. However i just got my Big sis reading these after years of persuading her. The main reason she is trying the books is that she tried to read Hearts in Atlantis and found it very boring. I have promised her that when it is tied in with the DT books it all makes much more sense.

So my question is, when would you get her to re-read Hearts again? Would you say after Wolves as in the aboe post> i kind of agree with this, but welcome other peoples opinions, as i really dont want to loose her again:orely:

[Merlin1958]

Hi, I just found this site while searching for the "perfect" reading order for the Dark Tower books and it's most important connected novels/short stories.

I tried searching around a bit for this topic, (I am certain that it has been discussed here at some point or another), but to no avail. I hope I can be forgiven for treading this ground again....

....anyway....

I am interested in putting together a suggested reading order for a friend of mine and welcome some input from other fans of the series. I have read all of King's works and of course see the connections nearly everywhere, but since the 7 DT books are themselves a long read I am trying to limit the non-DT books as much as possible (i.e. - only the most essential).

Here are the books, and ordering, that I have so far:

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
Eyes of the Dragon
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
Little Sisters of Eluria (short story)
Salem's Lot
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
Black House
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
Insomnia
Everything's Eventual (short story)
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

I look forward to some interesting replies.

Thanks,
-Lex

This is a pretty darn good list/order to read them in. Being one of those "Old Fogie's" who read the books as they were published. I might amend it some to replicate the long publication gaps in the first 5 books. I'd probably also recommend inclusion of the recently published TWTTKH (4.5) in its author suggested slot.


The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
Eyes of the Dragon
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
Salem's Lot
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
Little Sisters of Eluria (short story)
The Stand
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
Black House
The Dark Tower 4.5: The Wind Through The Key Hole
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
Insomnia
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
IT
Everything's Eventual (short story)
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

So that would be my order. Kinda surprised "IT" didn't make this list. "Insomnia" is a tough one (though, I myself enjoyed the book, but many feel its too long and stuffy, it's still hard to exclude because "you know who" is so critical to the endgame.

Bottom line, TDT Vol I should sink the hook, IMHO

[Bev Vincent]

In The Dark Tower Companion, I suggested putting Little Sisters of Eluria first. It was written as a standalone story intended for people who had never read any of the series. Chronologically it takes place before The Gunslinger and it's possibly a more accessible introduction to the series than The Gunslinger.