What are your feelings on the later books?

[Garrell]

5, 7, 4, 3, 6, 2, 1 for me, with wolves been way in front

[greatcthulhu]

King's writing did change over the course of the series; It took 25+ years to finish it after all. The first three books are strightforward, just like his early works. With Wizard and Glass, the DT books became about remembering things that have been forgotten or blocked, just like his later fiction. Which DT book is your favorite depends upon which style of his you prefer; I prefer his early works, probably because I first read him in 1980 (The Shining--still my favorite of his works.)

That's why books I, II, and III are ranked higher than IV, V, and VII. (VI is different from all the others, but has more in common with the fist 3 DT books.)

One of the things I've always admired about King's works, tho, is that he ends his books when it feels right; he doesn't rush headlong into a conclusion like som any authors do (ie, Koontz). In that respect, none of the DT books have disappointed.

[Merlin1958]

King's writing did change over the course of the series; It took 25+ years to finish it after all. The first three books are strightforward, just like his early works. With Wizard and Glass, the DT books became about remembering things that have been forgotten or blocked, just like his later ficition. Which book is your favorite depends upon which style of his you prefer; I prefer his early works, probably because I first read him in 1980 (The Shining--still my favorite of his works.)

One of the things I've always admired about King's works, tho, is that he ends his books when it feels right; he doesn't rush headlong into a conclusion like som any authors do (ie, Koontz). In that respect, none of the DT books have disappointed.

I would have to disagree. Despite the length of DTVII it sure felt like he packed 10 pds into a 5pd bag. I also took issue with the resolution of some of the storylines, though I did come to grips with the "Ending" per se.

[greatcthulhu]

It's been a couple of years since I've read DT VII, so I'm a little rusty on it, but I remember thinking that this is slowly spinning out of control. I also remember thinking that King did a pretty good job with halting the spin. And I never had a problem with the ending (a re-reading of the series is revealing to me little things that make me think Roland deserved what he got), but I would have liked to see Roland given a choice once he got to the top of the DT. Of course, some of my opinions on individual works are changing as I reread them, so maybe when i get to DT VII again (probably in a week), my thinking on the matter will change.

[Garrell]

Towards the last 200 pages of DTVII I started thinking it would end the way it did, if it didn't I would have been disappointed. "Ka is a wheel" would have been meaningless.

[Jean]

with wolves been way in front

[Seymour_Glass]

The low point in the series for me was probably Wizard and Glass. That one took me forever for some reason. But Wolves got me going again.

[Jean]

hear, hear

[Seymour_Glass]

So, yeah, I'd say I'm generally in favor of the later books.

[Darkthoughts]

I loved all of them, The Gunslinger more with time and subsequent rereads. I enjoyed also how King's voice changed over the years and even the passage of time between books, it lent to the feeling that we as the Constant Readers were on the quest with our ka-tet. My only slight disappointment with the latter books was that he lost the urge to link up all the DT connections he'd been leaving us in his other works throughout the years. I really enjoyed following that trail of breadcrumbs, and whilst I know that some loose ends were inevitable and some plotlines must have seemed to make more sense to him if he took them in a different direction, it seemed a waste to literally cast them all away.

[Letti]

I loved all the books to pieces. With the later books it was a bit harder to get into the story. I needed more time to feel I am right next to Roland.. I needed more time to hear him breathing. But when I was in it I got as lost as possible.

[telephasic]

I found the world and atmosphere of them all totally addictive and intoxicating. I read them in a fairly strange order, starting with 4, then 3-2-1. Basically the order I happened to find them in. So I was reading the early books already knowing the broad brush strokes of what happened from the 'argument' sections of the later books. It was still totally fascinating to see it all fleshed out in detail.

Because I read 4 first, I was constantly pining for the narrative to go back to the fascinating world portrayed at the start of the book and in the argument. Needless to say I was disappointed in that particular regard - it is indeed slow paced initially, but the finale literally had my heart racing in a manner which few books before or since have done.

I read 5, 6 and 7 in their correct order. I was mildly disappointed by the finale of 7 but the ending was fine by me.

For some reason 5 is my favourite, partly because there was a very generous except available which built up the anticipation for me a great deal. It also reminds me of the magnificent seven. In book 5 for me, there is a real sense of anxiety as their month's notice to the arrival of the Wolves ebbs away. The bizarreness of the 'roont' children adds a morbid fascination too.

[Jean]

For some reason 5 is my favourite

[blavigne]

I love Wolves too, closely followed by Wizard
5, 4, 2, 3, 7, 1, 6

[tumbleweed]

Spoilers for all the later books...

Spoiler:

The first three were the best, hands down. They sucked me into the mystery and magic of the series, and made me want to read more. Unfortunately, I think in the fourth one, I was derailed too long into Roland's past, but a lot of the mysticism and bewilderment was renewed for me introducing Father Callahan, and letting Sus have legs via Mia. Randall Flagg, of course was given a bum rap, and should not have been as easily thwarted as he was, but perhaps that was lack of communication on Uncle Steve's part in building up Mordred's powers to make it believable that he would be stronger than R.F.

[noal]

The later books did feel different somehow, whether through the passing of time/evolving writing style.

The thing is, if you look at other media, there is always an evolving of an artists style whether a film director,band/singer or writer.
I definitely enjoyed the first four books more but I don't dislike the latter.

And, on a side note, I can see quite a few people not liking Wizard and Glass. I'm going to sit in the corner and sulk!

[Jean]

people and bears, noal...

[Brainslinger]

What I particularly like about Wizard and Glass (and I accept this isn't really the thread for this but anyway) is that it feels like a complete Roland story. (The back-story bit which takes up most of the book, I mean) with a beginning, middle and an end.

Spoiler:

The other books, (with one exception I'll get to bellow) while they do focus on their sub stories, don't feel quite the same being part of a longer ongoing story. (And at the end of course we find out it really isn't the end....) That's not a criticism of the other books, mind. I like the idea of the story continuing on and on in fact,but I can like opposite things in different ways and it was good to have that complete story.

As for this actual thread's topic, I like the last three books a lot. I was disappointed with some of the last book but it had great stuff in there. Wolves of the Calla had a nice relaxed pace. A bit like taking a breather before the final shebang. The main plot set in Calla Bryn Sturgis had that 'complete story' feel similar to that of Wizard... and it set up some very interesting things for the overalls story arc. Song of Susannah was a rip roaring ride that felt very much like Drawing of the Three. And then we had the last book which, while overall weakest for me, combined a mixture of that relaxed tone and the fantastic action.

Overall a nice ending to the series I thought, although I share many peoples views concerning the villains. (I won't go into that here as I think I've probably done that earlier in this thread or another.)

[noal]

people and bears, noal...

Cry your pardon, Jean!

[Jean]

What I particularly like about Wizard and Glass (and I accept this isn't really the thread for this but anyway) is that it feels like a complete Roland story. (The back-story bit which takes up most of the book, I mean) with a beginning, middle and an end.

This is exactly what I hate about it. The glimpses given in the other books gave a head-spinning perspective of a large universe, of things unspeakable and often unthinkable, of immense possibilities, of a reality too big to be fit into a story told. The complete story is rather meh; some interesting things did happen, but the rest of it got just flattened, deflated; bears were left with a feeling that there was nothing more to it - while before this the feeling was theire is indefinitely more.

people and bears, noal...

Cry your pardon, Jean!

[noal]

I wonder, time obviously permitting, if King would like to change anything in the last three books like he did with The Gunslinger Revised?

I'm not saying I'm for or against it; i was just wondering what people(and bears!) thought.
I do have to wonder if King, now he has managed to finish his magnum opus, can't help but feel he would like to edit certain parts that maybe he isn't happy with.

I seem to recall him saying that it was finished and it is what it is but...
...will he have a case of the George Lucas's?

P.S. I'm about to start SOS tomorrow(just got to finish the wolves fight) so I can perhaps re-evaluate that.

[Letti]

I hope he won't revise any of the books. Well, if he does I have the originals so I will be able to deal with it. : )

[noal]

I think personally he should leave them be; they are what they are. Not perfect but then what is?
Just about to start SOS which, if I remember rightly, wasn't one of my favorites but maybe I will change my mind?
I was rather rushing through it the first time!

[Empath of the White]

I love them in retrospect. I actually find them easier to pick up and get into. Since I was not well-versed in King's multiverse on my first read-through

Spoiler:

Mordred disposing of Flagg didn't bother me. Now, I like to think that Flagg relied on mechanical tricks of the Old People to fool us humans into thinking he was greater than he really was. That line of thought adds a bit of mystique to the Old People for me as well.

.

Book VII tore me up, emotionally.

Spoiler:

Bye Jake or I ache, it came to the same.

.

[divemaster]

A lot of people complain about the later books and how there's a decline in quality of writing. Do you agree with this assessment? I ask because I sort of want to tailor my expectations so that I don't feel immensely dissapointed.

I definitely do not think there is a decline in the quality of the writing. King can write. Having said that, I have some quibbles about some of the happenings in DT VII (although I thought the ending itself was perfect). I didn't care much for SoS, not because it wasn't written well but becasue I never cared much about the character of Susannah in the first place. That whole Detta, Odetta, Susannah (and now Mia!) thing didn't do much for me. Wolves was fun. Well-contained...and who knew Roland could dance the Commola?