This was the one sorta big thing that I had spoiled for me. It was just a vague mention of King being in the story, and at first I was mad because I thought that would be the ultimate twist at the end....like the Dark Tower would end up being King's typewriter or something.
So I was a bit relieved that wasn't the case and I didn't have the series' conclusion spoiled.
But I'm still torn on King's part in the story. I've only read the series once, Song of Susannah and the Dark Tower in early '07...so it's been a little while. If I missed certain points, and I fully expect that I have, please help to fill me in.
But I found King's inclusion a tad confusing. Honestly, a lot of the 'other world' business became a bit muddled for me and certainly is asking for another read through. But on King...if he's the creator, that really takes me out of the story and makes the characters and their quest much harder to invest in...and I don't really think this is the case, fortunately. But if he's not the creator, if he's just the vessel or the conduit, why is he vital to the story? Why can he not die? Gan's song will continue to be sung and Roland and the Ka-tet will go on, will they not? The Keystone Earth just won't have the account of it on their bookshelves. It seems to be conflicting concepts here...he's just the conduit, but...if he dies he can't create their story. Or have I flubbed something up?
And another aspect, that opens up more cans of worms, is that Walter mentions King at one point, I think it's in Book VI. So Walter is aware of him, and that he's important, but he doesn't see himself as a 'slave' or 'victim' to his whim the way Roland and company sort of do. And of course, the Crimson King knew of King, and knew he was someone to be feared. So...yeah, it gets hard for me to wrap my mind around what I even want to say exactly..but like above, it becomes this weird, seemingly disparate combination of ideas where Roland is fictitious but Walter is not, where the Dark Tower's survival is strongly tied to King's life or death...but King is just a storyteller.
Phew...does any of that make sense?