Bracket #3: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982)

[mae]

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, 1982

Please vote for The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger using the following scale:

• 5
• 4.5
• 4
• 3.5
• 3
• 2.5
• 2
• 1
• 0
• Never read

If you haven't read this book yet, please vote Never Read. Feel free to discuss your votes in this thread.

You may base your vote on the 2003 revised version as well as the 1982 original. Please base your vote only on this book's own merits, not how it fits into the series as a whole.

[Tito_Villa]

4, my first ever King story, took me two tries to finish it. Glad i did!

[divemaster]

Only a 3 for me, taken by itself. Sure, I *love* the characters of Roland and Jake, but much of that comes from the later books. If I take that knowledge with me on a re-read, my score comes out higher. But truthfully, the series did not really take off for me until The Wastelands.

[Iwritecode]

I gave it a 4. I want to give it a higher score for sentimental reasons but this book just moves so slow. It almost seems like a deterrent to the rest of the series. I always tell people when they first start to get into the DT series, just get through the first book. It gets better after that.

[Heather19]

Of course, I'm the low vote. The story was just so slow and disjointed. It didn't flow well at all. I tried to read it again, hoping that since I made it through once maybe I'd appreciate it more, but I didn't make it very far.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

Good book but finished feeling kinda confused my first time through. Gets better with rereads. I've already decided that the DT series will have 3 fives, 2 fours, one 3 and one 2.

[Jean]

3.5

on the first read it was absolutely impossible, a puerile piece of fantasy as boring as they come. As many have noted, on reread it is much better, within the context.

[Citizen of Lud]

absolute 5 for me. Read for the first time when I was in 5th grade and when the description of the North Central Positronics pump in the Way Station came up I was instantly shell shocked. For me the shift from old western thinking this was a story that was set in our worlds history to hey what planet is this on just grabbed me in a way no other book to date has. It might have been because of the age that I was when I first read the book. But to me made it magical beyond words.

[webstar1000]

absolute 5 for me. Read for the first time when I was in 5th grade and when the description of the North Central Positronics pump in the Way Station came up I was instantly shell shocked. For me the shift from old western thinking this was a story that was set in our worlds history to hey what planet is this on just grabbed me in a way no other book to date has. It might have been because of the age that I was when I first read the book. But to me made it magical beyond words.

Totally love the way you said that. I thought the same and use to day dream that we were actually in Rolands world and we, the human race now, were the "old ones" and Roland would be here like 250000 years from now...

[Ben Staad]

This book was an eye opener for me. I had read fantasty, sci-fi, westerns, and many comic books before I read this book. This book took me to a whole new world which nothing I had read before compared to. I was hooked from the beginning and thankfully hooked on SK for the rest of my life. All that being said it will not get a 5 from me (wish I could) but I think a 3.5 to 4 is probably what I will settle on.

[Citizen of Lud]

absolute 5 for me. Read for the first time when I was in 5th grade and when the description of the North Central Positronics pump in the Way Station came up I was instantly shell shocked. For me the shift from old western thinking this was a story that was set in our worlds history to hey what planet is this on just grabbed me in a way no other book to date has. It might have been because of the age that I was when I first read the book. But to me made it magical beyond words.

Totally love the way you said that. I thought the same and use to day dream that we were actually in Rolands world and we, the human race now, were the "old ones" and Roland would be here like 250000 years from now...

That is exactly what I thought as well

[fernandito]

5/5
100/100
A+


Still my favorite book in the Dark Tower series and one of my favorite books ever.

[Girlystevedave]

5.
This book is a life changer.

absolute 5 for me. Read for the first time when I was in 5th grade and when the description of the North Central Positronics pump in the Way Station came up I was instantly shell shocked. For me the shift from old western thinking this was a story that was set in our worlds history to hey what planet is this on just grabbed me in a way no other book to date has. It might have been because of the age that I was when I first read the book. But to me made it magical beyond words.

Yes.
I remember thinking "Fuck, I'm in for a ride."

[stroppygoblin]

and possibly my all time favourite cover as well

[mae]

The poll has closed. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger has earned a FAS (final average score) of 4.060000000 or 81.20%. It received a rating of 5/4 with 7 votes.