General Wind Through The Keyhole

[woodpryan]

I just finished reading The Wind Through The Keyhole. I have mixed feelings about it, but here are my thoughts.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. If I were to rank it against the other Dark Tower books, I would put in that list at number five, right after The Wastelands, and right before the last three books (Song of Susannah being last). It felt very Wizard and Glass (which is a good thing, that being my favorite Dark Tower book), but it also felt a little bit rushed at some points. It does not move the story of the Dark Tower along in any way, but it was certainly an enjoyable read. I felt that the last page gives away too much for readers who are going through the series for the first time, but not really a big deal.

For the first half of the book, I was reading the Grant limited Artist edition, and I loved the feel of the thick paper, the illustrations throughout, and the excellent type font that they used.

For the last half of the book, I read the first Scribner edition. I hated the font, the paper felt cheap in my hands, the binding felt cheap, the cover even felt cheap. I couldn't stand the actual book itself, without the illustrations that every single other Dark Tower book has had. If you haven't picked it up, I would highly recommend getting a limited edition from Grant before they are all gone. It is very well worth the price, and I personally feel that the reading experience is better just holding that book that is so much more well made than the Scribner edition (which is NOT worth 27 bucks).
Anyway, good story. Good read. Go get it if you haven't yet.
If you have finished it, what did you think?

[Merlin1958]

I haven't finished yet, but I am reading a "Reading copy" of the Scribner edition and know what you mean. The quality is in the Grant edition and not the Scribner, but that is cool by me. In a "reading Copy" am I looking for the content. In a collectible copy I am looking for quality. That's just me. I have never read any of my "collectibles", my OCD in force!!!!

[Lady Santos]

I enjoyed Wind, good story and well worth it. I really enjoyed the story within a story element. I would probably rank it #5 on my list as well. Theere were a couple things that bugged me about it, the main one (and it's a small thing really, just a personal preference type thing) is that Roland told the story of the skin man in first person, and I'm used to and prefer the third person. For some reason the way of telling it did not transport me and immerse me as much as Wizard and Glass, which had a similar set-up. There are also a couple of questionable concurrency issues dealing with our pal the ol' Crimson King, and just some non-Rolandisms that occur, but I'll save discussing those for when there's a spoiler thread up ;) Overall though, I did enjoy going back to Gilead for awhile, I don't see how anyone couldn't.

[mtdman]

I enjoyed Wind, good story and well worth it. I really enjoyed the story within a story element. I would probably rank it #5 on my list as well. Theere were a couple things that bugged me about it, the main one (and it's a small thing really, just a personal preference type thing) is that Roland told the story of the skin man in first person, and I'm used to and prefer the third person. For some reason the way of telling it did not transport me and immerse me as much as Wizard and Glass, which had a similar set-up. There are also a couple of questionable concurrency issues dealing with our pal the ol' Crimson King, and just some non-Rolandisms that occur, but I'll save discussing those for when there's a spoiler thread up ;) Overall though, I did enjoy going back to Gilead for awhile, I don't see how anyone couldn't.


I agree with the 1st person telling of the skin man portion. It did not sound like Roland's tale from Wizard, and it wasn't the same feeling to me.

I did not love this story. It's okay. I didn't dislike it, but imo it's not as good as any of the other DT books. I'd rank it as dead last. IMO it doesn't really give us any new insight on the quest for the tower, and as a story about Roland's past it was pretty lame. And frankly it doesn't add to the DT mythos at all. Had I never read it, had it never been written, it would change nothing in the series.

I'd rather hear about the battles with Farson or what happened to Roland's dad, or even Jericho Hill. Something with meat on it. This just didn't live up to the rest of the books for me.

[woodpryan]

Oh, god. I would have loved to hear about the battle of Jerico Hill. That is something I've wanted to read for a really long fucking time.
But, really, I enjoyed this story. It's point wasn't to move the quest for the Dark Tower along. I mean, it was set in Roland's world. But, really, it's just a story. The story was enjoyable. And, in the end, that's all that really matters.

[Merlin1958]

Oh, god. I would have loved to hear about the battle of Jerico Hill. That is something I've wanted to read for a really long fucking time.
But, really, I enjoyed this story. It's point wasn't to move the quest for the Dark Tower along. I mean, it was set in Roland's world. But, really, it's just a story. The story was enjoyable. And, in the end, that's all that really matters.

Didn't Furth cover Jericho Hill in the comics? That's probably why he would stay away from it.

[justinhp]

Just finished it and absolutely loved it. Magical, enchanting and gripping. TWTTK contains so much Mid-World back story that it stands in its own right. I'd put it at No. 3 behind The Gunslinger and Wizard and Glass.
A beautiful book - vintage King.

[woodpryan]

Oh, god. I would have loved to hear about the battle of Jerico Hill. That is something I've wanted to read for a really long fucking time.
But, really, I enjoyed this story. It's point wasn't to move the quest for the Dark Tower along. I mean, it was set in Roland's world. But, really, it's just a story. The story was enjoyable. And, in the end, that's all that really matters.

Didn't Furth cover Jericho Hill in the comics? That's probably why he would stay away from it.

I really don't care that it was covered in the comics. I'm not a comic reader, and the comic series is nothing compared to the reading experience. I want my damn Jerrico Hill.

[Merlin1958]

Oh, god. I would have loved to hear about the battle of Jerico Hill. That is something I've wanted to read for a really long fucking time.
But, really, I enjoyed this story. It's point wasn't to move the quest for the Dark Tower along. I mean, it was set in Roland's world. But, really, it's just a story. The story was enjoyable. And, in the end, that's all that really matters.

Didn't Furth cover Jericho Hill in the comics? That's probably why he would stay away from it.

I really don't care that it was covered in the comics. I'm not a comic reader, and the comic series is nothing compared to the reading experience. I want my damn Jerrico Hill.

Well, that may be true for you, but I was just pointing out that you will most likely never get it. He let Furth and Marvel have it. Professional courtesy and (more than likely) contractual issues will no doubt prevent him from ever dealing with the story in a novel or short story IMHO

[tumbleweed]

Skimming past everyone else's reviews... just wanted to say, I just started it on Friday... haven't finished it yet, but I am annoyed by the element of story, within a story, within a story...

[Random321321]

Am I the only one annoyed when King makes up some big new concept, playing a central role in the plot, that is nowhere mentioned in previous books? In this one it was the "starkblast", in Wolves it was "todash", he tried to retcon The Gunslinger and claim that Roland went "todash" during his palaver with MiB, but he never used that word until very late in the series.

[jhanic]

I have the feeling that the starkblast is a very, very rare occurrence.

John

[Brice]

Yes, I got the same impression, John.

[mtdman]

I really don't care that it was covered in the comics. I'm not a comic reader, and the comic series is nothing compared to the reading experience. I want my damn Jerrico Hill.

Yup.

[Lady Santos]

Yes! Jerico Hill, please!

[Random321321]

I think Jericho Hill has been built up too much. It was just a battle, I see no reason why we need to hear about it in detail.

[Ricky]

I feel the same way, Random.

[Random321321]

I have the feeling that the starkblast is a very, very rare occurrence.

John

Yeah, but, he didn't exactly say that. There's a whole thing with billy-bumblers sensing them coming, and if they were really that rare I doubt that A. billy-bumblers would actually be able to do it (no evolutionary imperative), and B. anyone would know about billy-bumbler predicting methods, not having observed it enough times to notice the pattern. Also, if starkblasts are really so incredibly rare, then shouldn't someone have mentioned that they lived through one like EVER during books 5-7?

[cupofcoffee]

Overall I loved Wind Through the Keyhole, but I do agree that parts of it felt rushed. I liked that the book was the most compact story Dark Tower story since Drawing of the Three—I just wish the Skin-Man thing hadn't left me so underwhelmed. I spent the "Wind Through the Keyhole" portion of the book assuming the "Skin-Man Part 2" part would have some kind of interesting twist, but it turned out to be really straight-forward and anticlimactic. That last sentence ("Oh yeah, and Jamie left his virginity behind that night") was a perfect bit of inadvertent comedy. It summarized the whole "Skin-Man Part 2" section for me. A complete Oh Yeah, And.

But, like I said, overall I really liked it. It was exactly what I hoped it would be: an exploration of a previously unrevealed corner of Mid-World. I'd much rather read that, go down some dark alley and find interesting new things, than read a novelization of Stephen King getting up on a stool and just answering questions about what actually happened with Roland's father or the Battle of Jericho Hill. I didn't even mind the starkblast gimmick or the goofy plot hole with the Covenant Man's true identity. Although I'm not sure where I'd rank it, I was perfectly happy with what it was, and I'm sure it'll be getting multiple re-reads.

[RolandLover]

Just finished reading TWTTKH and I loved it! It was nice to taken back to Roland's world Mid-World, learning a little more about his father/mother. Love the skin-man story and the wind through the keyhole story. Now why would Gabrielle tell that type of story for a bedtime story is scary lol. I especially love how the how Roland dealt with the guilt of killing his mother, reading the last words Gabrielle left for him to forgiving himself. Good stuff!

[WeDealInLead]

I enjoyed Wind, good story and well worth it. I really enjoyed the story within a story element. I would probably rank it #5 on my list as well. Theere were a couple things that bugged me about it, the main one (and it's a small thing really, just a personal preference type thing) is that Roland told the story of the skin man in first person, and I'm used to and prefer the third person. For some reason the way of telling it did not transport me and immerse me as much as Wizard and Glass, which had a similar set-up. There are also a couple of questionable concurrency issues dealing with our pal the ol' Crimson King, and just some non-Rolandisms that occur, but I'll save discussing those for when there's a spoiler thread up ;) Overall though, I did enjoy going back to Gilead for awhile, I don't see how anyone couldn't.


I agree with the 1st person telling of the skin man portion. It did not sound like Roland's tale from Wizard, and it wasn't the same feeling to me.

I did not love this story. It's okay. I didn't dislike it, but imo it's not as good as any of the other DT books. I'd rank it as dead last. IMO it doesn't really give us any new insight on the quest for the tower, and as a story about Roland's past it was pretty lame. And frankly it doesn't add to the DT mythos at all. Had I never read it, had it never been written, it would change nothing in the series.

I'd rather hear about the battles with Farson or what happened to Roland's dad, or even Jericho Hill. Something with meat on it. This just didn't live up to the rest of the books for me.

Hello, my long lost twin brother.

I devoured the book in a day and when I put it down, I was left feeling empty. It didn't feel and read like a DT story at all. It felt like King sat down and wrote it one sitting. Oh well.

edit: the only part that got to me emotionally was his mother's letter to him and King's little note about forgiveness at the back

[LostAlivE]

I have a question concerning the DJ for the US trade edition.
What is the light in the woods it is just above the lantern Tim is holding?
Is it suppose to represent the fire of the mud people?

[tumbleweed]

I liked the hopefulness of the story... I've finished it now. I also appreciated some added mysticism... :)

[Random321321]

I think it's kind of cheap to retcon the idea that Roland's mother forgave him in advance for killing her, and even worse: he knew it all along. I think that seriously undercuts the tragedy and pathos of the event.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

I enjoyed the story, backstory is always my favorite part of a book series, which is why W & G is my favorite. That said, I didnt like the story within a story within a story aspect and felt like the transitions between the two substories were abrasive and disconected. I also didnt buy the whole Maerlyn episode, it felt contrived and hokey. I did very much enjoy the fleshing out of the RF/MB/CM character, and I loved the sequence of Tim's journey through the Endless Forest. It felt like the skin-man parts were unimportant to the story and did not belong in the same book. I enjoyed reading them, I was just confused as to why they were there in the first place, especially leaving the skin man story and returning to it at the end. I realize that Roland was telling Eddie, Susanne, and Jake a story about him telling a story to young Billy, but that was the only connection. It would have been a better novel IMHO if he had chosen either the skin man or the starkblast and wrote the entire novel about that.

That all said, one final note. If this novel had come out after wizards and glass, I might have given up on the series completely. Although I loved W and G, after the horrendously long wait after Wastlelands for it to come out, leaving me stuck on a suicidal monorail, (those of you chillins that got to read them all at once don't get to speak) only to discover that, although beautifully written and a wonderful story, it did not move the central story containing our Ka-tet much. That volume could be forgiven if not embrace because I find backstory to be an essential element. However, if this story had come out when Wolves of Calla did after another terribly long wait, and still didnt further the original story, I would have shelved it in disgust.

[mtdman]

I think Jericho Hill has been built up too much. It was just a battle, I see no reason why we need to hear about it in detail.

I see no reason I needed to hear about anything in this book at all by that reasoning.


If this novel had come out after wizards and glass, I might have given up on the series completely.

I think that says it all right there, and to me that's pretty damning of the book.

[RUBE]

I really liked the "fairy tale" part of the story but the parts with Roland and ka-tet were way too short and didn't really add much to the mythos (like how Jake got so good with his guns). It might have been better to just tell The Wind Through the Keyhole tale as a separate tale in Roland's world sort of like The Eyes of the Dragon. That being said, I did like the story within a story within a story (which makes sense since Wizard and Glass and The Gunslinger are my favorite Dark Tower books and there is a good bit of storytelling in both). I guess my issue was simply that there was not enough to Roland's part of the story to make it an official 8th Dark Tower book and not just a "related" book.

Also, there were some definite timeline issues involving certain characters and I feel like despite dedicating the book to Furth and Marvel he directly contradicted some of the stories told in the comics. Anyway, overall it was a good read it just left me wanting more of the main storyline.

[Tower51]

SPOILER ALERT !!!

Ok im confused ????
I read all the DK books and comics so heres my question ??

My take on Tims story is that Randall Flagg somehow lured Tim into the swamp so he could rescue Maerlynn the wizard.My take on it was Maerlynn had a dissagreement or confrontation with the crimson king and the crimson king turned him into a tiger and locked him into a cage,and only i guess Tim was able to free him? For some reason Flagg could not open the cage himself due to some black magic.Maerlynn was portrayed in this book as a good guy.If you read the comics ,he was the first villian who tried to bring down the tower..and also is responsible for Flagg and the crimsion king to exist.Did Maerlynn eventually turn into a good wizard??? because it seems after Arthur Elds rule Maerlynn seems to quit his desire to bring down the tower and live in his cave,hence the crimson king seem to take over his work.It seems RF seems to take sides with Mearlynn in ths situation by helping to release him from the cage.I thought it was really weird as well that RF and Maerlynn were so nice to Tim and even kind odf encouraged him in the end to be a gunslinger as a profession. I thought this was an awesome tale because there is still alot of mystery surrounding RF,CK,and Maerlynn back stories. if some one has an answer PLEASE tell me im clueless on this one ????????????

[mystima]

I just finished this book like ten minutes ago...lol...I liked the book....Ranking, I would put it before W&G...(3rd) The only issue I had with it is that the story about Tim could have been a book by itself, the story around that could have been a short story he could have put into one of his short story anthologies like he did with Little Sisters...



I have a question concerning the DJ for the US trade edition.
What is the light in the woods it is just above the lantern Tim is holding?
Is it suppose to represent the fire of the mud people?
as for this...It is the evil Tinkerbell.

[Ricky]

I really liked TWTTK, but kind of wish that it had only revolved around Tim's story. As much as I love hearing more about present-Roland, Jake, Eddie, and Susannah, I think the novel would've felt more "focused" if we were only told the story of Tim and his quest.

[Random321321]

I think Jericho Hill has been built up too much. It was just a battle, I see no reason why we need to hear about it in detail.

I see no reason I needed to hear about anything in this book at all by that reasoning.



No argument here.

[Hammer]

Nice story not my favorite at all i would put it last in fact but it did keep me turning pages for a couple of days
i did think it was too much like the talisman with a young boy searcing for magic to save his mother but i guess that is what King does
mixing all his stories so the intertwine but like i said nice read it will be going back to the public libray soon

[Weirdmonger]

For any interested, I have just completed my detailed personal real-time review of THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE (thus completing a similar examination of the whole DARK TOWER series novel by novel, chapter by chapter): http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/the-wind-through-the-keyhole-stephen-king/
DF Lewis

[Bethany]

I was underwhelmed. Yes, it was nice to visit with the ka-tet again. However, it just felt like a cheap ploy to exploit money out of everyone (see woodpryan's post about having 2 different copies.) I do not want to see an entire line of books devoted to the minutae of Roland's long life just so there can be upteen different versions for people to collect. To me, if something was vital and important, it would have been included in the main body of work.

[dubrosa22]

Just finished TWTTK and I enjoyed it a lot. I agree it did feel rushed at times, especially the conclusion of Roland's first story and the aftermath.

Inevitably, it felt akin to the Little Sisters of Eluria - Dark Tower Lite. I kept thinking that the meat was thin on the bones for any King novel, let alone a DT novel!

But again great stories and lovely to have another window into Mid-World opened for us. :lovely:

[dubrosa22]

For the first half of the book, I was reading the Grant limited Artist edition, and I loved the feel of the thick paper, the illustrations throughout, and the excellent type font that they used.

For the last half of the book, I read the first Scribner edition. I hated the font, the paper felt cheap in my hands, the binding felt cheap, the cover even felt cheap.

Luckily I read the UK edition which is more than decent. I don't have the Grant AE yet to compare it but the inclusion of b&w illustrations and tasteful, crisp fonts with good page formatting it read and felt very well.

I'm not a fan of the UK 1st cover, however, Scribner wins that battle hands down!
Although the UK 1st does include a miniature snapshot of me and my baby daughter! :smile:

[Weirdmonger]

http://www.aaronartprints.org/images/Paintings/6128.jpg

First recorded mention of this proposed link between this book and Henri Rousseau?
The Naive Art of Stephen King - that is very much to the point, I feel, in TWTTK.
The painting above is “Tiger In A Tropical Storm” or "Surprised!"

Can you see the keyhole?

DF Lewis

[candy]

I think it's kind of cheap to retcon the idea that Roland's mother forgave him in advance for killing her, and even worse: he knew it all along. I think that seriously undercuts the tragedy and pathos of the event.

I agree, it takes all the story of what happened with hs mother on its head. I you had just finished W&G with all the guilt etc, and then read this - well it would just cancel all that guilt out.


That all said, one final note. If this novel had come out after wizards and glass, I might have given up on the series completely. Although I loved W and G, after the horrendously long wait after Wastlelands for it to come out, leaving me stuck on a suicidal monorail, (those of you chillins that got to read them all at once don't get to speak) only to discover that, although beautifully written and a wonderful story, it did not move the central story containing our Ka-tet much. That volume could be forgiven if not embrace because I find backstory to be an essential element. However, if this story had come out when Wolves of Calla did after another terribly long wait, and still didnt further the original story, I would have shelved it in disgust.

I didnt rate W&G its down on my list of favourites, and to come out of one back story and go straight into another would really have killed the whole story for me. My sister is on her first read and she whizzed through the first three in weeks and its just taken her 4 months to finish W&G, she asked to borrow WTTKH to be one of the first to read them in the intended order. When I explained it was another back story she changed her mind and as almost finished wolves in a weekend.

For me the whole style of this book was wrong, I was not expecting any great flashes of knowledge on what happened to them, and fully expected a 'filler' book, but the WTTKH was just an excuse for King to write a little story and wrap it around Mid World.

The Flesh eater story didnt even read as a DT book, it didnt sound like Roland speaking and for me I would have preferred for Roland to tell his KaTet the story of little Tim and his tyger, which would have made more sense and would have given me more time with the Katet.

Having said that, the whole speech of Roland, Eddie etc sounded wrong and forced, it didnt come as easier to my 'ears' as it used to, I firmly believe that if they had been in the book more then they would have come back to King more naturally.

I feel very sad

[Ricky]

and its just taken her 4 months to finish W&G

WTTKH was just an excuse for King to write a little story and wrap it around Mid World.

The Flesh eater story didnt even read as a DT book, it didnt sound like Roland speaking and for me I would have preferred for Roland to tell his KaTet the story of little Tim and his tyger, which would have made more sense and would have given me more time with the Katet.


I agree with all of this, unfortunately.

[Robert Fulman]

I have a question concerning the DJ for the US trade edition.
What is the light in the woods it is just above the lantern Tim is holding?
Is it suppose to represent the fire of the mud people?The light is the sighe (fairy) named Armaneeta.

[Empath of the White]

I have the Scribner hardcover. On the back of the dust jacket, you can see some humanoids with pointy ears squatting behind some bushes. Are those goblins, mutants, low men...? (I have just decided to pull a straight read through of the series, so I haven't cracked this one yet).

[Robert Fulman]

Do you really want to know, or is it sufficient to say "they are characters described in this book"?

[Ricky]

They are actually clones of Roland from when he was afflicted by the Crimson King's black magic in his youth. Living in the swamp, the mini-Rolands, or "Molands," as SK calls them, have been reduced to hiding and the murky water has started to change their appearance.

[Robert Fulman]

The thing that bugged me was that the Molands all had three fingers on their right hands. That's not a genetic condition, so it doesn't really make sense at all. And before anyone says it, the Molands aren't "magical copies" of Roland. Flagg says on page 137 (of the Grant Edition): "You just take a little adenine from here, a bit of guanine from there, and soon enough you have yourself a little gunslinger. It's quite easy once you know how." So, he's definitely talking about genetic clones. I don't know why I bother with this garbage.

[Ricky]

Yeah, that kind of bugged me as well. And you'd think that the Molands would've had some of Roland's memories as well, if he was cloned mind and body. The lack of attention to detail on SK's part is incredibly frustrating.

[Wuducynn]

Finished TWTTK last night and LOVED IT. I especially loved the things that Maerlyn said about The Red King. Lots of interesting tid-bits and lots of heart. I loved the story, within a story, within a story aspect.

[Brainslinger]

Finished TWTTK last night and LOVED IT. I especially loved the things that Maerlyn said about The Red King. Lots of interesting tid-bits and lots of heart. I loved the story, within a story, within a story aspect.

I thought it strange that The Crimson King is back to being 'Tower Pent' (and at the top, as well) though, considering what we find out in The Dark Tower. Maybe all those theories about The Crimson King being split into two entities is correct after all. Or Maerlyn was just wrong.

Anyway, I just finished this story last night. I loved it. I would have liked to have read more from The Skin Man sections of the novel, but all-in-all a good read.

As for those stating "this doesn't add anything to the main story"... well... no. That story is already told. And as for 'when did Jake get so good with a gun'? The same as the rest of the ka-tet. Innate ability and lots of practice. Bear in mind, each of these books are snapshots, or maybe more accurately, group of snapshots, into that world. There's lots of everyday stuff happening between the books* and scenes**. It may have been nice to see some of those lessons like we did with Susannah and Eddie, but then again that might have gotten a bit repetitive. Also those scenes with Suze and Eddie led quickly into the confrontation with Shardik. They had lots of other lessons before off-page before then.

It left me wondering about the comic continuity though, particularly Maerlyn and his relationship to Walter, but I think I prefer this version.

*Except where stories lead directly into each other of course like The Waste Lands and Wizard and Glass.

**They often have a poo between scenes too, albeit that's a lot less exciting than shooting practice. Except for that time Eddie crouched on the thistle. Not the stuff of legends and mythology granted.

[Bogie]

Anyone get a feeling that the "Green Light" from the mine could be a Tommyknockers connection.

[RUBE]

I was thinking it was more of a Desperation/Regulators tie-in.

[Ben Staad]

I was thinking it was more of a Desperation/Regulators tie-in.

+1. I was thinking Tak all the way.

[Brainslinger]

There's certainly a Desperation similarity. Much like the comic origins of the Little Sisters.

I actually found myself thinking of the fairy though. Don't get me wrong, I doubt she was responsible for creating the Skin-Man as I don't think her power goes that far, but that emphasis on green light for both was curious.

I also wondered at the idea that it was something from the Great Old Ones that infected the man. It seemed more supernatural to me but then again if the Great Old Ones dug too far, that doesn't rule out a supernatural source.

I think that was the implication.

[Lauterer]

Now the german (http://www.amazon.de/Wind-Stephen-King/dp/345326794X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342076843&sr=8-1) print ist available for preorder @ amazon. The cover differs from all the others!

[Matt]

These are some great reviews. I just finished it and I'm still processing but I must admit it was nice to roll with the Katet again. Before all the pain and loss...

I did notice that the dialogue between all of them reminded me more of how they acted towards each other at the end of the series. Wizard and Glass was a long time ago and I don't feel like King totally recaptured the dynamic of the relationship when it was still so new.

[Forge of the King]

I just finished reading The Wind Through The Keyhole. I have mixed feelings about it, but here are my thoughts.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. If I were to rank it against the other Dark Tower books, I would put in that list at number five, right after The Wastelands, and right before the last three books (Song of Susannah being last). It felt very Wizard and Glass (which is a good thing, that being my favorite Dark Tower book), but it also felt a little bit rushed at some points. It does not move the story of the Dark Tower along in any way, but it was certainly an enjoyable read. I felt that the last page gives away too much for readers who are going through the series for the first time, but not really a big deal.

For the first half of the book, I was reading the Grant limited Artist edition, and I loved the feel of the thick paper, the illustrations throughout, and the excellent type font that they used.

For the last half of the book, I read the first Scribner edition. I hated the font, the paper felt cheap in my hands, the binding felt cheap, the cover even felt cheap. I couldn't stand the actual book itself, without the illustrations that every single other Dark Tower book has had. If you haven't picked it up, I would highly recommend getting a limited edition from Grant before they are all gone. It is very well worth the price, and I personally feel that the reading experience is better just holding that book that is so much more well made than the Scribner edition (which is NOT worth 27 bucks).
Anyway, good story. Good read. Go get it if you haven't yet.
If you have finished it, what did you think?

I agree with some of your points and disagree with others (and some I can't even comment on because I don't own the limited edition from Grant).

I personally really enjoyed the Scribner book, and read it in one sitting, which didn't take too long (sadly ... I wish it was longer). I agree with you that it was a lot like Wizard and Glass and didn't move the main story along too much because it was mostly focused on backstory. Both in (prior) agreement and (current) disagreement, Wizard and Glass had been my favorite Dark Tower novel of all ... until I read The Wind Through the Keyhole, which then became my favorite Dark Tower novel. I personally feel that, as far as the Dark Tower series goes, Stephen King's writing has gotten progressively better over time. I can't comment, however, on any other very recent King novels, because I haven't read any yet, so I'm not sure if his writing has improved entirely.

As for the quality of the book, aesthetically, I didn't even think about the quality of the paper it was written on or the lack of illustrations, though I truly enjoyed the cover art (of the boy in the forest with the tiger and the crocodiles and ... well I won't ruin what else is hiding in the cover so as not to give away any of the book). I feel that it's what is written IN the book that matters, not what paper it's written on.

Also, I got the Scribner version for 17 dollars at a supermarket, so it wasn't that bad.

[Jean]

I think it's kind of cheap to retcon the idea that Roland's mother forgave him in advance for killing her, and even worse: he knew it all along. I think that seriously undercuts the tragedy and pathos of the event.
This, absolutely. I still can say that I liked the book, but it has nothing to do with TDT. It's a nice, easy read, some parts in the middle are really very good, the rest is quite enjoyable. But the Roland we see there is not the Roland we know, grieving and unforgiven, forever heartbroken, only the healing force of the new ka-tet able to do something about the abyss that is his soul.

Yes, and the whole Tyger thing is preposterous from any point of view.

RF is awesome, however, as good as in The Stand, and the Daria part is marvelous.

[mae]

I'm wondering, does the title owe any inspiration to The Wind in the Willows?

[sgc1999]

I loved this book.
I seriously loved it. I hope that Kings rights more of these interwoven tales that are nice additions to the already finished saga. I really enjoyed the entire book and would totaly reccomend it as a stand alone story as well.

[Dan]

I just finished listening to the audiobook TWTTK. I had read it just after release, but didn't notice this before. It is mentioned that the Lion is named Aslan, which is the name of the Great Lion in C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series.