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View Full Version : The Gunslinger Q&A *spoilers



sarah
07-02-2008, 10:53 PM
The Gunslinger. We are first introduced to Roland following the man in black across the desert. We were hooked. I know I just love Roland. He is my favorite character in the whole series, and yes I do love them all, but it started with Roland and The Gunslinger.

What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

What bugged you the most about this book?

What surprised you most about this book?

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

sarah
07-02-2008, 10:58 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?


Roland telling Jake about his Test.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

David. he knew what he was getting into and he still did it for Roland.

Also, Marten egging Roland on was good reading.

ok and I also loved Cort. I mean how could you not just love Cort?

What bugged you the most about this book?

Honestly, I can't think of one thing I didn't like. The book is fast paced and fulfilling.

What surprised you most about this book?

Roland taking everyone down in Tull. I didn't see it coming and I was absorbed in the telling of the tale. He really did take those people out and I was hooked.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

No. I could've never let Jake drop. BUT....I see how Roland could. He never really let himself truly love Jake because he knew he would eventually be sacrificed.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

Imo, the dark. I don't think I would have lasted in the dark that long.


EDIT:

I'm throwing in a FUCK GRETTA SHAW for good measure. :)

Brice
07-02-2008, 10:59 PM
The Gunslinger. We are first introduced to Roland following the man in black across the desert. We were hooked. I know I just love Roland. He is my favorite character in the whole series, and yes I do love them all, but it started with Roland and The Gunslinger.

What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

This is nearly impossible for me to answer. I loved every word, every second of the book each time I read it. However, if I must pick a favorite moment it is when Roland palavers with Walter.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

I think that would be Allie.

What bugged you the most about this book?

That it was revised. :lol:

What surprised you most about this book?


When I first picked it up it seemed it would be a western. I generally don't like westerns. So I was surprised I liked it and I was surprised that it very much wasn't what I expected.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

Yup!

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

The desert

MonteGss
07-02-2008, 11:15 PM
The Gunslinger. We are first introduced to Roland following the man in black across the desert. We were hooked. I know I just love Roland. He is my favorite character in the whole series, and yes I do love them all, but it started with Roland and The Gunslinger.

What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Roland's manhood test...super-cool.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Cort and Marten.

What bugged you the most about this book?
Because I was rather young, the first time I read it it bugged me (and intrigued me) that I wasn't sure about its timeframe and location as it had so many hints about our world.

What surprised you most about this book?
That is wasn't a King horror book and that I liked it.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
I think even early on, I wanted to see the Tower too so I believed Roland's gut that dropping him was the way to get there. Yes.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
The desert would suck but I think I'd probably need to pee if I was traveling in the pitch dark with creepy noises about me. When the slow muties came out, I'd probably not have to pee anymore, I would have just needed a change of pants.


Cool idea maerlyn dear! :)

sarah
07-02-2008, 11:24 PM
yeah, monte, I'm with you and the mountains. eeek those fucking mutants would have freaked me out. misery.

Jean
07-03-2008, 12:46 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

hypnotized Jake telling about his life and death in New York

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Hax

What bugged you the most about this book?

Everything. I would have dropped it if I'd had access to any other book at the moment.

What surprised you most about this book?

that King wrote it

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

at the moment of my first readint it, I couldn't relate to any of the characters, so the question didn't arise. Now, as I argued elsewhere, the answer is no. I'd rather let the Tower fall and the universe go to dogs (my main argument was that a universe which demands that its saviors sacrifice children doesn't deserve to be saved)

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

desert!!!
::fanning himself with all four paws::

Nerak
07-03-2008, 06:14 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Roland's man-hood test, no matter how many times I have read it, it's always my fav

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
David, Allie (poor Allie) and Brown

What bugged you the most about this book?
not a thing

What surprised you most about this book?
That it was written by such a young man

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
NO WAY IN HELL, I understand why Roland did it, it was the quest, but I couldn't have let him fall.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Mountains, I am soooo afraid of the dark!!! :scared:
__________________

Girlystevedave
07-03-2008, 07:50 AM
Great idea for a thread!...I'm gonna do some thinking on this one.

fernandito
07-03-2008, 11:52 AM
Don't you just love Maer's enthusiasm? :wub:

I'll reply to this and the DoTT thread when I get home :)

Jean
07-03-2008, 12:01 PM
Don't you just love Maer 's enthusiasm? http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gif

(fixed that for you Feverish)

fernandito
07-03-2008, 12:02 PM
Yeah, that looks better :D

Darkthoughts
07-03-2008, 01:43 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Hmm, there are quite a few, I appreciate the book more each time I reread it. I love the stuff with Sylvia, I like the flashbacks to Gilead and Jake's flashbacks, I was really interested when Roland spoke with the demon in the speaking circle and the palaver with the Man In Black was very mythic.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Sylvia I reckon. She was utterly deluded but at the same time very powerful, that interested me.

What bugged you the most about this book?
Well, first time I read it - everything! The way it was written, by which I mean the style, was so alien for a SK book I couldn't really get into it and forced myself to read on because I'd been promised that DotT was awesome.

Now though, I'm not sure theres anything.

What surprised you most about this book?
That it would be richer when you returned to it.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
Not if I was dying of thirst and the Man In Black had the last pint of beer in the world!

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
It'd be the heat for me. I can't stand to be out in the sun - I'd much rather admire it from a cool, shady spot.

Nice one Maer :clap:

fernandito
07-03-2008, 02:55 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

I think I'll go with Tull! :D (surprise?) It's one of the most intense scenes I've read from any book, ever.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

David. The fact that Roland regarded him so highly (with the shooting the sky in memory of him and such) only helps to reinforce this.

What bugged you the most about this book?

Nothing, I loved it all - from beginning to end.

What surprised you most about this book?

I have to echo what Jean said - that King is the author.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

Without hesitation - it's not easy to let go of an obsession that has been pursued for so long, especially if my inner clockwork functions the way Roland's does.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

The heated desert. I don't mind pitch black darkness, but I can't stand the heat.

KA DINH
07-03-2008, 03:07 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
the opening chapter with that description of roland and his guns!

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

cort, because he was such a merciless bastard in their teaching.it paid off!

What bugged you the most about this book?

Nothing except the end i did not want it to stop
What surprised you most about this book?

that when i first read it i became hooked like a crackhead

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

roland does so because that was fate, jake said there are other worlds than these.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

they both sound like loads of fun if your a masochist, but i would have to say the dark

Spencer
07-03-2008, 10:27 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
the blade of grass dream thing

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
David

What bugged you the most about this book?
It seemed very choppy, but that's to be expected since it was originally 5 short stories.

What surprised you most about this book?
That Roland believed any of what Walter told him.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
If I was Roland, definitely.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
I have no idea, and hope I never find out.

Letti
07-03-2008, 10:44 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
All the lines where I could feel that Roland did love Jake. It was good to see that my gunslinger can have feelings.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Allie

What bugged you the most about this book?
That King revised it. Thereis nothing else I can think about.

What surprised you most about this book?
My feelings. I got hooked on it so much. I was just 12 years old at that time and it was so good to fall in love with a series.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
I feel I wouldn't.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

Desert. Hands down.

jayson
07-04-2008, 01:17 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Roland's manhood test. My fav parts of the series are the glimpses of Roland's world as it was. This was a big glimpse into that. It was also a good look at exactly what Roland will do to win. After David, I was never shocked at Roland's willingness to sacrifice others for the Tower. It was the ultimate choice of weapon and a choice Roland made again and again.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Allie. She seemed to me like the kind of character you'd find in a Tom Waits song [and that's about as high praise as I can give something].

What bugged you the most about this book?
The revision. I found it unnecessary, and I typically re-read the original.
Other than that, nothing. I loved this book from the first time I read it and I never do understand what others don't see in it.

What surprised you most about this book?
Jake's story. The first time I read the book I couldn't believe this kid in the middle of the desert was a dead kid from NYC. I thought that was the coolest thing ever and Jake has been my favorite character from the first time I heard his story.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
I'd love to say no, but I can't. Not if I were Roland.


Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

"The heat, my god the heat." - Elaine Benes, Seinfeld

I'd have been ok with the journey under the mountains, but I don't do well in the heat.

mia/susannah
07-04-2008, 08:04 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

I would have to say Rolands manhood test and the way that David fought for Roland

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Cort

What bugged you the most about this book?
Nothing


What surprised you most about this book?

That it was a Stephen King book. It is not a horror book and I got hooked on it anyways

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

No, I could not have let Jake fall no matter what happened

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert

Without a doubt, the dark under the mountains with the mutants. I can stand the heat but the mutants and dark like that would really scare the pants off me

Girlystevedave
07-07-2008, 02:02 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

When Walter shows Roland the complexity of the universe. I can, and do, read that over and over at times.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

I'd have to say Cort. Reading this book for the first time, I think it was good to show a kind of explanation as to what a gunslinger was exactly, and what was to be expected of them. The trial with Cort definitely summed things up.

What bugged you the most about this book?

While I can't say I'd change the story, the people of Tull and their stupidity annoyed me.

What surprised you most about this book?

I' have to agree with the others that said it was surprising that King wrote it.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?

I wish I could answe no, but I'm sure that I would have been so wrapped up in my quest, just like Roland, that I would have let him fall.


Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
The desert! The parts with Roland nearing exhaustion felt way too real to me. When he kept playing the nursery rhyme over and over in his mind...**shudders**
I've passed out from heat stroke before, and I can say: I'd much rather dare the dark any day.

Woofer
07-09-2008, 02:18 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Roland's childhood and meeting Cuthbert.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Cuthbert! I was truly drawn to him from the first reading.

What bugged you the most about this book?
That Roland didn't leave Tull when he knew he should.

What surprised you most about this book?
How different the style was from King's other works.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
Probably not, but if I were Roland then...

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
The desert. Heat sucks (says the wolf in Florida).

Ka-tet
07-10-2008, 06:24 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Roland-Walter palaver

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Zoltan

What bugged you the most about this book?
Nothing i can imediately think of.

What surprised you most about this book?
Roland not killing the man in black.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
Not a question i am able to answer.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
The dark. Although the heat would have been horrible almost unbearable.

The Lady of Shadows
07-13-2008, 06:19 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
jake discovering roland passed out in the way station and putting hay under his head.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
david, the hawk.

What bugged you the most about this book?
roland dropping jake; all of roland's actions in tull

What surprised you most about this book?
that sai king could write someone that he clearly intended to be a hero as such an anti-hero

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
not for anything.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
definitely the heat/desert. at least in the dark under the mountains they were together, and it was cool.

eta: greta took very good care of jake. so there! :)

Tiffany
07-16-2008, 12:13 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
The first line, as well as the description of Roland. Mostly that first line. I'd been dragging my heels when it came to starting this book and that first line was so simple, so enigmatic. Never has one sentence so fully mesmerized me.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Probably David or Cort.

What bugged you the most about this book?
I can't really think of anything that bugged me.

What surprised you most about this book?
The palaver and Walter's explanation of God and all the universes. I wasn't expecting that sort of thing from Stephen King at all. I guess you could say that my big surprise was that it's an SK book but that bit of palaver was what so unexpected from him.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
No. Jake is my all-time favorite.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
The dark under the mountains. I'm a little bit afraid of the dark (even at 26!)

Tony_A
07-17-2008, 10:44 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

Roland's test

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Cort

What bugged you the most about this book?

Not one thing

What surprised you most about this book?

That Roland let Jake drop.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?

No. He came to love him, and that's something I'd never do to someone I loved.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

I'm not a big fan of extreme heat, so I'll have to go with the desert.

fx12345
07-31-2008, 07:57 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
I would have to say that it was the manhood test. In my opinion, it was the best fight scene in the book.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
I liked David and Cort a lot but my absolute favorite character would be Cuthbert because I have so much in common with him.

What bugged you the most about this book?
I liked pretty much everything about the book and I can't truthfully think of anything I'd like to change.

What surprised you most about this book?
I was most surprised about the profound speech Walter made about the universe at the end of the book.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
Well, considering that before he fell, he said there were other worlds than this before he fell, I would probably let him drop.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
I would say the desert was worse. I would much rather go in the damp, dark cave with the slow mutants than in the seering hot, heat with scorpions, lobstrocities, and God knows what else.

BillyxRansom
08-13-2008, 09:42 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Tull or the final test. Can't decide.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
I think Allie.

What bugged you the most about this book?
Honestly... *sigh* ...Iamgoingtogetsuchshitforthis... Jake's entrance into the gunslinger's world.
For the longest time, I wanted the focus of the story to JUST be on the gunslinger's world, no mention of the "real" world at all. I like reading stories that are set in other worlds, I just do.

What surprised you most about this book?
The gunslinger dropping Jake.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
No. Never.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Dark mountains. It just felt more eerie to me. I could feel that darkness myself, and I didn't like it.

FlyingHellfish
08-19-2008, 11:34 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
The final test

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Cort

What bugged you the most about this book?
Nothing

What surprised you most about this book?
That its only 300 pages

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
Yes - I've been hunting/tracking the Man In Black for years, see ya Jake

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Traveling in the dark under the mountains. In the desert you can see what's coming.

disintegration
10-15-2008, 03:02 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Tull
Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Brown or Allie
What bugged you the most about this book?
When Jake died
What surprised you most about this book?
The end
At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
If I knew I could get him back, otherwise I don't think I could
Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert? Under the mountains.

Whitey Appleseed
12-21-2008, 01:41 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Probably when Roland and Jake are trying to get away from the Slow Mutants.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Brown. Your dinner's ready. Your mule passed away. Just some poor fool out there in the desert, growing corn. And his pet, Zoltan.

What bugged you the most about this book?
I had trouble understanding the placement of Walter's speech, or the need for it, for that matter. I'm reading original for the first time. Maybe I'll see that in a new light.

What surprised you most about this book?
I think the style of writing, simple, concise, to the point. Nothing extra, no more, no less.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
How can I answer that honestly? I dunno, if I had, I think I would have followed him. Tough call. Can I hang onto him and still go on? Turned out okay, didn't it?

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
In the dark. All that unknown. Course, when I was out west a few years back, all that big open, there was all that unknown out there. Wanted to stop the car and climb the nearest hill, like maybe there was a party going on just over the rise, and I was missin' out.

razz
12-21-2008, 01:46 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Palaver in the Golgotha

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Allie.

What bugged you the most about this book?
there were a few places i missed things, and I'd find a reference to it, and was thinking WTF?!
Seriously, the first time i read it, i had no clue why the people of Tull attacked Roland. i didn't know that Allie died.

What surprised you most about this book?
that it was awesome. I heard about the series from a friend who said it sucked.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
possibly. I didn't like The Gunslinger's Jake.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Hot desert. I hate the heat.

pickle
12-21-2008, 03:12 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Rolland fighting in Tull

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Zoltan and his owner

What bugged you the most about this book?
Not a real lot of action

What surprised you most about this book?
That i eventualy liked it, it took me 3 trys over the years to read it

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
Nope

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Under the mountains, i dont like the dark.

Letti
12-21-2008, 03:22 PM
What surprised you most about this book?
That i eventualy liked it, it took me 3 trys over the years to read it

Wow, and why did you try it again and again? What was the thing that didn't let you close it forever?

pickle
12-21-2008, 03:40 PM
Originaly i tried to read the book, but only got 1/4 of the way through it then left it alone for a few years. I then went on to read the DoT3, missing out the Gunslinger all together. The problem i had was that after i read that book, i felt that something was missing, there was parts i didnt understand. So i left the series compleatly for a few more years.

The about 6 weeks ago i picked up the series again and started from the begining and absolutly loved it. Im now about to start book 7 and cant wait to see how it ends.

K.J.J.
12-23-2008, 03:26 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

I would have to say the opening lines. They captured me straight away. I was lifted off into a knew world that I haven't dared thought of leaving any time soon!

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Probably Sheb! He was quite the character. Little did I know he had a larger role in Roland's story though! I was very glad to see his story extended.
Zoltan comes in second place though. That bird was just unforgettable. His name is utterly hilarious also!

What bugged you the most about this book?

The fact that it ended and I didn't have a copy of the Drawing of the Three until the following Tuesday! (I finished it on a Thursday!)

What surprised you most about this book?

That Roland let Jake drop!! :scared: I totally did not see that coming, I was expecting Jake to have a much larger role in Roland's quest for the tower then only a few dozen pages!

Little did I know I was right (:

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?

I have to say yes. It would haunt me for the rest of my life, but I realized if I was in that situation, and my doorway to the tower was about to shut if I took the time to save this kid, I would have HAD to let the poor soul fall to his death.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

Definatly the the desert. After all, it was the apotheosis of ALL deserts. I can't stand the heat, and just imagining being trapped in that massive sandbox, with the hills on the horizon just standing there teasing me... I don't know if i would have made it out alive!

dotKay
03-30-2009, 06:04 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
The palaver at the end

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Jake

What bugged you the most about this book?
I'm read it in English (not my first language) so i had some trouble with landscape descriptions and i was kinda confused with the whole walter-marten-man in black thing...

What surprised you most about this book?
That it wasn't as difficult to read as i thought it would be.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
No way. But i think i can see why Roland did.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
I can't stand the heat, but i think it would be worst to be in the darkness, hearing noises, not knowing what's ahead.

yesterday's_eyes
08-28-2009, 05:07 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Roland winning his guns.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Cort

What bugged you the most about this book?
The whole Tull thing.

What surprised you most about this book?
Roland dropping jake.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
No.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Heat

keyframe
08-29-2009, 01:26 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
The end of Tull

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
I liked the priest lady in Tull,she was pretty intense.

What bugged you the most about this book?
Nothing at all.

What surprised you most about this book?
How quick Roland was to smoke everybody in Tull...he probably could have escaped, but he just mowed em' down.:cowboy:

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
Yes...especially after Jake said there were other worlds than these.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Desert would be worse by far.

Delacroix
11-25-2009, 02:16 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

=> The note left to Allie by Marten about what's after death. I just loved this idea of a somehow perfect trap. In the same time you feel that she will say it, she will no matter what happens. On the other hand you don't know when. Marten doesn't when either...and he doesn't care! I love this sooo nasty way of joking. He's just happy to know that the shithole will eventuelly blow up. I pictured it very very well.

=> When he meets Jake for the first time, and when he saves him from the succubus in the mountains.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

=> Cuthbert and Marten, I have a thing with jokers...

What bugged you the most about this book?

=> The ending...after all that, after Jake died, just "let's talk and 10 years will pass by". I was really bothered.

What surprised you most about this book?

=> Nothing and everything. That's what I love. Its a real tragedy, you know what's happening and you can just watch it. You know what is going to happen in Tull and with Jake. Yet, seing it properly is always surprising because of course no details are
forseen.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?

=> NO, never in my life I could let a child fall to his death. I would have protected Jake at any cost. => My heart

=> Well, what was to happen next? We both survive in this world with nothing to go on with? We watch the world collapse as we get old with nothing more than each other? Of course I would have let him fall all the way down the pit. => My head

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

=> The two choices are both the opposite extreme of each other. I really have no idea.

sofaki
11-26-2009, 04:51 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
The final test

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Allie

What bugged you the most about this book?
The death of Jake. Totally unxpected!!

What surprised you most about this book?
The end

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
Yeah, it was essential in order to reach the man in black.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Under the mountains. Darkness creeps me out.

stone, rose, unfound door
12-01-2009, 03:58 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

The end, when the Man in Black shows Roland so many things he can't understand. I also really liked the part with the Oracle. It was also very mysterious and a kind of riddle in its own way.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Cuthbert.

What bugged you the most about this book?
I wondered why the Man in Black would kill Jake in his world to put him in the desert where he'd meet Roland. I still don't understand why, since at this point in the story, Roland has no trouble killing kids like during the battle in Tull but the Man in Black thought Roland'd come to love Jake. How did he predict that? Why did it work? That really puzzled me.

What surprised you most about this book?
That Roland was aroused by Sylvia Pittson. I really didn't get it even after rereading it so many times.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
I really can't say. I resented Roland a lot for doing it but I don't know what I would have done if I had to choose between being given the chance of a lifetime to know what everything is about and taking care of a child I'd have come to love. It's a really tough choice to make.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
In the heat across the desert.

Delacroix
12-02-2009, 05:19 AM
I wondered why the Man in Black would kill Jake in his world to put him in the desert where he'd meet Roland. I still don't understand why, since at this point in the story, Roland has no trouble killing kids like during the battle in Tull but the Man in Black thought Roland'd come to love Jake. How did he predict that? Why did it work? That really puzzled me.

I think the Ma in Black can feel a lot and a lot of things. He's a powerfull wizard able to travel between the worlds, to see far away both in time and space and probably he could feel who might strike Roland's heart the way Susan did. The Man in Black seems to know Roland very well, the way an old friend would know what you might like.
Probably he wasn't sure who he was looking for when he walked through the whens and wheres, but he knew when he saw Jake. He knew that was the perfect bait for the trap he'd chosen: love.

But I think that Jake was first thought of as a whole by SK, then his story came. That's how things usually happen. First you see the character and then you build around him a lot of things to explain the way he is.

The Gunslinger is known for its incoherences, but I don't mind them. To me they're a great opportunity to feel and imagine how things are in this strange world. I love when things aren't said but implied, or even neglected. I can build my own vision, and in the case of the Gunslinger, it works very well.

Jean
12-02-2009, 05:27 AM
Little Gem: I think there's great difference between killing someone in a battle, immediately saving your own life and sacrificing the same person after you've talked, shared bread and water, and created some form of attachment - all for the sake of an abstraction, something you've never seen and which is not present as an immediate factor.

stone, rose, unfound door
12-04-2009, 02:48 PM
I wondered why the Man in Black would kill Jake in his world to put him in the desert where he'd meet Roland. I still don't understand why, since at this point in the story, Roland has no trouble killing kids like during the battle in Tull but the Man in Black thought Roland'd come to love Jake. How did he predict that? Why did it work? That really puzzled me.

I think the Ma in Black can feel a lot and a lot of things. He's a powerfull wizard able to travel between the worlds, to see far away both in time and space and probably he could feel who might strike Roland's heart the way Susan did. The Man in Black seems to know Roland very well, the way an old friend would know what you might like.
Probably he wasn't sure who he was looking for when he walked through the whens and wheres, but he knew when he saw Jake. He knew that was the perfect bait for the trap he'd chosen: love.

But I think that Jake was first thought of as a whole by SK, then his story came. That's how things usually happen. First you see the character and then you build around him a lot of things to explain the way he is.

The Gunslinger is known for its incoherences, but I don't mind them. To me they're a great opportunity to feel and imagine how things are in this strange world. I love when things aren't said but implied, or even neglected. I can build my own vision, and in the case of the Gunslinger, it works very well.


Little Gem: I think there's great difference between killing someone in a battle, immediately saving your own life and sacrificing the same person after you've talked, shared bread and water, and created some form of attachment - all for the sake of an abstraction, something you've never seen and which is not present as an immediate factor.

I get both of your points but what puzzled me about this is the fact that Jake had planned to hide when he saw Roland approching and Roland decided to talk with Jake. What if Jake had hidden or what if Roland had not wanted to talk with the kid (who is far from lovable at this point in the story)? That makes a lot of "if" for the purpose of the Man in Black to be fulfilled, doesn't it?

Delacroix
12-04-2009, 03:37 PM
Well, basically I could answer with one word. One very clever excuse for nearly every question such as the one that buggers you: Ka.

About Jake hidding, maybe the Man in Black knew that Jake would go to Roland anyway. I don't think it's a risky bet to say that a lone kid lost in the desert might want to find someone to help him. Even if Roland is cold or whatever, he's far less scray (to Jake) than the Man in Black.
Jake isn't stupid, he knows he will die if he stays alone, even if he gives himslef the image of a survivor.

Then, about Roland wanting to speak with Jake. Well, it's said that Roland loved Jake since the forst time he saw him:
"Maybe the truth was that he'd loved the kid from the first momenet he'd seen him (as he had Susan Delgado)..."
The Man in Black knew it because it's what his trap is about! Then there is no chance that Roland could step by Jake without a word.

Anyway, I don't think the Man in Black would mind his trap being avoided by Roland. He doesn't care much. It's like the trap set in Tull, he left before seing what would happen.

In the end it doesn't change anything.

Letti
12-07-2009, 08:16 AM
What bugged you the most about this book?
I wondered why the Man in Black would kill Jake in his world to put him in the desert where he'd meet Roland. I still don't understand why, since at this point in the story, Roland has no trouble killing kids like during the battle in Tull but the Man in Black thought Roland'd come to love Jake. How did he predict that? Why did it work? That really puzzled me.

The Man in Black knew Roland much better than we did at that time. And I think he knew him better than Roland knew himself.
Great power doesn't come from magic. Great power comes from knowing the human soul.
TMiB gave it a try and this time it worked.


I get both of your points but what puzzled me about this is the fact that Jake had planned to hide when he saw Roland approching and Roland decided to talk with Jake. What if Jake had hidden or what if Roland had not wanted to talk with the kid (who is far from lovable at this point in the story)? That makes a lot of "if" for the purpose of the Man in Black to be fulfilled, doesn't it?

In this case the Man in Black would have needed a new trap. That's all. Who knows how many of his traps hadn't worked before Roland met Jake.

Whiskeybent
12-12-2009, 03:38 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

"Hai! David Kill!" One of those moments that give you gooseflesh.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Cort, without a doubt. I think he brought more clarity to the book than any other. Even Roland. Not to mention he reminded me alot of men that trained me in the Air Force lol!

What bugged you the most about this book?

I was more confused at the end than I was at the beginning. I still think that it is WAY to cryptic than the first book of a series should be. Points for originality tho.

What surprised you most about this book?

That I was so compelled to pick up the second even though I wasn't sure whether I liked the story or not.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

Knowing what Roland knew? Absolutely. But, of course I didn't know what he knew, the first time around, which made me pretty upset that he dropped a boy he loved. It was a weird feeling, hating a character you respected. A good feeling to start to like him as the story continued, and a great feeling to love that character by the end.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

Rather be in the desert, darkness like that would drive you mad if it didn't kill you.

velcro_fly
12-12-2009, 04:08 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Rolands battle in Tull

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Cort, He is awesome!

What bugged you the most about this book?
It ended

What surprised you most about this book?
Rolands battle in Tull

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?
I think so, It was the only way

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
OMG, I hate the heat. Plus you would have sand everywhere><

Letti
12-18-2009, 02:29 PM
At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

Knowing what Roland knew? Absolutely. But, of course I didn't know what he knew, the first time around, which made me pretty upset that he dropped a boy he loved. It was a weird feeling, hating a character you respected. A good feeling to start to like him as the story continued, and a great feeling to love that character by the end.

And people dare to say King is just a simple horror writer..

killboi
07-04-2010, 06:25 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

Coming across Brown. Dialogue was perfect.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Brown..again!! :thumbsup:
Although i liked the crazy guy who was brought back from death too :evil:

What bugged you the most about this book?

Hard to tell.

What surprised you most about this book?

That it was the first one which truly felt unputdownable.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

Well!! i have a pretty liking to amoral protagonists. So yeah, i would have let him drop.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

Desert for sure.

blavigne
11-13-2010, 07:36 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
Roland's test with Cort.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Brown and Zoltan, very interesting

What bugged you the most about this book?

It ended too soon.

What surprised you most about this book?

1. That it is not a "western", although in a lot of ways it is. 2. That I not only like it, I love it and all things DT. I, like some of the others on this board, had to try several times over a period of years to actually pick this book up and read it all the way through which is unusual with me and SK. 3. Roland interested me which kept me coming back wanting to know more about him. It blows my mind that a person can be totally obsessed by a fictional person. This board really makes me feel OK about it........I am not alone.

At that moment, would you have let jake drop?

I don't know, who can say. Did I think Roland was going to do it? Yes because that is who he is.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

I hate heat but I think the claustrophobia in the dark would have made me insane so I am going with under the mountains.

RainInSpain
11-13-2010, 01:39 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

I love everything about it - but the "rain in Spain" nursery rhyme (original) was something that sort of haunted me during the time between my first reading of the book (borrowed) and the happy moment when I bought my very own copy.

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Probably Cort

What bugged you the most about this book?

Nothing

What surprised you most about this book?

That it would be so captivating. I knew that I tended to get engrossed in books that I liked, but I never imagined I could "drown" in a book.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?

If I were Roland - yes.
If I was still mostly me ... it's hard to say, and it would be more socially acceptable to answer in the negative. But if I were in those circumstances and with Roland's sense of purpose, I most likely would do it, too.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

I would say the desert - I don't like extreme heat.

Letti
11-14-2010, 12:50 AM
It blows my mind that a person can be totally obsessed by a fictional person. This board really makes me feel OK about it........I am not alone.

In fact it makes you normal here. :)

Jean
11-14-2010, 01:09 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

I love everything about it - but the "rain in Spain" nursery rhyme (original) was something that sort of haunted me during the time between my first reading of the book (borrowed) and the happy moment when I bought my very own copy. this is one of the few moments I loved about The Gunslinger... as an allusion to My Fair Lady, first and foremost... opened some brilliant prospects, which, luckily, fully came to my expectations in the later books

RainInSpain
11-14-2010, 12:56 PM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

I love everything about it - but the "rain in Spain" nursery rhyme (original) was something that sort of haunted me during the time between my first reading of the book (borrowed) and the happy moment when I bought my very own copy.
this is one of the few moments I loved about The Gunslinger... as an allusion to My Fair Lady, first and foremost... opened some brilliant prospects, which, luckily, fully came to my expectations in the later books

What are those other few moments that you liked?

Jean
11-15-2010, 05:52 AM
the conversation with Brown, and Jake's recollections of New York. I am afraid that would be it...

RainInSpain
11-15-2010, 12:45 PM
Those are definitely very good - especially meeting and speaking with Brown. Although I must say I'm biased, I like the entire book :)

Jean
11-15-2010, 01:02 PM
you're not alone, love... while bears are definitely outnumbered

fernandito
11-15-2010, 01:11 PM
The Gunslinger remains my favorite of the series. :)

RainInSpain
11-15-2010, 01:31 PM
:thumbsup:

(for me it's a tie between The Gunslinger and The Waste Lands)

jertoncvv
03-20-2013, 12:02 AM
What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?

The palaver with Marten. At that moment I started reviewing many points of view of my own, my idea of life, meaning, God...

Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?

Jake. I got impressed when he's dropped and says that there are other worlds than these.

What bugged you the most about this book?

Probably don't to agree with many people saying the book is boring or hard to read.

What surprised you most about this book?

The whole book turned my world upside down.

At that moment, would you have let Jake drop?

No way, but I'm not strong like Roland, I'm not the kind of guy that go and do what have to.

Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?

Under the mountains or in the heat, I think it's a temptation to just give up and let it go.

Jean
03-20-2013, 01:44 AM
No way, but I'm not strong like Roland, I'm not the kind of guy that go and do what have to.Perfectly stated. Read on, I don't want to spoil anything for you; but the controversies of duty (interpreted as destiny) will be in the center of the books all the time, as well as one of the topics of the most interesting discussions here.

Walkingman79
10-22-2013, 12:30 PM
The Gunslinger. We are first introduced to Roland following the man in black across the desert. We were hooked. I know I just love Roland. He is my favorite character in the whole series, and yes I do love them all, but it started with Roland and The Gunslinger.

What was your favorite moment in The Gunslinger?
The palaver between Roland and the man in black
Who is your favorite minor character in The Gunslinger?
Cort
What bugged you the most about this book?
Nothing worth mentioning
What surprised you most about this book?
That Sheb thought he could take out Roland by himself
At that moment, would you have let jake drop?
I like to think I would have at least put a hand out
Which was worse....Traveling in the dark under the mountains or traveling in the heat across the desert?
Under the mountains in the dark for that long would have been awful.