19-99 - so what?

[Letti]

I might be insane but as I was reading the books I got more and more sure that it would turn out that it was Roland's 19th or 99th loop and that's why these numbers follow the ka-tet everywhere. (I had met some spoilers that's why I could think of it for long however I didn't finish the series yet.)
I was so damn sure about it and I felt some pride as well that I could find it out by myself.
That's one thing that I was wrong because King didn't mention such things at all

BUT

did we get any answer why these numbers followed the ka-tet? Did I miss something? I was reading the last book so fast (when I strated to read it at last) that it might be possible I missed something but it's hard for me to believe it.

Do we know what this 19/99 thing was exactly?

[Jean]

I don't think you are insane; the theory that it's Roland's 19th loop is time-honored (I first saw it offered by Taheen74 at .net, but it could have predated her) and looks pretty sound; at least I don't know of any better interpretation.

[Letti]

And did we get any answer? Did King give any explanation in the books?

[Dud-a-chum?]

I always thought that it was merely a twenty-three enigma type thing: Roland's world's number is 99, while the keystone world's is 19. (Or is it the other way around? I forget what Robin's concordance states and am too tired and lazy to go look it up, but you get my point)

The whole idea of 19 is that things can turn up in subsequent levels of the Tower in different forms, but still real as far as that particular world is concerned. (Alternate names on novels, movie and comic book characters being real in some worlds and fiction in other, etc.)

I may not be exactly right on that, but I'm pretty sure I'm at least on the right track with it.

[Wuducynn]

The year the kas-ka Gan should have died...19 and 99. The Keystone Rose and Tower Keystone worlds ka's connected..

[jayson]

Matt is right. The whole 19 and 99 thing was to point the Tet in the direction of the year of 1999 in the Keystone world [remember, Keystone world, keystone date of June 19, etc...].

[Randall Flagg]

King penned the first words to the DT series on June 19, 1970.
King was struck and almost killed on June 19, 1999.
For those reasons, (and possibly others) the numbers 19 and 99 are highly relevant not only to King, but DT fans too.

[Wuducynn]

I've got Number 99 of the Constant Reader sculpture

[Mattrick]

HEY THE NUMBERS!!! FROM LOST

19+99=118 from the hatch, which the numbers add up to.

WHAT

[Erin]

The Lost numbers add up to "108", not "118".

[Mattrick]

it's an abbreviation....

god.

[Letti]

King penned the first words to the DT series on June 19, 1970.
King was struck and almost killed on June 19, 1999.
For those reasons, (and possibly others) the numbers 19 and 99 are highly relevant not only to King, but DT fans too.

Thank you, Jerome.

[Darkthoughts]

it's an abbreviation....

god.

118 is an abbreviation of 108?

[To The Dark Tower Came]

I've always wanted to know the significance to "Ka-Tet of the 99"

Maybe it was the name/number of Gunslingers who fought and died at Jericho Hill. Or maybe it was a bit of memory from previous cycles leaking into the one presented to us.

[jayson]

or maybe it was to guide them to the year of 99 in which king had to be saved from the minivan. i think it says in WotC how many gunslingers were with Roland and Jericho Hill, and it was more than 99.

[Letti]

I've always wanted to know the significance to "Ka-Tet of the 99"

1. Maybe it was the name/number of Gunslingers who fought and died at Jericho Hill.
2. Or maybe it was a bit of memory from previous cycles leaking into the one presented to us.

I don't think it's possible because in this case Roland should have known the meaning of the number 99. But he didn't know it. He used it he saw it everywhere but he couldn't put its meaning into words.
If I remember well.
2. More possible.

[zadok]

King penned the first words to the DT series on June 19, 1970.
King was struck and almost killed on June 19, 1999.
For those reasons, (and possibly others) the numbers 19 and 99 are highly relevant not only to King, but DT fans too.

See "On being 19" at the beginning of The Gunslinger. He was 22 when he began writing it in 1970. But how do you know it was June 19th?

[zadok]

I've always wanted to know the significance to "Ka-Tet of the 99"

Maybe it was the name/number of Gunslingers who fought and died at Jericho Hill. Or maybe it was a bit of memory from previous cycles leaking into the one presented to us.

Jake said it, Roland didn't know what it meant at the time.

[jayson]

I've always wanted to know the significance to "Ka-Tet of the 99"

Maybe it was the name/number of Gunslingers who fought and died at Jericho Hill. Or maybe it was a bit of memory from previous cycles leaking into the one presented to us.

Jake said it, Roland didn't know what it meant at the time.

True that, though Jake could have picked it up through the touch.

[To The Dark Tower Came]

Jake said it, Roland didn't know what it meant at the time.

I don't have the books with me. After I finished I loaned them to a friend, but didn't Roland whisper it for Jake to say to the assembly?

[Letti]

For my part I don't remember anything like that.
(But it doesn't mean anything my memory is not the best.)

[zadok]

Jake said it, Roland didn't know what it meant at the time.

I don't have the books with me. After I finished I loaned them to a friend, but didn't Roland whisper it for Jake to say to the assembly?

Nope. Jake just blurted it out.

[zadok]

I've always wanted to know the significance to "Ka-Tet of the 99"

Maybe it was the name/number of Gunslingers who fought and died at Jericho Hill. Or maybe it was a bit of memory from previous cycles leaking into the one presented to us.

Jake said it, Roland didn't know what it meant at the time.

True that, though Jake could have picked it up through the touch.

Jake seemed to be privvy to many things after getting run over...the 1st time.

[ATG]

Invert the first number and go karma sutra!
69

[To The Dark Tower Came]

Invert the first number and go karma sutra!
69

oh baby...bokka chicka wow wow