favorite parts of my favorite book.

[sarah]

These past few months I've changed my favorite Dark Tower book from The Gunslinger (which I still love) to The Wastelands. I'm listening to the book now and hearing it with all the voices that aren't mine, I'm finding that I'm enjoying it much more. The brooklyn accent that Frank Muller does is spot on and it cracks me up.


Anyhoo, they just pulled Jake through the door, as usual, I'm so impressed with King. The way he can tell a story from all points of view is talent and amazement to me. Jake, Roland, Eddie, Susannah, and The people on the street near the Mansion, they all play thier part and we get to hear all sides of the story.


Just a good time all around.

[B Rag]

I agree, its my favorite of them too. Especially the parts with Tick Tock Man.

[Jean]

Jake opening all kinds of doors.
Eddie walking the bridge, and at the crucial moment forgetting all about his acrophobia.
Old people at River Crossing.

[pol]

Ole Ticky....and Richard Fannin. Gotta love em.

[B Rag]

Jake getting his ass kicked by Gasher and Tick Tock. Know it's cruel, but hey, its entertaining.

[Matt]

Rolands mad dash with Oy to save him. After we lost Jake in the first book I was convinced that Roland would not be able to save him.

The interaction between him and Oy during those scenes is wonderful

[Letti]

When Oy almost fell down from the fragile bridge and the ka-tet has to work together and everyone tries their best to save someone's life the other's life.

[Jean]

When Oy almost fell down from the fragile bridge and the ka-tet has to work together and everyone tries their best to save someone's life the other's life.

and - back to our talk in Did You Cry - please have a look at my post in this thread...

[jhanic]

When I first read this book, I ended up throwing it against the wall! I wasn't ready for the story to end in Blaine! And then the wait for DT IV!! I was upset with King for a long time because of the way this volume ended! Now, with the entire series having been published, I feel lots better. I love the way the ka-tet became closer in this volume. They became real to me.

John

[Daghain]

Egads, the wait between W&G and Wolves was INSANE! Talk about a cliff-hanger! That drove me nuts too. But, I was worth the wait, after all.

[VolsToTheWall]

Egads, the wait between W&G and Wolves was INSANE!

Not only the wait, but also wondering if there was actually going to be a conclusion, but yeah 'twas a bitch.

[MonteGss]

I think my favorite parts are the first times we get to see Susannah and Eddie act like gunslingers, their first shootings.

[sarajean]

SAY YOUR LESSON, Susannah Dean, and be true.

The bear came at them in a rumbling lope; it was like watching a runaway factory machine over which someone had thrown a huge, moth-eating rug.

It looks like a hat! A little steel hat!

She saw it ... but it didn't look like a hat to her. It looked like a radar-dish — a much smaller version of the kind she had seen in MovieTone newsreel stories about how the DEW-line was keeping everyone safe from a Russian sneak attack. It was bigger than the pebbles she had shot off the boulder earlier, but the distance was greater. Sun and shadow ran across it in deceiving dapples.

I do not aim with my hand; she who aims with her hand has forgotten the face of her father.

I can't do it!

I do not shoot with my hand; she who shoots with her hand has forgotten the face of her father.

I'll miss! I know I'll miss!

I do not kill with my gun; she who kills with her gun —

"Shoot it!" Roland roared. "Susannah, shoot it!"

With the trigger as yet unpulled, she saw the bullet go home, guided from muzzle to target by nothing more or less than her heart's fierce desire that it should fly true. All fear fell away. What was left was a feeling of deep coldness and she had time to think: This is what he feels. My God — how does he stand it?

"I kill with my heart, motherfucker," she said, and the gunslinger's revolver roared in her hand.

[MonteGss]

Yes, sarajean, that is precisely the scene I was thinking of when I wrote my last post.

[Matt]

I remember being so exhilarated during that scene. Being back with the katet after all these years. They all seemed healthy and happy, doing their lessons.

Then you find out Roland is going crazy...oh man, he had to give Eddie his guns!! It was heart wrenching.

Then you find out its about getting Jake back

[Daghain]

Oh yeah, I was totally upset when Roland gave his guns to Eddie. That hurt.

[sarah]

Yes, it was pretty upsetting and still is when I reread it. I mean come on the man lost two fingers on his best hand and already had to give a gun to eddie in tdott. I was a bit distraught

[ZoNeSeeK]

yeah DT3 is one of my favourites aswell, just the whole idea of Lud is really cool and the history you learn about the city and everything

[Cutter]

yeah DT3 is one of my favourites aswell, just the whole idea of Lud is really cool and the history you learn about the city and everything

Lud was my favorite place of the whole series. It had more style and atmosphere than any of the other locations.

[MonteGss]

I loved the voices Muller did for the Grays and Pubes. Gasher's voice and his hilarious song was fantastic. This will always remain my second favorite of the series!

[Wuducynn]

One of my favorite parts of this book is Susannah and Eddie traveling to Blaine after they separate from Roland and the things Susannah is perceiving about Lud and the description of the giant stone turtle and the golden gunslinger statue.

[Whitey Appleseed]

One of my favorite parts of this book is Susannah and Eddie traveling to Blaine after they separate from Roland and the things Susannah is perceiving about Lud and the description of the giant stone turtle and the golden gunslinger statue.

Read your post and an idea reoccurred to me, about Susannah, how she is able to see how things were, the past, whereas Jake is able to see how things will be, or could be. Interesting in part because of who Susannah is, a black woman from that time period, the 60s I guess. Interesting cause of what that may or may not say about being the master of your own destiny, maybe how being past-focused could be a hindrance. Although I'd be hard-pressed to say being past-focused was a hindrance to her.

I think this is what troubled me about the way Roland taught Susannah to shoot. He has her remembering her past, the folk who done her wrong. With Eddie, on the other hand, he is standing off, aloof, arms crossed and he's gazing at the sky, or something. While Roland allows Eddie time to work through his past with his brother Henry, Roland has Susannah remember her past. Shrug. I dunno. Tilting at windmills again.

[Brainslinger]

I think this is what troubled me about the way Roland taught Susannah to shoot. He has her remembering her past, the folk who done her wrong. With Eddie, on the other hand, he is standing off, aloof, arms crossed and he's gazing at the sky, or something. While Roland allows Eddie time to work through his past with his brother Henry, Roland has Susannah remember her past. Shrug. I dunno. Tilting at windmills again.

That's a very interesting point, I never really thought of that. In the case of Eddie, his memories of Henry were a mostly a hindrance to him though (I say mostly, they weren't all bad.) Henry (and their mother) made Eddie used emotional blackmail to control Eddie. He owed them so much (as they'd say) so now he had take care of them, etc, etc. And of course Henry would put him down somewhat, eat at his self esteem. These are things that a gunslinger must put aside to be successful.

In the case of Susannah, whilst her memories were also a source of pain and belittlement to her, Roland shifted them into a source of strength (albeit a dark destructive strength). He pulled them out to make her bite. I'll admit I didn't really agree with his methods in that situation. It was a cruel thing to do, but it did work.)

In short it's not so much the memories themselves as how they are utilized. If they've become so much a part of you that they drag you down and stop your progress, it's best to shed them. However, if you can utilize them for your betterment, that will just aid the progress. Even Eddie took some good from his past. He was very faithful to his ka-mates and adoptive family, a trait that was installed in him with Henry.

[Wuducynn]

Oh and of course when Richard Fannin steps into the game..

[Allie]

I love the bit when Jake comes through the door Eddie made, you can feel how urgent it is, and that house on Dutch Hill gives me the shudders.