Original or Revised, if you HAD to choose

[Jean]

it nearly happened to me - I also mentioned somewhere that if I hadn't had Book 2 at hand and if I hadn't been in hospital with no choice of books, I would have probably dropped the whole thing. But. After reading the whole thing, Book 1 makes perfect sense, exactly as it is.

[tamez]

Book 1 makes perfect sense, exactly as it is.

yes!

[VolsToTheWall]

here's why i'm amused by this conversation:

for years, (prior to the release of the final three volumes) whenever i would convince someone to read the dark tower, i had to tell them to just push through the first one, cos it wasn't all that great in comparison to what came next. most people that i met/talked to about the subject agreed with that. now, suddenly, everyone is saying that it's their favourite. maybe it's just cos there are so many people who came into it late in the game. i don't know. what i do know is that i think the additions to the revised edition are fun. it's kind of like a bool hunt, you know? i don't think it feels forced at all. but that's just my 2¢.

I hear ya Sara, I found this thread amusing at first for the same reason. In fact, I remember when I first joined dot net before there was a revised edition of The Gunslinger, and how there were these threads dedicated to how people hated the original version and how they had to just push through it, and like you said, how it was difficult to get others into the series because of the first book.

[Wuducynn]

[QUOTE=VolsToTheWall;18980]

I hear ya Sara, I found this thread amusing at first for the same reason. In fact, I remember when I first joined dot net before there was a revised edition of The Gunslinger, and how there were these threads dedicated to how people hated the original version and how they had to just push through it, and like you said, how it was difficult to get others into the series because of the first book.

Oh yeah I noticed that a lot.

[Mordred Deschain]

I just re-read the original again. I love it. I just started to listen to the revised edition (hate who's reading it though), But, I'm not sure if I like the add-ins and fixing the mistakes. I hate when art is messed with.

[Wuducynn]

I hate when art is messed with.

You sure sound like you're starting off without any bias...

[Mordred Deschain]

I hate when art is messed with.

You sure sound like you're starting off without any bias...

LOL...ya...that's how I roll....

[Letti]

Book 1 makes perfect sense, exactly as it is.

yes!

Let me join the club.

[stevesnow]

I said the original. I'm rereading it at the mo, the first time I've read it in these post DT7 years and it seems like a much better and somehow "easier" read now than it was before.

Anyway, I'm not totally against the revision. Its a good piece of work for purely ironing out some of the inconsistencies that arise from the original version. What really stood out as annoying for me was the gunslinger and Brown (I think, and likely others too) speaking like the Calla, with all the do ya's and that. For me, that was something Roland picked up from the Calla, it seemed weird seeing it shoe-horned into the revised Gunslinger.

[Matt]

I agree with that, it was kind of weird after cutting my teeth on the original one to see that exchange happening.

Not sure it was totally necessary either.

[Daghain]

Yeah, that ticked me off, too.

[William50]

To me, there is nothing better than the original!

[Ruki]

*scowls at revised gunslinger*

[Storyslinger]

Original~it was my first Stephen King book, and is still very close to my heart

[Sinistar]

Definitely the original. Great point by some of you when you said that the revised felt like it was forced just to go with DT2-4. I disagreed with SK when he stated that he wasn't crazy about the original.

[MonteGss]

I said the original. I'm rereading it at the mo, the first time I've read it in these post DT7 years and it seems like a much better and somehow "easier" read now than it was before.

Anyway, I'm not totally against the revision. Its a good piece of work for purely ironing out some of the inconsistencies that arise from the original version. What really stood out as annoying for me was the gunslinger and Brown (I think, and likely others too) speaking like the Calla, with all the do ya's and that. For me, that was something Roland picked up from the Calla, it seemed weird seeing it shoe-horned into the revised Gunslinger.

I like to think of The Dark Tower books as a loop. I start with the original Gunslinger and I read the series through and after DT7, I pick up the revised edition and read that through. It is an interesting way to see what happens after Roland reaches the final door. That would be a possible explanation of his calla speak.

[CyberGhostface]

Original.

The original is harder to read and the revised is more accessible, but in the end, most of the changes were either pointless or ended up confusing the series' continuity more than it already had. If King were to dramatically alter events he should have done it in a way that it would still go seamlessly with the other books. There's so much from Walter's identity crisis to the shoehorning of the Crimson King that just wasn't need in the long run.

[sai delgado]

I'm biased as I haven't read the original, but I think that the revised one would be better as it would make more sense and flow with the rest of the series-it would be easier for people who are reading the gunslinger for the first time to make sense of it all as well.

[jayson]

I prefer the original. I read it so many times in that form that to me it rings as the "truer" one. Sure, it leaves a bit more up to speculation, but that's what I like about the series. If all my questions about DT were eventually answered, what the hell would I think about?

[Mattrick]

I like to think of The Dark Tower books as a loop. I start with the original Gunslinger and I read the series through and after DT7, I pick up the revised edition and read that through. It is an interesting way to see what happens after Roland reaches the final door. That would be a possible explanation of his calla speak.

I agree with this. I've read the original twice and the revised once (on my third read through) and really, from memory, I don't recall anything that blatantly stuck out as being a tremendous difference. I think King just wanted the first book to feel like Mid-World, maintain certain consistencies etc. The original is like a second draft and the revised is like a third. Going back after so many years. It's not uncommon for ideas to greatly change, especially in a series so long.

I think it comes down to which you read first. My friend started with the revised and the original would probably feel more wooden and vague than the revised.

[CyberGhostface]

I don't recall anything that blatantly stuck out as being a tremendous difference.

Off the top of my head, the inclusion of the Crimson King, Walter's identity crisis and the addition of "19" absolving Roland of his role in Allie's death all come off to me as being pretty big differences.

[MonteGss]

If I had to choose between the original or revised audiobook, I would choose Muller's original over Guidall's revised.

[jayson]

If I had to choose between the original or revised audiobook, I would choose Muller's original over Guidall's revised.

so would i monte! no offense to guidall, but i prefer muller. guidall does a nice job finishing up the series though.

[Brice]

I like Muller. I still prefer King reading though. I wish he'd do the whole series, although I suspect that won't happen.

[jayson]

I like Muller. I still prefer King reading though. I wish he'd do the whole series, although I suspect that won't happen.

same here, i have king doing drawing of the three and that is fucking cool to hear the author himself like my douglas adams' books.