The Gunslinger is the first of seven books that make of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. The novel is made up of five short stories that were originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction between 1978 and 1981. In 1982, the five parts were combined and published as a single work, one that King had begun writing while still in college. In 2003, King published a new version that helped to bridge the gaps between the five parts and eliminate a number of inconsistencies.

I discovered the series in a rather atypical manner. A friend had read The Gunslinger and told me that he didn’t really like it, but that he had heard that the novels were supposed to get better as the series progressed. He also described a bit of the novel, which despite his mediocre review, intrigued me enough to pick up the first novel at the local library. I have to say, I’m very glad that I did. I thought The Gunslinger was amazingly imaginative and original. I really enjoyed the novel and brushed through it in five days.

The Dark Tower series is a departure from King’s typical horror novels (which I haven’t read) and are considered to be works of dark fantasy. King’s style of writing still lends to some pretty graphic imagery and plenty of adult language. The novel follows Roland, the last gunslinger, in a world that has moved on, a world that holds many eery similarities with our own. King’s writing is chaotic and we only learn of Roland’s identity, past, and current quest in fragments. Revealing details in this manner reminds me of Lost, where a lot of the story’s appeal is drawn by the intrigue of the unknown.

Another reason I liked the novel so much was because of the protagonist Roland, a certified bad ass, described very much like Clint Eastwood in so many of those classic Western movies. Roland even wears a six shooter on each hip. The reader quickly discovers that Roland’s primary task is to catch the man in black, which will contribute to his greater quest of finding the Dark Tower. Roland embodies enough grit and cold determination to complete any task and which makes him the perfect candidate to find the Dark Tower.

Overall, I thought the novel was awesome. It was one of the most unique novels that I had read in awhile. It was also nice to read something a bit more adult. I definitely recommend The Gunslinger, but be prepared for gruesome imagery and adult language and situations.