Amph Along the Path of the Beam: Stephen King's The Dark Tower

The saga is over, but not forgotten. I'd love to have this place to talk to fellow gunslingers who've travelled on, or who are currently following the path of the Bear/Turtle Beam on their way to the Dark Tower.

 

I'm looking forward to the comics, even though I'm not a big comic reader. I really hope they do Jericho Hill.

 

The comics look amazing based on the bit of art Marvel has released so far. I'm wondering how the story will work. I believe King said it would be a comic adaption of the novels but also add in more on Roland's past.

The bad news is that King has delayed the comic series until early 2007 to give the story the time and effort it deserves.

 

"I believe King said it would be a comic adaption of the novels but also add in more on Roland's past."

I heard that it would focus on all of Rolands past, with him, Cuthbert and Alan. The Big Coffin Hunters (I can't believe I've forgotten the leaders name, is it Joras or Elras or something?) play a part as well.

 

Really excited and looking forward to the comic. It?s going to be amazing.

I heard that it would focus on all of Rolands past, with him, Cuthbert and Alan. The Big Coffin Hunters (I can't believe I've forgotten the leaders name, is it Joras or Elras or something?) play a part as well.

Eldred Jonas. But yeah, that's what I heard as well. It'll be primarily on Roland?s past, with little bits of the main story here and there. Like what happened at Jericho Hill, Rhea of the Coos, and that mysterious part where Stephen King says Eddie and Cuthbert saved him as a child - what was that about? Anyway, I've always gone to thedarktower.net for a lot of my DT fill, they have a bit of information there. (Also looking forward to Cell that comes out this month.)

Personally I'm kind of hoping for a Talisman 3. Stephen King and Peter Straub have both said they would still like to make it, and I think the possibilities are endless with tying it together with the final books... not to mention those loose ends (like what happened to Patrick... he just, sorta... walked away with the last narrative of: Here the darkness hides him from my storyteller?s eye and he must go on alone.)

 

I think it is a good thing that they focus more on Roland's past. After reading Wizard and Glass I have always wanted to know a lot more about it and I'm glad to see it happen. And there will be art so I won't have to try to piece together what the characters look like.

 

A third Talisman book is a must. I never connected the further adventures of Patrick Danville, but both King and Straub said that Jack Sawyer still had one more part to play. I was shocked it didn't occur in the last Dark Tower novel.

 

Damn. I hadn't heard that


I'm also glad it's round the Wizard & Glass past setting. That's my favourite part of all the books.

 

Delayed? Bummer, but if that's what it takes to be better I'll accept it. Plus maybe then I'll actually be able to afford them again.

I was really disappointed at the ending of the series, but anyway it had ended would have been a let down.

 

Is there any news of a nice hardback collection coming out of all 7?

 

somehow i knew roland would be the one to start this thread

 

Do you say so gunslinger?

Aye, then let it be so.

 

I knew you would be the one as well Roland. Loved the books... drove me crazy waiting so long for them and yes, I should have listened to him when he told me to stop!!!

And more Talisman???? Wouldn't that be wonderful to see on the big screen?? That's another fantabulous couple of books. And the second took place here in WI, not Maine WHOO-HOO!!

NOt that I have an opinion on it....

 

How do you guys feel about The Dark Tower becoming a movie? Good, bad, totaly idiocy?

 

I'd say it's next to impossible. Not because of the otherworldly environments, or characters, Star Wars and LotR has proven that if someone can dream it we can see it. The problem is that more often than not the more fantastic elements of King's novels do not translate well on film. What is engrossing and awe inspiring in word form can be lost completely when held up to the light of day.

Case in point: The Storm of the Century was in interesting script, and the first half of the TV movie was great. But in the scene where the evil wizard has all of the children in a dream where we see him flying over the island hand in hand with them sounded frightening in the book, but had my wife laughing out loud when we saw the show. It didn't translate.

I fear that if someone were to make the Dark Tower it would go from being King's Magnum Opus to just a story about a cowboy and a magician.

 

i agree with Roland.

This may sound conceited, but the only way I'd like to see it come to life, were if I made my own

Each person has their own vision of that world. The story itself is really complex too, since it makes "cameos" in other works by King.

 

I've always felt that if it were to be made into film it would do better to made into a series on HBO or Showtime where each season could be a single book. That would give them the time to pace the story and give it the dedication it would need to work on film. Cameos from other novels could appear in ways that fans would be delighted but new comers wouldn't be lost.

 

They would never work as films, way too long. The only book that is a good length for a 2 hr film is Gunslinger. All the rest would have to be RotK length, minimum.

 

No, films would be out of the question. The best hope would be some sort of mini-series. If I had one requirement it would be that not one thing be changed from page to small screen. That all naration, and interior dialogue, everything appear just as if you were reading the book with pictures.

 

It would have to be animated. To me, at least.

 

Thanks to the handy little Index I found this. I wanted to know if there was already a Dark Tower thread, because if one wasn't here I was going to start one myself. Doesn't look like it's done any business from early on in the year, but hey I'll post anyway.

comics, huh? I han't heard about that. Woo hoo! Something else to anticipate

And as far as the series getting made into movie form, one question in my mind always concerned Jake. I mean he's always a kid of twelve or so, and this series is an epic of almost 4,000 pages. It's not like Harry Potter, because in that case when the movies finish up the actors are only going to be a couple of years older than their fictional counterparts, and what's more, both actors and characters are going to be of adult age. So you'd have to keep switching Jake actors or film every single scene in the series with him first.

About something animated, I'd probably be picky about that too. Once I heard they were thinking about using the guy who did the Clone Wars cartoons. Personally I don't like that guy's style, and sorry to anyone who does. I like more realistic animation, along with the really weird stuff you'd see in Pink Floyd's the Wall.

I might say more later, but now I've got to run.

Long days, pleasant nights.

 

I have always wished that King would write prequels of Roland.

Wizard & Glass was my fav! So it would be incredible to me to see the young gunslingers going of missions and what not.

 

How do people feel about the timeloop ending?

 

I hated it.

As a matter of fact I started hating book 7 when Eddie died. I just wanted some closer on the story. I don't see the big deal about him having that Horn and walking after Flagg again. What is so important about that damn horn anyway?

Also don't get me started on Flagg. Him and Roland should have went at it with bullets and magic flying. Not Morden finishing it. I mean they were MORTAL enemies.

 

Let me just say it is well to see this thread back upon the path of the beam again.

To address some of the above comments:

The upcoming comic series is supposed to be partly an adaption of King's previous works, but it will also fill in the gaps of Roland's past. Meaning we could very well witness all the events of Jericho Hill, the death of Rhea, and the fall of Gilead.

As to the cyclical nature of the books, that's always been implied but I think it makes it clear, at the end of the story that there could be no other way.

If achieving the top of the Tower means you come face to face with Gan/God, then looking at Roland's quest it is clear he hasn't earned that reward just yet. While the cold, cruel gunslinger with a killer's heart has changed in the course of his journey, he committed several unforgiveable sins that should not be given pass. In other words, Roland does not yet deserve to win the Tower.

In referrance to the Horn of Eld,

Keep in mind this is a symbol above all things. Roland left behind the horn of his fathers' believing it wasn't as important in his quest as his guns were. That's a symbolic choice that will come back to haunt him and pretty much damn this cycle of his journey to the Dark Tower. When the story starts again, Roland finds the Horn among his gunna. The implication being that some fundamental thing has changed. That perhaps he WILL win the Tower in this go around. Or perhaps it just means he is that much closer to finally truly finishing his quest.