Beginning with a short story that debuted in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1978, The Gunslinger is the first instalment of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series; telling the tale of Roland Deschain as he pursues a mysterious man in black across a bleak, post-apocalyptic world in his search for the fabled Dark Tower.
But chasing the man in black, who always seems to be a step ahead of him, is easier said than done and Roland must overcome many obstacles if he is to succeed in his quest. And as if walking a path fraught with violence and hardship isn't bad enough, Roland also bears the burden of being the Last Gunslinger of Gilead – all that remains of a once great and noble people. Obviously, the weight of this is crushing and it drives Roland to be suspicious of making some much needed friends as he struggles through the danger of King’s vivid and scenically stunning world.
My Thoughts
As with A Dance with Dragons (featured below), I read The Gunslinger a while ago now and many of its finer details have become slightly hazy. Despite this, I can remember that I enjoyed reading the book and recommend The Gunslinger as a fine (albeit somewhat quirky) example of epic fantasy. In fact, many people go as far as saying that The Dark Tower series is King’s best work, which is obviously a flattering testament to The Gunslinger as a book and suggests more than I can that you should consider giving it a go!
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