(Amy) I really must get better about booklogging more promptly after I finish reading a book, because when it comes right down to it, in the final accounting there's no visible difference between the books about which I had nothing whatsoever to say and the books about which I had many insightful and fascinating thoughts which were forgotten by the time I came to write them down. And while there is little I can do about the former case except feel vaguely guilty, the latter case is infuriating to me.

All that is by way of saying, as I am sure is obvious, that I can't remember what on earth I might have wanted to say about this, as its specifics have faded in my mind, leaving behind only a sense of something closely akin to awe - because it really is an incredibly good book. The interleaving of past and present is very skillfully done, I remember that much, and the story of Young Roland is almost painfully compelling.

...sorry. This is a lame review, and I have nothing to blame it on but my own procrastination. It is certainly not the fault of the work in question that I was unable to hold its state in my head for so long. Though in my defense, I feel I should point out that since then I've read a fantasy of manners, a Brandon Sanderson book, and approximately one-third of the Baroque Cycle, so my brain has had some competition for its time.
( http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/ze... ) ( )

I had hoped that this would be the year I finally finished reading The Dark Tower. That's...obviously not going to happen. But at least it's the year I finally finish rereading the books I read years ago, so that I can finally read the final three.

I read Wizard and Glass not long after it came out, so it's been a while. I found there was a lot I didn't remember, though I still remembered the gist of things. I wasn't quite as annoyed by the detour this time around, since I have the final three right here, whereas the first time I read it, I'd been waiting years and years for a new book in the series and then instead of furthering the plot, it was all backstory.

Still, I didn't like this as much as the first three books. Which is weird, because usually I love backstory and flashbacks and reveals and all that sort of stuff, but I just find the story of Roland's time in Hambry really dull. I mean, obviously I still liked the book, since I gave it a four, but really. Especially anything to do with Roland and Susan was just beyond tedious. Someone needs to sit Stephen King down and tell him not to write romance, because it's really not his strong suit. ( )

A reader learns more about who, and what, makes Rolad what he is. A good read. Great plot twists. ( )

For me, this was a middling book, probably because it was a bit too long. I enjoyed a lot of the story, plus the Wizard of Oz allusions and the crossover into the world of The Stand, but I think it could have been edited a great deal. Roland's back story was probably told better in the comic book adaptation, Gunslinger Born. ( )

This book was sittign on my shelf for a while waiting for me to read the three previous books. Finally decided to dive in and re-read The Gunslinger.Probably my favorite book in the series. Real emotional punch at the end. ( )