The Dark Tower: Treachery

This is the third book in the Dark Tower graphic novel series based off of the full length series by Stephen King. I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It’s a very dark and complex story set in a sort of post-apocalyptic fantasy world with a spaghetti western feel to it.

This book, as the name implies, is about treachery. Roland and his ka-tet return to Gilead triumphant, but Roland continues to struggle against the pull of Maerlyn’s Grapefruit. We are also introduced to Aileen, the daughter of Cort, who despite being a woman is determined to become a Gunslinger. Roland’s father continues to struggle against treachery from Farson’s men and his own informants. Roland’s mother also returns home after some time at a convent, however show more she isn’t totally ready to give up her allegiance to Marten. Things are basically building towards disaster the whole book.

As you can tell from above the story jumps around quite a bit and is getting quite complex and epic in proportion. It wasn’t hard to follow though. The illustration is very very good and the characters very distinct looking. I love the full color and all of the detail in the illustration, it is just fantastic.

My favorite part of the book was the introduction of Aileen. I know in my review of the first book in this series I complained a bit about the lack of strong female characters, Aileen goes a long way towards solving that problem. She is determined to become a Gunslinger even though it’s a occupation only allowed for males. She is also the daughter of Cort and gives us some incite into Cort’s character. Additionally she is funny and smart which makes her fun to read about.

Roland is in the story a lot more too. I feel like we haven’t really gotten to understand him all that well because he’s been in and out of the story so much. This story focuses more on him and we get to know him a lot better in this book as well.

The book ends in utter disaster, I mean it is well written but you can just tell these characters are just at the start of a vast amount of suffering. This is definitely an adult book; it is brutal and violent and of course there is nudity. It’s a dark and moody story.

Overall I enjoyed this third book in the Dark Tower graphic series. The story is complex but still easy to follow and the illustration is spectacular. I would recommend to fans of dark fantasy graphic novels. I am definitely looking forward to reading the fourth book in the series, The Fall of Gilead. show less

I can't say enough good things about these comics. The art is freaking wonderful. The stories in the first two volumes are great adaptations to King's Wizard and Glass, but this one takes it all much further, elucidating on the bare sketches of events leading up to the Fall of Gilead, the seat of Midworld and Roland's now-lost home.

This treatment of the original hints in the source is emotional, dark, appropriate, and fills me with great dread. Treachery, indeed. Roland's no less than his mother's. And let's not forget Farson and all his men, shall we? This is what we get for trusting anything that is evil.

We're strong enough to make it, right?

RIGHT. Say hello to my little friend, the Crimson King. :)

Story: excellent. Artwork: brilliant. :)

I enjoyed "Treachery" far more than the previous book "The Long Road Home." "Treachery" fleshes out what happens to Roland and his mother; things that are only somewhat referenced at the very end of "Wizard and Glass." With the introduction of Aileen, a girl who has the audacity to want to be a gunslinger, I was afraid we were going to get a story arc full of feminist rhetoric, but this was not so.

The writing is much better than the previous book too. Robin Furth is getting much more adept at capturing Stephen King's so utterly unique voice.

Treachery is the 3rd volume in the Dark Tower comic series and I'm delighted the high production quality is maintained from the standards previously set. Each panel is a wonder to experience.

Here we are introduced to a new character, Aileen Ritter, and she desires the one thing typically off-limits to women of that era—to become a gunslinger. Tradition is definitely not on her side, and don't look to Roland's friends for any easy encouragement either.

Similar to the last volume, I feel this story is light on plot, perhaps intentional, as the stage is set for the foreshadowed fall of Gilead.

Despite the cover, the addition of Cort's niece as a possible future gunslinger is a very small plot. It adds shading to what's going on, but doesn't seem to derail or shift anything major. That made me very happy. Treachery is the perfect name for all that's going on. You really begin to see the death of Mid-World at this point... it made me just as sad and frustrated as it did when I read the novels. Four stars!

Ooh, things are starting to pick up, starting to get serious, even brutal.

There are little bits of the story that we know from the series here, like Roland being absorbed in Maerlyn's Grapefruit and being tricked by it, but the majority of this episode is new.

We meet some new characters:
Aileen, who doesn't fit in the world of girls because she longs to be a Gunslinger, but doesn't fit in the world of men because she isn't one, and they can't see her as an equal.
Kingson, who is Farson's nephew and wickedly creepy.
Gabrielle Deschain, who is somewhat known to us, but we get to learn more about her in this volume, and even maybe come to pity her a bit.
Charlie Champignon, who is a Gunslinger in Steven's entourage who gets the short end show more of the stick twice. Poor guy.

And I just have to interject here - We have Charlie Champignon from DT Graphic #3, and Charlie Campion from The Stand. Coincidence? They both, in their own way, are catalysts for the action... without them, things might still have gone on, but they enable things to come to a head very quickly, in both cases. I wonder if this is one of those "other worlds than this" situations...?

Anyway... I have to say I loved the clothing depicted in this edition much more than the last two. Finally, Roland, Bert and Alain are wearing something OTHER than cowboy gear. The women's clothing is gorgeous, with flowing dresses and beautiful lines and colors. But the men's clothes reminded me of mid- to late-19th century clothing, and the under-gunslingers, like the lesser ranked gunslingers or novices, their clothing reminded me REALLY strongly of Confederate Army uniforms. One scene in which Steven and Gabrielle are dancing brought Gone With The Wind to mind, even down to the way that Steven is holding her by the upper arms, and she's almost got the Scarlett O'hara "Don't you DARE! kiss me!" swoon/defiant face on.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this volume, and can't wait for the next one. Is it 2010 yet?? show less

A very solid, engaging continuation of the Gunslinger Born early adventures of Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger. I thought this was a great bounce back from The Long Road Home, which didn't hold up very well on a recent re-read.

That damn grapefruit.

I loved the scenery of Gilead. We've heard so much about it through the series, it was great to get a big taste of what Roland's life there was like.

Favorite new character: Aileen Ritter.