Book Review By Harriet Klausner
The Gunslinger by Stephen King



Viking, Jun 2003, 25.00, 237 pp.
ISBN: 0670032549

Roland Deschain of Gilead knows he is obsessed over finding the Dark Tower, but does not care. He will follow the Man in Black wherever he goes and for how long it takes even into eternity until he catches this person, if he is a person, and force him to reveal the locale of the Dark Tower. If others die at his hands after meeting the Gunslinger so be it.

Currently he tracks his prey across a desert stopping at a way station where he meets a child whom he thought at first was his target, albeit two feet shorter. The kid is John “Jake” Chambers from 1977 New York City. Shockingly to the solitary Deschain, instead of his usual killing, Roland allows Jake to accompany him on his trek towards the mountains, the Man in Black, and ultimately the Black Tower.

This is somewhat of a reprint, but Stephen King has added back in edited out sections and rewritten some passages. The story line retains the strange, deep allegorical fantasy reminiscent of the cult movie El Topo with less gore and Michael Whelans' drawings add to that overall eerie feeling. The desert looms so vast and is so critical to the plot that the audience will see it as a character unto itself.

Harriet Klausner


Plot
Tone of book - depressing/sad
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets:
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30 %

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - long lived adults
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status:
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
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