In the fertile lands of the East, the farming community has been warned the wolves are coming back. Four gunslingers, led by Roland of Gilead, are also coming their way. And the farmers of the Calla want to enlist some hard calibers. Torn between protecting the innocent community and his urgent quest, Roland faces his most deadly perils as he journey through the Mid-World towards the Dark Tower.

About the Author

Stephen King is the bestselling author of more than forty books. Recent titles include ON WRITING, DREAMCATCHER, EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL and the final three volumes in the DARK TOWER series. He lives with his wife, the novelist Tabitha King, in Bangor, Maine.

Reviews

This is the fifth installment of King's epic series, started more than 30 years ago. In the last segment of the series, we left our hero, Roland, and his "ka-tet" of companions as they emerged from the Oz-like crystal palace to return to their quest for the Dark Tower (Wizard and Glass). Since then, much water has passed under the bridge in the lives of both the storyteller and his audience. Nonetheless, we have all gathered 'round the campfire once more to learn Roland's fate, and King does not fail us. In the latest portion of this epic tale, the four gunslingers take a detour from their journey to fight on behalf of the downtrodden residents of Calla Bryn Sturgis. Fans will delight not only in King's continued gleeful intertwining of multiple genres but perhaps most of all in the return of Salem's Lot's Father Callahan. This hardcover release, promising illustrations (not seen) by graphic artist Bernie Wrightson, is an essential addition to any library's King collection. It will be followed in close succession by the final two volumes of the series, both of which are completed and scheduled for publication in 2004. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 7/03.]-Nancy McNicol, Louise A. Brundage Community Lib., Hamden, CT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

"Anyone allergic to fantasy fiction will be won over by the sections that deal [...] with the dirty side of New York life. [...] And with vampires, robots and gangsters all taking part in one enormous narrative, it's a perfect present for anyone who enjoys epic storytelling." -- Matt Thorne, Independent 'Classic King, fine characters, compellingly written in a gripping, well-honed plot' -- Daily Express on WOLVES OF THE CALLA 'Join the quest before it's too late' -- Independent on Sunday on SONG OF SUSANNAH 'Superbly energetic, it's King at his best' -- Mail on Sunday on WIZARD AND GLASS 'Pulse-poundingly engaging' -- Sunday Express on SONG OF SUSANNAH King's magnificent uberstory is finally complete... King's achievement is startling; his characters fresh... his plot sharply drawn... It is magic. -- Daily Express on The Dark Tower

"Time is a face on the water," stretching and contorting reality as gunslingers Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake and their talking pet "billy-bumbler" Oy continue their quest to prevent the destruction of the Dark Tower and, consequently, save all worlds from Chaos and the Crimson King's evil, red-eyed glare. Roland-the primary hero of King's epic tale, the first volume of which appeared in 1982-and company momentarily fall off the "Path of The Beam" to help the residents of Calla Bryn Sturgis, a farm town. But as Dark Tower fans know, everything follows The Beam, so what looks like a detour may really serve the will of "ka" (destiny). Roland and his posse learn that every 20-odd years the "Wolves" kidnap one child from each set of the Calla's twins, bring them to the Tower and, weeks later, send them back mentally and physically impaired. Meanwhile, back in 1977 New York City (the alternate world of Roland's surrogate son, Jake), bookstore owner Calvin Tower is being threatened by a group of thugs (readers will recognize them from The Drawing of the Three, 1987) to sell them a vacant lot in midtown Manhattan. In the lot stands a rose, or rather the Rose, which is our world's manifestation of the Dark Tower. With the help of the Old Fella (also known to `Salem's Lot readers as Father Callahan), the gunslingers must devise a plan against evil in both worlds. The task, however, is further complicated as Roland and his gang start noticing behavioral changes in wheelchair-bound, recovered schizophrenic Susannah. As the players near the Tower, readers will keep finding exciting ties between the Dark Tower universe and King's other books, with links to Black House, Insomnia, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Stand, `Salem's Lot and Hearts in Atlantis. The high suspense and extensive character development here (especially concerning Jake's coming-of-age), plus the enormity of King's ever-expanding universe, will surely keep his "Constant Readers" in awe. (Nov. 4) Forecast: This fifth installment of the series (after 1998's Wizard and Glass) precedes two more novels about the Dark Tower, reported to be King's last published works before retirement-so expect massive publicity and sky-high sales. Viking has just published a revised edition of the Dark Tower series' first book, The Gunslinger, which could attract new fans to the series, and Scribner recently released Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Concordance, Volume I, by Robin Furth, to give series readers a thorough refresher course of who's who in books I-IV. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.