Okay, where do I start?
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Okay, where do I start?
I give in. It's just too tempting. I've heard there are other King books that have a connection to Dark Tower. So, aside from the main series, what other books would you recommend me reading? Thanks.
- duchess of malfi
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Good suggestion. And I think it is connected to the DT series. Another idea is Salem's Lot, which is probably the one most connected.
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- Roland of Gilead
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Salem's Lot, Low Men in Yellow Coats (from Hearts in Atlantis) and Insomnia are essential for a full appreciation of Dark Tower. Especially the later volumes.
Other books with connections are The Stand, Eyes of the Dragon, The Talisman, Black House, It, Rose Madder. These connections are interesting to see how King has tried to inter-weave his entire ouevre, but they are not critical to understanding the story.
I strongly recommend you read Insomnia before Dark Tower VII. Otherwise, one of the resolutions is going to feel like a deus ex machina.
Other books with connections are The Stand, Eyes of the Dragon, The Talisman, Black House, It, Rose Madder. These connections are interesting to see how King has tried to inter-weave his entire ouevre, but they are not critical to understanding the story.
I strongly recommend you read Insomnia before Dark Tower VII. Otherwise, one of the resolutions is going to feel like a deus ex machina.
"I am, in short, a man on the edge of everything." - Dark Tower II, The Drawing of the Three
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'Salem's Lot
The Talisman because it's a prequel to Black House (major tie-in) and a damn good book on it's own.
Insomnia
Hearts in Atlantis (Low Men in Yellow Coats)
Little Sisters of Eluria (short sotry available in Everything's Eventual, or Legends: vol 2)
These are the ones I think are essential reading for getting the full story of everything directly related to the Quest for the Tower. However, officially these others are also listed as being Tower related:
The Stand (don't miss this one.....it's bearing is only peripheral, but it's one of the finest books I have ever read..)
Desperation
The Regulators
It (Ditto on this one....)
The Eyes of The Dragon
Rose Madder
Bag of Bones
From A Buick 8
Skeleton Crew (not sure which story (ies?))
Everything's Eventual (the title story of the collection)
Yay!!! Keep us posted. I hope you love them as much as I do.
The Talisman because it's a prequel to Black House (major tie-in) and a damn good book on it's own.
Insomnia
Hearts in Atlantis (Low Men in Yellow Coats)
Little Sisters of Eluria (short sotry available in Everything's Eventual, or Legends: vol 2)
These are the ones I think are essential reading for getting the full story of everything directly related to the Quest for the Tower. However, officially these others are also listed as being Tower related:
The Stand (don't miss this one.....it's bearing is only peripheral, but it's one of the finest books I have ever read..)
Desperation
The Regulators
It (Ditto on this one....)
The Eyes of The Dragon
Rose Madder
Bag of Bones
From A Buick 8
Skeleton Crew (not sure which story (ies?))
Everything's Eventual (the title story of the collection)
Quite so.Roland of Gilead wrote:I strongly recommend you read Insomnia before Dark Tower VII. Otherwise, one of the resolutions is going to feel like a deus ex machina.
Yay!!! Keep us posted. I hope you love them as much as I do.
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Insomnia is a tough read, but the ending is nothing short of magnificent.
After you read The Stand, read Captain Tripps, a short story in Night Shift.
After you read The Stand, read Captain Tripps, a short story in Night Shift.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
- CovenantJr
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Really?!? Well, it's in my "to read" stack, and it's been 6 or 7 years since I last read it, but I recall the end being great. Oh well, I'll report back after the re-read.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
The Dark Tower connections:
and here are the explanations of how they all connect: www.thedarktower.net/connections/roadmap.php
Btw, I enjoyed the ending of Insomnia
and here are the explanations of how they all connect: www.thedarktower.net/connections/roadmap.php
Btw, I enjoyed the ending of Insomnia
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The "real" connections IIRC, only become apparent from book IV of the DT series onwards, and although 'Salem's Lot is apparently the most connected, it's not a connection that you need all that much, because I'd say everything relevant is mentioned in the DT books, from V onward.
I've never read "Low Men," so I'm here to tell you that it's not required reading, and as long as you read Insomnia before VII, you should be alright. (Actually, Insomnia is only necessary in a single sense, and that's to explain where a certain character comes from, so you could even get away without reading that too.) (I liked Insomnia a lot BTW. Reminded me of LSD.)
Damn, I envy you in a way. Just beginning that journey.
The Eyes of the Dragon and The Stand are important connections to me I think, (in fact, the Eyes has a connection much earlier in the DT series than anything else. Book II actually.) But it's not important in any sense except if you've read it, you'll go "Hey! Eyes of the Dragon."
Here's an ill-thought-out suggestion of order if you really insist though. (Anybody is welcome to revise it if they want, this is off-the-cuff.)
Eyes of the Dragon
DT I
DT II
DT III
The Stand
DT IV
'Salem's Lot
DT V
Low Men
DT VI
Insomnia
Everything's Eventual (title story and Little Sisters of Eulalia)
DT VII
Those are, I think, the most solid connections.
--Avatar
I've never read "Low Men," so I'm here to tell you that it's not required reading, and as long as you read Insomnia before VII, you should be alright. (Actually, Insomnia is only necessary in a single sense, and that's to explain where a certain character comes from, so you could even get away without reading that too.) (I liked Insomnia a lot BTW. Reminded me of LSD.)
Damn, I envy you in a way. Just beginning that journey.
The Eyes of the Dragon and The Stand are important connections to me I think, (in fact, the Eyes has a connection much earlier in the DT series than anything else. Book II actually.) But it's not important in any sense except if you've read it, you'll go "Hey! Eyes of the Dragon."
Here's an ill-thought-out suggestion of order if you really insist though. (Anybody is welcome to revise it if they want, this is off-the-cuff.)
Eyes of the Dragon
DT I
DT II
DT III
The Stand
DT IV
'Salem's Lot
DT V
Low Men
DT VI
Insomnia
Everything's Eventual (title story and Little Sisters of Eulalia)
DT VII
Those are, I think, the most solid connections.
--Avatar
Nice list,
I hance only read Insomnia and Everythings Eventual ( which The Title story is about a Breaker. So also connected )
I also really like Insomnia, although ive never had LSD!
I hance only read Insomnia and Everythings Eventual ( which The Title story is about a Breaker. So also connected )
I also really like Insomnia, although ive never had LSD!
But if you're all about the destination, then take a fucking flight.
We're going nowhere slowly, but we're seeing all the sights.
And we're definitely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
Full of the heavens and time.
We're going nowhere slowly, but we're seeing all the sights.
And we're definitely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
Full of the heavens and time.
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Well, in some ways, which are too complicated to explain, it is sometimes, sort of almost, something like what the guy experiences because of his sleep deprivation.
It's something that should only be taken very carefully though, and, for safety's sake, in an environment controlled by you, where nothing bad can happen to you. (And even then, some people can't handle it. If anybody even thinks they won't be able to, they just shouldn't do it. Even that fear can be enough to turn things ugly.)
And when I read Colin Wilson's description of the efect of the bugs amulets in Spider World: The Delta, my first thought was "I bet this dude's taken acid."
Anyway, I digress. I did mention Everything's Eventual as well BTW.
--Avatar
It's something that should only be taken very carefully though, and, for safety's sake, in an environment controlled by you, where nothing bad can happen to you. (And even then, some people can't handle it. If anybody even thinks they won't be able to, they just shouldn't do it. Even that fear can be enough to turn things ugly.)
And when I read Colin Wilson's description of the efect of the bugs amulets in Spider World: The Delta, my first thought was "I bet this dude's taken acid."
Anyway, I digress. I did mention Everything's Eventual as well BTW.
--Avatar
never noticed!Anyway, I digress. I did mention Everything's Eventual as well BTW
But if you're all about the destination, then take a fucking flight.
We're going nowhere slowly, but we're seeing all the sights.
And we're definitely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
Full of the heavens and time.
We're going nowhere slowly, but we're seeing all the sights.
And we're definitely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
Full of the heavens and time.
Wow thanks for the list Avatar!
So if I want the basic DT experience I should read
DT 1 to 6
Insomnia
DT 7
And if I want the full DT with all conenctions I read the list you've given me. Right?
I think I'll read the basic list and then go back and read the others if I'm curious for more backstory.
Thanks for your help.
(I'm sweet and innocent and know nothing about LSD)
So if I want the basic DT experience I should read
DT 1 to 6
Insomnia
DT 7
And if I want the full DT with all conenctions I read the list you've given me. Right?
I think I'll read the basic list and then go back and read the others if I'm curious for more backstory.
Thanks for your help.
(I'm sweet and innocent and know nothing about LSD)