57. The Dark Tower 4: Wizard and Glass, by Stephen King.

Wizard and Glass is the fourth book in the Dark Tower series, and it tells us about the end of the ka-tet's trip on Blaine, followed by their arrival in Topeka, Kansas in the world of The Stand. Here, Roland shares with him the story of his first love, and the discovery of his purpose in life. After fighting Flagg to be returned to the Path of the Beam, they continue on their journey.

Wizard and Glass is a very emotive book. A very large part of it is dedicated to the adventures of fourteen-year-old Roland in Mejis, and his love for Susan Delgado. It gives us a lot of insight into why Roland feels so driven to find the Dark Tower - not just because it is failing, and not just because the Grapefruit planted the idea in his mind, but also because of what it had cost him at that point, so young - his love, his child, and later, his mother, by his own hand. Susan and Roland are the embodiment of careless love, and it was necessary to see their downfall to understand a little more why Roland was able to be so detached from his new ka-tet at first.

In the more chronologically relevant part of the story, we see the ka-tet work to defeat Blaine through their individual strengths. Jake brings the treasures of another world to help fight the battle, and is given clues that identify Blaine is not to be trusted. Charlie the Choo-Choo is rife with symbolism, and even stresses how they may defeat Blaine - although I suspect that defeating him too early would have been as bad as defeating him too late. Susannah is able to crack the password to get them into the coach at all, while Roland is able to talk Blaine into some semblance of reasonable conduct, in the form of their altered Fair-Day riddle contest. However, it is Eddie that saves the day, with his silly games. This is important for Eddie's own development, as Roland has earlier scolded him for asking silly joke-riddles. Roland is only human, after all, and this book really shows us his humanity.

As for Walter/Flagg, we are told that he is in league with Farson as Walter, because he shows up as Farson's emissary to the Big Coffin Hunters in a priest's robe, with the name, and with the tittering laugh and discomforting presence that we now expect. Marten is supposedly in Cressia with Farson at the time of Roland's mother's death, too (although it becomes apparent later that he is not). Finally, when they fight Flagg in the City of Oz, he is dressed as the Walkin' Dude (the jeans, the boots, the smiley-faced badge) but is addressed by Roland as Marten - either he has the same face, or he is the same person, but I don't feel we can be sure either way just yet.

Bends O' The Rainbow that we are told of are Black Thirteen, the Pink Grapefruit, Blue, and Green. In Mejis, there are statues of seven of the Guardians - Bear, Turtle, Fish, Eagle, Lion, Bat, and Wolf. The Gates of Oz have a yellow bar filled with fish, and a purple bar filled with birds, as well as the pink bar filled with horses - this suggests to me that the colours are indelibly linked to the Guardians, although I could be mistaken. I was thinking that the Rainbow and Guardians might make a good basis for a tattoo, but I've come to realize that even though I like the aesthetic appeal, I don't support the ideas it would represent. Doing harm for the fun of it is not something I wish to support. Plus, I am so far unable to gather definitive data on the links between each Guardian and each Colour, and their positions relative to each other on opposing Beams, and within the circle of the world. As such, that idea has been shelved for good. My other idea is as yet quite unformed, and requires a lot more thought before I'm willing to disclose it.

56. Dark Tower 3: The Waste Lands, by Stephen King.

The Waste Lands reintroduces us to Jake, and tells us the story of how he enters Midworld for the second time, with the help of Eddie, Susannah, Roland, and the rose. It further tells us about their journey through the outskirts of Midworld to the city of Lud. Lud is rotten, and is falling, but they must persevere if they are to find Blaine the Mono, and pass safely through the Waste Lands and continue on their journey.

The Waste Lands is where the story starts to pick up some (heh) steam. Book one is our introduction to Roland, book two is the introduction of the ka-tet, and this book is where everyone has come together and it's buckle your seatbelts time. Most of the major characters have made their debut appearance, and the story's course seems straight, at least for a time.

Flagg is not mentioned much in this book, but we do get told that he is a better sorcerer than Walter, and that Walter is only half human. Some doubt is cast on whether Walter actually does push Jake, and it's reasonably certain that, while he may have been there (and thus able to travel through the levels of the tower) it was Jack Mort that did the pushing, or else the resultant paradox they use to bring Jake through would probably not have occurred. We are told that Flagg, under the name Richard Fannin, visits the Tick-Tock man up to no good. He says he has been called the Ageless Stranger, the Magician, the Wizard. He says he has been called Merlin or Maerlyn, but that he was never that one, though he never denied it either.

In other news, I am also trying to decipher the Guardians of the Beam in their partnerships, and hopefully their relation to each other. So far, Bear is opposite to Turtle, heading south-east. Fish is opposite to Rat, and Horse is opposite to Dog, as discovered by the statues on Blaine's Cradle. I don't know which are related to which of the Wizard's Rainbows, but if anyone can expand my knowledge I would be grateful.

55. Dark Tower 2: The Drawing Of The Three, by Stephen King.

The Drawing Of The Three is book two of the Dark Tower series. It covers the period of time after Roland speaks with Walter, the Man in Black, until he has drawn the members of his new ka-tet into the world. Eddie, The Prisoner, is drawn into the world first, and is not at all happy about the fact for some time. Heroin junkie and one-time drug mule, Eddie has Roland to thank for his life, but has still lost a great deal. The Lady of Shadows, Odetta Holmes/Detta Walker is next - schizophrenic, legless, and two-toned. While Odetta is refined, cultured, and lovely, Detta is malicious gutter filth. Finally, Roland's final venture into New York is into the body of Jack Mort, The Pusher. Sickening from illness and in desperate need to show the Lady of Shadows her true self, he succeeds and draws the third, Susannah Dean, from the twin psyche of the Lady of Shadows.

This is possibly my favourite Dark Tower book, although it may not contain my favourite part of the story. I love that it's a mean book. Roland, our indomitable hero, is quite literally chopped down to size within the first few pages, and his future is far from certain throughout the rest of the book. I like that the main character is not safe. I like that I have to be on my toes for injury or trauma to my heroes, and I like that my main characters all have recognisable, humanising flaws. A heroin junkie Eddie may be, but he still makes heroic efforts to help Roland with his quest, despite not believing in it himself. Detta is mean enough to survive in this world, but is too dangerous to leave alive without the soothing, controlling presence of Odetta. The created Susannah takes the better elements from both, and combines them to form something that seems extraordinary.And Roland, our gunslinger now sans fingers, is very nearly as impressive as he once was, but will now be forced to rely on others in ways that he would not be otherwise capable of doing.

As for the Man in Black/Marten/Flagg conundrum, the Drawing of the Three has not got much to say on the matter. It's reiterated that Marten is more powerful and a different person than Walter, but Flagg is not brought into it at this point. I'm not sure if I missed any references.

54. Dark Tower 1: The Gunslinger, by Stephen King.

This is book one of the Dark Tower series.

The Gunslinger is the beginning of the story of the Dark Tower. While it can be read stand-alone, it's much, much more than that when read as part of the series. Roland is travelling across the desert, trailing the Man in Black, avoiding the many traps and pitfalls he has left along the way. He seeks the Dark Tower, as he has for some time, and is implacably bent upon reaching his goal, or dying in the attempt.

The Dark Tower series is one of my very favourite book series. A few different things convinced me it was time for a re-read, namely discussions with a good friend, not having read much Stephen King lately, and the recent release of The Wind Through The Keyhole, which I read just as soon as I got my hands on it. The Gunslinger has been a warm welcome back into Roland's world, a meeting with an old friend. This book is just the beginning, but it positions the characters for a truly epic story.

In this round of reading, I plan to try and puzzle out the Man in Black's relationship to Flagg and his many counterparts. The Gunslinger mentions that he works through Marten, but that he is not Marten. He is known as Walter, and is 'nearly immortal'. He tells us that he has never met the Crimson King, and that before Roland meets him, he must meet the Ageless Stranger. Flagg? I'm not sure yet. Walter, the Man in Black, appears to die at the end of the first book. His robe is rotting, and filled with bones when Roland awakes.