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.