Palaver - Talking About The Dark Tower
Jamieson Villeneuve
June 25, 2007
I find that Stephen King is a wonderful conversation starter. Specifically his Dark Tower books. It never fails; if I am carrying one of the seven books from The Dark Tower series, someone will speak to me.
Most of these conversations have taken place on busses. As a lot of people take public transit, it’s a good a place as any to have a conversation. But most people don’t approach strangers about the books their reading. The Dark Tower seems to have a pull with a person that compels them to ask.
A couple days ago, I was on a bus heading home. My copy of The Dark Tower VII was open and I was distracted by a man waving to get my attention. I looked up, a little annoyed. I was right at the part where the Gunslingers were about to unleash their attack on Algul Siento to stop the breakers from destroying the Beam; I wanted to find out what happened.
The man had curly black hair and a gold ear ring winking in his ear. “Is that good?” He asked. He had a thick accent and I was pretty sure that English wasn’t his first language.
I was at a loss for a moment over how to respond. How could I tell him how good these books were in a few sentences? How could I convey to him how consumed by The Dark Tower I had become?
So instead I replied simply: “They’re beyond anything I’ve ever read.”
I like Stephen King.” He said. “I have read most all of his books; have you read Pet Cemetery?”
I nodded. “It’s one of my favorites.”
Is that horror?” he asked, pointing to the book.
It’s everything,” I replied. “It’s fantasy, science fiction, horror, western.”
He pointed to the book again. “What is it about?” He asked. “What happens in it?”
Again I was at a loss for words, this time for real. How could I explain the plots of seven books that spanned thousands of pages? I’ve tried explaining the books to my husband only to fall short of their brilliance. There is no way to just tell someone about the Dark Tower; the plot is too big, too grand, to sum it up in a few words.
So I replied: “You’re going to have to read them yourself to find out.”
Last night, as I was taking another bus home, I had another of what I’ve come to think of as my Dark Tower Conversations. I was getting off at my stop and heading towards my next bus when I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned to see a man wearing a white ball cap, scruff covering his chin.
Sorry to bother you,” he said. “But is that a continuation of the other Dark Tower books?”
Continuation? They were a series; didn’t he know that? I didn’t understand. So I said: “I don’t understand what you mean.”
Well I loved the first three books.” He said. “The Wastelands was my favorite. He never wrote any more Dark Tower books after that; I must have read The Wastelands twelve times, twenty times. It’s a shame we never got to find out what happened.” He said.
I was shocked. Could this man not know that King had finally finished? How could it be that this man didn’t know about the other four books? “It’s a whole series,” I said. “There are seven books now.”
Seven?” The man blinked. “Shit.”
King wasn’t sure if he was going to continue after book three. Book four had to go back to the past and he wasn’t sure he could pull it off, but now he has.”
Do the books get better?” He asked.
No question. You have to read them.”
I plan on it. I wasn’t going to, but now I’m going to stop at a bookstore on the way home. Four more, oh my god!” He reached out and touched my arm. “Thank you so much.” He said. “Thanks for letting me know.”
No problem.” I replied, struck by how happy he was now that he got to delve into the Dark Tower’s waters once more.
I think the Dark Tower is like that; it compels people, it talks to them. There is a force about the books that seeps out of their pages and calls to people. It makes people devour the words; it makes people ask me questions about the books.
I’d like to think of it as magic, but there is a stronger force that compels these people to talk to me about The Dark Tower; to palaver with me about the worlds in the books.
I’d like to think that it is Ka.
Most of these conversations have taken place on busses. As a lot of people take public transit, it’s a good a place as any to have a conversation. But most people don’t approach strangers about the books their reading. The Dark Tower seems to have a pull with a person that compels them to ask.
A couple days ago, I was on a bus heading home. My copy of The Dark Tower VII was open and I was distracted by a man waving to get my attention. I looked up, a little annoyed. I was right at the part where the Gunslingers were about to unleash their attack on Algul Siento to stop the breakers from destroying the Beam; I wanted to find out what happened.
The man had curly black hair and a gold ear ring winking in his ear. “Is that good?” He asked. He had a thick accent and I was pretty sure that English wasn’t his first language.
I was at a loss for a moment over how to respond. How could I tell him how good these books were in a few sentences? How could I convey to him how consumed by The Dark Tower I had become?
So instead I replied simply: “They’re beyond anything I’ve ever read.”
I like Stephen King.” He said. “I have read most all of his books; have you read Pet Cemetery?”
I nodded. “It’s one of my favorites.”
Is that horror?” he asked, pointing to the book.
It’s everything,” I replied. “It’s fantasy, science fiction, horror, western.”
He pointed to the book again. “What is it about?” He asked. “What happens in it?”
Again I was at a loss for words, this time for real. How could I explain the plots of seven books that spanned thousands of pages? I’ve tried explaining the books to my husband only to fall short of their brilliance. There is no way to just tell someone about the Dark Tower; the plot is too big, too grand, to sum it up in a few words.
So I replied: “You’re going to have to read them yourself to find out.”
Last night, as I was taking another bus home, I had another of what I’ve come to think of as my Dark Tower Conversations. I was getting off at my stop and heading towards my next bus when I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned to see a man wearing a white ball cap, scruff covering his chin.
Sorry to bother you,” he said. “But is that a continuation of the other Dark Tower books?”
Continuation? They were a series; didn’t he know that? I didn’t understand. So I said: “I don’t understand what you mean.”
Well I loved the first three books.” He said. “The Wastelands was my favorite. He never wrote any more Dark Tower books after that; I must have read The Wastelands twelve times, twenty times. It’s a shame we never got to find out what happened.” He said.
I was shocked. Could this man not know that King had finally finished? How could it be that this man didn’t know about the other four books? “It’s a whole series,” I said. “There are seven books now.”
Seven?” The man blinked. “Shit.”
King wasn’t sure if he was going to continue after book three. Book four had to go back to the past and he wasn’t sure he could pull it off, but now he has.”
Do the books get better?” He asked.
No question. You have to read them.”
I plan on it. I wasn’t going to, but now I’m going to stop at a bookstore on the way home. Four more, oh my god!” He reached out and touched my arm. “Thank you so much.” He said. “Thanks for letting me know.”
No problem.” I replied, struck by how happy he was now that he got to delve into the Dark Tower’s waters once more.
I think the Dark Tower is like that; it compels people, it talks to them. There is a force about the books that seeps out of their pages and calls to people. It makes people devour the words; it makes people ask me questions about the books.
I’d like to think of it as magic, but there is a stronger force that compels these people to talk to me about The Dark Tower; to palaver with me about the worlds in the books.
I’d like to think that it is Ka.
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