Review - The Wind Through the Keyhole (Dark Tower 4.5) by Stephen King

Welcome to flashback city, population - Wizard and Glass (review) and The Wind Through the Keyhole [US] [UK] [Kindle].

Wizard and Glass may have the record for length of flashback, but Wind Through the Keyhole goes Inception* on that flashback with a flashback** within a flashback.

*It's still accepted to reference Inception right?

**Okay, really it's a story within a flashback, but the story is a flashback to an even younger Roland technically so...I'm going with it anyway.

As someone who has been reading this series chronologically (i.e., I've read the first four in the Dark Tower series, but have yet to read the last three), I'm having a really hard time picturing what it's like for a Dark Tower book to have plot progression with the main Ka-tet (Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy).

This book's been quite the divisive one and to be honest, I can't really disagree with what a lot of people have said who didn't like it nearly as much as I did.

So, having only read the first four books, reading The Wind Through the Keyhole was just a continuation of the last book, Wizard and Glass (W&G). I'm sure there are some things in Wind that I missed having not read the last three, and knowing this, of course we know our friends are going to be okay...right? Or are they? (yeah, they're fine)

And yet, that doesn't mean there's no dramatic tension. If you've read any of my reviews, you probably already know that I really don't know what I'm talking about. I didn't major in English and I've easily forgotten anything I've ever learned in high school or undergrad about anything literary-related.

Given that, I want to talk about literary devices for a sec. Just because we know the ending already (well, not me), doesn't mean a story lacks tension. While we know they'll be "all right," one, we don't know how other characters will fair, and two, we're still looking for how they get back to "all right" because they're not at this point. So, it's really just a focus shift.

Okay, I'll quit talking about things I know nothing about...well, probably not.

We pick up just after the events from W&G as our fearless Ka-tet is on their way from the glass tower in the first section titled "Starkblast." This doesn't last long, as you can imagine, and we're back into a flashback story from Roland's youth, which actually takes place just after the flashback from W&G. This flashback is called "The Skin-Man."

Roland is sent on anther mission to another remote area of the world where a gunslinger is needed. Sadly, he takes another young gunslinger with him, not Alain and Cuthbert. I was SOOOO disappointed, I thought for sure we'd get those guys back, but in retrospect, I have a HUGE man-crush on them so that may have clouded my perception.

(Not sure if those are even Alain and Cuthbert, but the picture's pretty cool anyway.)

But wait, there's more...flashbacks that is. During the flashback in "The Skin-Man," Roland tells the titular tale, "The Wind Through the Keyhole." This tale actually makes up the bulk of the book and was easily my favorite part.

In "The Wind Through the Keyhole," King is in top form writing-wise. The story is independent and only mildly relates to either of the two other stories, but it's still a great one and I loved every minute of it.

It's a great old-timey adventure story about a kid who braves impossible odds to help his family. I have to say this again, the writing is top-notch (or "tip top" as the Swiss would say). He fits it to the story perfectly and puts me in awe at the talent this man possesses. He is the King in name and writing.

And just like a Matryoshka (or Russian nesting) doll, we head back to the first flashback in "The Skin-Man Part 2" and then back to our Ka-tet. In summary, the story goes like this (not necessarily using the given titles):

Ka-tet (present story timeline) > Flashback to Young Roland > The Wind Through the Keyhole (main story) > Flashback to Young Roland > Ka-tet (present story timeline)

As much as I loved the main story, I didn't love the ending to the Young Roland flashback and the ka-tet portion was just a reference point if anything.

As someone who considers Wizard and Glass one of his all-time favorite books (inside and outside of the Dark Tower universe), I love me a good flashback. Not everyone does and I'll even admit that I thought this book would be a tale of the Ka-tet, not another flashback within a flashback. I'd still recommend this to fans of the Dark Tower and even non-readers alike.

4 out of 5 Stars (Highly Recommended)

Worth checking out: Here's a detailed list of all of King's books from worst to best with semi-detailed descriptions of why the article's author thinks so.

Quote - The Wind Through the Keyhole (Dark Tower 4.5) by Stephen King

I'm making my way through King's newest in the Dark Tower series (and release-wise), The Wind Through the Keyhole, and had to share this quote.

"What's America?"
"A kingdom filled with toy-loving idiots. ..."

At over halfway through I'm really enjoying this installment. It's not my favorite, books 2 through 4 are some of my all-time favorite books making them hard to beat, but it's great nonetheless. Also, I haven't read the last 3, so I can't comment on how they compare.

Review - Wizard and Glass (Dark Tower IV) by Stephen King

In a sentence: Stephen King does Tombstone (the movie) to great effect.

With only about 25% of actual series plot development (or 500 pages sandwiched between plot development), you'd think I would hate this book. Had I not known about this beforehand or had I waited 6 years for more Dark Tower, I'd probably be singing a different tune.

Then again, I love me a western and to call them Gunslingers on top of it all (such a cool word), I'm pretty sure I would have loved Wizard and Glass [US] [UK] [Kindle] no matter what.

After quickly resolving the cliffhanger at the end of The Wastelands (my review), Roland Deschain proceeds to tell his story that he has obviously been needing to tell for quite a while. I honestly thought we wouldn't have a resolution to that particular scene until much later in the book with the flashback in the middle of that. I'm very glad my expectations were wrong.

Roland, at only 14 years old, is sent to Mejis with his two good friends Mat and Perrin... I mean Cuthbert and Alain. I couldn't help but draw the comparison to the Wheel of Time as it's pretty close, but also vastly different.

In book one, The Gunslinger (my review), we found out that Roland became the youngest gunslinger ever at the age of 14 and Roland's flashback picks up immediately after.

As far as the people of Mejis know, these youths were in fact truant youngsters who were sent on a mission to count. That's right, count everything from fish nets to horses. In reality, they are sent there to get them out of harm's way, but what they find instead is a group not dissimilar to The Cowboys from the movie Tombstone named the Big Coffin Hunters.

At this point in the history of Mid-World, the Affiliation is the governing body, to which Roland and his friends belong, but which is facing the growing problem with the Good Man, who's inciting rebellion among other things.

Innocuous mission turns dangerous, sweet. But that's not all you get, you'll also find one of the best love stories you've ever read. More you say? There's suspense, tragedy, gunslinging, and one of the most amazing scenes I've ever read involving the best stand-off you'll ever find anywhere.

Regarding the famous (or infamous) Wizard of Oz elements **Spoiler** I thought this worked extremely well. The Dark Tower is all about drawing comparisons between this world and the world of The Dark Tower. It's just the right amount of dreaminess that fits so perfectly with this world and made the smooth transition back to Mid-World. **End Spoiler**

If King wants to tell the rest of this series through flashbacks, I'm on-board. I really hope to hear more about Cuthbert and Alain and if not both, then at least Cuthbert. Can he please join the new Ka-tet? Pretty please?

While I didn't quite know what to expect, but knowing at least that there was a lengthy flashback, the more I think about it, Wizard and Glass is my favorite volume in The Dark Tower so far. The flashback story is amazing and ratchets this series up in scope and epicness, giving method behind the madness.

If you haven't read The Dark Tower series, you're in for a treat. What? I'm the last person to do so? Well, I love it. I don't reread books much, but I will definitely do so once I'm done. This series is epic and tragic in every sense of each word. You will not regret it.

5 out of 5 Stars

Ps. Did I mention there's gunslinging?

The Dark Tower Series - Reviewed

1. The Gunslinger
2. The Drawing of the Three
3. The Waste Lands
   

Review - The Waste Lands (Dark Tower III) by Stephen King

Another stunning installment in the Dark Tower series, The Waste Lands [US] [UK] brings our quest for the dark tower that much closer, and actually giving it plenty of momentum which is, I'm told, possibly to be dashed in further installments.

Where The Gunslinger was a correlating collection of stories and The Drawing of the Three brings the main characters together, The Waste Lands actually moves the quest forward, gives some background (not a ton mind you), and gives us some direction.

I'm really enjoying this series and I'm starting to realize why. Besides the fact that I am glued to the pages for hours at a time, I really like the idea of this mysterious world giving guidance to the Gunslinger and his band. Instead of opting for the prophecy motif, King's world is much more mysterious and less traditional.

***Beware spoilers for the The Gunslinger and The Drawing of the Three***

Our crew of gunslingers, or Ka-tet as we find out they are called because they are a group of people on the same mission whose fates are intertwined, begin this part of the journey in the middle of their training as gunslingers. They are the last of their kind and therefore, Eddie, Susannah Dean, and Roland are the only gunslingers in the entire world.

Because Roland saved Jake (the kid at the waystation in The Gunstlinger) from Jack Mort in The Drawing of the Three, his memory has now split in two because Jake's death was his entry into Roland's world. This is making Roland a bit crazy at the moment.

They are almost immediately attacked by a malicious and ravenous bear, Shardik, who we find out is actually a Guardian of one of the entrances to the 6 mystical beams that will lead to the dark tower. Oh, and did I mention Shardik is also a cyborg? Yeah, this just gets crazier and crazier.

The ka-tet follow the beam to Mid-world where more adventure is to be had, but not before picking up another member.

I had always thought they were in Mid-world when they weren't in "our" present day world, but I guess I'd read too much going into this. In The Waste Lands, there's actually a point where the ka-tet goes into Mid-world.

At this same time, but beginning in Book 2 of The Waste Lands, we also begin to follow Jake in "our" world. He's having the same problems as Roland and his mind is also warring with itself. While trying to make it in a high-pressured prep school, Jake is about to give up. Not only is Jake going insane, but it is almost as if he is reliving certain occurrences. This leads him on his own journey and I'll leave it at that before I get too spoilerific.

***End major spoilers***

I know Stephen King is known for his horror, but I haven't felt much of that influence really until this book. Toward the end, I was actually dreadfully frightened and I loved it.

Why Read The Waste Lands?

When I really think of it, I can't believe the entire plot can be summed up so simply; a gunslinger is after a dark tower. And I guess only Stephen King can make something so simple so amazingly addicting.

I can't wait to get on with the series. It's unique and well-crafted. You can't help but care for these characters even though it sometimes seems like Stephen King doesn't. You will be glued to the page, it's just a fact.

4.5 out of 5 Stars (Absolutely loved it!)

EDIT: I always remember and then subsequently forget to do this: :D

The Gunslinger reviewed (Dark Tower I)

The Drawing of the Three reviewed (Dark Tower II)

Update - What I'm Reading

Yes, I'm still on vacation, so this is really coming at you from the past...spooky....very spooky.

I don't think I've ever done a post like this, but I'm trying to improve as a blogger and I've always enjoyed similar such posts from others.

I've been making my way through Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. I recently finished The Waste Lands (Book 3) and was again blown away, just as in The Drawing of the Three. I'll hopefully have the review up next week.


I'm currently reading the second in Tim Marquitz' amazing Demon Squad series, Resurrection. Seriously, you really need to read this. (Yes, I did just link to Armageddon Bound yet again. I think I'll try to put a link to it in every post from now on, can you find it?) :D

Also starting Stephen R. Lawhead's The Skin Map. I'm in kind of a reading funk, I have so much I want to read, so much I've received to read, and then a bunch of series I'd like to finish (like the Dark Tower), so we'll see how far I get before I put some of these down and finally focus.


Then there's also Songs of the Dying Earth, edited by George R.R. Martin. I mentioned in an earlier post that I have a hard time with anthologies, but this one's been absolutely amazing so far. I'm not that far into it, but it's just great.

Lastly, I'm slowly making my way through the audiobook of The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time 4). I don't have a commute anymore (as I mentioned last week - no current internship), so audiobook reading goes way down. I'll get my review up for The Dragon Reborn soon. Very soon.

I'm a very moody reader, not so much cranky, but more as in I have to be in the right mood to read a book and that's really the only fair way I can do it - fair to both the author and myself. These reads may change, but that doesn't mean they're bad or that I won't get back to something.