Finished this today:
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
The Review:
In his introduction to this revised and expanded edition of the 1982 novel, Stephen King writes that one of his goals for
The Gunslinger was to create a world that blended
The Lord of the Rings with
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Say what you will, but that idea is pretty darned cool and ambitious, and I believe he has succeeded in achieving this goal to a degree. Hyperbole and high concepts aside, it is the characters and the world that surrounds them that take centre stage in this book. King does an excellent job of revealing the protagonist's history in a patient way, and Roland's confrontation at the end of the narrative brings together and also explodes what King had been building up to that point.
In essence, this is a book about the journey; the quest; the mythological hero who stands outside of time. As Roland travels across barren landscapes in an inexplicable hunt for the mysterious Man in Black, King's craftsmanship takes centre stage, as he succeeds in having his writing style mirror the narrative substance. Time is a very nebulous concept throughout the book, as Roland and other characters are constantly waking up without a sense of how many hours, days, or weeks may have passed them by. A recurring phrase in the story is "the world had moved on." These narrative touches give clues to what is hiding under the veneer of a simple chase novel, and the importance of these phrases and how King handles time throughout the book are illuminated in the climax. Credit must be given to the author for this use of perpetual forshadowing and overarching themes that actually amount to something by the end.
In addition to the explicit time language mentioned above, the structure of the book also seems to exist in a massive vacuum. The author jumps from action in the present, to flashbacks, to dreams, and back to the present again. Everything seamlessly blends together, and it never becomes confusing, as each scene is part of the greater tapestry that King is constantly building on here. And yet, we follow Roland through deserts, decrepit towns and their dirty taverns, mountains, and farms, without ever missing a beat. There is a consistent rhythm that pushes the book forward, and despite it being split into five marked sections, each noted by a clean page and an illustration, there is a strong sense of continuity.
While the book is about one man hunting another on the outside, there are plot points that keep pushing the book into the realm of the weird, and that keep the reader guessing as to what is actually going on. For instance, just when I thought I had a handle of the book's universe, Roland meets Jake, who seems to be from New York, and a world of cars and industry. Up to that point in the novel, the reader is getting comfortable in an Old West setting, and all that comes with it. Elements like this keep things interesting, and King carefully introduces them to keep the reader hooked just enough, never fully exposing his hand until the end. Even then, things are just getting started. By the final page, I had learned much about Roland, the Man in Black, the world they inhabit, and I got a hint of the much bigger storyline of the Dark Tower. King hooked me and had me ready to pick up the second book in the series, and that is the sign of a writer who knows just how much to tell and when to tell it.
If I had to point out a problem with the book, I personally did not like the blanket portrayal of women as being either horny, submissive, or crazy. I could not find a single positive female role model in the story, as they largely served to...well, serve. Or to tempt with their bodies, or to react with rage if Roland denied them his services. I have a feeling that Mr. King may have been scorned by more than one female during the time of writing this novel. Either way, there is a decidedly macho and patriarchal vibe that runs through much of the story, and when a woman is actually in power, it is because of her body and what she can do with it.
The above criticism aside,
The Gunslinger is an engrossing adventure. It might seem slow and dry to some, but the observant and patient reader is rewarded by the end, and is left hungry for more. What more can one ask for from the first book in a series of seven?
The Verdict:
If you enjoy quest narratives and heroic mythology, you will likely enjoy this. I really like the way the story is paced, and the themes it hints at in the final encounter suggest an adventure on a truly epic scale. Once I get through my current backlog, I will likely continue the journey towards the Dark Tower.
4/5
Next Up:
Girl in a Red River Coat by Mary Peate.
More at my blog:
http://backlogbooksblog.blogspot.com/
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