durdencommatyler wrote:I really had no idea -- for YEARS, had no idea -- how genuinely divisive the series is. Especially the more meta elements. Man, do some people just really hate that shit.
I thought it was all pretty brilliant. And certainly not the point. The meta stuff is so endearing and powerful, but none of it is strictly necessary. They could cut all of that stuff and the story/journey would still be gripping and worth my time.
Are you a Stephen King fan? This is the only thing of his I've ever read
I really like the ultimate ending. After the build up to what the dark tower is it was the only choice to make that would not have underwhelmed
I am, yeah. Though, I'd only read a handful of things by him before tackling TDT.
The Dark Tower series makes all of Stephen King's work better, I think. The whole thing is so smart and effective. I don't know. It's hardly flawless and it's a little too bloated overall (as most King is, when you get right down to it). But it's so much fun and so full of imagination and insight. I love it.
Outside of the Harry Potter series, I'd say it's my favorite fantasy book series. I think it far surpasses its inspirations (like Lord of the Rings, for example).
Fantasy is my favorite genre, so this series is up against a lot of heavy hitters for me
durdencommatyler wrote:I really had no idea -- for YEARS, had no idea -- how genuinely divisive the series is. Especially the more meta elements. Man, do some people just really hate that shit.
I thought it was all pretty brilliant. And certainly not the point. The meta stuff is so endearing and powerful, but none of it is strictly necessary. They could cut all of that stuff and the story/journey would still be gripping and worth my time.
Are you a Stephen King fan? This is the only thing of his I've ever read
I really like the ultimate ending. After the build up to what the dark tower is it was the only choice to make that would not have underwhelmed
I am, yeah. Though, I'd only read a handful of things by him before tackling TDT.
The Dark Tower series makes all of Stephen King's work better, I think. The whole thing is so smart and effective. I don't know. It's hardly flawless and it's a little too bloated overall (as most King is, when you get right down to it). But it's so much fun and so full of imagination and insight. I love it.
Outside of the Harry Potter series, I'd say it's my favorite fantasy book series. I think it far surpasses its inspirations (like Lord of the Rings, for example).
Fantasy is my favorite genre, so this series is up against a lot of heavy hitters for me
You're the only person I "know" who loves the fantasy genre and doesn't think this in the top 3 to 5. Seriously.
Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Sun January 11, 2026 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
EXCLUSIVE: More casting on Sony and Media Rights Capital’s eagerly awaited adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, which Nikolaj Arcel will direct. Abbey Lee, who is coming off Mad Max: Fury Road and who stars in Gods of Egypt, is negotiating to star in the female lead role of Tirana.
I read two or three of these and really enjoyed elements of them, but I got stuck on that one long section where they're playing riddles with a talking train. It felt like it was out of a kids book, and I couldn't do it. Should I try again before the series?
The Argonaut wrote:I read two or three of these and really enjoyed elements of them, but I got stuck on that one long section where they're playing riddles with a talking train. It felt like it was out of a kids book, and I couldn't do it. Should I try again before the series?
The rest of that book is great.
emanon wrote:I think I either need to drink less to become more alert, or more so as not to care.
Tirana is a Can-Toi, a race of humanoid creatures also known as Low Men. They work for the Crimson King, the main antagonist of the series. She appears in the seventh book. She's a really small part of the overall story, though. So, it's super weird that these articles are calling her "the female lead." Smells like big changes from the books.
The Argonaut wrote:I read two or three of these and really enjoyed elements of them, but I got stuck on that one long section where they're playing riddles with a talking train. It felt like it was out of a kids book, and I couldn't do it. Should I try again before the series?
Tirana is a Can-Toi, a race of humanoid creatures also known as Low Men. They work for the Crimson King, the main antagonist of the series. She appears in the seventh book. She's a really small part of the overall story, though. So, it's super weird that these articles are calling her "the female lead." Smells like big changes from the books.
I have no recollection of her.
emanon wrote:I think I either need to drink less to become more alert, or more so as not to care.
Tirana is a Can-Toi, a race of humanoid creatures also known as Low Men. They work for the Crimson King, the main antagonist of the series. She appears in the seventh book. She's a really small part of the overall story, though. So, it's super weird that these articles are calling her "the female lead." Smells like big changes from the books.
I have no recollection of her.
I wonder if they aren't going to combine her with one (or two) of the other smaller female villains to make one consistent, epic-spanning villain.
Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Sun January 11, 2026 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Sun January 11, 2026 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tirana is a Can-Toi, a race of humanoid creatures also known as Low Men. They work for the Crimson King, the main antagonist of the series. She appears in the seventh book. She's a really small part of the overall story, though. So, it's super weird that these articles are calling her "the female lead." Smells like big changes from the books.
Have you read the other books where these characters occur, t,d? I've been having fun getting glimpses into the Dark Tower series from his other works before diving into the DT series:
The Can-Toi are mentioned in multiple books; if I remember correctly, the servants of the demon Tak from Regulators and Desperation are his Can-Toi. And the Low Men are the primary antagonists in "Low Men in Yellow Coats" from Hearts in Atlantis. It is insinuated that the titular vehicle in From a Buick 8 was formerly owned by a Low Man.
It has both the turtle and the Legion from the Dark Tower.
Father Callahan from DT is a main character in Salem's Lot.
Flagg is in The Stand and The Eyes of the Dragon.
There are more, but these are the ones that most immediately pop into my head.
Oh yes. I'm well versed in Stephen King's world of The Dark Tower. I haven't read all of King's books but I've read through most of The Dark Tower Concordances.
Steve Albini wrote:Whenever there's active promotion on the part of somebody else, whenever I see somebody all dolled up for a fancy photograph and someone's handing out flyers or whenever there's active promotion for something like that, as an imposition on my day, I hate all those people and I want them to fail. I have a visceral reaction to advertising and promotion. There's just something about salesmanship that grates on me on a very base level and I react very negatively towards it. I want those people to suffer and I want their enterprises to fail.
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Sun January 11, 2026 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tirana is a Can-Toi, a race of humanoid creatures also known as Low Men. They work for the Crimson King, the main antagonist of the series. She appears in the seventh book. She's a really small part of the overall story, though. So, it's super weird that these articles are calling her "the female lead." Smells like big changes from the books.
Have you read the other books where these characters occur, t,d? I've been having fun getting glimpses into the Dark Tower series from his other works before diving into the DT series:
The Can-Toi are mentioned in multiple books; if I remember correctly, the servants of the demon Tak from Regulators and Desperation are his Can-Toi. And the Low Men are the primary antagonists in "Low Men in Yellow Coats" from Hearts in Atlantis. It is insinuated that the titular vehicle in From a Buick 8 was formerly owned by a Low Man.
It has both the turtle and the Legion from the Dark Tower.
Father Callahan from DT is a main character in Salem's Lot.
Flagg is in The Stand and The Eyes of the Dragon.
There are more, but these are the ones that most immediately pop into my head.
Oh yes. I'm well versed in Stephen King's world of The Dark Tower. I haven't read all of King's books but I've read through most of The Dark Tower Concordances.
Sweet.
Question: When I finally do tackle the DT series, should I read them in narrative chronological order (should I read The Wind Through the Keyhole between books 4&5, for example), or in their published order?
I would read them in their published order. If you want to do Keyhole between 4 & 5, you certainly can. It won't take anything away. But it'll slow down your momentum. Keyhole is really not necessary to the saga. It's a lovely story, but if you never read it, you wouldn't be missing anything really. It's a fable. But I do really love it. And you should make sure you read the short story about Roland from 'Everything's Eventual.' That thing is fucking awesome. But again, that can wait until after you know the characters and the whole story.
You could read The Little Sisters of Eluria (the short story) before The Gunslinger, though. That won't really change anything. But I think it's a better read if you're already kind of attached to Roland.
CopperTom wrote:It may be time to read Through the Keyhole.
I really enjoyed it for what it is. It's a lovely way to spend an afternoon or two. Great to be back in the world. But definitely a minor work and light.
