SK Saturday: The Final Update

And so it's done, this journey I began (for the second, and last time) almost six months ago. What prompted me to travel once again down that long and winding path with Roland Deschain of Gilead? The arrival of a new chapter set in his world. It's been a good journey. There were tears and a little laughter. There was anger and disgust. It was worth it, even the second time. 

What did I think of this final chapter in the long quest for the Dark Tower? For the sake of a review I will give it four stars. It wasn't perfect for me as a reader, though it wasn't as heartbreaking as I feared. Characters I'd grown to love were lost along the way and the main one's ending left much to be desired. But I already knew that. That was the one thing I had remembered from my first trek with Roland. That wasn't why I made the journey again, as if I thought the outcome would be any different. I made it again because it's good to be reminded of the journey sometimes.

I needed to watch Eddie Dean fight his addiction with heroine and find his love of Susannah. I needed to see her find her love of Eddie and put that bitch Detta in her place. I needed to meet Jake and Oy. I needed to be reminded that Stephen King is the creator, and destroyer, of worlds far more intense than I could ever hope to make. It was a good journey and I'm glad I made it again. If you have not then you should. At least once. At least to meet the cast of unforgettable characters I'm mentioning. Or at least to be left with that queer feeling of wonder at SK's mention of his other works and his life on the road to the Dark Tower.

But be warned. This story is not for the faint of heart or one who would not finish it. Once begun it must be completed. Long days, and pleasant nights.