April 2011's SK Flavor of the Month - The Drawing of the Three

This month we are reading what should have been last month's book: The Drawing of the Three.

I've read this one before and remember various details of it. I remember liking it more than I did The Gunslinger.

I've just read the first section of the book: 'The Sailor'. It's probably due to the fact that King was older when he wrote this one (or maybe it was the exremely creepy-crawly 'lobstrosity'), but I noticed a big improvement over the first book in just those few pages.

Agreed. As much as I like the whole Dark Tower series, I find the first book, Gunslinger to be the poorest of them all. The writing in it just isn't as good as Kings' other works. I think there is a revised version of it now, where like 10,000 additional words have been added to make things more clear. But I just have the old illustrated edition. Not sure if its worth getting the new one...

I thought the revised edition of The Gunslinger was an improvement over the original, but take that for what it's worth, because I loved that book. The first 3 books in the series are my favorites. I've read The Drawing of the Three at least 3 times and it's always been unputdownable (if that is a word).

I started reading this book Thursday night and will probably be done tomorrow. Really an excellent story. I love the gunfight at Balazar's and the character of Odetta/Detta is really good. I have not read this is so long it's great to revisit it.

As for Gunslinger, I only have the revised edition and cannot remember the original one. So I am spared the bad writing. I would agree though that this one is far better. It seems like King really go an idea of who all will be involved in this great tale and hope deep the characters and story really can be.

I'm not following the King read-a-long, but I wanted to add my praise to this series, for what it's worth. I know that many King fans don't like the Dark Tower books as they really are quite different from his other body of work. However, his talent for characterization is unsurpassed here (in my opinion). By the time I was done, I felt I had lived a lifetime with these people. I also decided to wait several years and do the marathon again. I see now that I read them in 2007 - so maybe it is time....

I've just started the section dealing with Detta/Odetta in the subway.

I am liking the book more than I remember liking it the first time (it feels a lot like this is my first read through. I remember almost nothing of my previous read).

I have a feeling that these Dark Tower books will always feel sort of like an obligation as they pop-up (and I'm really not looking forward to re-reading Insomnia), but if they are all as good as the Drwaing of the Three I'll enjoy my time with them even if they aren't favorites.

By the way, is anyone else reminded a little of the show Quantum Leap?

I am half way through The Drawing of the Three and I agree with most everyone else. I just could not get into The Gunslinger.

Are you guys going through The Dark Tower series reading the next book the following month or did The Drawing of the Three just happen to be one of the books you selected?

we're ostensibly reading them in publication order, but we had a mix up in Mar/April. here's the list (scroll to #7)
http://www.librarything.com/topic/98909

Personally I'm giving the DT series a miss since I don't like them, but intend to read Gerald's Game next month.

Thanks Bookmarque!

I'm back on the bandwagon. ( I skipped Needful Things, I'll pick it up later) It's hard to get back in the groove when I got so far behind!

I am enjoying The Drawing of the Three a lot more than The Gunslinger. In fact I never read the Dark Tower series because of it. I'm reading the part about Roland opening the door and entering 'the prisoner'.

I finished the book. I was zipping through so fast I barely even stopped in to comment.

#8 - Personally I'm giving the DT series a miss since I don't like them

I hear you and agree. I'm reading them as part of this project because realistically, it's about the only way I'll ever read them.

#10 - I loved the way King described the doors. He answered all the questions I would have asked myself if an author were to describe a door on the beach like that. What does it look like from the back? Can it be seen from the side? Etc. He earned a point from me just for going in to those details.

I want to blab more, but don't want to 'get ahead' of everyone else.

I finished The Drawing of the Three and The Wastelands and I am currently reading Wizard and Glass. So far out of the 3 1/2 books of the DT series that I have read I liked The Drawing of the Three best.

Really liked this one and agree that it's an improvement over The Gunslinger. I thought it was particularly fascinating to see our world through Roland's eyes and how he reacted to everything--especially his way of interpreting words and language issues.

There is a long way to go for me since I am just getting started on reading the works in order. But I'm really looking forward to this one again. I feel like the actual reason that I want to read all of the books is to find clues to the Dark Tower series...books 2-4 I found particularly good from it. I agree about Gunslinger, the first time I really didn't take much from it (randomly reread it in January, which led to me finally getting around to Dark Tower).

The Drawing of the Three is refreshing after The Gunslinger. I'm only halfway through but I feel 100 times more likely to finish the series than I did during The Gunslinger.

Ok, so, I know this is a mega ancient thread, but I just recently got done reading the entire series for the first time and I think Drawing of the Three will always be my favorite! It’s just so exciting! It makes you want to jump in there with Roland and Eddie and KILL KILL KILL!!

I found this thread today after a search to locate something related to The Dark Tower series, and specifically The Drawing of the Three. I'm hoping other Constant Readers will discover this post and pitch in on my query.

First, I'm also a Constant Reader, though have never dipped my toe into your group here. But I read at least 2-3 Kings per year, and The Dark Tower series through every 2-3 years. I'm on my 6th read through and currently on The Drawing of the Three and discovered(?) something odd this time through.

I'm reading from Viking 2003 publication edition, so after the books were starting to be re-released/updated.

On page 44, Jane Doring, the stewardess on Eddie's flight to NY from the Bahamas, she comments on Eddie's eyes - hazel - as something she noticed about him, something that she found attractive about him. And she notices those eyes have changed to ice blue when she is asking him about what he wants to eat - this is while Roland has taken Eddie over - and she makes a tooterfish sandwich for him.

Then, on page 114, Col Vincent, one of Balazar's thugs, comments on Eddie's eyes changing - again, Roland has come forward at the sight of the neon tower sign at Balazar's - but he says the eyes turned from blue back to BROWN.

I'm kinda curious if anyone else has ever noticed this? Whether other editions have the same inconsistency? I don't know, anything?