It took quite a bit longer than expected, but I’ve finally finished reading The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla. To say it was a large book is an understatement. I had a lot going on in my life this past couple of weeks that kept me from reading every minute I wanted to. I also picked up an erotic romance to read at the same time to temper some of the ick I felt when reading about Susannah’s ever growing chap.
In this one we find Roland and his ka-tet growing much more in tune with each other. They’re still traveling along the beam toward the Dark Tower and find themselves in the town of Calla Bryn Sturgis. This town has a serious problem and a quartet of gunslingers (and one billybumbler) is just what they need to aid them.
We learn a bit more about each of the characters in this book. Roland can dance, Jake is really still a boy despite all he’s been through, Eddie can be quite the politician when needed, and Susannah hides yet another within her skull. This book is almost three stories in one binding.
I had forgotten much about this installment of The Dark Tower series. Most importantly, that it ends in a cliffhanger. I hate that. SK also does a lot of foreshadowing with ominous single lines at the ends of chapters. I kind of hate that too. But for all his little idiosyncrasies I still really liked this book. It gets us further along the path to the tower and Roland is given the chance to be a little more human.
Okay I have a confession to make. I’m not actually done with this, the fifth, installment of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series just yet. I’m about halfway there and it’s very slow going for me.
Part of the problem is I feel no sense of urgency with this one even though I don’t remember everything that happens. Of course, the fact that there is more to the series tells us at least Roland carries on the quest after this tale. Another reason may be that it is a slow tale. There’s much telling going on and at least three different threads.
First we have Father Callahan’s story. To muddle things up he is the priest from Salem’s Lot. That wasn’t a problem for me the first time I read this but time has had a way of changing me as a reader. It kind of bothers me now that SK decided to put so much of himself in this book. I know there’s much more later on but had forgotten how much was in this one. Not only is Salem’s Lot mentioned, but also characters from a few others. It’s not confusing to me just kind of annoying.
Second is the story of the Rose sitting in an abandoned lot in New York. The ka-tet has to save it by buying the lot to prevent an evil corporation from doing the same. Right now their plan is simple in word but difficult in deed. It involves time travel, which I’m not a huge fan of in stories, as well as for the cosmos to align correctly and shine favor on them. That’s not something SK is known for. We’ll see what happens.
Third is what the book is named for, the wolves who are on their way to Calla Bryn Sturgis. The farm/ranch town has been suffering from these invaders for centuries and need heroes to save them and their children. Roland and his crew arrive just on time to do so, but will they succeed? Time will tell.
So right now I’m at the point where all of the stories are told but it still remains to be seen where the chips will fall. I’ll get back on it this week in the hopes of finishing by next Saturday.
As I sit here writing this it’s actually Thursday evening. However, the current installation I’m working through, Wolves of the Calla, is a massive tome and I’m not even to the halfway point yet. So, I promise to read more and hopefully more quickly, this next week. But my muse has been active and I can’t ignore her when she starts yapping in my ear.
Author Missy Jane 