Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger

Stephen King

Jan 2016 · The Dark Tower Book 1 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by George Guidall

About this audiobook

“An impressive work of mythic magnitude that may turn out to be Stephen King’s greatest literary achievement” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), The Gunslinger is the first volume in the epic Dark Tower Series.

A #1 national bestseller, The Gunslinger introduces readers to one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations, Roland of Gilead: The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which mirrors our own in frightening ways, Roland tracks The Man in Black, encounters an enticing woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the boy from New York named Jake.

Inspired in part by the Robert Browning narrative poem, “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came,” The Gunslinger is “a compelling whirlpool of a story that draws one irretrievable to its center” (Milwaukee Sentinel). It is “brilliant and fresh…and will leave you panting for more” (Booklist).

Ratings and reviews

The whole series is a waste of time. Do not read this book because you will want to continue the series and it's not worth it. King gets lazy and gives up at the end. In other words, he bends you over without a reach around and makes exuses for not letting you finish. This series will make you not care to read any of King's other books or movies. Spoilers: it ends in a loop with only 1 difference. You might like some of it's cheap pop culture references but don't let that suck you in.

"Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came," wrote Robert Browning. "The man in black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed," wrote Stephen King, beginning an epic series worthy of Chauser or Shakespeare. Literally encompassing time, space, dimension, and love itself the seven volume tale took most of the author's life and invades most of his other works in some ways that show that Roland Deschain of Mid-World was never far from his mind, or maybe his subconscious. This volume begins with Roland Deschain, the last Gunslinger, chasing Walter the man dressed in black who had betrayed Roland's father's ka-tet, a group joined by destiny (called "ka") who were like knights of the round table with big pistols. Walter was Stephen Deschain's advisor but sold them out to an enemy. Roland wants answers. Why everyone was killed. He is the last survivor of Gilead and the one thing he has left to live for is catching up to Walter and getting answers.

My favorite book series! As a teenager I mistakenly started with book 4 (Wizards & Glass), I backtracked, read them all in order and fell in love with the series. My favorite books in the saga are Wizards and Glass, Song of Susannah, and Wolves of the Calla. You'll definitely need to delve into the saga to fully appreciate the world (and interconnectedness) that King has created. Many of his other books run parallel to this series.

About the author

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes the short story collection You Like It Darker, Holly (a New York Times Notable Book of 2023), Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.