Request: Cliff notes on the ending of Steven King's Dark Tower series.

[yllus]

I've never read a single one of his books in that series, but I remember the furor over the end of the storyline a while back. I've been meaning to ask for an explanation and was just reminded to do so yesterday when I read a couple pages of Book VII in the library.

So, what's so aggravating/annoying/etc. about the end of the Dark Tower series? Did the story start all over again as soon as Roland reached the tower?

 

[backinsac]

Bingo

 

[mflacy]

Roland forgot the keys to the tower and had to go back to get them.

 

[CChaos]

Nobody is particularly fond of reality, where the manner in which we comport ourselves is truly paramount. They prefer to believe in the mythical heaven, Shangri-La, whatever where we get to pet our old dogs again and everyone forgives us for being such asshats. So Roland steps through the last door in the Dark Tower and is immediately back in the desert pursuing the man in black. It's the journey my friends, as it ever was. I say Bravo!

 

[Argo]

I understood it slightly different - I thought Roland became God since according to the man in black "There is no God because I've been to the room on the top of the tower, and nobody is there". So by getting into that room, Roland effectively became the God of the universe.

 

[MrChad]

I think people were upset because they felt like the ending was a cop out. By the last book you know that Roland will reach the Dark Tower, and everyone is dying to know what awaits him there. As King says prior to the ending, it's the journey that's more important than the end goal, but like Roland, we as the readers are compelled to read on and find out what awaits. It's a bit anticlimactic, to say the least.

I thought the ending was great, but I'm sure people who started the series way back in the 70s were a little more disappointed.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Argo
I understood it slightly different - I thought Roland became God since according to the man in black "There is no God because I've been to the room on the top of the tower, and nobody is there". So by getting into that room, Roland effectively became the God of the universe.

If you read the Gunslinger again (at least the newly revised version, I haven't read the original), the Man in Black hints that he is aware of Roland's plight (the endless loop). There are also signs that he pities Roland a bit, and tries to steer him away from the quest for the tower in an effort to keep him from repeating his mistakes. Roland doesn't get it and continues to place the Tower above everything and everyone else, which is probably why he is cursed with the burden for eternity.

 

[Phoenix15]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Argo
I understood it slightly different - I thought Roland became God since according to the man in black "There is no God because I've been to the room on the top of the tower, and nobody is there". So by getting into that room, Roland effectively became the God of the universe.

If you read the Gunslinger again (at least the newly revised version, I haven't read the original), the Man in Black hints that he is aware of Roland's plight (the endless loop). There are also signs that he pities Roland a bit, and tries to steer him away from the quest for the tower in an effort to keep him from repeating his mistakes. Roland doesn't get it and continues to place the Tower above everything and everyone else, which is probably why he is cursed with the burden for eternity.

BUTTTTTTTTTT,


Don't forget that when he went through, he had Arthur Eld's horn. A symbol that perhaps this time would be different.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Phoenix15

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Argo
I understood it slightly different - I thought Roland became God since according to the man in black "There is no God because I've been to the room on the top of the tower, and nobody is there". So by getting into that room, Roland effectively became the God of the universe.

If you read the Gunslinger again (at least the newly revised version, I haven't read the original), the Man in Black hints that he is aware of Roland's plight (the endless loop). There are also signs that he pities Roland a bit, and tries to steer him away from the quest for the tower in an effort to keep him from repeating his mistakes. Roland doesn't get it and continues to place the Tower above everything and everyone else, which is probably why he is cursed with the burden for eternity.

BUTTTTTTTTTT,


Don't forget that when he went through, he had Arthur Eld's horn. A symbol that perhaps this time would be different.

True.

There is still hope that he can break the cycle.

 

[GasX]

The infuriating thing is that Stephen King uses 14 pages to describe what can effectively and eloquently be expressed in a sentence.

 

[sixone]

Originally posted by: MrChad

There is still hope that he can break the cycle.

And that hope existed every time he repeated it. That's the sad part, IMHO.