Understand many of the thoughts that have been put forth here in this thread and in others in the discussion room. I remember being about 23 yo (1987) and seeing a fancy copy of "the gunslinger" at some comic book store. I asked the clerk if I could take a look at it ( as it had been kept behind the counters), I read the summary page and promptly dismissed it - as in my view this was not a stephen king book. yes, I know, in my defense I was young and stupid (now, just older and still stupid). anyways, move forward 20 plus years and I finally take the plunge and read book 1. takes me forever to get thru (meaning for me 2 weeks, never has a king book taken me more than 5 days to read). I have a difficult time getting thru it, as many of you had the same problem, and am a bit disillusioned over the story. Finally, I break down months later and get book 2 - and love it. sailed thru it and was drawn to the forming of the ka-tet and blown away by the death of jake (even knowing that it was bound to happen). Took me forever to get a copy of book 3, refusing to read any other book until I had gotten thru the dt series, because now I was completely enthralled with the whole story and characters, and I have finally gotten thru all 7 books plus book 8. I actually got book 8 and didn't pick it up for about 3 weeks after finishing book 7. why, because I didn't want it to end. I was so completely taken with this group of people that I didn't want it to come to an end. now having finished the series, I am going thru a bit of a depression/downer over not having roland and the gang in my life, so to speak. some may say that is nuts, but for those of us who feel the same way, it isn't. good stories always go straight to the heart and mind and become lodged inside us forever. one last thing, I am glad that I didn't read the series as king was having them published over 30 years. I would have been going crazy waiting for each new book. thankee, thankee, for being patient with my diatribe.