New Ending?

[Edward John]

Many of SK stories are open- ended, leaving it up to the reader to decide. A conclusion , in my opinion, is not always necessary. Without one, it leads to lingering questions for the reader. The ending of the DT kept the authenticity of Roland's quest.

I do like multiple choice endings, but my problem with the tower is that he doesn't really give you one at all.

Spoiler

When Roland is transported back to the beginning of the story, doomed to repeat the whole tale again, except this time with the horn of Eld, so it is hinted at that with the end things might be different, although, we never get to find out what differences await Roland at the top, this is my problem with it.

 

[Spideyman]

I do like multiple choice endings, but my problem with the tower is that he doesn't really give you one at all.

Spoiler

When Roland is transported back to the beginning of the story, doomed to repeat the whole tale again, except this time with the horn of Eld, so it is hinted at that with the end things might be different, although, we never get to find out what differences await Roland at the top, this is my problem with it.

I understand.

Spoiler

It left an unsatisfied feeling. That is where the open ended comes to play-- SK left it up to the reader to decided what those differences
might be.

 

[Edward John]

I understand.

Spoiler

It left an unsatisfied feeling. That is where the open ended comes to play-- SK left it up to the reader to decided what those differences
might be.

Don't get me wrong, it's still my favourite series of all time, and the ending doesn't much affect my enjoyment, but I just thought that giving an ending, even if it ended badly for Roland, was what the series deserved.

 

[Moderator]

I thought that over time his opinion might have changed. And I'm sure that if you asked him when he wrote the ending of The Stand if he thought it was the only ending then he would have said the same, but over time, of course, opinions change.

Very true but I don't think he would change the ending for this one.

 

[Edward John]

Very true but I don't think he would change the ending for this one.

The ending doesn't really affect my enjoyment of the whole series that much. I don't think that that will be the ending they use in the TV series though, as I can imagine the outrage of an ending like that on a TV audience. Maybe it will be like the film and Roland will have the horn of Eld? Maybe this will be the last time around? I can imagine the outrage, if people can't accept the ending of GOT, then I don't think they would accept the book ending.

 

[Moderator]

The ending doesn't really affect my enjoyment of the whole series that much. I don't think that that will be the ending they use in the TV series though, as I can imagine the outrage of an ending like that on a TV audience. Maybe it will be like the film and Roland will have the horn of Eld? Maybe this will be the last time around? I can imagine the outrage, if people can't accept the ending of GOT, then I don't think they would accept the book ending.

My understanding is that the TV series is focused on events from Wizard & Glass but whether it continues, we'll have to see. If it does, Steve has veto over the scripts so if he doesn't want it to end another way, he'll be able to say so.

 

[Edward John]

My understanding is that the TV series is focused on events from Wizard & Glass but whether it continues, we'll have to see. If it does, Steve has veto over the scripts so if he doesn't want it to end another way, he'll be able to say so.

That's interesting, they'll probably cast a younger Roland, I know they have already said who it is they want to play him but I've never heard of him, I thought it would be better to do a stand alone story to introduce the story, like Wind Through the Keyhole, then introduce the other aspects, maybe do the Wizard in Glass through flashbacks? I heard a rumour that if the film was a success then they were going to do a TV series with Elba and McConaughey, do you know if this was the case? I wasn't sure because they're film actors and I found it unlikely that they would do a TV series.

 

[Moderator]

That's interesting, they'll probably cast a younger Roland, I know they have already said who it is they want to play him but I've never heard of him, I thought it would be better to do a stand alone story to introduce the story, like Wind Through the Keyhole, then introduce the other aspects, maybe do the Wizard in Glass through flashbacks? I heard a rumour that if the film was a success then they were going to do a TV series with Elba and McConaughey, do you know if this was the case? I wasn't sure because they're film actors and I found it unlikely that they would do a TV series.

The plan at the beginning was to release a film first, then do the TV series but I don't know what the plans are at the moment. It's been a few months since I've seen any updates and haven't asked Steve what he knows. Last I'd heard they were still waiting for Amazon to give the green light for more episodes after filming the pilot.

 

[Edward John]

The plan at the beginning was to release a film first, then do the TV series but I don't know what the plans are at the moment. It's been a few months since I've seen any updates and haven't asked Steve what he knows. Last I'd heard they were still waiting for Amazon to give the green light for more episodes after filming the pilot.

I know, I have not heard much about the TV series in a while, with the news that the latest Game of Thrones spin-off was cancelled after a pilot, I only hope that they have not decided to not go to series.

 

[fljoe0]

It would be hard to improve on perfection as far as the ending of The Dark Tower series. Ka is a wheel

I think the ending was perfect too. Of course, it was a bummer for our characters but I think it's the right ending.

 

[Edward John]

I think the ending was perfect too. Of course, it was a bummer for our characters but I think it's the right ending.

The thing is; it's not an ending, it can't even be called that. It doesn't end well for Roland, nor does it end badly, it just doesn't.

 

[ghost19]

I think the ending was perfect too. Of course, it was a bummer for our characters but I think it's the right ending.

True, but a good ending doesn't have to be a happy ending per say. With all that had happened throughout the series, it was just perfect.

 

[Edward John]

True, but a good ending doesn't have to be a happy ending per say. With all that had happened throughout the series, it was just perfect.

I don't think anyone has a problem with bad endings, i.e. endings that don't end well, because even if TDT had a bad ending it would still be an ending, but it doesnt really have one, it just, as you noted, goes like a wheel.

Spoiler

Did you like the fact that Roland is doomed to repeat the tale all over again? For that is an ending. But the fact that it hints that things might be different with the horn of Eld is what makes it a bad ending, for we will never find out what difference the horn makes.

 

[GNTLGNT]

 

[mal]

I thought the ending was perfect. But, as has been said, it's all a matter of opinion. If all things are correctly in place, and he reaches the top of the tower, and goes through the last door, he will...(that's exactly why I find the ending so perfect).

 

[kingricefan]

Stephen gave us the only ending that he could. Anything else would have been a 'cock-a-doodie' cheat. The first time I read the ending (I've taken the journey numerous times) I literally had to close my mouth which had popped open in shock and stop myself from throwing the book across the room. Then I took a moment (or two or four) to really think about what King had done and I smiled as I realized that it really was the only true ending that he could give us and that it was absolutely brilliant.

Spoiler

The ending that was given makes it so that it is up to the Constant Reader exactly when Roland's journey ends, if it ever does. I think with each turn of the wheel Roland learns lessons along the way that he takes with him to the next trip and his soul is eventually saved.

 

[Spideyman]

Stephen gave us the only ending that he could. Anything else would have been a 'cock-a-doodie' cheat. The first time I read the ending (I've taken the journey numerous times) I literally had to close my mouth which had popped open in shock and stop myself from throwing the book across the room. Then I took a moment (or two or four) to really think about what King had done and I smiled as I realized that it really was the only true ending that he could give us and that it was absolutely brilliant.

Spoiler

The ending that was given makes it so that it is up to the Constant Reader exactly when Roland's journey ends, if it ever does. I think with each turn of the wheel Roland learns lessons along the way that he takes with him to the next trip and his soul is eventually saved.

Excellent conclusions. Same reaction you had , and yes, the journey has been taken many times.

 

[Edward John]

I thought the ending was perfect. But, as has been said, it's all a matter of opinion. If all things are correctly in place, and he reaches the top of the tower, and goes through the last door, he will...(that's exactly why I find the ending so perfect).

But we never find out what is at the top of the tower, with the horn of Eld, because King has refused to tell the story we all thought he was telling.

 

[Edward John]

Excellent conclusions. Same reaction you had , and yes, the journey has been taken many times.

Spoiler

So Roland has had to go over the same horror over and over again, that is an ending. But it's the fact that King hints at the horn of Eld and what it might mean.

 

[Edward John]

Stephen gave us the only ending that he could. Anything else would have been a 'cock-a-doodie' cheat. The first time I read the ending (I've taken the journey numerous times) I literally had to close my mouth which had popped open in shock and stop myself from throwing the book across the room. Then I took a moment (or two or four) to really think about what King had done and I smiled as I realized that it really was the only true ending that he could give us and that it was absolutely brilliant.

Spoiler

The ending that was given makes it so that it is up to the Constant Reader exactly when Roland's journey ends, if it ever does. I think with each turn of the wheel Roland learns lessons along the way that he takes with him to the next trip and his soul is eventually saved.

Spoiler

Roland deserved some kind of consolidation for everything he went through, not to just go through it all over again.