against my better judgement — and out of a voracious need to devour words — i re-read the gunslinger, also known as book I of the Dark Tower series. which is, undeniably, one of the finest pieces of literary work i’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. i poured through it in about 2 days total of reading, with a 3 day break in between (i found the book i had originally been reading, and subsequently misplaced).
i knew i shouldn’t…i knew no good could come of it, but i did it anyway. i mean, book VII was nothing if not utterly gut-wrenching…but i delved into the gunslinger all the same, with just as much zeal as the first run-through.
it’s then i realized just how fucked over i got myself. and dude, steven motherfucking king *knew* what he was doing! oh did he ever…and i succumbed to it. willingly, even! i mean, i poured through books V-VII so quickly, the sheer volume of pages i processed in so few days is staggering. book VI was devoured in the measely space of an afternoon!
but, and i’m sure king consulted his previous works when compiling the finale — he would have to — upon re-reading book I, i realize i was masterfully decieved.
the long-awaited (although, honestly i didn’t have to wait as long as some) conclusion to the DT series may have galvanized me, but the clues were all there. book I foretold it.
“…This is not the beginning but the beginning’s end. You’d do well to remember that…but you never do.”
“I don’t understand.”
“No. You don’t. You never did. You never will. You have no imagination. You’re blind that way.”
i just wasn’t paying attention to the clues…i didn’t see the signs…eyes open, but not seeing the right things. sonofabitch, just like roland…only no where near as freaking cool.
“You are the world’s last adventurer. The last crusader. How that must please you, Roland! Yet you have no idea how close you stand to the Tower now, as you resume your quest. Worlds turn about on your head.”
“What do you mean, resume? I never left off.”
of course, right now i’m bitter and wounded and reeling…and while i blame king for screwing me over so effectively, i wonder, if *really*, really and *truly* he had any idea…
did he?
“I don’t like people. They fuck me up.” — Jake
