Books Like The Dark Tower

Books Like The Dark Tower: Epic Fantasy Adventures for the Stephen King Fan

Introduction:

Are you a devoted fan of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series? That sprawling, multi-genre epic that blends fantasy, horror, science fiction, and Western elements into a captivating whole? If the Gunslinger’s journey left you craving more of that unique blend of high-stakes adventure, morally gray characters, and a vast, interconnected universe, then you’ve come to the right place. This comprehensive guide dives deep into the world of books similar to The Dark Tower, exploring titles that capture its essence of epic fantasy, dark themes, and unforgettable characters. We’ll explore narratives featuring interconnected worlds, compelling protagonists fighting against insurmountable odds, and storylines that weave magic and realism together seamlessly. Get ready to embark on a new literary adventure!


I. Epic Fantasy Series with Interconnected Worlds:

The Dark Tower's strength lies partly in its interconnectedness – the stories within the series, and the way it intersects with King's other works. Finding that level of interwoven narrative is key to finding similar reads. Several epic fantasy series master this interconnectedness:

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson): This sprawling series is known for its vast world, complex magic system, and a huge cast of characters with intricate relationships. The sheer scale and scope mirror The Dark Tower's ambition, while the intricate plot twists and turns will keep you guessing. The series' scope and ambition are comparable, offering a journey through a richly detailed world with numerous storylines that intertwine.

Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson: Prepare yourself for a complex and brutal world. Erikson’s series is densely written, featuring a multitude of viewpoints and a vast, intricately detailed history. While darker and more morally ambiguous than The Dark Tower, it shares the same feeling of a vast, deeply explored world with characters wrestling with monumental issues. The sheer scale and depth of this series rival that of King's magnum opus.

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin: This series is famous for its intricate political machinations, morally gray characters, and shocking plot twists. While lacking the direct fantastical elements of the Gunslinger's journey, it shares the same sense of high stakes and unpredictable storytelling. The complex character development and morally grey areas resonate with The Dark Tower's own nuanced characters.


II. Dark Fantasy and Grimdark Novels:

The Dark Tower isn’t always sunshine and roses; it delves into the darker aspects of humanity and features morally ambiguous characters. These reads offer a similarly gritty and dark fantasy experience:

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie: Abercrombie’s series is a masterclass in grimdark fantasy. It features brutal violence, cynical characters, and a bleak but compelling world. It offers a similar sense of cynical realism within a fantasy setting that mirrors the darker aspects of The Dark Tower.

The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence: This series follows Jorg Ancrath, a ruthless and morally ambiguous protagonist. The story is fast-paced, violent, and explores the themes of power, betrayal, and the corrupting influence of ambition, mirroring some of Roland's own struggles.

The Prince of Thorns Trilogy by Mark Lawrence: This series, a prequel to The Broken Empire, maintains a similar level of morally grey characters and brutal realities, again offering a counterpart to the morally complex world of The Dark Tower.


III. Fantasy with Western Influences:

The Dark Tower seamlessly blends fantasy elements with the tropes of classic Westerns. These novels offer a similar blend of genres:

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch: This urban fantasy series incorporates elements of police procedurals and British folklore, offering a unique blend of genres in a similar vein to The Dark Tower's genre-bending approach.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King (obviously!): While technically the first book of the series, reading it as a standalone (or rereading it) will remind you of the core elements that make this series so unique, making it a good recommendation for anyone seeking other books like it.


IV. Books Featuring a Relentless Protagonist on a Quest:

The Gunslinger's unwavering pursuit of the Dark Tower is a central theme. These books feature protagonists equally determined:

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: This novel features Kvothe, a legendary figure recounting his epic journey. While a different style, Kvothe's compelling story and the mysterious elements surrounding his past echo the captivating narrative of Roland's quest.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke: This historical fantasy novel features two magicians in Regency-era England, their rivalry and magical exploits offering a unique quest narrative similar in scope and depth to the Dark Tower series. While different in style, the sense of a larger magical world and the impact of powerful individuals mirrors The Dark Tower's scope.


V. Books Exploring Themes of Destiny and Fate:

A crucial aspect of The Dark Tower is the exploration of fate and destiny. These novels tackle similar themes:

The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss: (Already mentioned above, but deserves another mention here.) This series deeply explores Kvothe’s destiny and the consequences of his choices, echoing the themes of predestination and free will within the Dark Tower saga.


Sample Book Outline: The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)

Introduction: Introduces the world of Randland, the main characters (Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene, etc.), and the looming threat of the Dark One.

Main Chapters: The series spans numerous books, each focusing on different aspects of the overarching plot: the rise of the Dragon Reborn, the struggles against the Shadow, the political machinations in various kingdoms, and the deepening complexities of the characters and their relationships.

Conclusion: (Note: The conclusion is complex and differs in the original series vs. the completion by Brandon Sanderson.) Ultimately, the series culminates in a final confrontation with the Dark One and the fate of the world is decided.


Detailed Explanation of Outline Points:

Introduction: The opening books introduce the intricate world-building, establishing the history, magic system, and the political climate of Randland. We're introduced to a diverse cast of characters, each with their unique motivations and destinies.

Main Chapters: Each book progresses the overarching narrative, focusing on specific character arcs and storylines while advancing the larger conflict with the Shadow. The books intricately weave together individual character journeys with the bigger picture, mirroring the interconnected narratives in The Dark Tower. Political intrigue, battles, and magical confrontations drive the narrative forward.

Conclusion: The final books (completed by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan's death) bring together all the loose threads, culminating in a climactic battle between the forces of light and darkness. The fates of the characters are determined, and the future of Randland is shaped by their actions.


FAQs:

1. Are there any books like The Dark Tower that are standalone novels? While many similar books are part of series, standalone novels like The Name of the Wind offer a similarly epic single-volume experience.

2. What if I prefer lighter fantasy? While The Dark Tower has darker elements, lighter fantasy series such as Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson offer a similar sense of epic adventure with less grimness.

3. Are there books like The Dark Tower with strong female characters? Series like The Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire feature complex and powerful female characters who play significant roles in their respective narratives.

4. What books have similar world-building to The Dark Tower? Malazan Book of the Fallen is renowned for its incredibly deep and complex world-building, surpassing even the scope of The Dark Tower in some aspects.

5. Where can I find more books with similar morally grey characters? The First Law trilogy and The Broken Empire trilogy excel in presenting compelling and morally ambiguous protagonists.

6. Are there any books with a similar sense of adventure and quest? The Name of the Wind and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell both offer compelling narratives with similar levels of adventure and epic quests.

7. Which books offer a blend of fantasy and other genres, similar to The Dark Tower? Rivers of London successfully blends urban fantasy with police procedural elements, creating a similar multi-genre experience.

8. What if I'm looking for books with a similar dark and gritty tone? The grimdark subgenre, exemplified by Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, offers a similar level of bleakness and violence.

9. Are there any books that explore the theme of destiny as powerfully as The Dark Tower? The Kingkiller Chronicle delves deep into the concept of destiny and its impact on the protagonist’s life.


Related Articles:

1. Exploring the Interconnectedness of Stephen King's Works: This article delves into the multiverse concept within King's writings and how The Dark Tower serves as a central point.

2. The Best Grimdark Fantasy Series to Read After The Dark Tower: A curated list of grimdark fantasy series that emphasize morally grey characters and a bleak setting.

3. Epic Fantasy Series with Complex Magic Systems: Focuses on fantasy series that have well-developed and intriguing magic systems, comparing them to the magic in The Dark Tower.

4. Female Protagonists in Epic Fantasy: A Comparative Study: Analyzes the roles and significance of female characters in various epic fantasy series, drawing comparisons to The Dark Tower's female characters.

5. The Influence of Westerns on Fantasy Literature: Explores the intersection of Western and fantasy genres, using The Dark Tower as a prime example.

6. Top 10 Books with Unforgettable Protagonists: Features a list of novels with memorable and compelling protagonists, similar in complexity to Roland Deschain.

7. Exploring the Theme of Destiny in Literature: This article examines the concept of destiny in various literary works and compares the different approaches.

8. A Guide to Urban Fantasy Novels: A detailed overview of urban fantasy books, comparing their elements to the urban aspects of The Dark Tower.

9. The Best Books for Fans of Multiverse Stories: Curated list of books exploring the multiverse concept, similar to the interconnected universes in Stephen King's work.


  books like the dark tower: Nine Princes in Amber Roger Zelazny, 1977-03-01 Awakening in an Earth hospital unable to remember who he is or where he came from, Corwin is amazed to learn that he is one of the sons of Oberon, King of Amber, and is the rightful successor to the crown in a parallel world.
  books like the dark tower: The Dark Tower Boxed Set Stephen King, 2017-09-05 For the first time ever as a complete ebook series, all of Stephen King’s eight Dark Tower novels—one of the most acclaimed and popular series of all time. Special bonus: The ebook boxed set now includes The Complete Concordance, a user’s guide to the Dark Tower world. Set in a world of ominous landscape and macabre menace, The Dark Tower series features one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations—The Gunslinger—a haunting figure who embodies the qualities of the lone hero through the ages, from ancient myth to frontier Western legend. As Roland crosses a desert of damnation in a treacherous world that is a twisted image of our own, he moves ever closer to the Dark Tower of his dreams—and nightmares. This stunning, must-have collection includes: The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger; The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three; The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands; The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass; The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole; The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla; The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah; and The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower. The perfect keepsake for Stephen King fans, The Dark Tower 8-Book Boxed Set is the most extraordinary and imaginative cycle of tales in the English language from “the reigning King of American popular literature” (Los Angeles Daily News).
  books like the dark tower: Stephen King's The Dark Tower Concordance Robin Furth, 2012-11-06 The Complete Concordance is an entertaining and incredibly useful guide to Stephen King’s epic Dark Tower series by Robin Furth and features a foreword by Stephen King himself. The Dark Tower series is the backbone of Stephen King's legendary career. Eight books and more than three thousand pages make up this bestselling fantasy epic. The Complete Concordance covers books I-VII and The Wind Through the Keyhole and is the definitive encyclopedic reference book that provides readers with everything they need to navigate their way through the series. With hundreds of characters, Mid-World geography, High Speech lexicon, and extensive cross-references, this comprehensive handbook is essential for any Dark Tower fan. Includes: -A Foreword from Stephen King -Characters and Genealogies -Magical Objects and Forces -Mid-World and Our World Places -Portals and Magical Places -Mid-, End-, and Our World Maps -Timeline for the Dark Tower Series -Mid-World Dialects -Mid-World Rhymes, Songs, and Prayers -Political and Cultural References -References to Stephen King’s Own Work
  books like the dark tower: Amnesia Moon Jonathan Lethem, 2014-03-11 A funny, inventive, and wholly original post-apocalyptic novel from the author of Motherless Brooklyn and The Arrest Meet Chaos, a young man who's living in a movie theater in post-apocalyptic Wyoming, drinking alcohol, and eating food out of cans. It's an unusual and at times unbearable existence, but Chaos soon discovers that his post-nuclear reality may have no connection to the truth. So he takes to the road with a girl named Melinda in order to find answers. As the pair travels through the United States they find that, while each town has been affected differently by the mysterious source of the apocalypse, none of the people they meet can fill in their incomplete memories or answer their questions. Gradually, figures from Chaos's past, including some who appear only under the influence of intravenously administered drugs, make Chaos remember some of his forgotten life as a man named Moon.
  books like the dark tower: The Road to the Dark Tower Bev Vincent, 2004-09-28 AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE DARK TOWER SERIES—INCLUDING BOOK-BY-BOOK ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT INTO STEPHEN KING'S CREATIVE PROCESS. In 1970, Stephen King embarked on what would become the crowning achievement in his literary career-the Dark Tower. The seven-volume series, written and published over a period of 30 years, was inspired by Robert Browning's poem Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, as well as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and the spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone. With the full cooperation of Stephen King himself, The Road to the Dark Tower examines the epic journey of the author to complete a story that threatened to overwhelm him. In this indispensable companion, Bev Vincent presents a book-by-book analysis of each volume in the series, tracing the Dark Tower's connections to King's other novels including The Stand, Insomnia, and Hearts in Atlantis, and offering insights from the author about the creative process involved in crafting his lifelong work-a work that has consumed not only Stephen King, but his legion of devoted readers. This is essential reading for any Dark Tower-or Stephen King-fan.
  books like the dark tower: Walking Across Egypt Clyde Edgerton, 1987-01-03 An unpretentious, finely-crafted novel that will linger with the readers like the last strains of a favorite hymn. It is more enjoyable than a pitcher full of sweet tea and one of Mattie's home-cooked dinners.--The Atlanta Journal & Constitution She had as much business keeping a stray dog as she had walking across Egypt--which not so incidentally is the title of her favorite hymn. She's Mattie Rigsbee, an independent, strong-minded senior citizen, who at 78, might be slowing down just a bit. When young, delinquent Wesley Benfield drops in on her life, he is even less likely a companion than the stray dog. But, of course, the dog never tasted her mouth-watering pound cake....Wise witty, down-home and real, Walking Across Egypt is a book for everyone.
  books like the dark tower: Desperation, the Regulators Stephen King, 1996
  books like the dark tower: Four Past Midnight Stephen King, 2017-04-25 Four novellas about horror in the late night hours.
  books like the dark tower: The Haunted Mesa Louis L'Amour, 2004-08-03 The Navajo called them the Anasazi, the “ancient enemy,” and their abandoned cities haunt the canyons and plateaus of the Southwest. For centuries the sudden disappearance of these people baffled historians. Summoned to a dark desert plateau by a desperate letter from an old friend, renowned investigator Mike Raglan is drawn into a world of mystery, violence, and explosive revelations. Crossing a border beyond the laws of man and nature, he will learn of the astonishing world of the Anasazi and discover the most extraordinary frontier ever encountered.
  books like the dark tower: The Seer Sonia Orin Lyris, 2016-02-16 Everybody Wants Answers. No One Wants the Truth. The Arunkel empire has stood a thousand years, forged by wealth and conquest, but now rebellion is stirring on the borders and treachery brews in the palace halls. Elsewhere, in a remote mountain village, a young mother sells the prophesies of her sister, Amarta, in order to keep them and her infant child from starving. It's a dangerous game when such revelations draw suspicion and mistrust as often as they earn coin. Yet Amarta's visions are true. And often not at all what the seeker wishes to hear. Now in a tapestry of loyalty, intrigue, magic, and gold, Amarta has become the key to a ruler's ambitions. But is she nothing beyond a tool? As Amarta comes into her own as a seer, she realizes she must do more than predict the future. She must create it. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About The Seer: Compelling characters, a fully imagined world, and a gripping narrative: The Seer announces Sonia Lyris as a new and exciting voice in epic fantasy. I highly recommend this novel, and I look forward to her next.—David B. Coe, author of best-selling Winds of the Forelands series The Seer is something extremely rare these days: a fantasy which is complex, complete, so intricate that you feel the picture goes on far, far beyond the parts of it which are in the book. There is a wonderful depth to it, and the characters and the setting in which the characters find themselves (both horrific and fascinating) made it compelling reading. The story's separate threads left me wondering how the author could possibly weave them together. She did so brilliantly, it was masterful and I was very impressed.—Dave Freer, author of the critically acclaimed Dragon's Ring series
  books like the dark tower: The Marbury Lens Andrew Smith, 2010-11-09 “Mixing a trauma reckoning with dark, apocalyptic fantasy,” a psychological thriller about a teen who faces down demons in an alternate universe (Booklist, starred review). Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury. There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them. Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he’s losing his mind. Andrew Smith has written his most beautiful and personal novel yet, as he explores the nightmarish outer limits of what trauma can do to our bodies and our minds. “An engrossing horror/fantasy hybrid . . . Nightmarish imagery is chillingly effective, and the pacing superbly builds suspense.” —Kirkus Reviews “[The Marbury Lens] will keep readers enthralled with its well-developed characters and unique plot.” —School Library Journal “This bloody and genuinely upsetting book packs an enormous emotional punch.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “The Marbury Lens crawls inside your head and won’t leave. Scary, creepy, awful and awesome. What a cool book!” —Michael Grant, New York Times–bestselling author of Gone and Hunger “Smith keeps the tension between Marbury and the present-day worlds as taut as the tightrope Jack walks. . . . Just try to put this book down.” —Shelf Awareness
  books like the dark tower: The Dark Tower Companion Bev Vincent, 2013-04-02 A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO STEPHEN KING'S BESTSELLING DARK TOWER SERIES. “A valuable tool for exploring the series. Both newcomers and frequent visitors to Mid-World will be informed and delighted.”—Stephen King The story of Roland Deschain of Gilead, the last gunslinger, and his lifelong quest to reach the tower and save humanity across infinite parallel worlds is one that has consumed Stephen King throughout his career as characters and concepts crossed back and forth between the series and the rest of his fictional universe. The Dark Tower Companion is the ultimate compendium to King’s evolving magnum opus, presenting the mythology, history, and geography of this epic fantasy that has captivated generations of readers. Featuring interviews with Stephen King, Ron Howard, Dark Tower expert Robin Furth and others, Bev Vincent reveals The Dark Tower’s influential literary origins, examines its connections to the vast majority of King’s other novels, explores the expanded universe, catalogs the major characters, locations and concepts, and includes a travel guide to the story’s real-world locations, giving fans who have followed Roland’s journey—or those who are discovering it for the first time—a fascinating overview of the series and an inside look at the creative process of one of the world’s most popular authors.
  books like the dark tower: Soft Apocalypse Will McIntosh, 2012-12-06 We've always imagined the world coming to an end in spectacular, explosive fashion. But what if - instead - humanity is just destined to slowly crumble? For Jasper and his nomadic tribe, their former life as middle-class Americans seems like a distant memory. Their world took a turn for the worse - and then never got better. Resources are running out, jobs keep getting scarcer, and the fabric of society is slowly disintegrating . . . . But in the midst of this all, Jasper's just a guy trying to make ends meet, find a nice girl who won't screw him around, and keep his group safe on the violent streets. Soft Apocalypse follows the tribe's struggle to find a place for themselves and their children in the dangerous new place their world has become.
  books like the dark tower: Black House Stephen King, Peter Straub, 2012-11-06 From the #1 New York Times bestselling authors of The Talisman, “an intelligent…suspenseful page-turner” (The Wall Street Journal) from “two master craftsmen, each at the top of his game” (The Washington Post). Twenty years ago, a boy named Jack Sawyer traveled to a parallel universe called the Territories to save his mother and her Territories “Twinner” from an agonizing death that would have brought cataclysm to the other world. Now Jack is a retired Los Angeles homicide detective living in the nearly nonexistent hamlet of Tamarack, Wisconsin. He has no recollection of his adventures in the Territories, and was compelled to leave the police force when an odd, happenstance event threatened to awaken those memories. When a series of gruesome murders occur in western Wisconsin that are reminiscent of those committed several decades ago by a madman named Albert Fish, the killer is dubbed “the Fishman,” and Jack’s buddy, the local chief of police, begs Jack to help the inexperienced force find him. But are these new killings merely the work of a disturbed individual, or has a mysterious and malignant force been unleashed in this quiet town? What causes Jack’s inexplicable waking dreams—if that is what they are—of robins’ eggs and red feathers? It’s almost as if someone is trying to tell him something. As this cryptic message becomes increasingly impossible to ignore, Jack is drawn back to the Territories and to his own hidden past, where he may find the soul-strength to enter a terrifying house at the end of a deserted tract of forest, there to encounter the obscene and ferocious evils sheltered within it.
  books like the dark tower: The Half-Made World Felix Gilman, 2013-12-12 The world is still only half-made. Between the wild shores of uncreation, and the ancient lands of the East lies the vast expanse of the West---young, chaotic, magnificent, war-torn. Thirty years ago, the Red Republic fought to remake the West---fought gloriously, and failed. The world that now exists has been carved out amid a war between two rival factions: the Line, enslaving the world with industry, and the Gun, a cult of terror and violence. The Republic is now history, and the last of its generals sits forgotten and nameless in a madhouse on the edge of creation. But locked in his memories is a secret that could change the West forever, and the world’s warring powers would do anything to take it from him. Now Liv Alverhuysen, a doctor of the new science of psychology, travels west, hoping to heal the general’s shattered mind. John Creedmoor, reluctant Agent of the Gun and would-be gentleman of leisure, travels west, too, looking to steal the secret or die trying. And the servants of the Line are on the march.
  books like the dark tower: The Seventh Sword Dave Duncan, 2017-07-11 A young man is transformed into a barbarian fighter in this adventurous series from “one of the leading masters of epic fantasy” (Publishers Weekly). In this complete collection of the high fantasy Seventh Sword series by Aurora Award–winning author Dave Duncan, Wallie Smith must face a new destiny and save an unfamiliar world from evil forces. The Reluctant Swordsman: Wallie goes to the hospital and wakes up in the body of a barbarian swordsman, accompanied by a voluptuous slave girl and an eccentric priest babbling about the Goddess. When he learns the Goddess needs a swordsman, he reluctantly agrees to set off on her quest. The Coming of Wisdom: Wallie is staring death in the face when the Goddess gives him a new body and the fabled Sapphire Sword in return for being her champion. But Wallie and his weapon quickly find themselves outmatched in a world of high-stakes magic. The Destiny of the Sword: Wallie is entrusted by the presiding goddess with a mission to bring together all the swordsmen to finally defeat the sorcerers and their terrible technology. And while he’s not quite convinced he should oblige, goddesses can be very persuasive . . . The Death of Nnanji: For fifteen years the truce has held, but now sorcerers have started killing swordsmen again and swordsmen traitors are aiding them. Wallie, known now as Shonshu, must ride out to fight the war he hoped would never come, and his failure or success will determine the fate of the world for the next thousand years.
  books like the dark tower: Best Served Cold Joe Abercrombie, 2009-06-01 Springtime in Styria. And that means war. There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king. War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. Her allies include Styria's least reliable drunkard, Styria's most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that's all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started... Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.
  books like the dark tower: Terry Funk Terry Funk, Scott E. Williams, 2012-06 This is the story of the life and career of unpredictable former professionalwrestling star Terry Funk, known around the world as The Hardcore Legend.
  books like the dark tower: Gilligan's Wake Tom Carson, 2007-04-01 A kaleidoscopic novel about our last American century A skipper plies the waters of the South Pacific, running ammunition and passing the time with navy buddies McHale and Jack Kennedy, remembering the sweet caress of Screw-Me Susie. A New York millionaire reunites with his prep school classmate Alger Hiss, and journeys to an unusual downtown cafe to meet a bearded friend. A young woman and her confidante Daisy Buchanan sink into the languor of the Hamptons and Provincetown. A buxom redhead from Alabam-don't-give-a-damn travels to Hollywood, in search of fame and fortune. A charismatic professor assists Robert Oppenheimer with his desert calculations and is henceforth the author of every American political conspiracy. And Mary-Ann Kilroy leaves Russell, Kansas, for Paris and love, only to discover that you can never go home (nor leave the island). But beneath these stories is the story of their author, an institutionalized shadow man who has twisted the histories of six characters into a pastiche of American history.
  books like the dark tower: Desert Places Blake Crouch, 2011 Andrew Z Thomas is a successful writer of suspense thrillers, living the dream at this lake house in the peidmont of North Carolina. One afternoon in late spring, he receives a bizarre letter that eventually threatens his career, his sanity, and the lives of everyone he loves. A murderer is designing his future, and for the life of him Andrew can't get away.
  books like the dark tower: The Little Sisters of Eluria Stephen King, Robin Furth, Peter David, 2019-03-05 Enter once more the world of Roland Deschain—and the world of the Dark Tower...presented in a stunning graphic novel form that will unlock the doorways to terrifying secrets and bold storytelling as part of the dark fantasy masterwork and magnum opus from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King. “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” With these unforgettable words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King’s iconic character Roland Deschain of Gilead. Roland is the last of his kind, a “gunslinger” charged with protecting whatever goodness and light remains in his world—a world that “moved on,” as they say. In this desolate reality—a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic, and yet one that mirrors our own in frightening ways—Roland is on a spellbinding and soul-shattering quest to locate and somehow save the mystical nexus of all worlds, all universes: the Dark Tower. Now, in the graphic novel series adaptation Stephen King's The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, originally published by Marvel Comics in single-issue form and creatively overseen by Stephen King himself, the full story of Roland's troubled past and ongoing saga is revealed. Sumptuously drawn by Richard Isanove, Sean Phillips, Luke Ross, and Michael Lark, plotted by longtime Stephen King expert Robin Furth, and scripted by New York Times bestselling author Peter David, The Gunslinger adaptation is an extraordinary and terrifying journey—ultimately serving as the perfect introduction for new readers to Stephen King’s modern literary classic The Dark Tower, while giving longtime fans thrilling adventures transformed from his blockbuster novels. Now near death following a vicious attack by the Slow Mutants, Roland Deschain is taken in by a group of nuns who specialize in anything but the healing arts. These hideous, corpse-like creatures—the Little Sisters of Eluria—have murder on their twisted minds. And in his current condition, there’s almost nothing that the last gunslinger can do to prevent their tender mercies from taking hold….
  books like the dark tower: Stephen King's The Dark Tower: Beginnings Stephen King, Peter David, Robin Furth, Jae Lee, Richard Isanove, 2018-10-23 Enter once more the world of Roland Deschain—and the world of the Dark Tower...now presented in a stunning graphic novel form that will unlock the doorways to terrifying secrets and bold storytelling as part of the dark fantasy masterwork and magnum opus from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King. “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” With these unforgettable words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King’s iconic character Roland Deschain of Gilead. Roland is the last of his kind, a “gunslinger” charged with protecting whatever goodness and light remains in his world—a world that “moved on,” as they say. In this desolate reality—a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic, and yet one that mirrors our own in frightening ways—Roland is on a spellbinding and soul-shattering quest to locate and somehow save the mystical nexus of all worlds, all universes: the Dark Tower. Now, in the graphic novel series Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: Beginnings, originally published by Marvel Comics in single-issue form and creatively overseen by Stephen King himself, the full story of Roland's troubled past and coming-of-age is revealed. Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, plotted by longtime Stephen King expert Robin Furth, and scripted by New York Times bestselling author Peter David, Beginnings is an extraordinary and terrifying journey into Roland’s origins—ultimately serving as the perfect introduction for new readers to Stephen King’s modern literary classic The Dark Tower, while giving longtime fans thrilling adventures merely hinted at in his blockbuster novels. This boxed set includes the complete graphic novel series BEGINNINGS: THE GUNSLINGER BORN * THE LONG ROAD HOME * TREACHERY * THE FALL OF GILEAD * THE BATTLE OF JERICHO HILL
  books like the dark tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole Stephen King, 2012-08-28 Now a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba In The Wind Through the Keyhole, Stephen King returns to the rich landscape of Mid-World, the spectacular territory of the Dark Tower fantasy saga that stands as his most beguiling achievement. Roland Deschain and his ka-tet--Jake, Susannah, Eddie, and Oy, the billy-bumbler--encounter a ferocious storm just after crossing the River Whye on their way to the Outer Baronies. As they shelter from the howling gale, Roland tells his friends not just one strange story but two...and in so doing, casts new light on his own troubled past. In his early days as a gunslinger, in the guilt-ridden year following his mother's death, Roland is sent by his father to investigate evidence of a murderous shape-shifter, a skin-man preying upon the population around Debaria. Roland takes charge of Bill Streeter, the brave but terrified boy who is the sole surviving witness to the beast's most recent slaughter. Only a teenager himself, Roland calms the boy and prepares him for the following day's trials by reciting a story from the Magic Tales of the Eld that his mother often read to him at bedtime. A person's never too old for stories, Roland says to Bill. Man and boy, girl and woman, never too old. We live for them. And indeed, the tale that Roland unfolds, the legend of Tim Stoutheart, is a timeless treasure for all ages, a story that lives for us. King began the Dark Tower series in 1974; it gained momentum in the 1980s; and he brought it to a thrilling conclusion when the last three novels were published in 2003 and 2004. The Wind Through the Keyhole is sure to fascinate avid fans of the Dark Tower epic. But this novel also stands on its own for all readers, an enchanting and haunting journey to Roland's world and testimony to the power of Stephen King's storytelling magic.
  books like the dark tower: Level 7 Mordecai Roshwald, 2004-07-15 Level 7 is the diary of Officer X-127, who is assigned to stand guard at the Push Buttons, a machine devised to activate the atomic destruction of the enemy, in the country’s deepest bomb shelter. Four thousand feet underground, Level 7 has been built to withstand the most devastating attack and to be self-sufficient for five hundred years. Selected according to a psychological profile that assures their willingness to destroy all life on Earth, those who are sent down may never return. Originally published in 1959, and with over 400,000 copies sold, this powerful dystopian novel remains a horrific vision of where the nuclear arms race may lead, and is an affirmation of human life and love. Level 7 merits comparison to Huxley’s A Brave New World and Orwell’s 1984 and should be considered a must-read by all science fiction fans.
  books like the dark tower: Red Rising Pierce Brown, 2014-01-28 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Pierce Brown’s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. “Red Rising ascends above a crowded dys­topian field.”—USA Today ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, Shelf Awareness “I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.” “I live for you,” I say sadly. Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.” Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he toils willingly, trusting that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so. Praise for Red Rising “[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown’s dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender’s Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric.”—Entertainment Weekly “Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow.”—Scott Sigler “Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch Don’t miss any of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga: RED RISING • GOLDEN SON • MORNING STAR • IRON GOLD • DARK AGE • LIGHT BRINGER
  books like the dark tower: The Gathering Storm Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, 2009-10-27 The Wheel of Time is now an original series on Prime Video, starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine! With Robert Jordan’s untimely passing in 2007, Brandon Sanderson, the New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn novels and the Stormlight Archive, was chosen by Jordan’s editor—his wife, Harriet McDougal—to complete the final volume in The Wheel of Time®, later expanded to three books. The Gathering Storm, the twelfth novel in Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, begins the story’s dramatic conclusion as Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. War is coming. The Dark One’s forces are brutal and unrelenting. Rand must forge a united front, but the Seanchan remain an immediate threat, as do the Forsaken. With so many shadows swirling around him, Rand is consumed by his responsibilities, turning heartless in the eyes of his allies, and even more merciless to his enemies. Meanwhile the Seanchan march on the White Tower, where Egwene al'Vere works to rally the disparate factions of the Aes Sedai together, even as their tyrannical leader schemes against her. Providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair, Egwene’s fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower—and possibly the world itself. Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® by Robert Jordan has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters. The last six books in series were all instant #1 New York Times bestsellers, and The Eye of the World was named one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read. The Wheel of Time® New Spring: The Novel #1 The Eye of the World #2 The Great Hunt #3 The Dragon Reborn #4 The Shadow Rising #5 The Fires of Heaven #6 Lord of Chaos #7 A Crown of Swords #8 The Path of Daggers #9 Winter's Heart #10 Crossroads of Twilight #11 Knife of Dreams By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson #12 The Gathering Storm #13 Towers of Midnight #14 A Memory of Light By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons The Wheel of Time Companion By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk Patterns of the Wheel: Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
  books like the dark tower: Radix A a Attanasio, 2023-03-02 A saga of a young man's odyssey of self-discovery on an eerily alien Earth thirteen centuries in the future. Rich in detail and filled with beings brought to life with intense energy, this strange and beautiful world reveals its secrets as Sumner Kagan changes from an adolescent outcast to a warrior with godlike powers. In the process, we accompany Sumner on an epic and transcendent journey. Nebula Award Nominee WARNING This is not a typical science fiction novel. Radix is anarchic fiction. It uses mutinous language and grotesque imagery to dismantle the conventional way of perceiving and experiencing narrative and the world. It is a dangerous work of art. It is not intended for readers with traditional expectations or fragile sensibilities. Inspired by Arthur Rimbaud's A Season in Hell, published a century earlier, Radix fulfills the poet's vision of a transgressive hero who exhausts within himself all poisons and preserves their quintessence. Unspeakable torment, where he will need the greatest faith, a superhuman strength, where he becomes among all men the great invalid, the great criminal, the great accursed--and the Supreme Scientist! CAUTION (from a typical science fiction reader: 2theD at Potpourri Science Fiction Literature): There were times when I cringed in utter pain, screamed out in agony, wished that I had never picked up this dreaded novel. There's a large following of this book for some reason, though any understanding of this reason is impenetrable to me. As philosophy is often referred to as masturbation with words, I would extend this metaphor to Radix: fascinating for the author and voyeurs but a nuisance to passers-by, like myself. I'd rather perform haruspicy or anthropomancy with my bare hands than pick up another Attanasio novel. How can people read this drivel... because it sounds intelligent? Have you read it? Do you dare?
  books like the dark tower: The Book of Atrix Wolfe Patricia A. McKillip, 2015-08-27 Twenty years ago, the powerful mage Atrix Wolfe unleashed an uncontrollable force that killed his beloved king. Now, the Queen of the Wood has offered him one last chance for redemption. She asks him to find her daughter, who vanished into the human world during the massacre he caused. No one has seen the princess-but deep in the kitchens of the Castle of Pelucir, there is a scullery maid who appeared out of nowhere one night long ago. She cannot speak and her eyes are full of sadness. But there are those who call her beautiful.
  books like the dark tower: The Gunslinger Stephen King, 2013 In this first novel in his epic fantasy masterpiece, Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger... Roland is a haunting figure, a loner, on a spellbinding journey into good and evil, in a desolate world which frighteningly echoes our own. In his first step towards the powerful and mysterious Dark Tower, he encounters an alluring woman named Alice, begins a friendship with Jake, a kid from New York, and faces an agonising choice between damnation and salvation as he pursues the Man in Black. Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, The Dark Tower series is unlike anything you've ever read. Here is Stephen King's most visionary piece of storytelling, a magical mix of fantasy and horror that may well be his crowning achievement.
  books like the dark tower: The Great Leveller Joe Abercrombie, 2015-04-23 Collected together for the first time, here are the three hard-hitting standalone novels set in the world of Joe Abercrombie's bestselling FIRST LAW trilogy. BEST SERVED COLD: War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die. THE HEROES: Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail. Three men. One battle. No Heroes. RED COUNTRY: Shy South hoped to bury her bloody past and ride away smiling, but she'll have to sharpen up some bad old ways to get her family back, and she's not a woman to flinch from what needs doing. She sets off in pursuit off her family's killers with only a pair of oxen and her cowardly old stepfather Lamb for company. But it turns out Lamb's buried a bloody past of his own, and out in the lawless Far Country, the past never stays buried.
  books like the dark tower: One Dark Window Rachel Gillig, 2022-09-27 THE FANTASY BOOKTOK SENSATION! For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a dark, lushly gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom—but the monster in her head isn't the only threat lurking. Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her. Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King’s own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason. He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.
  books like the dark tower: The Wind through the Keyhole Stephen King, 2012-04-24 Now with a stunning new cover look comes this captivating volume in King's epic fantasy series THE DARK TOWER. The No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller The Wind through the Keyhole is a perfect bridge between the fourth and fifth novels in Stephen King's epic masterpiece. A story within a story which features both the younger and older gunslinger, it is also a wonderful introduction to The Dark Tower series. As Roland Deschain, and his ka-tet leave the Emerald city, a ferocious storm halts their progress along the Path of the Beam. While they shelter from the starkblast, Roland tells a story about his younger days, when he was sent by his father to investigate evidence of a murderous shape-changer. At the scene of the crime he had tried to comfort a terrified young boy called Bill Streeter by reciting a story from The Magic Tales of the Eld that his mother used to read to him at bedtime, 'The Wind through the Keyhole'. 'A person's never too old for stories,' he said to Bill. 'Man and boy, girl and woman, we live for them.' And stories like these, they live for us. JOIN THE QUEST FOR THE DARK TOWER... 'A gem of a novel, enchanting and enchanted' GUARDIAN THE DARK TOWER SERIES: THE DARK TOWER I: THE GUNSLINGER THE DARK TOWER II: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE THE DARK TOWER III: THE WASTE LANDS THE DARK TOWER IV: WIZARD AND GLASS THE DARK TOWER V: WOLVES OF THE CALLA THE DARK TOWER VI: SONG OF SUSANNAH THE DARK TOWER VII: THE DARK TOWER THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE: A DARK TOWER NOVEL
  books like the dark tower: Wizard War Hugh Cook, 1987
  books like the dark tower: Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came Robert Browning, 2019-06-09 Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came is a poem by English author Robert Browning, written in 1855 and first published that same year in the collection entitled Men and Women. The poem has influenced many other authors including modern horror writer Stephen King in his seven book epic, 'The Dark Tower', featuring The Gunslinger, Roland Deschain.
  books like the dark tower: Carrie; Christine Stephen King, 2002-08-01
  books like the dark tower: The Ghost Tree Brandon Faircloth, 2021-05-20 Rachel finds a hidden prison cell in the basement of her new house. Who was kept there and why?Thomas has a job watching a woman trapped in a room. Is she in danger? And are the messages she's sending meant for him?Wally keeps getting deliveries, each more horrific and dangerous than the last. Who's behind it, and what do they want from him?Justin has found the Ghost Tree, and in doing so, he's lost everything. How far will he go to reclaim his life? His soul?This novel of intersecting lives and times and worlds answers all of these questions and more. Read what has been called powerful and beautiful, absolutely incredible, unpredictable and amazing. Brandon Faircloth's latest book is filled with horror and suspense that takes the reader at a breathtaking pace through many twists and turns before reaching an ending that is both moving and terrifying.
  books like the dark tower: Elantris Brandon Sanderson, 2011 Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.
  books like the dark tower: Dark Tower 4-Book Boxed Set Stephen King, 2003-10-07 Featuring a new Introduction by the author, the first four books of the Dark Tower series--including a revised and expanded The Gunslinger--are offered in one boxed set.
  books like the dark tower: The Dark Tower, the Gunslinger Stephen King, 1989
  books like the dark tower: The Road to the Dark Tower Bev Vincent, 2004-09-28 AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE DARK TOWER SERIES—INCLUDING BOOK-BY-BOOK ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT INTO STEPHEN KING'S CREATIVE PROCESS. In 1970, Stephen King embarked on what would become the crowning achievement in his literary career-the Dark Tower. The seven-volume series, written and published over a period of 30 years, was inspired by Robert Browning's poem Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, as well as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and the spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone. With the full cooperation of Stephen King himself, The Road to the Dark Tower examines the epic journey of the author to complete a story that threatened to overwhelm him. In this indispensable companion, Bev Vincent presents a book-by-book analysis of each volume in the series, tracing the Dark Tower's connections to King's other novels including The Stand, Insomnia, and Hearts in Atlantis, and offering insights from the author about the creative process involved in crafting his lifelong work-a work that has consumed not only Stephen King, but his legion of devoted readers. This is essential reading for any Dark Tower-or Stephen King-fan.