I had never thought about Calvin Tower and Mia, Daughter of None, in connection with one another before; they’re separated by split storylines that never directly intersect. But reading these two stanzas back-to-back forced me to think about why King juxtaposes the bibliophilic hoarder with the sex demon-turned-mortal…
Tag Archives: Roland Deschain
The Power Of Promises In The Dark Tower
There are countless reasons that promises are broken. Sometimes it’s purposeful, sometimes it’s out of anyone’s control. Either way, the fact is that promises are not magic spells. They are easy to break…
Who You Gonna Cal?
So what is the difference between these two men? These two “Cals”? Why does the ka-tet embrace one and have contempt for the other when they have so much in common?
A Priest & A Manni Walk Into A Bar: Organized Religion In The Dark Tower
Roland is knowledgeable enough and diplomatic enough that he can hold palaver with Henchick or Callahan without appearing ignorant or insulting them, but the gunslinger has no respect for religion…
Second Guessing Stephen King: Getting To The Bottom Of Roland’s Grow-Bag
King’s liberal use of ambiguity is one of my favorite things about this series, especially when it comes to the lingering magic in Roland’s world. But for some reason, this particular piece of gunna always stuck out to me as half-baked and shoe-horned in…
Songs of the Dark Tower
Instead of doing what’s already been done, I’ve decided to highlight a few songs that aren’t officially Dark Tower-related, but which have undeniable (if only incidental) Dark Tower vibes…
The Key To Ka-Tet: Diversity
I don’t just mean that in terms of race or gender—although those things are part of it—but also in terms of experience, skill and ethics. Roland’s ka-tet is a great example, with each member bringing a completely unique perspective and breadth of knowledge to any given problem…
You Can’t Pick Stephen King’s Nose
It’s not just a silly saying to entertain a child, it’s also a fairly wise reminder—albeit a juvenile one—that we can only control our own actions and any attempt to control the actions of others is folly…
Todash & Time
The last time I read this book was before I became a father, bought and sold a house, and moved to another country; I’m a completely different person now. Just as the Stephen King who wrote Wolves of the Calla was a completely different person than the King who wrote Wizard & Glass…
The End of the Beginning & the Beginning of the End
The Dark Tower series, especially this week’s pages, show us that no story ever ends without another one beginning, and nothing new can start without the end of what came before it…
Church of the Cosmic Turtle 