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Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, Book 4)
by Authors:
Stephen King
Hardcover
Wizard and Glass, the fourth episode in King's white-hot Dark Tower series, is a sci-fi/fantasy novel that contains a post-apocalyptic Western love story twice as long. It begins with the series' star, world-weary Roland, and his world-hopping posse (an ex-junkie, a child, a plucky woman in a wheelchair, and a talking dog-like pet named Oy the Bumbler) trapped aboard a runaway train. The train is a psychotic multiple personality that intends to commit suicide with them at 800 m.p.h.--unless Roland and pals can outwit it in a riddling contest.
It's a great race, for the mind and pulse. Movies should be this good. Then comes a 567-page flashback about Roland at age 14. It's a well-marbled but meaty tale. Roland and two teen homies must rescue his first love from the dirty old drooling mayor of a post-apocalyptic cowboy town, thwart a civil war by blowing up oil tanks, and seize an all-seeing crystal ball from Rhea, a vampire witch. The love scenes are startlingly prominent and earthier than most romance novels (they kiss until blood trickles from her lip).
After an epic battle ending in a box canyon to end all box canyons, we're back with grizzled, grown-up Roland and the train-wreck survivors in a parallel world: Kansas in 1986, after a plague. The finale is a weird fantasy takeoff on The Wizard of Oz. Some readers will feel that the latest novel in King's most ambitious series has too many pages--almost 800--but few will deny it's a page-turner.
Average Customer Rating:
Wizard and Glass is an excellent story...
I wont' lie and say this was my favorite novel so far in the Dark Tower series, but I still loved it! I was drawn to it just as I was to the other three, reading it every chance I got. True, most of the book dealt with Roland's past, but it was still a wonderful story. I understand why Mr. King chose to tell us a story of Roland's past, to develop his main character much more in-depth, which will only add to the subsequent novels in the series. Stephen could have just moved the ka-tet onward to yet another adventure, providing some of the info of Roland's past in brief flashbacks, but we the reader would never have the more in-depth understanding of our hero, and all that he has been through in his extremely painful early years.
In my opinion, only the readers who are truly into the epic story, including the adventure and all of the characters, will enjoy this next installment, and not those who just want Roland to be standing at the doorstep of the Tower now.
One thing I do agree upon, which I'm sure everyone does, is please, Mr. King, don't wait another 7 years for the next novel! I took me two weeks to re-read the first three novels so I knew what was going on (Had to say it).
Excellent! A terrific tale well told.
I loved this book (though not without reservation). I'm dismayed at the comments of some reviewers complaining about the length - or even the existence - of the flashback section of the book. It seems clear enough that the episode from Roland's youth was intended to be the heart and primary focus of this volume. The flashback provides a wealth of insight into Roland's character by intimately exploring defining experiences in his formative years that contributed to the mysterious personality we find in the main timeline of the story. How can anyone professing interest in The Dark Tower epic consider that pointless? I found it the most moving piece of work SK has produced since his masterpiece novella, "The Body." Mr. King at his best makes me live his stories to an extent I rarely do with other authors and I truly lived the "Roland & Susan" story in this book. I share the hope of most of the other reviewers that SK gives us another Dark Tower volume in the near future. On the other hand, I hope he takes all the time he needs to do it justice. Unlike the anti-flashback minority, I am hopeful that we get additional segments fleshing out Roland's background. I look forward to learning more about what happened to Cuthbert and Alain, and about Roland's life between age 15 and the start of "The Gunslinger." I am NOT anxious to get to the end of this trek; I'm enjoying the journey too much.
On the down side, I was disappointed with the "Emerald City" segment. It seemed shallow and contrived - but maybe that was only by comparison. I got the impression that Mr. King poured his soul into the Roland & Susan story and rushed the rest of the book just to have an envelope to contain the flashback.
A late start into a great thing.
So, sadly, I have finished Wizard and Glass, skipping ahead a couple of books in the Dark Tower series. I read The Gunslinger awhile back, and wasn't all that impressed. A friend told me that the Dark Tower books were good, but I didn't fully appreciate how A*M*A*Z*I*N*G they were by the first book. Anyway, I literally was unable to stop reading Wizard and Glass, and when I wasn't reading it, I was daydreaming about reading it. This book has Tolkien influences, mythology and characters from other King books including the STAND, an all-time favorite of mine, cowboy/western themes, WIZARD OF OZ references (brilliant!) and more. Stephen King truly is one of the most creative and brilliant writers of the 21st century. His characters become lasting memories. And now, if you'll excuse me, I must go and buy every other Dark Tower book, except the Gunslinger, which I already have, and obviously, W&G.; I give this book an A+.
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Wizard and Glass is an excellent story... 
Excellent! A terrific tale well told. 
